Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
Doohan reveals Honda's plan to lure Stoner back on the bike for testing
Date (July 23, 2013) - source: Doohan reveals Honda's plan to lure Stoner back on the bike for testing
Former world Moto GP champion Casey Stoner is poised to make a sensational return to two wheels as part of his former GP team Honda's test and development program for next season. His return to Honda will invariably spark huge speculation that, having dumped bikes for race cars - he is driving for the Red Bull Racing Australia squad in the V8 Supercars development series - he could be easing his way back into contention for a seat in the world championship.
Stoner quit motorcycle racing at 27, saying he had been burnt out by the grind of the MotoGP circuit and was fed up with the circus involved in grand prix racing. He returned to Australia this year to race for the hugely successful Red Bull operation, which runs current and former V8 champions Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes in the main Supercars series as its lead drivers.
Stoner, however, has found the transition more frustrating than he might have expected. No one thought the motorcycle ace would come into the development championship - for emerging drivers - and dominate, and he made it clear before the season start in Adelaide that he expected to be on a steep learning curve: V8s are difficult cars to handle even for those with plenty of experience, and it can take several seasons to get up to speed. But he is driving for one of the best funded and prepared outfits on the grid, so his current status of 24th on the table, some 560 points behind championship leader Dale Wood, is disappointing. In interviews throughout the season, Stoner has said he is happy living in Australia and learning his trade in the V8s, although he admitted missing the thrill of MotoGP.
Fellow world champion Mick Doohan said the man from Kurri Kurri would soon scratch the racebike itch with a testing berth at Honda. Stoner was due, Doohan said, to travel to Motegi in Japan to assist in development of the RC213V race program, with an announcement expected on Wednesday.
According to Doohan, Stoner will evaluate the bikes raced by Marc Marquez - successful in the US Grand Prix last weekend - and Dani Pedrosa, with Honda race boss Shuhei Nakamoto also getting Stoner to test the 2104 prototype for next season. Doohan said Honda had ''no plans'' for Stoner to take a wildcard entry into any races later in the season, although that won't stop the speculation that he could don the leathers again. In a column, Doohan writes: ''I'm not surprised Casey misses the buzz of riding bikes fast, it's that passion that drew both of us to this sport. I know Casey was very firm in his personal decision to stop racing MotoGP at the end of last year … I respect his decision but I'd love to see him back racing.''
Date (July 23, 2013) - source: Doohan reveals Honda's plan to lure Stoner back on the bike for testing
Former world Moto GP champion Casey Stoner is poised to make a sensational return to two wheels as part of his former GP team Honda's test and development program for next season. His return to Honda will invariably spark huge speculation that, having dumped bikes for race cars - he is driving for the Red Bull Racing Australia squad in the V8 Supercars development series - he could be easing his way back into contention for a seat in the world championship.
Stoner quit motorcycle racing at 27, saying he had been burnt out by the grind of the MotoGP circuit and was fed up with the circus involved in grand prix racing. He returned to Australia this year to race for the hugely successful Red Bull operation, which runs current and former V8 champions Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes in the main Supercars series as its lead drivers.
Stoner, however, has found the transition more frustrating than he might have expected. No one thought the motorcycle ace would come into the development championship - for emerging drivers - and dominate, and he made it clear before the season start in Adelaide that he expected to be on a steep learning curve: V8s are difficult cars to handle even for those with plenty of experience, and it can take several seasons to get up to speed. But he is driving for one of the best funded and prepared outfits on the grid, so his current status of 24th on the table, some 560 points behind championship leader Dale Wood, is disappointing. In interviews throughout the season, Stoner has said he is happy living in Australia and learning his trade in the V8s, although he admitted missing the thrill of MotoGP.
Fellow world champion Mick Doohan said the man from Kurri Kurri would soon scratch the racebike itch with a testing berth at Honda. Stoner was due, Doohan said, to travel to Motegi in Japan to assist in development of the RC213V race program, with an announcement expected on Wednesday.
According to Doohan, Stoner will evaluate the bikes raced by Marc Marquez - successful in the US Grand Prix last weekend - and Dani Pedrosa, with Honda race boss Shuhei Nakamoto also getting Stoner to test the 2104 prototype for next season. Doohan said Honda had ''no plans'' for Stoner to take a wildcard entry into any races later in the season, although that won't stop the speculation that he could don the leathers again. In a column, Doohan writes: ''I'm not surprised Casey misses the buzz of riding bikes fast, it's that passion that drew both of us to this sport. I know Casey was very firm in his personal decision to stop racing MotoGP at the end of last year … I respect his decision but I'd love to see him back racing.''
