Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's James Stewart (Photo: Suzuki Racing)

Based on the amount of misfortune he experienced, 2012 could be considered the worst season of Stewart’s illustrious career. Nevertheless, the brilliance he possesses was still evident if only on display in spurts.

Now, with an entire offseason to continue familiarizing himself with the Suzuki, Stewart is back and eager to show the world that he is still the fastest man on the planet. Despite his long list of prior accomplishments, you could argue that Stewart has more prove than any of his fellow competitors in the wake of a season he’d like to forget.

The spotlight is on Stewart, but perhaps not in a way he’s used to.

Based on what we saw in the early portion of last summer, with mere weeks to acclimate to the bike, Stewart should be back and ready to fight for the title in 2013. He’s going to win races and there’s a chance he will have more of those dominant nights where he is simply in a league of his own. However, he will need to avoid misfortune at all costs in a field that is closer than ever before.

While all that remains to be seen, Stewart should finish on the championship podium in an impressive return to form.