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| |  Wednesday, 29 May, 2002, 20:54 GMT 21:54 UK McWilliams prepares for Italian job Jeremy McWilliams finished tenth in the French MotoGP BBC Sport Online columnist Jeremy McWilliams is looking forward to competing at one of his favourite Grand Prix circuits I am looking forward to racing at Mugello in Italy this weekend as it is one of my favourite circuits on the Grand Prix calendar. I know the course well from pre-season testing and it is a real rider's circuit, really fast and highly technical with corner sets leading one into the next. I have good memories of my podium finish there in 2000 when I was second in the 250cc race. The only part which will not suit us is the long start-finish straight which is about 1km long. The four-strokes will definitely have the edge there. We are getting used to the four-strokes being out in front though we don't have to like it.
A lot of riders who are used to being further up the field are also struggling and finding it very frustrating. Bridgestone have promised me more of the tyres I liked in France and there is a new chassis to try before the race. We've shown so far the bike is not a million miles away and we're moving forward all the time. I watched the World Superbikes last weekend and while they are great to watch, most of the riders make very little impression when they come to race in GPs. I imagine it is difficult switching to two-stroke Grand Prix machinery from the more user friendly superbikes. The transition may be easier now that there are four-strokes in the MotoGP series but I doubt it.
World Superbike is much like GPs in the sense that the top rider is on the best bike and usually wins. At the moment that man is Troy Bayliss and he is one rider who I think could make the transition if Ducati decided to come to the GP party. I think the writing is on the wall for the Superbikes as I don't think Ducati will be able to maintain the same standard of competition in both. Aprilia haven't managed it. I would be tempted to try World Superbikes in the future but not if the series takes a downward turn. I have never been against WSB but up to now GPs have been the place for me. If the right Superbike offer came along, I would not turn it down. This weekend also sees the start of the Isle of Man TT, a really exciting event which is a genuine test of man and machine. I would never attempt it myself as there is so much to learn and you have to serve a really long apprenticeship. I would enjoy watching the racing and enjoying the festival atmosphere though. | | See also:  19 May 02 | Motorbikes 19 May 02 | Motorbikes 05 May 02 | N Ireland Top Motorbikes stories now: Links to more Motorbikes stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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