Stoner denies retirement talk

The reigning champion's contract with Honda ends after the current campaign, and a report in the Spanish press this week suggested that retirement from racing was a realistic option for the 26-year-old Australian, who recently became a father for the first time.

Stoner underlined that this story was incorrect, but acknowledged that he was likely to make a relatively early exit from the sport.

"Everyone seems quite good at stories and making them up," said Stoner. "I've said many times in the past that my career's not going to go on much longer, I'm not going to keep going and riding until I'm in my 30s and things like this.

"For me at the moment, I haven't decided what I'm going to be doing, and certainly no one else is going to know what I'm doing.

"So as usual, the rumour mill starts up and everybody starts believing everything they read. Until you hear it out of my mouth, don't believe everything you read."

There is expected to be plenty of movement in the rider market this winter as most of the top riders' contracts come to an end once 2012 is complete, but Stoner said that this has no bearing on his future planning.

"A few people's contracts are going to end at the end of the year. But there's nothing [happening] to do with retirement at this point," he insisted.

"It's definitely something that I've got to think about - my future and how many years I want to race. But it's not for me to make up right now."