Sunday, 1st June 2008

Crash.net columnist Mike Nicks is running an exclusive blog during this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Mugello - check back regularly to read his behind-the-scenes news...

And that's the one thing that West dreads: falling back into that black hole of low-pay or no-pay rides on uncompetitive bikes. He's spent ten years in Europe mainly riding in 250cc GPs (best seasons: sixth in 2000, seventh in 2003).

"I don't own a house, I have no savings and my car is an eight-year-old Suburu WRX," he said. "I've just moved to Belgium to be with the team, but before that I was living in a €330-a-month semi-basement one-room flat in Salzburg [due to a former ride with KTM]. I knew no one there and it felt like a prison."

It turns out that Westy owes his old man a staggering million Australian dollars (£482,000/€614,000/$955,000). "He wanted to retire when he was 50, but now he's 61 and he's working harder than ever."

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Look, dear Crash.net visitors, I'm not trying to make you weep. Riders make their own decisions and have the freedom to do other jobs. It's just that there is a dark side to motorcycle racing.

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