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Brno MotoGP: Casey Stoner hampered by rear grip issue

According to Casey Stoner, his inability to resolve a rear grip problem led to the missed opportunity for a front row spot in tomorrow’s Czech Republic MotoGP at the Brno circuit.

The Australian achieved the fourth fastest time, clocking in at 1.56.868, just 0.003 seconds shy of displacing Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo from the front row.

The 2007 world champion experienced a resurgence of an old rear pumping issue with his factory Ducati GP10, stating: “We have been attempting to fix that. It resembled the Ducati from two years ago, but with our carbon chassis, whatever it does is amplified compared to the old Ducati. The movement is far more aggressive now, pumping hard and causing me to lose control in several instances.

“We sort that issue a little, then we face challenges with the front, and we’re just attempting to achieve a better balance. My last exit felt better, but I still lacked sufficient grip in the rear, with the new tires masking many issues.

“The problem is persistent throughout the entire track. With our bike, it’s rarely that one section differs from another; we typically encounter the same issue across the lap. We’re experiencing the same reactions at every corner.” Stoner expressed that he wasn’t concerned about missing out on the front row of the grid, marking the first time since the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in late June.

He anticipated being part of the group competing for the podium in tomorrow’s 22-lap race, which signals the start of the second half of the 2010 MotoGP world championship.

Stoner, set to switch to Repsol Honda next season, remarked: “I aim to join the group, but I’m uncertain if it will be a large one. We’ll observe the confidence levels of Jorge and Valentino (Rossi) tomorrow since both had crashes. Jorge (Lorenzo) has gone quite a while without a crash.

“Dani (Pedrosa) appears strong this weekend, performing well in every session to the extent that it’s reassuring; he seems comfortable and his bike functions effectively each time. It’s not like he’s gradually improving session by session. The race should be intriguing, but I primarily need to focus on my performance and see if I can compete at the front. The Yamahas also appear to be exceptionally strong here, and it’s simple to claim that I can follow them.”

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