Dovizioso impressed by Stoner

The 21-year-old Italian, who will make his debut in MotoGP next year with the JiR Scot team following three years in 250cc, says Australian Stoner is impressive in how he extracts the maximum from his Ducati.

Dovizioso also admits the field will be much stronger in MotoGP than in 250cc, but last year's championship runner-up says he can't wait to start racing in the top category.

"Arriving in MotoGP I've found again many of my rivals from 250cc, like Lorenzo and de Angelis, but also riders against whom I had raced in the past, like Pedrosa and Stoner," Dovizioso told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Casey at the moment is really impressive, because with any bike and in any condition he manages to immediately extract the maximum performance in a way I've never seen anyone else doing that.

"Compared to 250cc, and also to 125cc, the number of good riders in MotoGP is definitely larger. In 250cc we were three or four at best fighting for the win every Sunday, while now there are many ace riders able to make the difference.

"It's a very hard-fought series, I can't wait to start."