Casey Stoner plans to retire

[frostie]

Stoner has just said that he plans to retire at the close of the season.

[frostie]

Gotta say Im regretting going to the North West 200 instead of Le Mans now!
Bit more info:
Casey Stoner announced this afternoon that he plans to retire from MotoGP at the end of the season. The reigning champion has said that he has "lost the passion" for the sport.

Speaking prior to this weekend's French Grand Prix the Australian cited changes to the sport and his lack of enjoyment as the primary reasons for making his decision.

Stoner's rivals were keen to pay respects to the Respol Honda rider with Jorge Lorenzo commenting that he had heard the rumours about Casey but that he had not expected him to retire. The Spaniard went on to say that it was bad for the sport to see a rider such as Casey retire at only 27 years of age.

It has been clear for some time that Casey has not enjoyed the media and sponsorship aspects of racing in MotoGP but the move still comes as a major shock to the paddock.

Nine times world champion, Valentino Rossi, also commented on the annoucement with the Italian saying "we lose a great rival and a great rider." Rossi went on to commit his own future to the sport and said that he "plans to compete for another two years."

Stoner commented that he was disappointed with the direction MotoGP has taken and that it is "not the championship that I fell in love with."

While many have speculated since the birth of his daughter that Stoner would only compete for another couple of seasons but the Australian did not include that in his comments. He did say however that he only reached his decision "within the last week."
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[Peat]

Sensible lad.

He'll be in V8 Supercars in a year or 2.

[chunder]

Casey has had the look of a man not enjoying his sport for a long time now, pretty much since joining Honda really.

I think his only real ambition was to win the world championship, he has done that and since then not really come across as a man enjoying himself.

He doesnt even seem to enjoy riding the bike that much which is weird considering it looks like he does!

Is a shame in some ways as I like the way he doesnt mess about and says what he says, but he is a bit of a grouch, and you dont really need that in this paddock when so many of the riders are decent and pleasant, but as I say I do love some his typically off beat Aussie deadpan comments.

He enjoyed testing the V8 and will clearly be doing that, and in reality he looked exactly the same as Lawson did when he retired, going through the motions, only in Caseys style that is just winning.

Cant fault him wanting to be with kids and his lovely wife, who wouldnt, and in all honesty he is a simple farm lad who will never needo to work again, so why the hell not.

[jhansen]

Well this is disappointing news, but I get it. To ride the way he does, it takes a lot of passion and commitment. And he's definitely a 100% or nothing kind of guy. So it's probably the right decision. I will miss his cander. While he will never lose the whiner tag, he was simply a guy that told it like it was (and quite frakly was usually right). Nobody rides a motorcycle the way he does. I'll miss that.

[jhansen]

Stoner's Statement:

http://motomatters.com/news/2012/05/..._retireme.html


Transcript of press conference:

http://motomatters.com/interview/201...ion_to_re.html

The guy really is pure class.

[rustyfan]

Not going to miss him, at all. Sure, he's a great rider, but if he doesn't like how the sport is evolving due to the current global financial climate, like the CRT bikes being introduced etc, he might as well take his whining elsewhere.

That said I think it would be fantastic to see him behind the wheel of a V8 SuperCar.

[Oran Park Forever]

Will be no surprise if this sees Rossi & crew bury the hatchet & return to Honda.
The organisers will now know that MotoGP will die if he stays at the Duke.......


.

[mac]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

Not going to miss him, at all. Sure, he's a great rider, but if he doesn't like how the sport is evolving due to the current global financial climate, like the CRT bikes being introduced etc, he might as well take his whining elsewhere.

It still makes me laugh how much so many Europeans just don't get Casey - like, at all... He's a complete mystery to them...

How much they've tried to ride him into the ground over the years... "He's a whiner, he's got the best bike, the best tyres, he crashes too much, he's boring, he can't race, mystery illness, he's no Rossi, blah, blah... blah...."

And he just keeps doing the business, making them look like fools. The truest testament to his ability is the reverence with which his skills are held among the other riders - not what some agenda-driven media, or Neville Nobody spectators think...

Kudos to him for staying true to himself and not sticking around just for the sake of the money, the fame, the records...

No testimonials from me yet - he's still got more racing to do... And I'm going to make sure I watch every second I can of MotoGP for the rest of this season.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by mac

It still makes me laugh how much so many Europeans just don't get Casey - like, at all... He's a complete mystery to them...

