But reigning champion Bagnaia and n🍷earest title rival Martin still remember some of Stoner’s jaw-dropping exploits in tricky track conditions.

Speaking at the Australian’s home Phillip Island circuit, where Stoner was unbeaten from 2007-2012, Bagnaia said🅷:

“Incredible instinct. He was making the difference every time the conditions were not p🐬erfect.

"I remember a wet practice. He did three laps and was like 2 secon💮ds faster than everyone. After 40 minutes they got close to him. He entered for another 2 laps and went another 2 seconds faster! For that, he was incredible.”

Bagnaia, whose title triumph 🦩was Ducati’s first since Stoner in 2007, added:

“He was incredible with the Ducati bike when he won the title, the bike was fast just wit𓆏h him. And the years after he was demonstrating that he was the only one able to go fast with the Ducati.

“When he arrived at Honda it was like everything easy for him. So I think his talent and 🌳his instinct were incredible.”

Martin adm♚itted he wished the now 38-year-🔯old was still on track.

“One of the greatest talents that we had in this sport,” said the Pramac Ducati rider. “I rememb🌱er Aleix [Espargaro] telling me about the [wet] pr𓃲actice session [mentioned by Bagnaia], when he was so far in front of the rest.

“For sure if you are that fast compared to the rest, you have something special. I think it was a pity that he retꦚired so soon. It would have be🎐en super nice to see him maybe still riding and maybe being able to ride with him. But it was like this.”

Third in the standings Marco Bezzecchi, a rider tipp♏ed as having something special by Stoner when he joined the premier class, said: “Difficult to add something more, but a fantastic talent and a very good guy as well.

“Everywhere he w💦as incredible to watch, but here was something unbelievable. This track 🐽is already unbelievable and with his riding style, it was something very nice.”

“He was able to pull away!” ad♔ded Bagnaia, having previously warned that escaping at the front is ౠall but impossible at Phillip Island.