Was surprised to read this on the BBC:- [h=1]Casey Stoner hits out at MotoGP fans after V8 Supercars move[/h] Casey Stoner has accused a section of MotoGP fans of a "lack of respect" following his move to V8 Supercars. Two-time MotoGP champion Stoner, 27, has confirmed his deal with Red Bull Racing Australia. Stoner suffered a broken ankle last year but insists his decision has nothing to do with injuries. “They want to see biff and barge and they don't realise our lives are on the line. We became puppets in that world and it had nothing to do with racing” Casey Stoner "We got spat at [by fans], they tried to knock us off scooters going from the motor homes to the pits," he told the Telegraph. "We had a lack of respect from a lot of people around the sport and I didn't like the direction it was taking. "Unfortunately they didn't like my honesty in the paddock. "That was part of it, but more it was the direction of the sport." The Australian, who revealed his intention to retire from MotoGP in May, tweeted confirmation of his switch to Red Bull. He said: "Very happy to have a chance to race with @redbullracingAU in the Dunlop Series this year. Looking forward to getting on track at Clipsal!" Stoner will race for the first time in the curtain-raiser to Adelaide's Clipsal 500 next month. He was MotoGP world champion in 2007 and 2011. The former Repsol Honda rider was frustrated by technical changes to MotoGP that have increased engine sizes to 1000cc from 800cc and preceded the departure of manufacturers such as Kawasaki and Suzuki from the sport. Stoner criticised the nature of the sport following the death of rider Marco Simoncelli at the Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang in 2011. He added: "We lost a rider a couple of years ago, and within a month it was like it never happened. They want to see biff and barge and they don't realise our lives are on the line. "We became puppets in that world and it had nothing to do with racing."
The whiney one just can't keep his trap shut can he? He whinges and moans and then wonders why so many people think he's a tosser. I can see another driver shoving his teeth back down his throat if he tries that on V8 racing this year.
Yawn! Shame he's slamming the sport once again which made him rich! Why not just say... I got fed up with travelling the world racing bikes and now im racing v8's in Aus and im happy!!!
I'm not a Stoner fan, but you can't take it away from him.....the kid was f*ckin fast, didn't shit his pants if the bike moved around under him and wasn't frightened to say what he believed to the powers that be around him, standing by the decisions he made into the bargain. For that RESPECT
Also have to add......nobody else has been able to ride the Desmo to the level he did.........oh & he was a Ducati World Champ!!! Respect for that too!!
Your name sake has a higher win rate on a Desmo than Stoner, 1 start, 1 win, I think that makes 100%!
Lol!! Have you forgotten about the 2 seasons my main man did before he got the "one off" ride as a reward for winning the 2006 WSK championship??
No I hadn't forgotten those, but what I had got wrong was that I thought Stoner and Bayliss rode the 800cc, doh! the last ride he had was on the 1000cc bike, not Stoner's 800cc bike. :redface:
Stoner was the most exciting to watch, he isn't so good at the Interpersonal stuff. IQ maybe, EQ definitely not!
They don't come along to often! Brilliant riders that is, Stoner was certainly one of them & will be hard to replace,love him or not he was up there with the best & beat most of them