Casey Stoner stunned the MotoGP paddock by storming to victory, on his Ducati debut, at the 2007 Qatar season opener - and his rivals arguably never recovered.
By the end of only his second season in MotoGP, Stoner and his powerful Desmosedici had won 10 races, taken 14 podiums and lifted his and Ducati's first world title with a season's worst sixth place at the wet/dry Japanese Grand Prix, round 15 of 18.
The 22-year-old's faultless 2007 performances - when he finished every race - were in complete contrast to his rookie 2006 season, when he failed to finish seven GPs for the satellite Honda LCR team.
Stoner had hinted at his future stardom by finishing sixth in his first ever premier-class race - despite missing the final pre-season tests due to surgery - then took pole position next time out and a debut podium, just 0.2secs behind race winner Marco Melandri, in his third ever MotoGP race.
Unfortunately for Casey, that second place marked his first and last podium of the 2006 season, with accidents dropping him steadily down the championship standings to eighth by the season's end.
Despite his 'incidents', Lucio Cecchinello had hoped to retain Stoner for a second season, but Casey was chasing a factory ride and - while negotiations with Yamaha broke down early - his raw speed was enough to convince Ducati to take the considerable gamble of signing him over the experienced Sete Gibernau, a double MotoGP World Championship runner-up.
Stoner was thus partnered with Loris Capirossi for the first season of 800cc racing and the rest is history. With Ducati legend Capirossi completely overshadowed by the Australian, taking only one win, Loris will be replaced by fellow Italian Marco Melandri for 2008 - when Stoner will proudly ride with the #1 plate.
Casey and his family's commitment to achieving his goal of a world championship is hard to fault. After uprooting themselves from their native Kurri-Kurri on Australia's idyllic Gold Coast, they spent time in Britain establishing Stoner as a European name. After dominating Aussie dirt bike riding as a kid, they knew Europe was the place to be to further his career. It was a risk as well as a sacrifice - and the gamble paid off.
In 2001 Stoner finished second overall in two highly regarded championships, the Spanish and British 125cc series, and it from here that he continued to shine as a rider when the careers of many other hopefuls have stalled. Then Cecchinello stepped in to guide him, recruiting him to his Aprilia 250 squad for 2002 where he finished 12th overall in his first full GP season, took a debut win in his second season - after switching to the 125cc class - before taking another 125cc win the following year, for the factory KTM team.
A switch back to Cecchinello, Aprilia and 250cc for 2005 yielded five wins and second in the championship behind Dani Pedrosa - enough to convince Honda to hand him a satellite RC211V for 2006.
Career highlights:
1989 & 1999: 41 wins in Australian dirt bike Championships
2000: 1st British Aprilia RS 125 Challenge
2001: 2nd Spanish 125cc Championship, 2nd British 125cc Championship
2002: 12th 250cc World Championship Aprilia
2003: 8th 125cc World Championship Aprilia
2004: 5th 125cc World Championship KTM
2005: 2nd 250cc World Championship Aprilia
2006: 8th MotoGP World Championship Honda
2007: 1st MotoGP World Championship Ducati
