Topic: What Would Mat Mladin Do?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hmmm.  The plot thickens . . .

As of January 11, 2016:

"Last week Casey Stoner was widely quoted as saying that the reason Honda did not allow Stoner to race at the Austin round of the championship last season was because, Stoner said, Marc Marquez felt threatened by Stoner and the group behind MM93 would not allow it. Stoner also suggested that part of it was that Honda did not want him back in the MotoGP team."
 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Here are some quotes from Stoner's interview with Motosprint published in several publications.  These articles were all published on or about January 6, 2016.

(http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122383):

"It's not the same," he told Motosprint when asked how the Ducati role would compare to his Honda position.

"At Honda I was just an occasional tester, I did not have any other role and, to tell you the truth, they never took full advantage of my potential.

"I think Marquez and all his entourage felt threatened by me. I don't know why they thought that, but that's my feeling."

"I was at Honda to do some testing, to try new things that could then be transferred to the works riders, so I was there to help Marc.

"But it's also true that the number one rider is the one everyone must follow.

"I have no grudge against Honda. And I have great respect for [HRC vice president Shuhei] Nakamoto. As a matter of fact I'm certain that our relationship has not deteriorated for this and that we'll get on well."


http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/225999/1/stoner-marquez-felt-threatened.html:

"At Honda I was just an occasional tester and wasn't being used to my potential," Stoner said to Motosprint. "I loved working with the HRC guys but I think Marc and his crew felt in some way threatened by me and I don't know why. I was just there to test and help.

Fox Sports Australia (http://www.foxsports.com.au/breaking-news/motogp-casey-stoner-believes-marc-marquez-felt-threatened-by-his-presence-as-hondas-test-rider/news-story/b43a0777efafdfd21824af9068e5b98a)

“I think Marquez and all his entourage felt threatened by me. I don’t know why they thought that, but that’s my feeling.

[Retro Rocket]

In both those  quotes he says he "thinks", I've never seen it reported as a fact as he clearly says " I think other people must have put pressure on him in order for me not to race"...  Where does it say that, "  that Marquez nixed his chances to ride in place of an injured Dani Pedrosa for 2 races"..

Here's some more about Aoayama, the guy that replaced Pedrosa..

Here’s a rundown of why Aoayama got the call, and the others didn’t.

Hiroshi Aoyama

Aoyama arrived in MotoGP in 2010 as the last ever 250cc world champion, having taken the final two stroke title before the class was replaced by Moto2. He failed to set the world alight, struggling to adapt to four-stroke bikes after many seasons racing two strokes.

After a brief stint in World Superbikes, he returned to MotoGP last season to ride Honda’s RCV1000R production racer. Out of a job at the end of 2014, he was recruited by HRC to work as their test rider, and help push the development of their MotoGP project.

Though Aoyama is unlikely to come in to the Repsol Honda team and start taking podiums, he is sure to acquit himself respectably. He has recent experience of racing in MotoGP, testing experience with the factory Honda RC213V – he tested the bike at the first Sepang test, where he ended as 14th fastest overall.

He has experience of the 2015 Bridgestone tires, and he has raced at both Austin and Argentina. Knowledge of those two tracks is important: both circuits feature only on the MotoGP calendar, Austin being added in 2013, and Argentina in 2014.

Riders coming in from other series would face some formidable obstacles.

Not only would they have to learn the formidable Honda RC213V MotoGP machine, they would also have to learn the Bridgestone tires – not as hard as it used to be, but still requiring some experience to master – and the layout of two new circuits. Aoyama’s experience is what gives him the advantage.

[petercb750]

Yeh, I think it's pretty clear that it's more about Stoner's perception than MM saying "no no we don't want him competing against us"...well not publicly saying that anyway. And let's face it...as much as I admire Stoner he probably isn't the easiest guy to work with (as was Doohan apparently), so there'd be some mutual dummy spitting on both sides.
Still, it's not like he needs more money, and Ducati would have to be paying him several million anyway, so maybe he just enjoys being back on a bike and sticking it up the regulars....would LOVE to see him beat rossi at PI if he gets the gig 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I know that Aoyama had some experience with the Argentina and Austin tracks, and is a HRC test rider, but he's NEVER come close to Stoner's speed.  He's never podiumed a MotoGP premier class bike.  He was a 250 champ, but never made it to "alien" status like Old Number 27.