-old wife, but if there's one thing that Stoner is not, it's romantic. The Australian champion is very cool, level-headed, and rational about his racing, his responses to victory and defeat almost equal in their stoicism. Not for Casey Stoner the heroic

turns, or turn into the second corner earlier, blocking the apex for the man head of you and stealing his position.But once again, care is needed. Any pass through the double apex right leaves you badly short of drive on the short straight leading up

There can hardly be a greater contrast between Motegi, the track where MotoGP spent last weekend, and Phillip Island, where they are headed next. Motegi is pretty much a state-of-the-art facility, with spacious pit garages, excellent spectator

, is all about speed. Banked and downhill, you fly through here and then through Turn 10, getting ready for your last chance at passing the rider ahead, or working as hard as possible to defend against attacks from behind, heading into the hard braking zone

the days and weeks that were to come. For the winter testing schedule is a complicated and intricate affair. What it is not is a straight contest of strength, with all the teams turning up with their best bikes and their best riders, running head-to-head

solely to the rider, and what they are capable of.Here Comes The Rain AgainSo despite the truly miserable conditions which greeted the MotoGP riders as they headed out for the sighting lap, there were a few happy faces among the riders and teams

for Valentino Rossi. As always, Casey Stoner got his jet-assisted launch off the line, and was away as they headed towards Turn 1. Nicky Hayden matched his future team mate's pace off the line, but by the time they started to turn in for the first corner, his

his Fiat Yamaha up the inside round the long fast left of Turn 5, but Dovizioso hung tough on the faster outside line.As they rounded the bottom of the track and turned to head back to the main grandstands, Rossi prepared his next move. Closing out

watched, and once incredulous brains had finally come to terms with what had happened, the same question filled millions of heads: How could this have been allowed to happen?Despite the almost murderous intent assigned to the crash, mostly by American fans

To visitors from the lush north of Europe, their first impression of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo is an overwhelming sense of desolation. As you leave the bustling Spanish coast and the metropolis of Valencia behind you, and head along the highway