RE: PH2: Casey Stoner retires

RE: PH2: Casey Stoner retires

Friday 18th May 2012

PH2: Casey Stoner retires

Moto GP champ stuns bike race fans with sudden retirement decision



Reigning MotoGP champion Casey Stoner shocked race fans yesterday by announcing he will retire from the sport at the age of just 26. The move was completely unexpected as Stoner had fiercely denied rumours he would quit just weeks earlier, so what brought about his change of heart?

An amazingly talented rider, and one who often doesn't receive the praise he deserves from fans due to his less than characterful nature, Stoner has always said he isn't racing to beat records. Often abrupt when interviewed, Stoner prefers to let his riding do the talking and, with two MotoGP titles under his belt, (one for Ducati remember, something that Rossi looks unlikely to repeat) his class is undeniable - which is part of the cause for his retirement.


"This sport has changed a lot and it has changed to the point where I am not enjoying it," said Stoner to a stunned press conference. "I don't have the passion for it and so at this time it is better if I retire. There are a lot of things that have disappointed me, and also a lot of things that I have loved about this sport, but unfortunately the balance has gone in the wrong direction. There are many, many different reasons but basically it's me losing my passion for the racing and my enjoyment for the sport.

"Sure, I'm going to enjoy this year but I'm sure if I continue it would be a mistake. There are many things I'd like to do with my life. I don't want to keep racing bikes to the point where I lose my passion for motorcycles. I love bikes, they've been my whole life, and if I keep doing this I'm afraid I'll completely lose my passion. Maybe I'll still have some involvement in the sport, if I can find the energy, to maybe help some young riders, things like that."

Stoner was famously booed by British fans when he won at Donington a few years back and with the change to 1000cc as well as heath issues and the birth of his first child, it looks like the Australian has simply had enough. Will he be missed?


While he certainly lacks the flair that Rossi brings to the paddock, Stoner's riding is at times completely unbelievable. One of the most gifted two-wheeled racers on the planet, if not the most gifted, watching a slow motion of Stoner wrestling the Honda around a corner is a master class in machine control. With him gone we will be left with Pedrosa and Lorenzo standing head and shoulders above the rest of the rapidly depleted MotoGP field with only the chance of Cal Crutchlow and Marc Marquez, who is hotly tipped to replace Stoner in the Repsol team, threatening their superiority.

The sight of Stoner winning a race by several seconds will not be missed, but one of the most talented riders of his generation saying he doesn't enjoy riding in the premier class and that at 26 years old he is walking away is a very sad, and worrying, development for MotoGP.

 

Author
Discussion

AlexKing

Original Poster:

613 posts

157 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
fk.

Also, ungrateful, miserable sod.

AlexKing

Original Poster:

613 posts

157 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
fk.

Also, ungrateful, miserable sod.
Hmm, should probably merge this thread with the others, mods...

offendi

244 posts

146 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
fk.

Also, ungrateful, miserable sod.
grow up

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
fk.

Also, ungrateful, miserable sod.
Which is a shame, because he's not a bad motorcycle rider

Pixel Pusher

10,188 posts

158 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
I've never been a big fan of the man, particularly after the comment about Rossi's "talent", but he is unquestionably an amazing rider and Moto GP will certainly miss him.


Blackpuddin

16,409 posts

204 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
This is the equivalent of Vettel packing in F1, Stoner's easily the most talented GP rider. At least it will get Cal Crutchlow nearer to a well-deserved podium.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 18th May 10:09

AlexKing

Original Poster:

613 posts

157 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
offendi said:
grow up
Maybe I should expand.

An awful lot of people have worked bloody hard and put in a lot of their cash to get him where he is today. It's an absolute kick in the teeth for all those people for him to just chuck in the towel because he's bored of being the quickest guy on two wheels and earning heaps of cash doing it.

Fleegle

16,688 posts

175 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Blackpuddin said:
This is the equivalent of Vettel packing in F1, Stoner's easily the most talented GP rider. At least it will get Carl Crutchlow nearer to a well-deserved podium.
Cal Crutchlow is heading for podiums whether CS retires or not. This decision may speed it up some though.

What will be interesting is the bun fight for seats that awaits us.

My prediction…….Lorenzo to Honda, Cal to Yamaha, Rossi to Tech3 (to nurture Bradders)

Pedrosa will get the boot, but Repsol will be appeased with JL covering the spanish interest.

Spies back to WSBK, Not sure about Dovi

Blackpuddin

16,409 posts

204 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
Maybe I should expand.

