Casey Stoner never felt like the "ultimate boss", neither on the track, nor in the video game Ride 6, where he's portrayed as the final opponent to beat.
The two-time MotoGP world champion (2007 and 2011) explained that he never experienced a season with the idea of having to "defend" something. "I've never 'defended' a title. It's always a new championship, You start from scratch." For the Australian, the narrative of the champion protecting his crown makes no sense. "We all start from zero points. It's just a matter of scoring more points than the others by the end of the season."
Even the concept of a direct rival has never been part of his approach. "I've never seen anyone as the 'ultimate boss', someone to beat." Only those who were particularly fit became, from time to time, the benchmark for the weekend. But without fixed hierarchies."
Paradoxically, even though Ride 6—the game launched by Milestone for which he's the spokesperson—portrays him as the final obstacle to overcome, Stoner reiterates, "Even though I'm the 'ultimate boss' of the game, I've never seen myself that way. It's just another challenge to overcome. "
For him, there's always been only one real opponent. Himself. "My biggest challenge was myself. There's always something more to get out of yourself and the bike." No heroes to challenge, no crowns to defend. Just a continuous search for your own personal limits.