Reigning and soon to reti🌺re MotoGP champion Casey Stoner believes both Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa would be worthy winners of the 2012 crown and that it's a case of 'best man wins'.

Yamaha star Lorenzo holds a shrinking 23-point advantage over Stoner's Repsol Honda team-mate Pedrosa heading into the penultimate round at P🐻hillip Island this weekend.

Stoner, whose own challenge ended with ankle injuries at 🅰Indianapolis, sa🔯id:

"The battle has been going on for a l🦄ong time now. I'm sure it was disappointing for Dani to be taken out at Misano, but the same happened to Jorge at Assen.

"Really the best man wins. They've both won the same number🌌 of races now. They've both been extremely c💛ompetitive this year. Whatever happens, happens at the end of the season.

"They've both gone forward, above and beyond everyone else. Honestly I havℱe a huge respect for both of them ꧋and like I said, the best man will win."

Lorenzo previously won the MotoGP title in 2010, while fellow Spaniard Pedrosa is yet to win☂ a premier-class crown.

"Yeah I have pressure, but I would have muౠch more pressure if Dani had the same points as me - or w🌱as in front," said Lorenzo.

"I have an advantage of 23 points. Of course if I crash in Australia the situation will change, but I hope to be on th🍨e podium ag🎀ain."

Stoner, third in last Sunday's storm-shortened Sepang rain, will be 🎐chasing a sixth successiv🔴e Australian Grand Prix win in front of his home fans this coming weekend.

"I really don't know wh🌳at to expect," he said of the coming weekend. "We know we're not at 100 percent and to win at this level everything has to be close to 100 percent. I'm still not riding as free as I'd like."