"Lorenzo, I don't know if he's been asleep or not, but he'd finished and packed up for the day and now - after two hours of resting - has come back out to try and do a lap time," Burnett told
Crash.net at the end of the final day in Sepang. "Lap times at this point are just for vanity really. We're a bit too experienced for all that. We know that Qatar is the first race next year and having a strong result at Qatar is what we are working towards. It's not about the lap time here today."
Toseland's Tech 3 predecessor
Sylvain Guintoli clinched the 2007
MotoGP rookie of the year title, although it was something of a hollow award since he was the only full time newcomer in the class. However, next season will be very different, with Honda rookies
Andrea Dovizioso and
Alex de Angelis set to fight Lorenzo and Toseland for what will be a hard-earned best newcomer prize.
"You have the top three guys from the 250cc class and the top guy from the World Superbike class. So the four newcomers are really exciting guys, they are all young and have a really high profile," said Poncharal. "Three of them are also from the south of Europe - Lorenzo, de Angelis and Dovizioso - but the good point about James, being from north of Europe, is that he is more cool headed. He doesn't get overexcited."
As well as his British temperament and undoubted riding talent, Poncharal believes Toseland will be able to call upon the vast experience of the Tech 3 team, the full support of Yamaha and advice from team-mate
Colin Edwards - also a former double WSBK champion but now with five years of MotoGP experience.
"The team knows Yamaha and the MotoGP class very well, and we've worked with a lot of riders, so I think we and James can help each other," said Herve. "Also James has Colin on his side. Colin is really taking his role as a rider and - I wouldn't say teacher, but anyway - Colin is trying his best to help everybody out, including James.
