Casey Stoner pinpoints moment Japanese MotoGP factories “got left behind”

Casey Stoner thinks a lack of commitment to aerodynamics in 2017 was the point at which the Japanese factories in MotoGP were “left behind” by the Europeans.

Ducati made the first big push on aerodynamics in MotoGP in 2015, and this expanded in 2016. 

Regulations were introduced for 2017 on safety grounds which intended for the winglets on the premier class bikes to be contained within the main bodywork of the fairing.

But the European manufacturers interpreted this differently to the Japanese, with Ducati bringing the kind of pod-shaped wings it still uses a derivative of in 2025, while Honda and Yamaha brought much smaller designs that effectively widened the main fairing to make space for the winglets within.

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Stoner believes a reluctance from the Japanese manufacturers to invest in aerodynamics at that moment led to their current position where both Honda and Yamaha are trying to develop themselves back to the front of MotoGP after several years of uncompetitiveness.

“It’s been tough for the Japanese factories,” Casey Stoner told the MotoGP world feed broadcast during FP2 on Saturday at Misano.

“We saw many years ago, when the rules were close to being put in, I believe that they – Honda and even Yamaha – had developed the bike to be without aerodynamics and all this kind of thing; then the rules just seems to crumble and disappear and turn up the next year and everyone’s still got winglets. 

“So, I think they just got left behind at that point, they weren’t developing it, they weren’t continuing in that direction, and they’re just clawing themselves back now, I suppose. 

“I don’t know how much they wanted to invest, I suppose, in getting themselves back further up the grid; because it is a big investment, especially with aerodynamics, it’s where the major costs of it comes from. 

“I think they were cautious on how much they really wanted to invest with their time and budget in that. 

“All of them seem to be coming back a little bit, to a certain degree – Yamaha’s still struggling, but Honda have certainly made some waves in the last several races and seem to be pushing themselves further up the grid.”

Stoner spent some time in the Honda HRC box, in which he won his second world title, on Friday on Luca Marini’s side of the garage.

“I’ve got no obligations anywhere inside this paddock, so it’s pretty much just me walking up and down pit lane, and I watched some things out on-track and when I do see things I can just give a little bit of advice here and there,” Stoner said.

“But, honestly, they’re the ones doing the job, so that was nothing to do with me yesterday, that was them doing what they came here to do. 

“I’ve got a lot of time for everyone there at the Honda garage, I had some fantastic years there and have what I still consider family in that side of the team. 

“So, I appreciated everything Honda did and gave me, so I was just in there visiting them and letting them know what I saw on-track.”