Casey Stoner: ‘Winning title at Phillip Island would be fantastic’

Casey Stoner says winning his second MotoGP world crown in front of his home fans at Phillip Island next month would be ‘fantastic.’

The Repsol Honda rider dominated the Motorland Aragon race last weekend to increase his lead over reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo to 44-points.

With the Japanese round at the Twin Ring Motegi up next, it is possible that Stoner could arrive back in Australia for his home race with the chance to wrap up his first premier class title since 2007.

The 25-year-old would be a red-hot favourite to clinch the crown in front of his home crowd having never lost at Phillip Island in the 800cc era.

He won four successive races at the spectacular coastal track for Ducati and this year he has already won eight times for Honda.

Stoner told MCN: “I missed out winning the title at Phillip Island last time. The way it was going it looked like happening at the Island until things happened at Motegi and I didn’t expect that.

“This year there is more possibility to win it at Phillip Island, which would be fantastic but I’m not thinking about it.”

Stoner said it would be nice to wrap up the title in Australia with two races remaining in Sepang and Valencia but he has admitted he would have no qualms about having a nail-biting final round decider with Lorenzo.

He added: “It would be nice to go into the last race without having to think about the championship but I have no problem if I have to go to the final race for the championship.

“That will get your blood rushing. I’ll continue as I am and if I make mistakes then I have a bigger buffer to make those mistakes, but I’ll still be trying to win races.”