Ducati wanted to keep Casey Stoner for 2011

If Ducati had got its way, Valentino Rossi would never have had the chance to join the iconic Italian manufacturer for the 2011 MotoGP world championship.

Pictures of Rossi riding in Ducati red for the first time last week in Sepang were images few people thought they would witness, least of all Ducati management, who were desperate to retain Aussie Casey Stoner.

Ducati were so keen to extend Stoner’s deal that he was offered a lucrative contract extension for 2011 as far back as November ’09.

Factory team boss Alessandro Cicognani told MCN: “We were ready to sign Casey back in November 2009. Since then we put in the maximum effort to keep Casey and he knows this.”

Stoner  though quit Ducati at the second race of last season and moved to Repsol Honda where he will be partnered by Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso.

“His departure paved the way for Rossi to complete a dream multi-million pound switch to Ducati, as was first revealed by MCN in late June.