Rain Halts Stoner’s Honda MotoGP Test Plans at Motegi
Casey Stoner with Team HRC at Motegi
Due to rain plaguing the Motegi circuit in Japan Wednesday and Thursday, Casey Stoner’s planned testing aboard the 2014 Honda MotoGP machine were halted.
Stoner, who retired from MotoGP following the 2011 season, is helping Team HRC evaluate the prototype that will replace the RC213V machine in 2014.
Speaking of the uncompleted tests, Honda says “wet conditions on both days in Motegi have prevented two-time World Champion, Casey Stoner, from completing his testing duties for HRC. The test team will stay at Motegi with Takumi Takahashi testing in the wet conditions.
Rain also affected testing in early August at Motegi. During that test, Stoner re-familiarized himself with the RC213V prototype that Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez currently race. The Australian also got some laps in on the 2014 machine.
Stoner, who took the 2007 title with Ducati and the 2011 championship with Repsol Honda, was hired to fulfilled Honda’s full test program, including testing a few items on the current RC213V.
Regardless of rumors, Stoner says he will not appear as a wildcard in any round of MotoGP.
Honda is now hoping for better weather at the next round of testing at Motegi Oct. 2-3.
