Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi train Luca Marini at their ranch and fuel expectations of beating Marc Marquez in 2025

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner was back in the headlines during his recent visit to Italy. After attending the EICMA Show in Milan, the Australian rider visited the iconic VR46 Motor Ranch owned by Valentino Rossi, where he shared memorable moments with his former rival and members of the VR46 Riders Academy. Among them was Luca Marini, who had nothing but praise for Stoner’s speed and technical acumen.

Stoner’s visit generated huge expectations, both for the reunion with Rossi and for the impact he had on the young talents at the academy. Luca Marini was one of those who was impressed, highlighting his respect for the Australian, and Motosan was quoted as saying: “I have great respect for him; he is a rider with incredible talent and speed, as well as a very intelligent mind.”

Despite being away from competition for over 12 years, Stoner impressed not only with his speed on the track, but also with the clarity of his technical analysis. According to Marini, the Australian offered a unique perspective on the current state of the sport and reflected on his time at the top of the discipline:

– I didn’t expect him to be so technically “prepared” either. It’s very interesting to talk to him about this era of MotoGP, about the past; I think he has really brilliant ideas.

The Italian then admitted that he would like to see the former rider take on a more active role in the MotoGP world championship: “We will see in the future if he has the energy to join us, perhaps in a position within MotoGP.”