News 13 Jul 2011

Stoner prepared for new challenges that await riders in Germany

Aussie reckons Sachsenring needs more set-up time.

Aussie Casey Stoner says he'll need to work on bike set-up this weekend in Germany.

Aussie Casey Stoner says he'll need to work on bike set-up this weekend in Germany.

Australia’s MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner is aware that the tight and technical nature of the Sachsenring will mean his Repsol Honda team will have to perfect the settings this weekend.

Stoner has a win a third and a fourth over the past four years at the Sachsenring, which has a layout that is a departure from the previous two races in Mugello and Assen.

Coming from two of the three fastest race tracks on the calendar, the Sachsenring has one of the slowest average speeds and the second shortest lap time of any grand prix venue.

“I’m looking forward to going to Sachsenring, it’s a circuit where we’ve enjoyed good results in the past few years,” Stoner commented. “The track is very tight and technical so it demands a different style of riding and we also need to set the bike up in a different way.

“It’s pretty tough on tyres as the majority of corners are long left-handers so the wear on the left hand side of the tyre is quite significant. It takes a lot of work to get a good set up in order to have a good pace for the race distance.

“I really enjoy this race, the atmosphere is amazing and the countryside is beautiful. We’ve always been pretty fast there and I’m sure with the Honda we can be competitive.”

Stoner currently enjoys a 19-point buffer in the standings ahead of Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo.

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