MotoGP News
Date: 27/October/2012
Casey Stoner’s dominance of his final home Australian MotoGP continued in qualifying at Phillip Island, but not without a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted in MotoGP.
Unbeaten in Australia for the past five years, the Repsol Honda star - just two races from retirement - had finished free practice with a huge one-second advantage.
The 27-year-old then led all but the opening minutes of the qualifying hour for his fifth consecutive pole at the Melbourne race track.
However it could have turned out very differently, with Stoner escaping unharmed after being thrown from his RC213V motorcycle.
Had Stoner landed on his injured ankle his weekend - and perhaps career - could have been over, with only two weeks until the Valencia season finale.
The incident was caused by a cool rear tyre, Stoner having just switched from the softer to harder option as the halfway mark approached.
“I was on my out-lap with a hard tyre and the bike just decided to flick me off,” Stoner explained.
“I tried to make sure I kept my right leg out of the way as I came off and fortunately it didn't get caught up. But if I had come down on my foot it would have been a different story.
“My left hip is hurting a little as I landed on it, but hopefully we shouldn't have any issues with it tomorrow.”
Stoner soon returned to lap faster than ever, eventually claiming pole by over half-a-second from Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, the World Championship leader.
That spill aside, Stoner is revelling in his last chance to ride a grand prix bike at one of his favourite circuits, the characteristics of which also allow him to avoid putting too much stress on his healing ankle.
Stoner, who missed three events due to surgery, said: “To be honest it’s been really nice to be back at this circuit and also feeling a little bit more comfortable. Most of the important corners are on the left, so I’m actually able to relax on the right-hand turns.
“And it’s been nice to ride one of these bikes around this track again - it could well be my last time here. So I’m just trying to enjoy every minute of it really. We’ve had a fantastic weekend so far, just getting faster and faster and hopefully we’ll have something to celebrate tomorrow.”
While Stoner has the speed to disappear into the distance, Lorenzo looks set to be embroiled in a close battle with the other Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa will start third on the grid and needs to beat Lorenzo to keep his title hopes alive.
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