Casey Stoner is surprised Ducati has allowed Jorge Martin to battle for the 2024 Mot🧸oGP title on level terms but warns if it now ‘creates a problem, it wiꦓll backfire’.

The Australian won Ducati’s first world title in the premier class in 2007, before his relationship with the Italian branꦚd soured and he left for Honda in 2011.

Stoner returne🍌d to Ducati in 2016 to be🙈come a test rider, before leaving that role in 2018.

Next weekend’s season finale in Barcelona will see Ducati celebrate its fourth riders’ titl꧂e, as Pramac’s Martin and reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia lock horns fo⛦r the crown.

Martin ﷽is favourite to win the title with a 2🐻4-point lead heading to the final round.

Ducati has ensured a level playing field between both riders, despite Martin’s signing for Ap꧂rilia for 2025 after being snubbed for a factory seat alongside Bagnaia.

Speaking in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport at EICMA, Stoner bel♈ieves there are still elements of Ducati management who don’t want the number one plate to go to Aprilia next year and ♓has warned that any meddling now will “backfire”.

“Th🏅at's w🍨hat Gigi [Dall’Igna] thinks, but then there are the [Ducati bosses] who don't want to lose the number one,” he said.

“But everyone is watching them very♛ closely, if they make a mistake like that, it will be found out.

“If they create a problem, it will backfire. I ♕hope that everything goes well and that we can see the real world champion.”

Stoner believes Martin “deserves” the championship in 20💜24 but his departure from Ducati will be tougher for him t☂han it will be for the Italian manufacturer.

“Jorge 🀅has shown what he is capable of and has improved continuously,🔜” the double world champion added.

“He deserves to win the world championship.

“For Ducati it would be a hard blow losing him next year, but I think even more so for Jorge, who has s🐽pent these years being loyal to the brand, has made extraordinary efforts to be the only one able to fight with Bagnaia to win races and the championship, and they deprived him of the opportunity to move up to the factory team.

“I don't think it's fair.

“But, un𒆙fortunately, that's how Ducati works and that's why they've lost so many riders.