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News, gossip and intrigue

Returning from retirement usually ends up tears. There is normally a good reason to retire and it has usually to do with age, injury, not being good enough any more or a big lump of CBA. Mind you, it didn't do George Forman any harm, coming back at 45 to knock lumps out of Michael Moorer to take the WBA and IBF Heavyweight belts. And sell a lot of grills off the back of it.

The occasionally reliable Italian media is whipping up a storm in, erm, Italy with reports that recently-retired former MotoGP Champion Casey Stoner is already missing his RC213V so much he will be back on board one at the Motegi and Phillip Island rounds this year. Of course, this has been pinging around the paddock since 30 seconds after he retired.

What could be more concrete is a one-round return to Aprilia for Max Biaggi. He has been linked with a ride for Suzuki and Ducati but a one-shot at Monza next time out seems the least unlikely, if that's actually a phrase. Boss Gigi Dall'Igna has said there have been talks about a return and the self-styled Roman Emperor Tweeted that he will be testing a WSBK bike soon…

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There is plenty of speculation as to what has gone wrong with Carlos Checa. After setting pole position at Phillip Island and then suffering that crash, he hasn't really been racing, merely riding around, or so it seems to humble spectators. It is rumoured he cracked some ribs in a karting accident on the eve of the Aragon round and breathing, let alone racing, is difficult enough with that.

As well as being embroiled in a shouting match with Kevin Schwantz, Dani Pedrosa has said that he has nothing to prove to anyone but himself after being comprehensively turned over by rookie team-mate Marc Marquez at the opening two MotoGP round of the year. Yeah, OK.

Suzuki's return to the MotoGP grid is looking more and more likely, with tester Nobu Aoki continuing to dial in the laps and heading for the official test following the Barcelona MotoGP round. What is also become more clear is that a tie up with the Aspar team to gain grid placings is more and more likely, and may see a return to prototype racing for model-botherer Randy De Puniet.

It may also see Pol Espargaro defect to Yamaha in 2014 as Cal Crutchlow continues in his efforts to secure a factory motorbike for next season. Which could, of course, be a Suzuki…

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