(Assen) It is late and it is raining. The paddock is almost empty, all that remain are mechanics, guards, team support people and an occasional journalist. The ticket-buying Superbike fans were driven away by the rain and the lack of action hours ago; they are snug in their tents or hotel rooms, waiting for tomorrow.

Teams not in this championship battle have less pressure now, the season is almost over. Time now to hope for next year and better circumstances. But for those three teams with a credible shot at the championship, there is not time to think about next year or next week. All hands must be dedicated to the task of the moment: netting the most points possible without risking the loss of said points.

This is a friendly battle, for the most part, with personnel from each respective team greeting one other in the morning as they walk from the cars to the garage; but there is a distance too. There are no long conversations between them. They keep physical distance as a rule.

In the other hospitality areas, the teams not in this championship fight, the team members sit amongst each other and talk and drink coffee, laughing loudly; the fact that they cannot win the championship this season making them brothers in misery, and misery loves company.

For the three teams trying for the championship, though, there is nothing but pressure and distance. They eat alone, they talk only with their team.

Honda are the loosest of the three, their hospitality full tonight for dinner, those there chatted about anything but the current championship. When there was no conversation, they stared blandly at the large television, anything to take their mind off the situation. Honda have been here before though, they know what to expect in being in contention for the World Superbike championship. Aaron Slight ate with the team, talking with them and their new Supersport recruit. Edwards and his wife ate alone in their motorhome.

Edwards seems unpressured by the championship, and honestly he has always been quite level-headed about results, knowing in his heart that he has the talent and if everyone-the team, the manufacturer-do their job, then the wins and championship will come. And if they screw up, he is not going to fall on a sword for them. It's a healthy attitude to have. Edwards' most pressing concern right now is the bidding process on on-line auction house eBay. He bolted from practice this morning to see if he was still in contention for another old Cadillac to add to his new collection of old sleds.

"We now have six cars and we're never home," said his wife, saying that it was good for him to have a hobby to recreate at during the race weekend.

For Aprilia though, they are still newcomers to this paddock and certainly did not expect to be in the championship this soon, and it shows. They are wired with energy. If an unknown person stops by their hospitality area while the team is eating, one by one they stop and stare at the mystery person, only going back to eating once he leaves. There is a familiarity to their routine and with the championship pressure, the familiarity must be static, even in the faces allowed in the inner circle.

Troy Corser has been in contention for the championship before and knows how important this period can be, with only three races left. As Swiss fans chased him today for an autograph, he trotted away from them, hollering "Later, please come by later". Corser knows that to spend thirty minutes with your fans now instead of with your engineers can have a drastic effect on the championship, quite possibly. Sunday night he will sign autographs until his arm is sore, but for now there is only racing.

At Yamaha, they are as hunkered down as WWI trench fighters in heavy battle. They walk from their rental cars and vans in the morning with their eyes staring at the ground in front of their feet. They walk quickly from their vehicles to the garage and once inside, they close the door behind them, only coming out for food or fuel. Until he is needed for qualifying or practice, Haga sits in a corner of the garage alone, the perimeter around him invisibly roped off. Only when his input is really needed do the team take him from his zone. Even his girlfriend stays away, she in one corner of the garage, he in another.

English Haga fans (imported) set up shop in the grandstands right across from the Yamaha garage in the pit lane, with banners and signs. During practice yesterday they shouted his name and blew airhorns to get his attention, and only after repeated cries did Haga look up from the ground he was staring intently at to look across the lane to see them. They saw this and shouted more, "Go Haga!" They screamed.

Haga stared at them silently, he may as well have been looking at a blank wall. Then he turned and stared at the floor again.