Gardner: The real reason Stoner left Ducati
A lack of funding and no development claims former 500cc champ
FORMER 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner has said he believes a lack of development of Ducati's MotoGP bikes is the real reason Casey Stoner decided to quit the Italian squad.
In his latest blog, Gardner reveals what he believes is the real reason why fellow Australian Casey Stoner has chosen to leave Ducati and join Honda in 2011.
"I had a long chat with him down at Phillip Island and he told me that while everyone thinks the factory undertakes constant modifications throughout the year, nothing could be further from the truth.
"He said that over the past two years they've never had any serious development once the season's started. Basically what they start with is what they finish with - just unbelievable.
"He added that Ducati simply didn’t have the budget or manpower to respond to problems that arose during the season."
Gardner believes Ducati's lack of funding is why the company has recently pulled the plug on their World Superbike programme, especially now Rossi has been signed in a multi-million euro deal.
Gardner concludes: "They'll (Ducati) need all the funds and resources they can get their hands on, as Vale will definitely be demanding upgrades throughout the season."
