Jorge Lorenzo's team manager Daniele Romignoli said it first: This race is the key to the championship. Phillip Island and Sepang next week are tracks that Valentino Rossi loves. Lorenzo knows it; he thinks he has to win two of the remaining three races to be in with a chance of the title.

As Valencia is most definitely not on Rossi's list of favorites, so that means Jorge knows he has to win in Australia or Malaysia.

In public Jorge will talk about ensuring he secures second place in the championship, which was always his goal he claims. Then he'll refer to his 2007 win in the 250s here by a margin of 20 seconds. Mixed messages?

Both Fiat Yamaha riders need to worry about Casey Stoner, who has won here for the last two years and is looking as confident as he's ever done. His amazing comeback in Portugal still makes him smile -'1min 37sec on the last lap!'--and he seems sure he has got whatever afflicted him under control. He also thinks he had the problem for a lot longer than he first realized and it was only the heat of the race in Barcelona that caused it to surface. Let's hope the weather gives us a good race.