Casey Stoner has words of praise for his two compatriots in the 2022 MotoGP grid and says of their potential: “This is what Australia has been waiting for.
Jack Miller won a Grand Prix in his second MotoGP season (2016). However, he then had four winless years before returning to winning ways with two victories in 2021. Now Miller is about to start his second season in the Ducati factory team, but he also knows that the pressure on him will not exactly ease there.
Remy Gardner will be the second Australian in the MotoGP class in 2022. The son of former 500cc world champion Wayne Gardner is about to have his rookie season in the premier class at Tech-3-KTM. He recommended himself with a commanding Moto2 season in 2021, which he finished as world champion.
While there is no regular rider from Australia in the Moto2 class for the 2022 season, there is one in the Moto3 class. There, Joel Kelso in the CIP Green Power team faces his first full season on the World Championship stage, having already competed in four selected races in 2021.
What does Casey Stoner, Australia’s last premier class world champion to date, think of his potential successors to the throne?
When asked about Miller and Gardner, Stoner replied: “They have both really impressed me because they have worked hard on themselves and their riding style. No doubt there were periods in their careers when they struggled. But they both recognised their respective weaknesses and worked them out. Nowadays, they are both serious contenders for top places. “
Stoner explains why he is so taken with both Miller and Gardner’s self-discipline: “Changing yourself and your approach is one of the hardest things to do. It would be much easier to rely on one’s own natural instincts. But both of them have thought a lot about themselves and the way they race. I really like that.
Stoner concluded: “It’s nice to see a couple of Australians up front again. Because the last time there was something like this was quite a while ago, unfortunately. I can only say that this is what Australia has been waiting for. Accordingly, it is being enjoyed now.”
Whether there will even be another MotoGP world champion from Australia at some point remains to be seen. Miller, who is currently stuck in Australia due to a positive Coronatest result, does not want to hear anything about any comparisons with Stoner. The world champion from 2007 and 2011 is “a completely different calibre” than how “Jackass” would classify himself.
