Father-to-be Casey Stoner could race in Japan

Casey Stoner says he’s not completely ruled out racing in the re-scheduled Japanese MotoGP round in October.

But the Aussie revealed today his much-publicised concerns about the Twin Ring Motegi race are because his wife Adriana is expecting the couple’s first baby next February.

Stoner has been a vocal opponent of attending the race on October 2 because of fears about radiation levels surrounding the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.

The race was originally due to take place on April 24 but was postponed following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March.

The Fukushima nuclear plant almost 80 miles from the Twin Ring Motegi suffered extensive damage and ever since a rider boycott has threatened the re-scheduled race.

A Dorna commissioned independent report that declared the area around the circuit free from radiation contamination has not alleviated some people’s concerns.

But Repsol Honda rider Stoner has backed down on his original stance of pledging not to attend even if the race was given the go ahead.

But the 2007 world champion has also said he could still not travel to Japan at the end of September.

Speaking in Brno today he said: “There was a period basically after Silverstone where I felt very strongly that I wasn’t going to go there. I’d set in my mind there was no way I was going to Japan after things I’d seen and heard. But that came from a very strong emotion after I found out that Adriana was pregnant. We’ve discussed it a lot since then and that’s a huge that’s happened in my life and now the most important. For me to make that decision I felt that was the best thing I could do at that time.

“I’d made my mind up and there was no way I was going to risk my wife or my family and it was very tough. But in these weeks I’ve taken a lot of data from Australia and people I feel I can trust on the matter and I’m now slightly more open to it than I was before. I was thinking a lot about the safety issues for my family but we will see in these next weeks and continue talking. I’m not saying that I’m going but I’m not saying I’m not now.  We’ve got a lot more information and a detailed description of what it is like over there and what the situation is. I’m still not convinced but I’m more open to the possibility of racing there. Adriana definitely won’t be going and I’ll be spending the minimal time possible if I did go.”

If Stoner didn’t agree to race in Japan, he would be in breach of his HRC contract and would inevitably face some form of punishment.

But he said that didn’t faze him and his final decision would not be swayed by any pressure from Honda management to attend.

He added: “Honda have always been talking to me about it and it wouldn’t matter to me what anybody said. This is something that Adriana, my family and myself have made a decision about. When we do make a decision it will be just between us and not be for another reason or anybody putting pressure on us. It will just be whether we think it is safe for myself to go or not.”