FORMER MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner has spoken out against the rumours that have surrounded the Australian's absence from the MotoGP grid.
The Ducati rider has insisted he will be back in time for Portugal and has dismissed speculation that his career is under threat.
"My plan is to return to racing as soon as I get my energy back," Stoner told Motosprint.
"The objective is still to race in Portugal."
Stoner admits he's had problems: "At one point I started having a bad feeling: I felt vulnerable, and I found myself in the position of someone doing something he hates. It's like finding yourself doing a job you can't stand, but that you have to do anyway.
"It was a really bad feeling for me, to realise that while I was riding my bike, while I was racing and fighting against my rivals, I was really pushing to the maximum, I was giving it my all, but there was nothing I could do to avoid those results I don't like. They are not up to my usual level of performance.
"A break was the only possibility I could see. I convinced myself that I had to detach myself, for a short time but completely, from what I was doing: I had to disconnect from racing."
There's no doubting the lad's had problems. It'll be interesting to see what happens when he's back in October.
