Stoner: "Rossi is just ambittious"

Vale: "Maybe he doesn't know me"

Controversy between the Australian and the Doctor after the accident in Spain. The ex-Ducati rider: "He's not happy about the bike's performance and he can't get a front-row place on the grid." The Italian: "It was important for me to apologize to him, I don't care what he says"

JEREZ (Spain), 3 April 2011

Casey Stoner on the offensive. Valentino Rossi responds. The accident in the Spanish GP has given rise to a new feud in world motorbike racing between the Australian and the Doctor.

Casey attacks — "Valentino is more ambitious than talented", the Australian hits hard. "Ok he did apologize and that's positive but things didn't go well for me. He's not happy with the performance of the bike and he can't start from the front. We left him an excellent bike (Stoner rode for Ducati until last year), but at this stage we'll have to wait until his shoulder heals before we see him overtaking properly."

Valentino replies — "Maybe he doesn't know exactly who I am, but it's no problem. He's angry," replies an irritated Rossi. "What's important is that I apologized to him; I don't really care what he says. I was approaching fast and made a mistake. I didn't want to overtake Stoner, I arrived a little too close and knocked him off as well. The Ducati? The bike needs a little fine-tuning which wasn't done much in the past...Providence gave us a chance to make the podium or maybe even to win, but I messed that up. I though I could win, I knew I was going fast and I was beginning to get a taste of victory, we were very close to each other. It's easier to ride the Ducati in wet conditions and I was able to brake where and when I wanted in spite of my shoulder. We are competitive in the wet, whereas under dry conditions we can't manage to keep up with the first three, especially because my shoulder isn't 100% yet."