The Malta Independent on Sunday
Stoner to ride with worsening right ankle pain at Phillip Island
Casey Stoner says he’ll ride with worsening pain in his right ankle at Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, his final home race before retiring at the age of 27 from the MotoGP circuit.
The two-time world champion said yesterday at Phillip Island that his return from ankle surgery in Japan two weeks ago, followed by a third-place finish in Malaysia last weekend, has left him with increased soreness in the joint he broke in a race fall in August at Indianapolis.
“Unfortunately the ankle’s worse today than when I started on Friday in Japan (his comeback race),” Stoner said yesterday.
“It’s not really enjoying the thrashing we’ve given it the last two races, and three races back-to-back is going to be a lot of hard work.”
Stoner said his ability to ride was not being affected by his ankle, but his movement on the bike and being able to effectively distribute weight through high-speed corners.
“It depends what corner and what pressure you put on whether pain’s a factor,” he said. “But in general it’s mostly movement and flexibility - trying to get my body in the position I want it to be in. These bikes are hard enough to ride at the best of times, and not being able to put the right weight distribution where I want it makes it really tricky.”
Stoner joined exclusive Australian motorcycling company yesterday when turn three at Phillip Island was re-named Stoner Corner. He joins other Australian world champions Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan in having sections of the picturesque Victorian state coastal track named after them.
Stoner’s ankle injury has left him out of contention to win back-to-back world MotoGP titles. Jorge Lorenzo of Spain leads countryman Dani Pedrosa by 23 points with two rounds remaining.
Stoner is third, too far back to challenge the only two contenders to win this season’s championship.
Practice at Phillip Island starts today ahead of qualifying tomorrow and Stoner’s attempt at a sixth successive Australian GP win in Sunday’s race on the 4.445-kilometre (2.76-mile) circuit.