that it's low maintenance, so you don't have to keep digging it out and replacing it if it gets run over, it holds on to dust and sand pretty well, stopping the loose stuff from blowing onto the track, and if it's wet, and people run over it, they don

a long way off the pace. Saturday's practice was a rain-sodden affair, and with dry weather expected for race day, proved little other than the fact that if Casey Stoner is fast in the dry, he is terrifyingly quick in the wet.ShowdownThe stage

, it finally started in earnest after the 125 race finished and as the 250 race got underway. But the rain did not please everyone. The wet conditions left many teams worrying about a wet setup. Most of the riders, including Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi

finally began to fall, a thin, faint drizzle hardly worthy of the name. But it was enough to trigger an explosion of activity in the pits: spare bikes were hurriedly transformed, with slick tires swapped for wets or intermediates, suspension softened

of seconds, the difference between victory and finishing at the back of the field.Wet races make this even worse. Suddenly, the price of hesitation is no longer a couple of hundredths, but a couple of seconds. From the difference between 1st and 11th place

of practice had taken place under largely clear skies with only the merest hint of rain, the late morning saw a heavy shower disrupt the morning's 125cc race, with the track damp but drying while the 250s were out. With no wet weather setup data, the track

this weekend, now that the dust has settled on the rumor feeding frenzy in the Kawasaki garage. Anthony West, another Australian wet-weather magician, is joining the Kawasaki Racing Team this weekend, as a permanent replacement for the star-crossed Olivier

, if the conditions play to Vermeulen's strengths, as they so often do here. But conditions which suit Vermeulen are likely to suit Kawasaki's Ant West at least as well. Westy is a virtuoso in the cold and the wet, and after clawing his way up the field to take a

play a part. Thursday's practice is predicted to take part under clear sunny skies, but after that, showers are expected on both Friday and Saturday, opening up avenues for the two Australian rain riders. Chris Vermeulen showed his prowess in the wet

, countless factors can influence the possible outcome of a race: The weather can turn from dry to wet, or vice versa; a seemingly innocent crash during practice can injure hands, wrists or feet, suddenly making riding a bike a lot more difficult; settings