Casey Stoner details his retirement decision - and how Marc Marquez avoided the same fate

Casey Stoner has commended Marc Marquez for prioritising his enjoyment of racing - and thereby avoiding an early retirement.
Marc
Marc

Stoner retire꧃d from MotoGP in 2012, as a two-time champion, aged just 27 claiming he 🅰no longer enjoyed the sport.

Marquez, for different 🎶reasons🍌, was at his lowest ebb earlier this year but his Ducati debut at the postseason Valencia test restored his smile.

Stoner told TNT Sports at Phillip 🌞Island: “If you’re not enjoying it, why are you risking i🅺t all?

“If Marc enjoys his racing, he’s not going to wanജt to risk it all for nꦇothing.

“It’s important for him to get that enjoyment back. Find a reason to get up in the morning, train your butt off, put yourself through these injuries, drag yourself bac✤k.

Casey Stoner (AUS), Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati, 27, 2007 MotoGP World
Casey Stoner (AUS), Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati, 27, 2007 MotoGP World

“People see it from the outside. B🗹ut it’s very difficult when everything is against you, your body doesn’t want to do things, but you force it. It takes a toll.”

Eight-time world champion Marquez has su�♍�ffered three years of career-threatening injuries and an underperforming Honda.

This year at the Sachsenring, traditionally one of his favourite tracks, he looked more🤪 solemn than ever after five crashes before the grand prix itself forced him to withdraw.

But, now aged 30, the ear🍃ly signs of his decision to quit Honda for Gresini Ducati are that a new bike could breathe life into his career.

Stoner,൲ 11 years ago, was ꦇunable to find a reason to continue.

He commented on his decision to quit early: “If you’re going to risk everything, to lay every♚thing on the line, you’ve got to do it for a reason.

“Some people find it’s money. Or ♌for wha🐲tever reason they do it, for a result.

“For me, I jus🧔t loved riding bikes. Racing was a part of it💙. I got to race, it was fantastic.

“I loved riding bikes the most🍃, I loved eking everything that I could out of a bike. I was very self-critical.

“When these bikes became too mu🌸ch electronics, too much wheelie-control, the enjoyment disappeared.

“The series became political.”

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