Parkalgar Honda team manager Simon Buckmaster casts his eye back over the opening pair of 2008 World Supersport Championship rounds - and ahead to the first race of the new
MotoGP season - but not before some expressing some frank views on the 'insincerity' within motor racing...
"One of the things I cannot stand about racing is the insincerity, fawning and popularity games that many of the riders, managers and paddock groupies seem to love. It just wastes time and energy in my book," Buckmaster began.
"Take Qatar and the opening round of the World Supersport Championship. It was a tough race for everyone and Craig [Jones] brought his Parkalgar Honda home in third for a podium finish. The team was made up and a lot of people shook our hands and congratulated us.
"There is nothing wrong with that, it is to be expected. When my rider is beaten fair and square, I'll shake the hand of the winning manager and be sincere when I say well done.
"But there are times when someone wishes you congratulations and well wishes and it is so obviously fake that it makes you want to laugh out loud. When Chris Walker, who makes no effort to hide how much he dislikes me, offered his hand at Qatar I nearly fainted. I was polite and shook it and instantly disliked myself for joining in the fake smiles, handshakes and politics.
"It's been a rollercoaster two opening rounds of the Championship. The Qatar result was as hoped for and the Phillip Island disaster doesn't bear thinking about. The Parkalgar Honda team had no previous data for either circuit and now goes into the rest of the season with its two weak tracks behind it, so we remain upbeat.
"Craig is sixth in the Championship and only 17-points behind the lead so he is still a title contender, no doubt about it. Before the next round at Valencia we will have a test at the circuit and when we go racing we all want the podium or a maiden victory, that's what we are in it for.