An awful lot of people have worked bloody hard and put in a lot of their cash to get him where he is today. It's an absolute kick in the teeth for all those people for him to just chuck in the towel because he's bored of being the quickest guy on two wheels and earning heaps of cash doing it.
I think they've probably got their money back OK. He's entitled to leave any time he wants. He's got a family and a recurring medical problem which must be impacting on his ability to deliver what he knows he's capable of. That's no good for anyone at the top of their sport. I don't blame him for this decision.

gwiz73

11 posts

156 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
when you consider who he's had to ride against Rossi, Jorge, Dani, he's shown them in the past 4 years that more often then not he's beaten them by some distance.

I think in a few years time we will look back with fondness at the time when the 4 aliens were in the padock racing...

he's riden & won on a ducati that no one includes Rossi has been anywhere close too.

will be sorely missed....

_Neal_

2,658 posts

218 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Blackpuddin said:
I think they've probably got their money back OK. He's entitled to leave any time he wants. He's got a family and a recurring medical problem which must be impacting on his ability to deliver what he knows he's capable of. That's no good for anyone at the top of their sport. I don't blame him for this decision.
I agree entirely with this. It's not "ungrateful" - he's worked very hard to get to where he is, and made a lot of sacrifices (including most of his childhood). If he's not happy, then he's not happy.

It's a job at the end of the day, and he doesn't owe anyone anything. I don't find him a likeable character, but he's a remarkable rider, and it's a sad day for the sport.

FWDRacer

3,564 posts

223 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
_Neal_ said:
I agree entirely with this. It's not "ungrateful" - he's worked very hard to get to where he is, and made a lot of sacrifices (including most of his childhood). If he's not happy, then he's not happy.

It's a job at the end of the day, and he doesn't owe anyone anything. I don't find him a likeable character, but he's a remarkable rider, and it's a sad day for the sport.
He may live to regret the decision providing he doesn't look to the TT to get "the buzz" back.

bob1179

14,107 posts

208 months

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
fk.

Also, ungrateful, miserable sod.
Having met him I'd say your wrong. Yes he doesn't set the world alight when interviewed, but in person he's a funny, self deprecating, and a very generous guy.


AlexKing

Original Poster:

613 posts

157 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Blackpuddin said:
I think they've probably got their money back OK. He's entitled to leave any time he wants. He's got a family and a recurring medical problem which must be impacting on his ability to deliver what he knows he's capable of. That's no good for anyone at the top of their sport. I don't blame him for this decision.
It really isn't so much the money as the time and energy. My feeling is that if people are good enough to pay for you to get up on the stage, you'd better put on a good show. Maybe that's unfair, and of course he can do what he likes, but I can call him ungrateful too, if I like.

As for the medical condition - I'm not sure whether you're referring to the arm pump or that other mystery condition that affected him a couple of seasons. If its the arm pump, then I know first hand that most racers from superstock 600 class upwards will suffer from it to a greater or lesser degree at some point in their career - the difference with Casey is that you sure as hell know about it, while most riders accept as a fact of life that they will be carrying it and probably other debilitating injuries for most of their career - something that they share with many other top sportspeople.

If it's that mystery condition, well, I had some good intelligence on what was behind that which I believe myself, but wouldn't want to repeat it as it may not be true and is certainly confidential.

I think it's sad too, and that he is a truly great rider but, as I think has been said of the likes of Schumacher, he'll always struggle to be thought of as a great champion, because he's not a great person.

AlexKing

Original Poster:

613 posts

157 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
Having met him I'd say your wrong. Yes he doesn't set the world alight when interviewed, but in person he's a funny, self deprecating, and a very generous guy.
Yep, I've also met him. Maybe you caught him on a good day and me on a bad one.

Blackpuddin

16,409 posts

204 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Reminds me in some ways of Freddie Spencer who never seemed entirely comfortable in his (well deserved) mantle of GP god.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
AlexKing said:
rhinochopig said:
Having met him I'd say your wrong. Yes he doesn't set the world alight when interviewed, but in person he's a funny, self deprecating, and a very generous guy.
Yep, I've also met him. Maybe you caught him on a good day and me on a bad one.
Did you meet him at or away from the circuit? I think he's very different at the circuit as he's a very focussed individual.

Mr. Potato Head

1,142 posts

218 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
It'd be nice if we could have at least one Stoner retires thread that isn't full of st.
Oh well.

jeffw

845 posts

227 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Blackpuddin said:
Reminds me in some ways of Freddie Spencer who never seemed entirely comfortable in his (well deserved) mantle of GP god.
I was think exactly the same thing. I'm not sure CS is the talent that Spencer was though but they seem to have suffered from the same sort of injury which has shortened their careers.