How much they've tried to ride him into the ground over the years... "He's a whiner, he's got the best bike, the best tyres, he crashes too much, he's boring, he can't race, mystery illness, he's no Rossi, blah, blah... blah...."

And he just keeps doing the business, making them look like fools. The truest testament to his ability is the reverence with which his skills are held among the other riders - not what some agenda-driven media, or Neville Nobody spectators think...

Kudos to him for staying true to himself and not sticking around just for the sake of the money, the fame, the records...

No testimonials from me yet - he's still got more racing to do... And I'm going to make sure I watch every second I can of MotoGP for the rest of this season.

I can't argue with that.

One thing though, i don't see the point of announcing your retirement 6 months in advance. If you've lost the passion or drive, get out now, not hold a 'retirement tour'.

[Ultimo]

Originally Posted by jhansen

The guy really is pure class.

Truthism or sarcasm?

A sad day. I did not pay attention to off track events in years past, so I have not known him to be a whiner really.

I kinda got behind what he had to say. He has legitimate beefs and he will be leaving the sport - in my eyes - as the best rider out there.

What more could he have done were he not stuck on the (mostly) rotten Ducati for those years?

I have him pegged for this year's title.

[mac]

Originally Posted by racer69

One thing though, i don't see the point of announcing your retirement 6 months in advance. If you've lost the passion or drive, get out now, not hold a 'retirement tour'.

I fully believe he wasn't intending to "announce" anything until much later in the year. However, with the seemingly endless rumours and innuendo I get the vibe that Casey felt his hand had been forced...

Rather than carry on with it circling about him for the next six months, he figured it would be better to get it all out in the open... As for getting out now - I dare say Repsol Honda would have a quite watertight contract preventing that from being an option.

[EGG]

I was initially wondering what the heck he was on about, and why HRC don't have a decent sports psychologist to hand, but from reading the motomatters articles, it sounds like he's pretty over it.

As I mentioned to a guy at work, next year it will be back to all non-native english speakers on the podium, so we can look forward to statements of "the bike today was velly good" times three, rather than someone explaining how their setup did or didn't work.

Also Pedrosa's probably a bit relieved, I had him pegged to get the boot in either 2013/14.

[chunder]

Pedrosa will get the boot when Marquez has his year on the customer bike

He is the coming man, and Dani has had his chance Im afraid

Another thing I noticed is his comments about de Puniet, moaning that a rider of that qulity is riding CRT. This hits two massive reasonw hy he is quitting, he detests CRT, and he has a total lack of a clue about how teams work!

De Puniet is not on a factory bike because he has been on quite afew and not got results, and cost every team he rides for a fortune in spares and crash damage.

Lack of real life skills I would say Stoner, we dont all live in the millionaires row

[gossie]

Good on you Casey. We have enjoyed the ride. You have done it all for a long time.

Personally I would like to see Vale go too, as he also has done it all.

Both these very talented riders are a joy to watch, but the time comes and it's good to know when to stop.

[chunder]

As usual the Rossi bashers are on the scene!

Valentino has passion to continue, and he feels unfinished business. Casey has simply had enough, the two are very different from that point of view.

As I have said many times, does anyone here seriouly, honestly think Vale would not be on the pace on a Yam or Honda? Give over please

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by EGG

As I mentioned to a guy at work, next year it will be back to all non-native english speakers on the podium, so we can look forward to statements of "the bike today was velly good" times three, rather than someone explaining how their setup did or didn't work.

Ever heard Stoner explain in Italian or Spanish what was wrong this time? Show some respect for those whose mother tongue isn't English!

Getting criticism is part of every topsport athletes everyday life. Stoner has never been able to deal with it.

As for the CRT part of his reasoning to quit the sport, even if the complete field was filled with prototype bikes, there will always be guys at the front and at the back. For Stoner this will not change anything as he rides the best bike and he rides it extremely well, so he will always be at the pointy end of the field.

I'm happy he's made his decision!

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chunder

Pedrosa will get the boot when Marquez has his year on the customer bike

I wouldn't be surprised if Honda push very hard to get that rule changed. Perhaps by making some kind of concession to Dorna. I also think they will have to go for Lorenzo now. Either way, Lorenzo is getting a raise in 2013!

[AUTOLEGEND]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

Not going to miss him, at all. Sure, he's a great rider, but if he doesn't like how the sport is evolving due to the current global financial climate, like the CRT bikes being introduced etc, he might as well take his whining elsewhere.

