Casey Stoner reveals unexpected key person behind his early career

Casey Stoner has identified a person crucial to the beginning of his racing career in Europe.

Stoner moved to Europe from Australia to race his way into the World Championship at the turn of the century, when he began racing on closed short circuits in the UK and Spain.

He moved to the World Championship in 2002 in the 250cc class, then dropped to the 125cc class for 2003 and 2004, picking up two wins, before graduating back to 250s in 2005.

It was during these early years in the World Championship that Stoner says he was particularly reliant on the support of Alberto Vergani, who began working at the Italian helmet company Nolan in the 1980s and later went on to become president of the brand.

“In the beginning it was an amazing step from Alberto Vergani with Nolan,” Stoner said, speaking to Gazzetta Dello Sport during his trip to Italy last November, where he visited Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Motor Ranch and the EICMA show in Milan.

“He was able to sponsor me when no one else wanted to support me, and I think without his support it would’ve been very difficult or almost impossible for me to arrive in the World Championship.

“We didn’t have enough budget just to travel between the races, and so his support helped us to survive for the year and this is what paved the way for me to slowly improve in my career.”

Stoner, of course, would move on from the 250cc class only one year after he stepped up from the 125cc World Championship, taking a ride with Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR Honda team in MotoGP for 2006. Performances there would earn him a seat at Ducati for 2007, a year in which he won his first world title.