British MotoGP: Casey Stoner – ‘Britain helped my career’

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he could not have enjoyed his premier class success had it not been for the British championship helping to launch his bid for stardom.

Stoner cut his teeth in the British 125 championship in 2000 and his immediate impact saw him fast-tracked to the Spanish series before graduating to world championship racing in 2002.

Despite his early success in the UK, Stoner has become a figure of hate with some small sections of the British crowd, the 23-year-old booed on the auction stage at the annual Day of Champions charity fund-raiser in 2007.

And last year he received another hostile reception having dominated the 30-lap race for the second year in succession.

Stoner, who goes into Sunday’s race without a victory in the last four races, said: “I’ve got a lot of friends in the UK. It just seems that I’ve got a lot more enemies for some reason. I did cut my teeth in the British championship and it was something very helpful to me.

“I couldn’t have succeeded like I have trying to grow up in road racing in Australia. The British scene was definitely a big help to me and its always nice to be able see some old friends.”

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