Quokka Hype: Biland loves Gobert
Truth: 1% chance of getting hired in Y2K
 

Anthony Gobert has thrown his GP future into doubt after failing to show on race day at Buenos Aires.

Fighting a stomach bug all weekend, racing's bad boy stayed in bed on Sunday morning but failed to tell the MuZ Weber squad, who readied his bikes for warm-up unaware of his whereabouts. Team manager Rolf Biland - who had hoped to sign the Aussie for a full 500 season in 2000 - now says there's only a tiny chance he will do a deal with Gobert, who also failed to show for the last US Superbike round with Vance & Hines Ducati.

"If he comes to Switzerland this week and explains himself to me, there's a one per cent chance he'll have the ride with us next year," said Biland, who a day earlier had been keen to hire Goey, so long as he went on a diet.

"Anthony's a good rider and a fun guy," Biland has said on Saturday. "I think racing needs people like him, rather than riders like Criville. We need some color, but he needs to lose 10 kg for 2000."

Gobert - who likes his beer and burgers - joked: "I've done diets before and they're boring, I do a few days and then it's back down McDonalds!"
The final decision on Gobert's future is likely to be rest with Weber, the German company that joined the MuZ GP project this year and will build the team's V4 motors in 2000.

So far Weber have not been keen on Goey, because of his reputation for being a party head. If MuZ and Gobert fail to do a deal, the team will test alternative riders at a track in Europe later this month. Biland has also had talks with Simon Crafar, who raced the MuZ at Donington after splitting from the Red Bull Yamaha team, but the New Zealander wants to run Dunlops because he can't get on with Michelin slicks. Biland, however, insists his squad sticks with Michelins, the choice of the vast majority of the 500 grid.
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