UPDATE: Casꦏey Stoner sends a further tweet, confirming he wanted t🤪o ride in place of Dani Pedrosa at the COTA MotoGP:

Bummer I'm not racing, no prep was needed as I wasn't planning on winning, just replacing a good friend and having some fun in Texas!:)-- Casey Stoner (@Official_CS27)

Reigning double MotoGP champion Marc Marquez says that he was unaware of Casey Stoner's interest in replacing the injured Dani Pedrosa.

Two t🤡ime champion Stoner retired from MotoGP at the end of 2012, with Marquez then taking the Austra🧸lian's place at the Repsol Honda team.

Still only 29, Stoner has frequently denied that he intends to return to MotoGP, desp🌺ite continuing to test and dev♕elop RCV machinery for Honda.

But with Pedrosa suddenܫly sidelined for at least the next two rounds due to arm-pump surgery, it appears Stoner contacted Ho🅷nda about riding as the Spaniard's replacement.

However Stoner's lack of🌼 preparation time on the latest RCV, plus no prior knowledge of the Texas or Argentina circuits, meant the decision was finally taken to select Hiroshi Aoyama insꦜtead.

"Honestly first time that I heard [Stoner was interested in the rꦡide] was yesterday because I didn't know about it," Marquez said at the Circuit of the Americas on Thursday, the Spaniard making clear that he had not blocked the move:

"Honda didn't ask me, before the decision from Honda. Yesterday when I arrived here one mechanic said to me 🉐'did you read the tweet from Casey?' and I didn't know about it.

"But yes, it was a decision from Hond🍃a so I will respect it.🅺"

Marquez finished fifth in the season opening 💎Qatar race after running wide at turn one.

Sorry to everyone but I am not racing next weekend, it would have been an honour to ride for -- Casey Stoner (@Official_CS27)

Marquez has won fr𓂃om pole at both previous COTA MotoGP races.