Casey Stoner faces a crucial test of his fitness ahead of his return to MotoGP racing at the Japanese Grand Prix, six weeks after surgery to his right ankle.
The two-time world champion will assess his recovery from ligament surgery in opening practice sessions at the Motegi circuit.
He has missed the past three races because of the injury he sustained during qualifying for the Indianapolis GP in August. He is now out of contention to retain the title, which will be decided between his teammate Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo.
He admits it has not been easy recuperating while watching Pedrosa and Lorenzo battle for the title. "The last six weeks have been pretty tough for me. I've had to sit around and rest my ankle, get some physio and try to occupy my time, but I've been watching the races at home."
The demands of Motegi, with its areas of hard braking and acceleration, will be a tough test for Stoner's return. It is the first step in his campaign to be fully fit for his home race, the Australian GP at Phillip Island, in two weeks.