That said I think it would be fantastic to see him behind the wheel of a V8 SuperCar.

Actually, i agree with Casey. There are numerous ways to get a sport to adjust to a global economic crisis and MotoGP has failed miserably.

To see MotoGP reduce itself to just 3 factory bikes is ridiculous. I watched the Assen round of WSBK and its so obvious the package WSBK offers is currently far superior.

Having the CRT bikes in your series makes MotoGP grids look as if anything is allowed to run. Compare that to 2003-2006 when MotoGP was a better racing series than any other.

Casey is better than Rossi and as far as he's concerned, when you grow up watching Gardner, Doohan, Schwantz, and Rainey, the modern era looks so unappealing.

Finally, he's isn't respected by the media worldwide because he isn't the tv figure Rossi is. Even when Rossi is losing, he gets more positive press than Stoner does. I have always felt when Stoner does well, no one pays attention, when he had his stomach issue, he was seen as the biggest wiener. He is still and likely will remain the only man that made the Ducati work. When Ducati took Rossi, it was on a hope and a prayer.

I hope that when Casey returns to Australia, he is properly respected.

[EGG]

Originally Posted by Gerben24

Ever heard Stoner explain in Italian or Spanish what was wrong this time? Show some respect for those whose mother tongue isn't English!

I'm lamenting the lack of information provided, rather than their ability to converse. Even out of english speaking riders, Stoner provides more detail in post-race interviews than most.

Originally Posted by chunder

Another thing I noticed is his comments about de Puniet, moaning that a rider of that qulity is riding CRT. This hits two massive reasonw hy he is quitting, he detests CRT, and he has a total lack of a clue about how teams work!

De Puniet is not on a factory bike because he has been on quite afew and not got results, and cost every team he rides for a fortune in spares and crash damage.

I don't think he likes the CRT concept, but in this instance I think he's pointing the finger at the very noticeable tiering system in motogp; factory/satellite/CRT. de Puniet is no world-beater, but should it be the case that there are only four truly competitive bikes in a field of ~20? The rest really only making up the numbers.

[gomick]

Be good when Casey goes, his constant moaning & whinging has become unbearable. His opinion on anything bikes is not worthy ...
I never really cared or made time to listen to riders talk - only ever watched bike riders race & Casey has proved to be pretty good at that. I am happy with his decision

[Truenorth]

If one's dream is to get a lot of money, then once you have the money, the dream is no longer useful. Comments about WSBK are probably accurate. I wish MotoGP and WSBK would follow the Indycar model and try and unite into one really great series. (Dreamer, y'er such a silly little dreamer...)

Too bad for those of us who like watching his amazing riding skills at work, His duellng with Rossi at Le Mans was breath-taking and I can only hope we get to see as much of this as possible in his remaining events.

I really enjoy the comments on this thread. Thanks for expanding my appreciation of the sport.

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by gomick

only ever watched bike riders race & Casey has proved to be pretty good at that.

he did indeed prove it .
but.. when a driver/rider needs to explain his decision to retire .. something is fishy .. not that i understood that either .. bikes, crt.. whatever
from my view . he's battling rossi lorenzo and pedrosa just like the last 7-8 years .. what has changed there?

[valet_dave]

Originally Posted by AUTOLEGEND

I hope that when Casey returns to Australia, he is properly respected.

I doubt that Casey really cares whether he is respected or not. He does seem to have an image problem that will need to be managed carefully when he moves into V8s. Of course, having said that, there have been plenty of V8 drivers that we've loved to hate over the years, so maybe that will suit him.

[chunder]

I really cant see what peoples problem is with Casey.

The lad is reasonably honest if you read his reasoning, he clearly isnt enjoying it anymore, much like a lot of guys, Bayliss had had enough of GP when he quit but loved WSB, probably coz he could win!

Lawson had enough, as did Schwantz and Gardner, arguably before they were slow or backmarkers.

The lad has just had enough, doesnt like the way the rules are going and has a bit of a complex about how people treat him and have in the past. I dont blame the lad really.

He has a lovely life ahead of him,a nd he doesnt want to fall out of love with bikes.

Far from being a conspiracy, I think this is one of the moet honest statements from a top sportsman.

He might change his mind, but is young enough to, but I dont think Casey is the type of lad to come back, I say good luck to him and thanks for the memories. He has achieved more than most and right now is by far the best rider out there. thats all you can say really.