Casey Stoner admits that his chances of retaining the MotoGP title are all but ‘over’, having announced on Thursday that he is to miss this weekend’s race in the Czech Republic. The Australian, who injured his ankle last time out in the United States, will head home for surgery this evening.
Stoner’s absence from Brno will mean that both Honda and rivals Ducati will be missing a bike in this weekend’s race, as Nicky Hayden also sustained injury at Indianapolis.
“It is disappointing and it’s finished our championship off,” Stoner said in a press conference, scheduled by Repsol Honda at late notice, on Thursday. “I have no idea when I’ll be back because we don’t know how the surgery will turn out. We just need to get back to Australia, wait for the inflammation to go down and then have the operation.”
He had originally planned the surgery for next week.
“My doctor didn’t have a problem with me riding injured, but he advised against riding at Indianapolis as soon as he read the report and knew everything," the 26-year-old continues. "I basically need to get off this foot as soon as I can, then try to come back a race or two before Phillip Island.
“It’s very frustrating, especially in my last year of MotoGP, but that’s racing...and I’m not just going to wait for a fairytale ending.”
Stoner is expected to miss at least the next three races. His home race at Phillip Island will take place on 28 October and will be the penultimate Grand Prix of 2012.
Stoner's crash can be seen at GPUpdate TV
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