Will Casey Stoner's MotoGP testing fuel a comeback to race at Phillip Island this October?
YES, Casey Stoner is back riding a MotoGP bike again, but will he return to racing? Here's why he could come back for Phillip Island.
AT the end of 30 tricky, treacherous laps of the Circuito Ricardo Tormo last November, Casey Stoner hopped off his Honda MotoGP bike for the last time, vowing to turn his back on the sport for good.
Fast-forward nine months to Tuesday, and he's back. Sort of.
The leathers and boots have been pulled out of mothballs, joining their owner in a garage at Honda's home circuit, Motegi.
His trademark No.27 once again adorns the fairing of Honda's latest two-wheel weapon, awaiting the first of four test sessions that have thrown the MotoGP rumour mill into overdrive.
IS THIS THE START OF A CASEY STONER COMEBACK?
The PR line is that the 27-year-old is answering an SOS call, doing a favour for the company that delivered him his second world title.
In the middle of a fierce title battle with old adversary Yamaha, Honda needs track miles to both hone this year's machine and develop their 2014 bike.
With their regular Japanese test pilot nursing a broken leg from a race crash, Honda turned to the man they last year threw millions of dollars at in a failed bid to keep him on their bikes.
Burnt out and disillusioned with all the politics and attention that surrounds the world championship, Stoner quit, giving up the one part of MotoGP that he truly loved.
Riding a MotoGP bike.
LOVE THE BIKE
Weighing just 160 kilos, Honda's purpose-built RC213V has over 230 horsepower just a twist of the wrist away, putting all those wailing ponies to the ground through a narrow patch of rubber that's smaller than the palm of your hand.
Stoner is one of a handful of men who can truly be called a master of the fierce, feisty steeds, and his fondness for riding the ultimate two-wheel machine has not dimmed in the slightest.
"I'm still happy and comfortable with the decision I made to stop racing," Stoner affirmed when news of the test broke.
"Sometimes I miss riding my RCV, so I am happy that HRC asked me to do some tests in Motegi this year.
"This will allow me to enjoy what I miss: riding a MotoGP bike."
Not that he got much of a chance on Tuesday; Mother Nature's intervention gave Stoner just six laps aboard his cherished chariot before rain set in for the day.
Wednesday's forecast is much more favourable, the opportunity for Stoner to indulge limited only by daylight.
The real question is this: will Stoner be satisfied with just this small taste of two-wheel action, or will it only serve to fan the flames of his life-long passion.
RUMOUR MILL
If you believe the rumours, this test could be just the beginning of a stunning new chapter in the Australian's already legendary MotoGP career.
Speculation has Stoner returning to the grid this year as a wildcard entry in a pair of selected races, including his home grand prix at Phillip Island.
Such a comeback would be a remarkable about-face given his noted hatred of all the hubbub that accompanies actually racing in MotoGP.
So much does he hate all the demands that go with the spotlight that his test sessions will be held behind closed doors with all media barred.
A comeback would, however, be a tremendous boon for the Australian Grand Prix's promoters, who experienced bumper crowds last year on the back of Stoner's impending retirement.
It would also potentially benefit Honda, who have won just one world title since 2007 - Stoner's victory two years ago.
His replacement, standout rookie Marc Marquez, currently leads the championship, 16 points clear of teammate Dani Pedrosa.
Reigning world champion, Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo, sits third a further 10 points off the pace.
With every point crucial, a third factory-run bike on the grid would take points off Lorenzo, enhancing Honda's title hopes.
WOULD STONER BE UP FOR IT?
Both he and Honda have denied the possibility. "This is out of the question," were the exact words of Honda team principal Livio Suppo.
But if the logistics could be sorted - he would need a crew, with his former mechanics either backing Marquez's effort or dispersed across the MotoGP paddock - and it clearly benefitted Honda's title hopes, surely they would at least ask Stoner the question.
After all, Honda has a pool of talent they could call on for such an extensive test program. Why call on Stoner if they weren't at least hoping to tempt him with a race seat of some kind?
Which brings us back to whether the man himself would be keen to waltz back into the MotoGP paddock, less than a year after he rubbished it and cut it out of his life.
Only Stoner knows the answer to that.
With a wife and young daughter, a swag of wins and titles, and more than enough money in the bank to live comfortably, he doesn't need to risk his neck for glory anymore.
But what if he wants to? His V8 adventure isn't exactly provided his ego with the sort of satisfaction that beating the world's best on two wheels can give.
This we do know: he would be competitive, he could win, and it would be a way to further stamp his name across the record books as one of the all-time greats.
Imagine this for a storyline: reigning world champion quits series in disgust then, with little testing, emerges from retirement to a hero's welcome on home soil, romping to his seventh-straight victory in front of an adoring crowd.
For my money, expect a No.27 Honda to be on the MotoGP grid at Phillip Island come October.
And, knowing Stoner, expect it to be on pole position.
William Dale is the Motorsport Lead for News Limited Digital. Follow SPEED on Facebook and Twitter.