In a recent podcast, the former MotoGP rider reflected on the unmatched talent of Casey Stoner, and why Marc Marquez might be the only rider cut from the same cloth
When it comes to pure talent on a motorcycle, few names are spoken about with the kind of reverence as Casey Stoner. The two-time world champion left riders and fans alike stunned by what he could do on machines that seemed nearly unrideable to others. Over the years, teammates like Nicky Hayden and Loris Capirossi, along with rivals like Jorge Lorenzo, Ben spies, Cal Crutchlow, and even Valentino Rossi have spoken in awe of Stoner’s ability.
Now, former MotoGP rider and current WorldSBK racer Scott Redding has added his voice to that chorus. Speaking on the Motorsport Republica podcast, Redding offered a raw and revealing glimpse into what made Stoner such a phenomenon—and why Marc Marquez reminds him so much of the Aussie gun.
“Yeah, he’s just something special,” Redding said of Stoner. “He has more talent than the top five guys put together. The things you see him do as a spectator—you don’t appreciate them the way we do as riders.”
“I thought I could ride any bike—but that got shown up real quick with BMW. I just can’t ride that type of bike. But him? He can. He’ll just make it work.”
Redding was amazed at Stoner’s ability to often go even faster after crashing. “He used to come in, go back out, and the first flying lap—red helmet. You’re thinking, ‘Bro, you’ve just had a huge crash,’ and now he’s going quicker again. Not many people can do that.”
Off the bike, Redding said Stoner’s single-minded approach made life harder for him in the media. “He’s not a people person—not in the big social sense,” Redding said. “He didn’t care about the media bullshit. It wasn’t his thing—and fair play to him. Some people are different, and you’ve got to respect that. But he got hate for it, which wasn’t really fair. In his head, I think racing was just war—nothing else mattered. Just him and the bike.” “It’s a nasty place to be if you can’t deal with it,” Redding added. “So I’ve got massive respect for him. He was like, ‘I’m done. Bye.’ And that was it.”
Redding went on to point out the similarities between Stoner and Marquez.
“Marc is the same sort of guy,” he said. “Watching the two of them battle would’ve been insane. From what I’ve heard, Marc was all about Stoner—he looked at his data, studied it. The way he brakes, the way he slides—like Turn 3 at Phillip Island. I’m pretty sure he studied that for months and just did it.”
“Put them both in black leathers and it’d be pretty f***ing hard (to distinguish them). The way they pick the bike up, attack the corner—Marc is like a Stoner Junior.”
Now, with Marquez stepping into factory Ducati colours, Redding believes the fire is fully reignited. “Once he gets dialled in,” he said, “I think he’s going to be hard to beat.”
