According to 'Mac', the 1980s' world champions Freddie Spencer and Eddie Lawson always refused to race until injuries had recovered, and consequently enjoy excellent health today. Other riders who insisted on riding wounded - Mac named them but I won't out of kindness - are in pain 'as soon as the sun slips behind a cloud'.
Headstrong youngsters might care to reflect on that.
Friday pm - The Apprenticeship: 36 Races
Another guy who passed on a useful comment in the paddock here today was Dean Miller, sports physio who this year is tending
John Hopkins and
Chris Vermeulen.
"It takes 36 races to get competitive in this sport," he counselled. His advice is directed at British fans who might expect too much from
James Toseland after the euphoria of his third-fastest test at Phillip Island recently.
"Thirty-six races - that's two years!" I pointed out. "Name me someone who's got to the top faster," Dean said. "
Casey Stoner won the title in only his second year in
MotoGP," I said. The reply: "Yeah, but after he done plenty of seasons in 125s and 250s."
Point taken. So cool it a little, Brit fans.
Friday am - Toseland's ride justified
James Toseland will roll into
Jerez today content that he has already justified his place on the MotoGP grid with impressive performances in winter testing. The critics who claimed that Hervé Poncharal, boss of the Yamaha Tech III team, should never have hired a superbike rider have turned sides and are now lauding Toseland's calm approach and increasingly quick times.
Now Poncharal will be asking Yamaha this weekend when they can provide his boys – the Texan
Colin Edwards is his other rider - with the pneumatic-valve engine now being used by Fiat Yamaha factory riders
Valentino Rossi and
Jorge Lorenzo. Thus far Edwards and Toseland have performed on the old valve-spring motor, which appears to lack maybe 4-5mph on the straight compared to the pneumatic version.
