Casey Stoner was one of the most influential MotoGP riders, achieving two world titles with two different constructors. He retired surprisingly after 2012, when he was still at the peak of his abilities.
In an interview with TNT Sports, the Australian explained that his motivation was to ride motorcycles: ‘If you’re going to risk everything, leave everything on the line, you have to do it for a reason. But people think it’s about money. Or why they do it, for a result. For me, I simply loved riding motorcycles. Competing was part of that. I competed, it was fantastic. I loved riding motorcycles even more, I loved getting everything I could out of a bike. I was very self-critical.’
However, according to Stoner, the technological change in motorcycles and the environment in MotoGP negatively affected his motivation: ‘When these bikes became too electronic, with wheelie control too controlled, the fun disappeared. The championship became political.’
