Casey Stoner to retire!

[StiflerMR2]

Don't know if it had been posted already but Stoney is off at the end of the season:

http://jalopnik.com/5911144/motogp-lead ... 012-season

I know he's not everyone's cup of tea (and perceived to be a moany git) but I've always been impressed by him. Especially in the 2010 season where he dragged that pig of a Ducati into 4th in the championship, not to mention that he rode for the majority of that season with gastroenteritis.

It'll be a shame to see him go - esp. at 26.

[Shug]

It's a real shame - I hate his public persona almost as much as he hates doing the PR stuff but there's nobody who can ride a bike like him. Crash it into a corner, save it by the apex and ride it out sideways. Lorenzo is incredible, but very old-school so (frankly) a bit boring to watch just ride round. You could just watch Casey ride round a track himself all day and not be stuck for entertainment.

He's just had a kid, he's always been a home-and-family type and if the satisfaction of what he's doing doesn't outweigh his desire to be with his family any more, nobody can really criticise the decision. Certainly, if I ever have a kid, I'll be asking myself serious questions about riding bikes on the road, so his decision in competition is an even more difficult one.

Real shame for the sport, but good to see a man have the balls to drop a lucrative career and the chance of a real sporting legacy for his family.

[StiflerMR2]

Agree with all you've said Shug. Although if he can retire as a triple world champ that'd be a decent enough legacy for me

[tut]

Would not be surprised to see him do a Schumacher.

tut

[Shug]

He might even do a Mansell and "unretire" when he gets an offer that's too good to refuse. He "definitely" wasn't going to the Japanese GP last year and somehow managed to get on the plane.

That said, I don't think it sounds like he's ready to go on at this point. Believe he totally believes what he's saying.

[rossybee]

Isn't he going to V8 thundersaloons?