Casey Stoner was for several years one of MotoGP’s biggest names as a rider and shared the garage with another name that is still very much loved in the paddock, none other than Dani Pedrosa. Former teammates and rivals, the Australian remembered the Spaniard and his exceptional riding ability.
Looking back on his career, Stoner specifically recalled a race where he saw Pedrosa controlling his bike like few others could, as he explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport, quoted by Todocircuito: ‘I remember a race in 2011. Coming out of the last corner to the finish line, Dani Pedrosa was two tenths faster than me on the same bike’.
Not only was #26 faster, but he also had a characteristic in his riding style that made him stand out, as the former Honda and Ducati world champion recalled: ‘He was capable of doing something incredible with the rear brake that allowed him to control the wheelie’.
Remember that Pedrosa’s talent has been widely praised in MotoGP, with Jorge Lorenzo also previously stating: ‘Pedrosa was very strong in 125cc and 250cc because, being so small, he had an incredible technique. Above all, he took great advantage of his weight to lift the bike. Something that was very difficult and he was the first to make it so evident’.