Toseland fired-up for pneumatic debut.

Go JT! Top 6 again would be a great result. So far he's impressed me with his attitude and focus, but let's not get too carried away - he's still learning ;)

All I can say is its about bloody time. JT has proved he can ride a GP bike, and now he gets the better engine. Now all the yams are on an equal par.
Rock on the Brits.

I hope JT gets enough time to get to grips with the new engine before the race this weekend. Might need a race to sort out the tyre life with the new motor. He'll be flying in QF. He'll be top 5 if Vermulen and Dovizioso don't get their hands on him first!!

screw the top six, i'm hoping to see him on the podium. james has proved he has the speed ( and aggression - nicky hayden ?? ) to genuinley mix it with the sharp end. jason A may be correct that the first week could be a struggle but new track after new track hasn't caused him too much any problems yet so he can obviously adapt to changes very quickly.

COME ON JAMES

( and i'm scottish )

He is a brave heart and he doesn' t hesitate to fight wheel to wheel? Actually it is amazing to watch him and as he told if some improves will come with the new bike then Toseland could be headache for the top runners!!!

This is the first track that JT has come across in GP racing where he has no experience whatsoever. He knew Qatar from his WSBK days and knew Jerez from testing. I would be happy with a Top 8 finish to be honest and won't expect him to worry the front of the grid.

Tracks he won't know this year: Estoril, Shanghai, Le Mans, Mugello, Catalunya, Sachenring, Motegi, Indianapolis

Tracks he will know: Donnington Pk, Laguna Seca, Brno, Misano (though not the reverse configeration), Phillip Island, Sepang (from testing), Valencia.

... and Assen. The Cathedral.

(or what's left of it, but it's the only thing I can get chauvinistic about)


It would be awesome seeing JT and CE battling for podium places. Tech3 came a long way, I'm rooting for Edwards to win at least once before he leaves MotoGP, preferably at Assen

Had a good chat with James on Friday. He is under no illusions about the challenge of the new circuit. However, his work ethic is excellent. I'd expect some long runs on "base" settings during free practice to learn it to the level required. Colin will probably help if he can.

James is hungry for more success, two sixths is good but he wants much more...

One question that I've seen somewhere else - Will he have tested at Mugello during his Ducati days?

Donnie - WSBK at Misano last year was run in the new reverse configuration, so he does know that one.

Indianapolis is new to everyone, so that's a level playing field...

Another engine is going to do nothing,if he needs to go to the next level in skill.
At the moment he is going well but really he is about the same as Edwards and needs to improve.At least he has age on his side.

Toseland 20 points (beating Hayden, Capirossi, Hayden and Nakano so far)
Edwards 9 points (Beneath all of the above)

What were you saying sprocket?

I can see James Toseland on Nicky Haydens bike in 2010 if he has a great 2008/9 on the Yamaha.

He'd be a perfect partner to Pedrosa, why by then will probably be world champion of Moto GP. Marco may find his seat taken by Nicky in 2009 at this rate, with Elias trying it out for 1 year.

Lets be realistic, the Tech-3 will never be capable of the same performance as a workz M1 that Vale are Jorge pilot.

Honda owe him the ride, surely?

Chip away James, chip away and you'll get the Championship oneday.
He has the belief. Just give the machine.

To Grumpy_Doctor: Why should it be Hayden's seat? Why not Rossi's instead? Also why should it not be possible for a satellite team to win the championship? If he is really that good it ought to be possible.

Sorry Maarten, Assen passed away many years ago now, the latest abuse was just the final nail in the coffin.

RIP.

Grumpy_Doctor Tech-3 team are a close to a factory team as a satelite team can be,

lets not Forget that a 'Satelite' team with the Class of Sete in 03-04 pushed Rossi both years and in 04 nearly won had it not been for some bad luck.

I think this year we have a much closer field with the Yamaha being possibly the best bike on the grid, Stoner being Ducati only chance as that bikes seems to kill everyone else dead (Marco I doubt will make the season at his current rate). And the Honda seems better but really on Danni is the reason they are leading and have a chance at the Title. All in all hopefully we will have some close racing all year and alot of winners!!

Estoril is a track where horsepower is very important. Not only does it have one of the longest straights, (I think its the second longest after China) but also very importnantly the riders enter it after a very fast right-hander which means that they start their drag-race having already a great speed. This effectively means that this straight is even longer than the others. It's here where we will see the true difference between Ducati, Honda and Yamaha power. And of course, skill or no skill, JT will have a great benefit from the pneumatic valved engine.

If the weather is anything like it is here in Gibraltar at the moment, a new motor will make no difference, an outboard motor/wetsuit would be more suitable. Chris V and Westy to the front me thinks....

Well, it can't be raining continuously for a week can it? At least here in Greece only once in a few years do we see rain that goes on for more than three days.

it s funny how people mark chris v ans westy as the winners in the wet. the only reason why chris won is because of a weir weird race
west hasnt even completed half a gp in the wet at moto gp

stoner, rossi, melandri can eat them both for breakfast i reckon

andrea dov is strong inthe wet too - and pedrosa will have probably upped his game

Yeah Pedrosabot has upped his wet weather game.......maybe he'll win one......or do mean just finish a wet race ON the bike?