It’s been a long time coming, but the Italian has emulated Casey Stoner in delivering the Riders’ Championship to the Bologna bullets
It was a historic day in Valencia on Sunday, and not just for the fact we crowned a first-time premier class Champion. 15 years on since Ducati’s last win, and 13 years since an Italian claimed glory, Francesco Bagnaia brought an end to both droughts following a sensational 91-point turnaround to become the 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion.
FREE: Bagnaia reaches the promised land in Valencia
Flashback to 15 years ago, and Ducati were still celebrating their maiden Riders’ Championship delivered by Casey Stoner in 2007. Few would have thought it would have taken another decade and a half before the Borgo Panigale factory celebrated again
Stoner was unable to back up his initial success in his remaining years with Ducati, having to wait until his Honda switch in 2011 before he would be once again crowned Champion. To offset the loss of the Australian, the Bologna bullets secured the services of a certain Valentino Rossi, a nine-time World Champion.
Casey Stoner opens up on personal relationship with Bagnaia
It seemed a match made in heaven. An Italian superstar with an Italian bike. Not since the legendary Giacomo Agostini and MV Agusta in 1972 had such a combination taken World Championship honours, but if there was one to emulate that feat, it was Rossi and Ducati… or so it seemed.
Moving from the comforts of his Yamaha to the Desmosedici proved a taxing challenge. So demanding, that Rossi went an entire season without a win for the first time since…