No, Stoner's opinion has not been largely validated. Casey Stoner does not know more about designing race tires than Michelin engineers. The front and rear profiles are exactly how Michelin wants them.
Fair enough, but he rides them and has found what he describes as a mismatch in terms of the front having an 'edge' to it that riders must accept and push through, but with the rear as grippy as they are it makes the transition a difficult one.
His response was actually to a specific question so for mine, quite a reasonable response and it was not so much critical of Michelin but outlining his opinion of why the front had been so troublesome at that Sepang test.
It is not for Michelin to follow what he says as it may well be their intent (as you suggest) that the tyres behave in a specific manner and thus how they or DORNA may want them, still does not invalidate the comment.
I couldn't take Stoner's verdict too seriously anyway, he's not racing, he rides a Ducati which handles much differently as well, so why take only one ex riders account as fact when no other current racers have mentioned front/rear mismatch.
There were comments late 2016 reported but I cannot find them (I need to work on my google skills .......... I may seek forum help there) but they only came very late in the season and may well have been more 'forum chatter' than printed comments or perhaps even a commentator suggesting 'paddock rumours', but I do recall it being said/reported/printed (although not pushed in print, more a passing comment style).
Of course one does not have to take his comments seriously, but given the propensity of fronts in season 2016 he may well have been onto something (even though it was specific to the Sepang test).
For mine, to dismiss it is risky but I also accept that such is his unique style, to accept is or could be as risky
Just a question though, if it is not worth an ex-riders opinion, why have Michelin used Colin Edwards on a Yamaha as a test mule post retirement?
