Looking back, the 2007 season was a one-horse race. Statistics were published after only four races saying that Casey Stoner would win the world title.
We didn't believe them, but we should have done - by that time, he'd won three races and was on his way to being unstoppable, galloping through the year and winning a total of ten races, 250 percent more race wins than even Valentino Rossi managed.
To beat the Rossis and the Beckhams and the Woods' of this world, you have got to be good. As Kenny Roberts Sr says, "No one gifts you a race, let alone a world championship."