Casey Stoner and his MotoGP team-mates
One of the stand-out features of Casey Stoner's MotoGP career was his performance relative to his team-mates.
The newly retired double MotoGP champion was beaten just five times by a team-mate - in races they both finished - during four seasons at Ducati, but later faced stiffer opposition in the form of Dani Pedrosa at Repsol Honda.
Pedrosa proved to be by far Stoner's toughest team-mate, finishing ahead of the Australian on 11 of the 24 occasions that they both reached the chequered flag during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
But of Stoner's other team-mates, Loris Capirossi and Nicky Hayden beat the #27 just twice under such circumstances - with Marco Melandri and Andrea Dovizioso classified ahead only once when on the same equipment.
Stoner spent his rookie 2006 MotoGP year without a team-mate at LCR Honda, before joining Capirossi at the factory Ducati team in 2007. Stoner then rode alongside Melandri in 2008 and Hayden in 2009 and 2010.
A switch to Repsol Honda saw Stoner initially partnered by both Pedrosa and Dovizioso, before the HRC line-up was reduced to just Stoner and Pedrosa for 2012. Pedrosa missed three races through injury in 2011, with Stoner likewise missing three races due to injury last year.
2012 marked the only time a team-mate ever finished higher than Stoner in the MotoGP championship standings.
MotoGP races where a team-mate finished ahead of Casey Stoner:
2006 - LCR HondaNo team-mate.
2007 - DucatiGermany: Capirossi 2nd - Stoner 5th
Stoner held second for most of the race, but - like all Bridgestone riders - struggled with major tyre issues late in the race. Team-mate Capirossi nursed the rubber best and rose from fourth to second in the closing stages.Japan: Capirossi 1st - Stoner 6th
A wet/dry bike-swap race at Motegi saw Stoner ride to a safe sixth place to claim his and Ducati's first MotoGP title. Capirossi claimed what is still the only non-Stoner Ducati win since the start of 2007.
2008 - Ducati France: Melandri 15th - Stoner 16th
Stoner suffered an engine problem while battling at the front and plummeted to last place as a result. Stoner was later lapped twice but credited as finishing in 16th, which was one place behind team-mate Marco Melandri.
2009 - Ducati Unbeaten.
2010 - DucatiJerez: Hayden 4th - Stoner 5th
Hayden became arguably the first team-mate to defeat Stoner 'fair and square' - in a dry race and without any significant tyre or technical issues - at Jerez 2010. Stoner was less than one second behind Hayden at the flag.Silverstone: Hayden 4th - Stoner 5th
Hayden qualified ahead of Stoner for the first since joining Ducati during the inaugural MotoGP event held at the new Silverstone layout, then beat Stoner by just 0.18s in the race. Stoner had charged from last place, after clutch problems at the start, to join the podium fight and finished less than a second from runner-up Dovizioso.
2011 - Repsol Honda Estoril: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 3rd
After winning on his Repsol Honda debut in Qatar, then being taken out by Valentino Rossi at Jerez, Stoner crossed the line behind an RC213V team-mate for the first time with third at Estoril. Stoner feared he would be unable to finish after his back temporarily 'locked-up' during the race.Mugello: Dovizioso 2nd - Stoner 3rd
The only time Dovizioso beat Stoner as a team-mate, in races they both finished, was at the 2011 Italian GP. Stoner led for much of the race, but began to struggle due to 'incorrect tyre pressures'. He lost out to Lorenzo and then - on the final lap - Dovizioso. Stoner finished 1.1s from winner Lorenzo.Sachsenring: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 3rd
As at the previous Mugello round, Stoner led the early part of the race, but was unable to prevent Pedrosa building a small but crucial advantage. Stoner spent the closing stages fighting Lorenzo for second, the Spaniard seizing the runner-up spot at the very final turn.Misano: Pedrosa 2nd - Stoner 3rd
Stoner stuck to the rear wheel of race winner Lorenzo for the first ten laps, bu fatigue then kicked in and Stoner lost second place to team-mate Dani Pedrosa on lap 22 of 28. "The team gave me a fantastic package, I'm just worn out," he said.Motegi: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 3rd
The fifth and final time Stoner finished behind a fellow Repsol rider in 2011 was at the Japanese Grand Prix. Stoner ran off track while leading after a 'tank slapper' shook the brake pads away from the disc. Stoner re-joined in seventh and reached third by the flag.
2012 - Repsol HondaQatar: Pedrosa 2nd - Stoner 3rd
Stoner looked on course to win the first race of the new 1000cc era, but suffered 'arm pump' problems late in the grand prix. Team-mate Pedrosa took second from Stoner with two laps remaining, in a race won by Lorenzo.Catalunya: Pedrosa 2nd - Stoner 4th
Catalunya 2012 marked the first time since joining Repsol Honda that Stoner went the distance without stepping on the podium. Stoner had qualified on pole but was unable to make the harder tyre work in the race and finished fourth. Team-mate Pedrosa was 4.5s ahead in second place.Mugello: Pedrosa 2nd - Stoner 8th
A tough weekend saw Stoner struggle for set-up and he was the only rider to opt for the 'special' harder rear tyre in the race. Stoner dropped from fifth to tenth after running off-track, before salvaging eighth. Pedrosa was runner-up to Lorenzo. This was Stoner's last team-mate defeat before his injury at Indianapolis.Indianapolis: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 4th
A qualifying highside left Stoner with ankle fractures and ligament damage, but he returned to claim a brave fourth place in a race won by Pedrosa. Motegi: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 5th
Having missed three races following surgery for his Indianapolis injuries Stoner finished fifth on his return to action at Motegi, citing a lack of race fitness.Sepang: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 3rd
Stoner - who considered skipping the soaking Sepang race due to the increased risk of re-damaging his ankle - got faster as the race went on and was on the verge of overtaking Lorenzo for second when the race was stopped. Pedrosa won, but Stoner felt he had a real chance of victory without the stoppage. Valencia: Pedrosa 1st - Stoner 3rd
Stoner's last MotoGP race took place on a wet but drying track, prompting another cautious start for the Australian. Stoner rose from 16th, after a pit stop to swap bikes, and overtook Alvaro Bautista for third place on the penultimate lap. Team-mate Pedrosa won the race.
Casey Stoner vs. his MotoGP team-mates:How many times Stoner finished higher than his MotoGP team-mate(s), by year.
Only races in which both team-mates finished are included
2012:
Stoner 6 - Pedrosa 72011:
Stoner 7 - Pedrosa 4
Stoner 14 - Dovizioso 12010:
Stoner 8 - Hayden 22009:
Stoner 12 - Hayden 02008:
Stoner 13 - Melandri 12007:
Stoner 12 - Capirossi 22006:
No team-mate.
