It would appear that MotoGP ring-master Carmelo Ezpeleta has all but announced that Friday practice will be scrapped entirely in 2010 in order to save money. Also facing the sword are electronics, two-man teams, long engine life etc.

He also says he wants 20 bikes on the grid, which is still crap, but none of the Japanese manufacturers want to put anymore there as it's expensive. Let's can factory teams altogether and have a grid full of cheap customer bikes instead. Problem solved. Simples...

Toni Elias is having a bit of a panic about the opening Qatar MotoGP race. He isn't so keen on all this racing-in-the-dark caper because he can't get any heat in the new Bridgestones after 10pm. He said that for the first four laps the bike is all slidey and dangerous. Can you hear this, Mr Doohan...

Despite the fact that petrol giant Repsol is slashing its sponsorship budgets in car racing, the firm sees MotoGP as its flagship series and won't be pulling out. Which is nice. All it needs now is to win a World Championship... Taxi for Mr Pedrosa.

It was very nice to see Gresini Honda having a proper team launch with real motorcycles and people in the flesh and everything. At the launch, Alex De Angelis said he was looking to improve on his 2008 results. Well, durrrr.

I have found out exactly why Ben Spies didn't get a ride with the Suzuki MotoGP team.

John Hopkins has now been released from his Kawasaki contract and rumours about him going to the Stiggy Honda World Superbike team, which I started in the pub weeks ago, are circulating very fast.

Nicky Hayden has discovered that the new and spanky carbon-fibre swingarm on his Desmosedici is causing him to drag the rear brake and is having some new footrests welded up to stop it.

James Toseland absolutely refuses to admit there is a minor thermonuclear war going on between himself and Colin Edwards. During a Eurosport interview last weekend, he was being his usual pleasant, flowing self until Tony Carthorse asked him about the animosity. Toseland then went into PR mode and it sounded like he was reading the answer from some notes on the back of his hand.

Valentino Rossi has said the restrictions on testing are now too severe because they will impact on the development of the 800cc bikes. Try telling that to Marco Melandri.

Melandri put pen to paper with the Bad Wind team recently and then Kawasaki said that was it for development, you're on your own kids. The manufacturer will only now make new parts until the Jerez tests. Bad Wind say they have enough bits to make it to the end of the season but without any bike development, is there any point?

Chris Vermeulen is already expecting a raft of engine upgrades early in the season to make up for an alleged lack of horsepower. Or, he's getting his excuses in early...