There is a definite end-of-term feeling about Sepang. People who've been away from home for too many weeks want to go home. Chief among them is Valentino Rossi who has turned up to the third resurfaced track of the year and found his tires don't work. He is not happy, but he seems resigned rather than angry about what he calls a total lack of grip.

This place is a favorite for most, including Valentino, but the problem goes back to a total resurfacing job done after the F1 race back in April. A subsequent homologation inspection by FIM man Claude Danis and IRTA Safety Delegate Franco Uncini led to levelling of bumps and more resurfacing in corners. For this morning's dry session, the track was totally green. This afternoon started wet and quickly turned dry and some riders were pleased to find the track getting a little grippier.

However, the consensus is that it needs a lot more rubber on it before it'll be good.

Tomorrow's sessions should be interesting, and according to local forecasts there is every possibility of a wet race.

Meanwhile, the tyre rule decision we were promised this weekend won't be delivered until probably Thursday. The swingometer currently says the situation will be unchanged with no monotyre rule, and Pedrosa staying on Michelins. However, there still seems to be a chance that Rossi will get the Bridgestones he wants.

Suzuki test rider Nobuatsu Aoki is here on a prototype of the '08 GSV, and Ben Spies is slated to test on Monday. Who knows? If that goes well he may get a wild-card ride at Valencia.