Casey Stoner anxious for Phillip Island farewell

SO concerned was Casey Stoner about ensuring a fitting farewell to Australia that he considered making a late withdrawal in Malaysia on Sunday.

Casey Stoner

SO concerned was Casey Stoner about ensuring a fitting farewell to Australia that he considered making a late withdrawal from last Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

Stoner, however, defied the wet weather to finish third at Sepang in only his second race since surgery on his right ankle following a crash in Indianapolis in August.

The Honda rider now heads to Victoria's Phillip Island, aiming to win a sixth successive Australian MotoGP on Sunday in his final bike race at the venue.

Stoner says he seriously considered pulling out of the shortened Malaysian race, which was won by Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, over concern for what might happen to his recovering ankle at rain-soaked Sepang.

"I was considering not taking part in the rain at all as the risks were very high," Stoner said.

"If I had come off the bike again and hit my ankle, it would have been game over for the rest of the season.

"I slowly got my confidence back (and) began to catch the front two but . . . ran out of time as they red-flagged the race."

Pedrosa, chasing his first MotoGP title, is only 22 points adrift of Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, who finished second on Sunday, with two races left.

The Spaniards are set to take their title duel home to the season's finale in Valencia on November 11.

AAP