Rossi: Stoner has huge advantage

The former world champion finished second to Ducati rider Stoner in China today, and is now 15 points behind the Australian.

Rossi's Jerez victory is the only time so far this year that Stoner has been beaten.

"In my career I've never seen a bike that goes so much quicker than any other bike," Rossi told Italia1 television.

"Stoner has great merits because he's riding extremely well, but it's easy when you go 20km/h quicker on the straight.

"He races with a big psychological advantage, because you don't need to do anything extra in the turns because on the straight there's too much difference.

"I'd like to be able to race with two bikes that go the same.

"Anyway, he's having a great season, he's riding really well, makes no mistakes and he's always very precise, so big congratulations to him."

Stoner's team boss Livio Suppo said that his rider's contribution should not be underestimated.

"Casey's been super," Suppo told the BBC. "I think it was difficult to beat Valentino today, and it's not only the bike and tyres, he's making a big difference."

Rossi said he was content with second place in Shanghai, having lost several seconds going wide at the hairpin in a bid to pass Stoner on lap 15.

""At that point I had to decide whether I had to be content with finishing second or to go for it," Rossi told Italia1.

"Unfortunately I went a bit wide, I was really on the edge.

"Anyway, I'm happy with second, I was quick all the way to the end.

"I must thank Michelin because the tyres were fine and also the bike was really good to ride. It was great under braking.

"The only problem is that there's a lot of difference on the straight, so I struggle to attack Casey, but we knew this track would be difficult for us and if I didn't make that mistake we would have fought with him all the way to the end."

He hopes that Yamaha will be a stronger match for Ducati when the series returns to Europe for the French Grand Prix in a fortnight.

"The championship is long. Now we'll go back to Europe, where there are lots of track I like," said Rossi.

"I'm really sorry about Turkey, because otherwise we would be even on points, but this is a track where we knew we would suffer."