divas

Rossi ignores me - Stoner
October 12, 2007 - 3:39PM

World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner today dominated practice ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix then revealed how his relationship with his "idol" Valentino Rossi had soured.

He said that despite his attempts to ensure the two remained on civil terms, Rossi had chosen to snub him.

Stoner took a tumble from his Ducati at the slow Honda corner, as did fellow Ducati riders Alex Barros and Chaz Davies, during today's second rain-disrupted session but was unhurt.

He led both practice periods while five-times world champion Rossi could manage no better than third quickest on his Yamaha.

Stoner halted Rossi's attempts to regain his world crown when he sealed the championship in Japan last month but said today he did not want his rivalry with the Italian star to become bitter.

Rossi previously had unpleasant relations with grand prix riders, fellow Italian Max Biaggi and Spaniard Sete Gibernau.

"I actually spoke to him (Rossi) this year and basically told him that I don't want it to end up like he did with Sete or Max Biaggi," Stoner said.

"Unfortunately he hasn't really spoken to me in a while now and he seems to be throwing in a few comments that I'm not really so happy with.

"But I've got no issues with him and I've got no issues with most riders in the paddock so I don't think it's going to be a drama.

"He's been one of my idols for a long time - myself and a few of my friends, we used to go out and watch every session of his.

"We were just in awe of his talents and just the way he used to dominate.

"Along with Mick Doohan, every time they were on tv I was watching and they were the sort of people I wanted to become like," Stoner said.

Rain interrupted both practice periods today after the 21-year-old topped the timesheets in early dry conditions.

He set a time of 1m31.286s in the second period - a little over a tenth of a second slower than in the opening run.

Defending Australian GP winner Marco Melandri climbed to second quickest in the afternoon ahead of the Honda of Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.

Stoner said he was pleased with his first practice session despite battling rain and gusty winds.

"Everything's gone pretty good today, we had a really good feeling with the whole bike and the whole package," he said.

"The Phillip Island test at the beginning of the season really went well for us and I think that's where we started to pick up from.

"To come back here now with more knowledge and more experience with the bike and tyres we just sort of picked up where we left off and we've taken another step forward."

As for the fall, Stoner said he felt some spillage on the track had caused his bike to slide off.

"It had to have been something on the track because there is absolutely no reason why the rear would go.

"I mean, Chaz did exactly the same thing - we weren't on full angle and all of a sudden it went."
Kawasaki's Anthony West was the next best Australian rider after Stoner, setting a lap time of 1m32.459.

Fellow Queenslander Chris Vermeulen, second in this round last year, struggled on his Suzuki to be 10th fastest in the morning, dropping to 14th in the afternoon.

AAP

I believe Rossi just uses this as a tactic to attempt to get into the head of Stoner. Not that it really matters at this point. Stoner is a cool, talented kid and I enjoyed watching him win the title.

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2005 Suzuki Hayabusa Limited Edition - lots of mods
2007 Suzuki GSXR600 - wifebeater and flip-flops optional
2000 Honda CBR600F4 - outfitted with the NRC case cover of invincibility
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