Melandri: Stoner deserves credit

Stoner has now won three of the first four rounds and leads the championship by 15 points, but his rivals have suggested that Ducati's superior power has given him a big advantage.

But having raced with Stoner during the early stages of the Chinese Grand Prix, Melandri said that the Australian's riding and the Ducati's handling should not be underestimated.

"On the straight the Ducati is like a rocket, as everyone can see, but then in the turns Stoner wasn't slower than anyone, I can guarantee that," Melandri told Italia1 television.

"He rode perfectly, and if he does that I guess it's because his bike allows him to do that, so hats off to all the Ducati men and to Stoner, because their pairing won today."

Stoner's Ducati teammate Loris Capirossi only finished sixth in China, a fact that Melandri believes should be taken into account when judging the championship leader.

"Without Stoner I'm not sure the Ducati would have won today," said Melandri.