Hey Teo get a load of this, guess you not gonna agree
AUSSIE rider Casey Stoner has upped the fear factor on struggling championship leader Dani Pedrosa in the lead-up to Sunday's 250cc Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
The rising star wants his rival to be running scared, backing two fellow 250cc riders' statements that Pedrosa's confidence was shaky after falling back into the Australian's clutches in the past two championship rounds.
Stoner, who is chasing his third straight win, could close within one point of Pedrosa with victory at his home circuit.
He said the pressure was now on the Spaniard who, having won world championships easily in 2003 (125cc) and 2004 (250cc), was not used to being hounded so late in a series.
"I know the whole (of Pedrosa's) team is feeling the pressure," Stoner said yesterday.
"I just have to keep it on them. I have to be fast every session this week and make him scared. That will make him try harder and maybe make some mistakes during the race. Even (Andrea) Dovizioso and (Alex) de Angelis reckon Pedrosa has lost it because he's under pressure.
"Because I'm hunting him down, maybe it's going to be too much for him. I'll be interested to see how he holds himself."
Stoner, who turns 20 on Sunday, heads to Phillip Island full of confidence after winning the Malaysian and Qatar rounds of the championship in the past four weeks.
Pedrosa crashed out of the Malaysian Grand Prix and finished an unconvincing fourth in Qatar.