Ducati says Stoner's wrist getting better

The 2007 world champion re-injured his wrist after crashing out of the lead at Brno and Misano last year, tipping the previously injured wrist to 'open up' and stretch out the staple that was holding a bone together since 2003.

Stoner had surgery on Thursday 30th October last year and has not done long runs at any of the three 2009 test sessions in Sepang, Qatar and Jerez.

Suppo brushed off acknowledging how bad it was, but admitted Stoner's wrist might never be the same again.

"As far as we haven't got the races we can't say (how it really is), but he's more happy than the first test in Sepang that was difficult for him," said Suppo.

"In Qatar it was already much better and in Jerez it was better again. It's been a big surgery. Kind of three surgeries in one. One was the bone, one was to clean everything around the bone. It's not easy. It takes time to come back.

"Maybe he won't ever be like before. It's like Mick Doohan's leg was never like it was before, but he could still ride and still win five championships. So I'm not saying it's not impossible for Casey to move again his wrist like before, but sure it can be that he has to live with it.

"Surgery is always something that could stop something that was going to be worse. His wrist was really bad."

Stoner himself said over the weekend that he is restricted with not so much up and down movement, but left to right movement with his left hand.