“I'm not having fun anymore ». These are the words used by Casey Stoner at the press conference for the 2012 French Grand Prix. The Australian, reigning world champion, announces his retirement at just 26 years old. Seven years later, let's look at the exceptional career of an exceptional driver.
Who could have bet for a moment on this child protégé of Alberto Puig who arrived in Europe at the age of 14 and who made a more than timid debut in the world? Not many people. Average in 125cc, good in 250cc, his talent translated poorly to the smaller machines. When it moved up to the premier category in 2006, magic happened. Never has this adage been more true. On the LCR team's Honda RC211V, he finished sixth in his first race. One round later, in Qatar, he achieved pole position. For the third race, he is already second, on the verge of winning.
Signing with Ducati for 2007 took him into another galaxy, that of the greatest in this sport. For his second year, he won ten victories, five pole positions and the title of world champion.. Just that. On a Ducati known to be difficult, few riders are so beastly with a MotoGP between their legs, but also clinical. With this title, Stoner is no longer a good driver, but a legend. Seven years later, no one else has achieved this feat on a Desmosedici.
Dani Pedrosa, who a few years ago largely dominated the Australian, finished 125 points behind. An impressive progression, you say?
Although fast no matter what, the equipment caught up with his talent during the end of his Ducati period. But even when he doesn't win the championship, he gets noticed, especially on Saturdays. Boasting astonishing natural speed regardless of the mount, he achieved exceptional seasons in this area: he scored 9 poles in 18 races in 2008, or 12 in 2011, then at Honda Repsol. Always in a lethal style, cold and boiling at the same time but with rare precision. Stoner did one quick lap as his blood froze. At the time of pole position, ice flowed through his veins. The RCV212V bearing the numbers 27 and 1 slipped in all the turns. Casey perfectly mastered this art straight from his dirt track apprenticeship on Australian tracks. It was made for the largest displacements, he was made to be in the lead.
Rossi not being comfortable on Ducati, Stoner, Lorenzo and Pedrosa competed for the world crowns. In hindsight, how lucky were we to see three artists, of different styles and personalities, competing every Sunday! If 2012 was a difficult year for the Australian, leaving the title to “Por Fuera” and punctuated by injuries as well as a stubborn lactose intolerance, the 2011 exercise will forever remain in history. 10 victories and 16 podiums in 17 races. Sometimes numbers express what words can't, and these statistics are just crazy.
Very reserved, distant from the world of grands prix but with a rare frankness, he divided. He was one of Valentino Rossi's great rivals, on the track but also off it, because they had very different characters. This fishing enthusiast remained very discreet outside of race weekends, not a big fan of this atmosphere. Close to his family, he decided to stop everything at the end of 2012, wanting to turn to other horizons. What he wanted was pure driving. Less electronics, aids of all kinds… And the direction that MotoGP was taking did not suit it.
In six years at the highest level, Stoner has made history in his own way. From his legendary back slides to his character, no one could remain indifferent to the Australian. Loved or hated, it is clear that he left his mark on his generation and that we were in the presence of a magician, of an artist, with his right handle as a paintbrush.
