The Ducati team have moved to end speculation on the uncertainty surrounding Casey Stoner by confirming that the Australian rider has arrived in Europe to prepare for his comeback race in this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix.
Stoner has been undergoing treatment for a mystery, energy-sapping illness that forced him to miss the last three MotoGP races.
The absence ended any chance of Stoner repeating his 2007 MotoGP world championship victory. After spending almost two months relaxing and recuperating at his central New South Wales farm and fishing in the Northern Territory, Stoner is expected to take his place with the factory Ducati team at Estoril this weekend. Fox Sports
After missing three rounds, Stoner lies fourth in the championship, which is being headed by Valentino Rossi, bidding for his seventh MotoGP crown.
With four races remaining, including this month’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Stoner has no chance of claiming a second title.
He resumes this week at the Estoril GP in Portugal but Stoner’s Ducati team bosses say they are not concerned by results.
Team chief Livio Suppo says the plan is to get Stoner back in competition mode - which means he is unlikely to be a frontrunner at his home race from October 16-18.
Suppo said Stoner was “okay” when he arrived in Switzerland ahead of the Estoril race. Brisbane Times
Suppo told “Casey arrived in Europe this morning at Switzerland and we have exchanged some text messages and he is okay. Of course we need to see how he will be in the race and as far as that point goes we don’t really know.”
“For sure his physical condition will not be at the top so we need to keep these races as kind of training for next year and help Casey work on the bike for next year. We certainly don’t need to put any big pressure or expectation on Casey.”
“It is not about him coming back and winning the next four races. I don’t care about that. We just need to get him back on the bike and make sure he is comfortable.” Motorcycle News
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