It seems again rather odd, here he is back with a credible 4th spot in FP1-right on the pace and booting the other Duck riders in the ... already........so I beg the question, why sit out three of the most important races of your career? Maybe he needed to learn how to accept defeat during his 'Walkabout'
yahoo;
Former world MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has offered an expansive apology to his Ducati team after missing three mid-season races.
On the eve of his return to action at this weekend's Portuguese GP in Estoril the 23-year-old Australian said his decision to take a lengthy break was the hardest of his career.
But he said he felt he had no option after extensive medical tests for a fatigue problem which has left him exhausted at the end of races failed to diagnose the cause.
Stoner dismissed talk his absence signalled a rift with the team or he was on the verge of retirement.
"I've been struggling in the last races as everybody knew and I went back to Australia after (the British GP at) Donington to get a better understanding of what was going on," said Stoner in a 45-minute press conference in Estoril.
"I was planning to come back for (the Czech race at) Brno but we didn't find any solutions in such a short space of time and I had recommendations from the doctors, my wife and my father saying that's enough, I need to take a bit of time out.
"I was never going to be away for more than three races and for me it was a really tough decision," he said.
"I wasn't forced into it but it was highly recommended by everyone.
"During this period we did everything we could to solve the problems. We're just going to see this weekend how I perform."
"It was disappointing for my whole team that I wasn't able to comeback in Brno and I apologised for that to them from the beginning," he said.
"I apologised to them for every race I wasn't competitive since Catalunya because before each race we knew it was going to be very difficult to win.
"My first apology is to my team and hopefully we can comeback in a positive frame of mind and hopefully be competitive again.
"I've really missed it. It was better for me to have the time off and have more tests and see more doctors to understand if we can fix this problem," Stoner said.
"It has been the toughest decision I've had to take in my whole life and it took days to make it.
"I feel like I missed out on so much but at the same time if it helps me then it was the right decision."
Stoner dismissed rumours which began almost immediately after his return to Australia, that he had had enough of the sport or there had been problems between him and the team.
"We were in contact all of the time with Ducati giving them updates after each appointment I had," he said.
"I had to sort this out on my own and if I wasn't racing then what reason was there for me to be in contact with the media and everybody?
"I was always going to comeback. But I've no problems with Ducati whatsoever and there have been all kinds of rumours."
yahoo;
Former world MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has offered an expansive apology to his Ducati team after missing three mid-season races.
On the eve of his return to action at this weekend's Portuguese GP in Estoril the 23-year-old Australian said his decision to take a lengthy break was the hardest of his career.
But he said he felt he had no option after extensive medical tests for a fatigue problem which has left him exhausted at the end of races failed to diagnose the cause.
Stoner dismissed talk his absence signalled a rift with the team or he was on the verge of retirement.
"I've been struggling in the last races as everybody knew and I went back to Australia after (the British GP at) Donington to get a better understanding of what was going on," said Stoner in a 45-minute press conference in Estoril.
"I was planning to come back for (the Czech race at) Brno but we didn't find any solutions in such a short space of time and I had recommendations from the doctors, my wife and my father saying that's enough, I need to take a bit of time out.
"I was never going to be away for more than three races and for me it was a really tough decision," he said.
"I wasn't forced into it but it was highly recommended by everyone.
"During this period we did everything we could to solve the problems. We're just going to see this weekend how I perform."
"It was disappointing for my whole team that I wasn't able to comeback in Brno and I apologised for that to them from the beginning," he said.
"I apologised to them for every race I wasn't competitive since Catalunya because before each race we knew it was going to be very difficult to win.
"My first apology is to my team and hopefully we can comeback in a positive frame of mind and hopefully be competitive again.
"I've really missed it. It was better for me to have the time off and have more tests and see more doctors to understand if we can fix this problem," Stoner said.
"It has been the toughest decision I've had to take in my whole life and it took days to make it.
"I feel like I missed out on so much but at the same time if it helps me then it was the right decision."
Stoner dismissed rumours which began almost immediately after his return to Australia, that he had had enough of the sport or there had been problems between him and the team.
"We were in contact all of the time with Ducati giving them updates after each appointment I had," he said.
"I had to sort this out on my own and if I wasn't racing then what reason was there for me to be in contact with the media and everybody?
"I was always going to comeback. But I've no problems with Ducati whatsoever and there have been all kinds of rumours."
