MotoGP: Stoner retires at the end of this season!

[Ferry_vO]

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-stoner-follows-his-heart


"This is basically me losing my passion for the racing and my enjoyment of this sport. For sure I will enjoy it this year but if I continued it would only be a mistake on my behalf," Stoner said.


Shame..

[wombat666]

"Reigning MotoGP™ World Champion Casey Stoner confirmed on Thursday that he would retire from the sport at the end of the 2012 season.

The Repsol Honda rider addressed the media at the start of the official pre-event press conference for the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France, making a short statement in which he outlined the reasons behind his decision.
“After a long time thinking, a lot of time talking with my family and my wife, this has been coming for a couple of years now but at the end of this 2012 season I will be not racing in the 2013 Championship. I will be finishing my career at the end of this season in MotoGP, and go forward in different things in my life,” Stoner told the assembled press.
“After so many years of doing this sport which I love, and which myself and my family made so many sacrifices for, after so many years of trying to get to where we have gotten to at this point, this sport has changed a lot and it has changed to the point where I am not enjoying it. I don't have the passion for it and so at this time it's better if I retire now.
“There are a lot of things that have disappointed me, and also a lot of things I have loved about this sport, but unfortunately the balance has gone in the wrong direction. And so, basically, we won't be continuing any more. It would be nice if I could say I would stay one more year, but then where does it stop? So we decided to finish everything as we are now.”
Stoner, who won the 2007 MotoGP™ with Ducati and the 2011 crown with Honda, currently leads the 2012 standings by a single point ahead of Jorge Lorenzo heading into this weekend's fourth round."

Now that is a shame but I guess it makes sense to do it if he's not happy.
I guess having a family and being on the road since he was 15 years old must play a big part in his decision.
Be great if he could leave the sport with another title .......... :kilroy:
I'll be surprised if he doesn't end up in a V8 Supercar, probably [if the paddock grapevine is right] with the Vodafone '888' team, as he's already had a run with them.

[demorier]

He's hinted at it very early this season...official now. Can't see who they are going to kick out of Vodafone to give him a drive at this stage ??

[Victory103]

I wonder if next year we'll get rumors of his return, much like a certain WSBK champ that everyone wants back on the grid.

[wombat666]

He's hinted at it very early this season...official now. Can't see who they are going to kick out of Vodafone to give him a drive at this stage ??

Not going to happen for at least the 2014 season, if at all.
Fishing is his #1 priority.
:applause:
As for Spies, I hope he perseveres, quitting would reflect badly on him and he's better than that.