answered with another question, one which the Ilmor engineers reportedly asked of their riders while developing the bike: When discussing the X3's engine behavior through corners, they asked the riders "why can't you just hold the throttle steady at 15

for balanced discussion, calm comment and objective analysis of what has happened and what is to come. It's too early for that. So instead, here's some wild and unreliable guesswork, based on pure speculation and gut feeling. It's time for my2007 Moto

. Mention Casey Stoner's performance, and you get a lecture on the days of Doohan, and Gardner, and Beattie. Start talking about Nicky Hayden, and the subject turns immediately to the glory days of Kenny Roberts. Senior. And any discussion of the fortunes

of noobs in every racing corner of every motorcycle discussion board around the internet. The ideas vary from the brilliant to the absurd, with all shades in between. But there are a few common themes which keep reoccurring, and which need to be looked

or struggled to compete. And the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring exposes another factor, one which is usually overlooked when discussing how racing has changed over the past few years. Discussions high and low, in bars, on message boards and in esteemed

As the MotoGP circus wings its way across the Strait of Malacca towards Kuala Lumpur, it will be as if they were also traveling back in time. For at last year's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, there was only one subject of discussion

, and have been discussed at length in the media. The official announcement in Germany that Melandri will not be with Ducati next year merely underlined the Italian's problems. The question remains whether Melandri will see out the season with the team

the Ducati has been a vale of tears, with Melandri looking visibly defeated by his inability to ride fast on the bike. But long discussions with Ducati's chief engineer Filippo Preziosi seemed to have helped, and either promises of support, or perhaps just

with a series of problems to overcome. Sadly, since Dajiro Katoh's tragic death there in 2003 - the incident which sparked the initial discussions on reducing engine capacity to 800cc - the Japanese Grand Prix is no longer held at Suzuka, and has been

happened. First, Michelin turned up with tires that were completely inadequate to cope with the conditions, leaving all of the Michelin runners completely out of contention once again. The heat under the tire discussion got turned up another notch