MOTOGP » Stoner continues 'near perfect' comeback

3,2,1 Let the Stoner bashing begin - by nobodies and wannabees tappity tapping on the keyboard, snickering at their own purile verbal vomit knowing full well that they are neither worthy to comment or capable of ever performing like the man they hate so passionately. saddest thing is they hate someone they don't even know..... pathetic little creatures.

Rossi fans... worse than Manchester United fans!

Very gracious comments by Stoner. 20 wins in the 800cc era demonstrates who is the best rider in MotoGP - and that's with 3 fewer races than Rossi and also riding injured and ill several times. Add that to the fact that he constantly destroys his highly rated team-mates and it's a no-brainer.

Awesome win yesterday - the very definition of total domination. It's a shame Crash couldn't see fit to report who actually won the race yesterday.

And well done to Rossi. OK, you were a bit fortunate this year but performed at an extremely high level all season and deserve the championship.

Whatever else you may or may not think about him it was a stunning display of riding, the guy is such a raw talent that there are no words to describe.

In the short term I'm glad it seems he's not washed up as so many predicted, it would be a serious loss to the sport.

In the longer term I think he needs a degree of stability around him to fulfill his potential, how that will happen is pretty unclear when everything that happens in the class is totally centered around another person.

And in 2008, Casey finished the season: second, first, sixth, and first. And we all know how much good that did (despite Casey's first at Qatar to beginning 2009) Casey in the 2009 season.

Whatever was at stake is no longer an issue now. Rossi has retained his crown, Lorenzo has nothing more to fight for. There will be no more holding back or being "cautious" come next race.

There was so much as stake for the last few races which was not an accurate gauge on who was really better. Stoner had nothing more to prove so of course he could risk all out at each race. Rossi and Lorenzo had the championship to worry about so it is a question whether they were truly out paced by Stoner.

Next race, without any reason to be extra careful, we will witness who is truly the best among them. Let the battle begin!

Since 2006 (Stoner's first MotoGP season, he's won 20 races. In that same period, Rossi has won 24 races in MotoGP. At the beginning of the 2006 MotoGP season, Rossi was 53 victories ahead of Stoner. Currently, Rossi is 57 MotoGP victories ahead of Stoner.

"Next race, without any reason to be extra careful, we will witness who is truly the best among them. Let the battle begin! "

If Rossi is beat, there'll be an excuse.

There always is!

John, I don't think it will matter who wins, I'm sure you'll have an excuse either way. Rossi did it with a leg in the air, he should have showed us how (according to his fans) he always rides for the win, just like Philip Island, and the other time, and the time before that. Don't cheapen his accomplishments with excuses that you can apply to all riders.

I think for comparison purposes the last three years are more relevant not because it's the 800cc era, but because they've both been factory riders.

To compare Rossi's circumstances in 06 (factory bikes, factory technicians, factory budget, Michelin "specials", etc,etc) to Caseys circumstances (customer bike, new team to the class with no previous experience, shoestring budget, over the counter tyres, etc, etc),................

well surely anyone can see that a comparison is hardly valid!