Ducati Marlboro
MotoGP project director Livio Suppo has dismissed speculation that star rider
Casey Stoner will need further surgery on his left wrist.
The 2007
MotoGP world champion underwent a bone graft operation after last season's Valencia season finale, in order to mend an unhealed scaphoid break from 2003.
However, upon making his return to action during testing at Sepang from February 5-7, Stoner complained of pain from the wrist and could only complete a handful of consecutive laps.
But the pain had little impact on his ultimate lap time, with the young Australian fastest of all on days two and three to leave Malaysia 0.094sec ahead of reigning six time champion Valentino Rossi.
”Nobody has spoken about another operation,” the official
MotoGP website quotes Suppo as saying. “The doctors said that the surgery went ok, so now it's a question of doing exercises to increase mobility in his wrist. Everything should be under control. In Sepang he was able to ride the bike, like the doctors said, and he was unbelievably fast.
”He will have to work hard on his wrist. It won't be easy for him, but he has the character to do it. We have to wait and see what happens in Qatar [the next test]; hopefully the circuit is less physically demanding for the riders and better for him than Sepang.”
Stoner, who has claimed all but one of Ducati's 17 800cc victories, was 1.3sec faster than the next best Desmosedici rider (Mika Kallio) at Sepang, with new team-mate
Nicky Hayden 1.454sec behind in tenth position.
”Nicky wasn't as fast as Casey in Sepang, but you have to remember that Casey joined us in 2006,” said Suppo. “Sepang is a special circuit, and Nicky was as fast as Casey in T1 and T2. I spoke to him after the test, and I really believe that he has a great attitude to us working together.”
The second test of 2009 takes place at Qatar from March 1-3.
