Despite hanging up his racing leathers in 2012, Casey Stoner has crept back into the conversation of MotoGP rumours. Let’s break down the facts so you can decide for yourself.
The MotoGP Grand Prix circuit star has been missing from the limelight in recent years. But that doesn’t mean Casey Stoner is done with motorcycle racing altogether. And that is how we could see?
The champ
Casey Stoner did not retire from Grand Prix motorcycle racing willingly. That much is certain. The Australian pilot enjoyed some of the best years of his career at Ducati, with whom he’d won the 2011 World Championship aboard. After a frustrating season at Honda, Stoner retired at the end of the 2012 season — though rumours of a return began swirling in September of that year.
Yet, by 2019 Stoner “announced that he was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), better known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).” The condition severely limited his activity level, but recent Instagram updates hint at a possible return to MotoGP.
Stoner explained that he was suffering from mental distress, which he said was not alleviated by continuing his career.
Just a few months ago, speculation reached fever pitch — fueled partly by a new Instagram account — and nearly every major publication in the world ran stories that Stoner would be returning again to the GP field.
This month, the Aussie was seen on an outing at Alpinestars’ headquarters in Asolo, Italy. Stoner said he’s “slowly been feeling better over the last few months.” Sadly, we’re not much closer to having answers to questions about Stoner’s potential comeback. He also further said he was being measured for a race suit after 12 years.
Rumours
Is Casey Stoner gearing up to return to the Grand Prix circuit? Some might say “no”, while others argue that they saw this coming. Those in the latter camp have argued their point over the past few days after MotoGP announced a “mystery” test rider last week.
We don’t see any contract signed with him from Honda or Ducati; however, we had seen him as a guest at the 2021 Algarve and Valencia Grands Prix with Ducati Factory Team. However, that doesnt mean he has signed an agreement with Ducati.
Some people out there still believe Casey Stoner will return to the MotoGP paddock and, better yet, to racing. These people also believe that a one-time World Champion will take on a test riding role with Honda and help the Japanese manufacturer turn things around as quickly as possible. It’s not true because Stoner is happy where he is, thankfully so, and has no intention whatsoever of throwing his helmet into the ring again.
via Moto. it, Motorcycle Sports, Motorsports, GPOne and Ducati
