Blog: Phillip Island starts

MCN MotoGP reporter Matt Birt spends his days, nights and weekends getting to know the GP world better than anyone. Now he’s sharing the experiences of being a top GP reporter with a new blog.

Playing the waiting game
Youd have probably got better odds this morning on Tim Henman winning Wimbledon than Randy de Puniet topping the timesheets at Phillip Island on day one. Fair play to the French rookie though as four out of the top five riders were on Bridgestone tyres today.
That was a surprise in itself as the Japanese tyre manufacturer has always struggled badly in cold conditions.
It wasnt as cold as some had grimly predicted, but the big temperature swing between here and Malaysia is having a big impact off the track too. Several people seem under the weather and Ive been forced into giving the Nurofen some serious punishment today too. Not feeling great but Im sure Ill pass a fitness test for Sundays race.
On the track the Michelin riders were having big problems getting tyres up to working temperature in the cooler conditions. Valentino Rossi, Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden all said it was taking three to four laps to get the tyres up to optimum temperature when I caught up with them in the paddock tonight.
The quest to nail down some of these endless rumours goes on. As I said yesterday, Nicky Hayden is controlling the rider market at the moment and until he signs theres going to be a few riders waiting to see how it pans out. As soon as Nicky signs for Honda, Yamaha or Ducati, then expect a domino effect as everybody else fills in the gaps left.
There was a common theme among the riders and other people I spoke to today about their future and that was that they are all just playing the waiting game. Shinya Nakano and Melandri, Casey Stoners dad Colin and Carlos Checas manager all they said they were waiting. And they are all waiting on Nicky, who is likely to keep everybody in suspense for another 10 days at least.
Saw the official announcement about Max Biaggi joining Suzukis World Superbike squad today. That was no big surprise as it was obvious he was going there once hed cancelled a meeting with Luis DAntin about a return to MotoGP in Ducatis satellite team.
He will be remembered as one of the greatest 250 riders in history and one of the best never to win the premier class crown.
When he won on his 500 debut at Suzuka in 1998, it seemed he had a premier class career laden with gold ahead of him. But the highlights were few and far between after that. In any other era Biaggi would probably have won that elusive premier class crown, but he just so happened to find himself racing at the same time as Mick Doohan. And when Doohan departed the scene, a certain Valentino Rossi entered MotoGP. Beaten by two of the greatest riders in history is no shame but he will always be remembered for what he couldnt achieve in MotoGP than what he did.
There was always a story that followed Max around as he was never far away from controversy. And his rivalries with Doohan and Rossi produced some of the best copy for us hacks that I can recall. He obviously wanted to return to racing on a bike he could win on, but part of me is still disappointed hes not coming back to MotoGP for one last hurrah. Hed have certainly stoked things up a bit. That pleasure of his outspoken and deeply complex character will know be for my MCN colleague Michael Guy to enjoy.
Later. M.

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