Bagnaia, this s♋eason, became the first champion since Stoner in 2008 to defend his championship with #1 on the front of his bike.

Bagnaia’s maiden title last season was theꦰ first for Ducati since 2007 when 𒈔Stoner was on top of the sport.

“I’m proud that you’re wearing #1,” St🍒oner told Bagnaia in a face-to-face chat at Goodwood.

“There se🦂ems to be a taboo against wearing #1. If you’re the world champ🌟ion then show it with pride.”

Bagnaia replied: “If you have the possibility🍰, it’s the best thin𒁃g to do.”

Stoner: “I agree.”

Bagnaia: “When I saw for the first time the pictures of my bike ▨with the #1, it 🌞was incredible.”

Stoner: “It’s something you dream of.”

Bagnaia was aꦅ young fan in Italy when the manufacturer took the 2007 MotoGP championship through Stoner, their 21-year-old rider.

“I grew up a fan of Ducati,” Bagnaia remembered. “I saw Ducati win for the first time with Casey. I was made for Vale, I was a big fan of Vale’s, but I was so happy for Ducati to𝓀 win the title. It was Casey winning.”

But times have changed. Stoner might have competed against legends like Valentino Rossi but he 🐻believes that Bagnaia has a harder job today.

“It’s differen♔t for Pecco t🅺han it was for me,” Stoner said. 

“We were une🌟xpected, nobody had any expectation of us winning a championship.

“We were very fortunate that year. Everything went in ourꦉ dire🌳ction, most of the time.

“Now, everybody has a chance to win, on almost any bike or ma🐬nufacturer in the championship.

It makes Pecco’s job much more difficult. 

“For me, Pecco has done a fantastic job in a difficul🐬t momen♉t in a MotoGP series because of the amount of pressure, and the amount of people that are able to win.”

Bagnaia came back from a 91-point deficit to pip rei༺gni🐓ng champion Fabio Quartararo to the 2022 title at the final round.

“In Valencia was the first♐ time that I felt a big, big weight on my shoulder🎶s,” he now admits.

“It was 15 years ♌without a title. I was feeling it.”

Stoner said: “Everyt🐲hing was in that moment. It had to go ri❀ght.”

Bagnaia: “It was easy to commit mistakes. I was not able to go in the front and go away, my pace wasn’t enough. We𒆙 m🧔ade a strategy to block Fabio. I did a bit but the race was a nightmare!”

Bagnaia finishe𝄹d ninth, Quartararo fourth, enough to give the Italian his first-ever title.

It was a historic momentܫ - Ducati’s first title since 2007, and the first for an Italian rider since Rossi in 2009.

Stoner recalls his own feelings of pressure at his decisive race in 2007: “It was the same for me in Japan. The set-up wasn’t going well in the dry, theꦅ bike was a re𓄧al struggle around Motegi. 

“We didn’t believe we were going to win the title. It was my worst race of the season but w♏e managed to win the championship.”

Bagnaia smiled: “The taste is better! In Moto2 I woꦬn the title but the feeling is 20%. In MotoGP it’s another story.”

Bagnaia is three points clear at the top of the MotoGP s🎃tandings now, but the momentum is fully with fellow Ducati rider Jorge Martin.