Reigning MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner has apologised to Honda stablemate Alvaro Bautista for colliding with him at turn two in today's MotoGP race at Mugello.

The Australian was making his way back through the field after running off track at Correntaio, travelling all the way through the gravel and coming back on in tenth place. Stoner was lining up a move into the second corner and says that Bautista closed the door and he was left with no other option.

"I'm actually very sorry for Alvaro for that. I went to make the pass into turn two and he just started closing my nose off and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't tip into the corner and wasn't able to make the line so I am sorry to him for that," said Stoner, speaking to bikesportnews.com this afternoon.