The Marlboro Ducati rider needs to score 15 points more than seven times World Champion
Valentino Rossi in the 28-lap race round the 2.599 Estoril circuit.
It may be a bit of a long shot however it is not an impossible task for Stoner who arrives on the Atlantic coast of Portugal in superb form. He has totally dominated the last three grands prix, on the GP 7 Ducati. He is 85 points clear of Rossi in the championship standings after eight grand prix victories and just to add some icing to the cake; Stoner won his first 250cc grand prix at Estoril just two years ago.
Rossi’s mind set is very different to Stoner’s after the new engine of his Fiat Yamaha expired in the early stages of the last grand prix at Misano in Italy. He won’t got quietly and has no intention of surrendering the title chase without a fight plus his record at Estoril is second to none. Rossi has won the
MotoGP race at Estoril four times and finished on the podium on his seven appearances at the track including a second place last year when
Toni Elias beat him by just 0.002 seconds.
If Stoner wins the race Rossi would have to finish sixth or below for the title to be decided. With the problems that Rossi has encountered this season that scenario is quite possible. Last year Estoril played a hugely dramatic part in the title chase with Championship leader
Nicky Hayden being brought down by his Repsol Honda team-mate
Dani Pedrosa.
Spaniard Pedrosa will want to forget that afternoon as he defends his third place in the championship. He will also want to forget Misano a couple of weeks ago where he was brought down at the second bend of the race by the sliding Kawasaki of Frenchman Randy De Puniet. He holds a 22 point lead over Australian
Chris Vermeulen who with team-mate
John Hopkins are giving the Rizla Suzuki team a well deserved fantastic finish to their first season of the 800 cc machines.
