Danger is part of the attraction, says Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner reckons fear and danger are two of the major reasons why riders love bike racing so much.

The Australian gave a heartfelt answer when asked his feelings on the recent Misano crash that claimed the life of Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa.

The factory Ducati rider said: “To be honest it is something that every rider should know that this is the risk involved. Unfortunately it is not the first time it has happened and this is not a completely safe sport. I think it is something that we live with and it is bad to say but it is part of what gives you the adrenaline rush and it’s why guys love to do it. 

“It gets your heart racing and your blood pumping and that slight bit of fear is what keeps you going. Unfortunately when it happens it’s not what we want but if there was no fear involved then there would be no real want or need to race and there wouldn’t be the passion that you see in young riders to try and pursue their dreams. I think that’s what keeps us all here to be honest.”

The 24-year said while huge strides had been taken with safety in MotoGP, it was impossible to eradicate the risks involved in racing.

He added: “I remember speaking to Jim Redman at Goodwood a few years ago and he was saying you didn’t know if your friend on the grid next to you was going to finish the championship. Those days were a lot harder than now. But it is something that they had to accept. They had to console wives and girlfriends and things were a lot worse in those days.

“But at the same time they continued to do it because it is what they loved and it made their blood pump. You can leave doing something that you love and you’ve dreamed about your whole life. In some ways that is a nice way to go in you’re doing something that you love rather than doing something you dislike.”