Last week, double MotoGP world champion and Ducati test rider Casey Stoner revealed that the marque doesn't "use his feedback or data", adding to speculation that the Australian will not be renewing his deal at Bologna past 2018.
This is the second time Stoner has felt undervalued by Ducati in his career, and, coming just months after it announced Jorge Lorenzo's departure right when he came into stunning form, it once again highlights a serious issue Ducati has displayed time and time again.
Over the years, Ducati has handled numerous delicate situations poorly, and paid dearly for it. Signing Stoner in 2007 resulted in shock domination for the Italian outfit, with 10 wins leading to its first - and to date - only riders' world championship. But title tilts became harder as Stoner's tenure wore on, and it became clear that he was the only rider who could coax any sort of meaningful pace from the troubled Desmosedici.