Stoner Rumors

By now everyone with a passing interest in MotoGP is painfully aware of Casey Stoner's withdrawal for the next three races due to his lack of fitness precipitated by a mystery disease. That's the official line, anyway. Rumors have been running rampant that a.) Stoner won't be back this year due to chronic burn-out or b.) Stoner and Ducati are splitsville, permanently.

Now, the Spanish press is reporting that the CEO of Phillip Morris (parent company of Marlboro) is in attendance at Brno. Probably meant to be there all along, right? Probably got nothing at all to do with the rumor that Marlboro Ducati *may* need a top rider and Jorge Lorenzo just *may* be available, now would it?