 |  Hayden hasn't attracted many headlines so far but he is being very, very consistent |
The last MotoGP in Istanbul was possibly the best race we have had for two years and was one of the greats.
And all that without Valentino Rossi making the podium.
The young riders amongst the pack are really hammering away at the front and it's making things very interesting.
Long may it continue.
I'm pretty surprised though just how well the youngsters are doing.
I didn't expect the likes of Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner to make such an impact so early in the season.
It is great for the sport and the quality of the races is showing it.
After seeing his form I think Pedrosa, providing he hasn't lost his confidence after his fall in Istanbul, will be a real threat this weekend at the Chinese MotoGP.
Speed will be a big factor in Shanghai as there is a huge straight on the track which is one of the fastest on the MotoGP circuit.
| Chinese MotoGP
Race: Sun, BBC Two, 1235
Live on BBC Interactive at 0745 |
The Spaniard's small stature means he should be very fast there.
Honda's Nicky Hayden is currently top of the Championship standings.
He hasn't attracted many headlines so far and he is not always the man at the very top of the podium, but he is there or thereabouts and he is being very, very consistent.
The American rides with his head and he knows if he continues to finish second or third he's going to be challenging come the end of the season.
The most important factor about Hayden though is that he is Honda's number one man so they are throwing everything necessary at him.
After Sunday is done and dusted there will be a very quick turn around for all the teams as we head off to Le Mans for next weekend's race.
It's very demanding for all the teams and especially the engineers who have the stressful task of packing then unpacking all the kit within a week.
All the teams will have a little more knowledge about the track as it was brand new last year, but we still haven't got a direct feeling about the way the championship is heading which is terrific.
I still feel Rossi will claim the title but he will be hounded by these youngsters all the way and it's going to be very close.
Prediction: 1. Melandri 2. Rossi 3. Hayden
MMIX
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