British MotoGP: Bad start costs Casey Stoner

A shocking start that left Casey Stoner languishing down in 14th place on the opening lap of yesterday’s British MotoGP race continued a disappointing campaign for the Australian star.

The 24-year-old’s rousing comeback though was one of the major highlights for a bumper crowd of just over 70,000 fans but fifth place extended Stoner’s poor run of results.

The factory Ducati rider has yet to score a podium finish in 2010 and he’s already a massive 80-points adrift of points leader Jorge Lorenzo with just five races completed.

His pace though would have been easily good enough to secure second spot and he said: “We paid the price for a terrible start. As I let the clutch out the bike started jumping and hopping around and I had to pull the clutch in and go again, by which time everybody was past. I’m disappointed because it would have been an easy second and maybe battling Jorge for the win, although I would have had to push for that.”

Had it not been for his botched start then Stoner certainly might have given runaway winner Lorenzo more to think about.

As it was the Spaniard cruised to his third win of the season and Stoner was left to rue a golden opportunity wasted to collect his first rostrum.

He said: “It was the same in Le Mans. There was only Jorge and me on the same lap time. 

“In the morning warm-up we knew we had a good setting and for the race I was happy with the way the bike was running. I’ve only had one bad race this year and that was Mugello, I know it was our best result but it was our worst race.

“I never had the pace all weekend. At every other race we have had the pace.

“In Jerez I struggled with the front end and had to back off but except for Mugello we’ve been there at every race.”

Stoner, who is being constantly linked with a switch to Honda in 2011, said his main focus now for the remainder of the season was to try and challenge for race wins.

He said: “I have not been a part of this championship for a while now so it’s not for me to talk about it. I’ve got to get myself further up in the standings and I’m not doing it any justice at the moment.

“For me the championship is out of the question. I’ve just got to gets some results.”