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Why MotoGP needs a Casey Stoner return

23rd April, 2014
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Marc Marquez had a record-shattering year. (Photo: MotoGP)
Expert
23rd April, 2014
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As Casey Stoner watches from the sidelines, his replacement at the factory Honda MotoGP team, Marc Marquez, is crushing the opposition in his second season in the premier class.

The 21-year-old Spanish sensation won the MotoGP title in his rookie campaign last year, beating established teammate Dani Pedrosa, two-times champion Jorge Lorenzo and grand prix great Valentino Rossi in the process.

He has started his title defence with two wins from two races, despite recovering from a pre-season broken leg. Armed with factory backing from Honda and the quickest grand prix bike on the grid, Marquez looks unstoppable.

The scary thing for his opponents is that he will improve with age. It appears his rivals can’t match Marquez’s elbow-scrapping and incredible lean-angle cornering, so barring serious injury he could go on to dominate the series for years to come.

Unless Stoner returns, Lorenzo finds a Honda equal to Marquez’s, or another young gun progresses into the premier class, MotoGP will be Marquez’s domain.

Stoner left a void that Marquez filled after the Aussie walked away from MotoGP at the end of 2012, disillusioned with the series and seeking a private life away from the spotlight. After winning two championships for both Ducati and Honda, Stoner tried his hand at V8 Supercars in 2013 but struggled to make an impression in the second-tier Development Series as he came to grips with four wheels.

Stoner, who seems to be enjoying life away from racing with his young family, attended the recent Grand Prix of the Americas as a spectator, where he witnessed Marquez crush the field. But only the Australian presently has the talent to get anywhere near Marquez, as there are many similarities in their riding styles.

Stoner has what many described as a peculiar style, sliding through high-speed corners with incredible throttle application. Like Marquez, he has the perfect slender build to ride in MotoGP, with a fearless approach that saw neither rider intimidated by the likes of Rossi and Lorenzo.

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As Stoner watches Marquez dominate race after race, one wonders if it will stir his competitive juices sufficiently to have him contemplate a comeback.

At 28 years old, Stoner still has time on his side. But the longer he stays away from racing, the harder it will be for him to return to the top. He’s on the record as saying he misses the racing and bikes but not the politics of the series, so there’s no inkling from the Aussie that a return is likely in 2015 or beyond.

But a Marquez-Stoner battle, preferably with the same equipment in the same team, would be a huge benefit to MotoGP.

Let’s hope Stoner has a change of heart and sets up the battle we all want to see.

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