"Stoner accidents Brno lead"

Is this the time when Casey Stoner lost the 2008 MotoGP World Championship?

Having lost MotoGP World Championship leader Valentino Rossi in a thrilling duel Laguna Seca, just before the summer recess, the last thing you need to Casey Stoner - for the championship or his confidence - was another defeat, let alone not finish his first as a Ducati rider.

But that's exactly what happened in Brno on Sunday, with the queen holder - which came into the case by declaring his intention to go the whole distance race with Rossi and exert pressure on the Italian in the closing laps - the fall of the head on lap seven of 22, like Rossi has begun to reduce the Desmosedici rider 1.2sec advantage.

"Clearly we are all disappointed with this result because our pace in practice was good, everything has ido very well [in warm-up] and we felt that could push out ahead," admitted Casey, who has taken its sixth consecutive pole on Saturday.

He hoped to see the world as well as Stoner had fallen as he tries to respond to the increasing pace Rossi. The Australian said he was not sure what exactly had happened, but accepted full responsibility.

"Things iban according to the plan until the accident. I was doing the same lap time again and again and I was very happy with the pace that was running," he said. "The accident came out of nowhere, that corner was easy, but I lost the front and it happened very quickly, very suddenly and I failed to save him. This is a difficult to explain and let's see the data, but sometimes this type of accident happens at this level of racing and it is my mistake. "

Stoner has fallen in the last two rounds, while the fight against Rossi, but Sunday was the first time the reigning world champion has not made the chequered flag since the signing of Ducati at the beginning of 2007.

The most significant in terms of the championship, it means that all Stoner hard work in closing the advantage of Rossi with successive victories at Donington, Assen and Sachsenring - before Laguna Seca - has been undone.

Stoner is now 50 points behind the Italian pilot, back where he had been following the Grand Prix of Catalunya on June 8, and - with only six races remaining - is the opening of doubting his title chances.

"We knew we needed to win this race - and more - in order to close the advantage of Valentino for the championship this makes it very difficult for us," said Stoner. "Anything can happen in races 50 points, but it's a big difference against such a strong and consistent competitor.

"Anyway I never throw in the towel, nor anyone else at Ducati, and we shall continue fighting until the end," he insisted. "Misano is a home race for the factory and there will be a lot of Ducatisti there, so my main thought now is to stay positive and returned with a good show for them within two weeks."

"I'm disappointed, obviously, for Casey, because, after another incredible weekend is a small mistake - the first in a career that has been mounting for us - has cost us dearly," said Ducati MotoGP project Livio Suppo director. "Anyway, we have to think positive and keep working hard to give him the right conditions for driving as hard as that in the six races remaining."