The MotoGP title may have gone to Casey Stoner (Ducati) after the Japanese Grand Prix but there is still the matter of the coveted runner-up position to be settled with three rounds of this
World Championship series to run. And Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) is determined to grab it.

The Spanish Honda man, who has recently signed a deal to stay with Repsol Honda until the end of 2009, currently has 188 points to the 214 of current second-place man Valentino Rossi
(Yamaha). With a possible 75 points up for grabs from those three races, Dani can bridge that 26-point gap.

It won't be easy though. Rossi is a tough proposition here at Phillip Island and Dani has
an injured foot after a big spill at Motegi three weekends ago. But Pedrosa is a doughty competitor and as and as long as that coveted second place remains a possibility he will ride all out to get it.

Dani's team-mate Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) has seen his way through a tough title defence season with unflagging enthusiasm and sheer grit. His tenacity has been rewarded with a series of recent podium finishes when his early season results were simply woeful for a World
Champion. Now that his RC212V is working more to his liking he's a man hungry for a win after a barren year.

Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda RC212V) won here last year and the Italian ace is desperate for a win this year after a season's best result so far of a second place in France way back in May. He currently lies sixth overall in the points standings and is eager to improve on that before the season ends.

Marco has 148 points to the 152 and 156 of Suzuki riders Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins who lie fifth and fourth in the standings going into this race. Aussie Vermeulen placed second here last season and is likely to be a hard man to beat around here this season too.

Toni Elias (Gresini Honda RC212V) is making great strides in his recovery from a broken leg
sustained at Assen in late June and after his sterling podium finish at Motegi, the jovial Spaniard will be seeking another big finish here in Australia as another frustrating season closes for him.

This rollercoaster of a circuit is situated 130km south east of Melbourne and tends to be one of
the showcase races of the year, this time event number 16 of a gruelling 18-race season. Real
talent is needed here, perhaps more than at any other circuit.

Tyres will be an issue here. The two long left-hand turns onto the main straight are
particularly hard on rubber, so machine set-up will be partly aimed at conserving tyre life on
this 4.448km long circuit. It has just one short 900m straight, but five right-hand turns and
seven lefts including that daunting high-speed series of lefts onto the start/finish straight.

Much of the track requires rapid changes of direction at high speed, and sustained periods of
high lean-angle test riders to the maximum. Competitors need to be comfortable on worn tyres
towards the end of the race, while wind and trouble with wandering wildlife can also be determining factors.

Dani said: "We tested at Phillip Island before the start of the season when the RC212V was very
new. That test went well and we achieved a pretty good set-up for the circuit. It was quite a while ago though and a lot has changed with the machine and the tyres since then, so we'll still have
plenty to learn in practice. I'm feeling better now after the Japan crash. I still have some
bruising and pain in my left foot but it should be OK. There are lots of left-hand corners here,
which will put some pressure on the foot, but I think it will be fine. The weather can be very
variable at this time of year - as we saw last season - so a lot will depend on the forecast and
the tyre choice we make on Thursday."

Nicky said: "I love the place - it's old school and I can't wait to get on track Friday morning.
In the past Phillip Island has been pretty kind to me. I've had two pole positions in a row and a
few good results and it's just a track I really enjoy riding. It's very important to have good
edge grip as you spend so much time on the side of the tyres. You also need a bike that will
steer well in the long corners and change direction quickly through the fast Esses. At this
time of year though the place could be called Phillip Iceland instead of Phillip Island, but
some good weather would be nice because when it's cold at this track it can be hard to get heat
into the right side of the tyre. As the locals say, let's hope for a 'bloody good weekend!'"

Melandri said: "Phillip Island is one of my favourite circuits. Last year I took victory in one of the most spectacular and difficult races of the season. It was the first time the flag-to-flag rule had been properly employed. I think that this year we have the potential to fight for the podium. In the wet the bike works really well and in fact at Motegi I was really close to finishing on the podium. In the dry we've improved but we still have to work. I'm feeling confident and motivated for this weekend. I'm desperate for a top result before the end of the season, to dedicate to Fausto Gresini and the team because they have always supported me."

Elias said: "It was nice to experience the podium again at Motegi, particularly after the trouble
I've had since the crash at Assen. I've followed a very intense programme of physiotherapy since
then to get back on track as soon as possible and to be back on the rostrum in Japan was the fruit of a lot of hard work. I like Phillip Island a lot - the design is beautiful and the track is one of the fastest and most spectacular in the world. The track is demanding and technical. It might be quite cold so tyre choice will be very important."

Carlos Checa (LCR Honda RC212V) said: "At Phillip Island the racing is always close, and very fast, which is nice for both riders and spectators. This track is a special challenge, not designed on a computer, and it allows many opportunities for overtaking. And not just on the brakes for the two hairpins. There are really just four right turns and many fast lefts, placing unique demands on tyres. But Michelin have a lot of experience at winning at the Island and hopefully their latest developments will again be very competitive here. It's a long trip, but always an enjoyable race."

Shinya Nakano (Konica Minolta Honda RC212V) said: "I very much enjoy Phillip Island, even if it was where I lost the 250cc title to my team-mate Olivier Jacque in 2000 by just a few metres at the finish line. It's fast and flowing, but then there are always a few hard Braking areas too - it really has everything. The only thing that can spoil the race sometimes is the very changeable weather. I'm hoping for good weather this weekend as I know we have to get our best results of the year in these last three races."

Kurtis Roberts (Roberts KR212V) said: "Here we are and we'll see what we can do. We never stop trying to get the maximum from what we've got and if the weather plays up a bit here you just never know what can happen. It'd be great for the team to get a finish nearer the front than the back of the field."

In the 250cc class Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Honda RS250RW) is still hounding series points leader Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia). Lorenzo has 262 points to Dovi's 226 and although that 36 point cushion might look comfortable enough for now, recent results suggest that it might be barely enough.

Lorenzo could do no better than 11th at Motegi while Dovi took a second place. Last season Lorenzo looked almost home and dry before Dovi chased him all the way to the final round in a brave bid to steal the title from under him and this year shows all the signs of being a repeat performance of a compelling close to the season in this class.

Dovi said: "I will never stop trying until there are no more races left in the season. The points gap is more than I'd like, but after what happened at Motegi, we all know that one more good result for us can change things. There are three races left and enough points available to keep the World Championship alive."

Julian Simon (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said: "I'm very motivated for this race at Phillip Island and for the end of the season. There are three races left and that means three new opportunities to get a podium finish, which is the aim we always start with. The Japanese Grand Prix was positive for us and we have to carry on along the same lines because these are still new circuits for me on a 250cc machine."

Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW) said: "Last year I had a good Grand Prix here at Phillip Island, and in the last few races I've had a good feeling with the bike. The final result in Japan wasn't too good because although in the final practice I got pole position, and I felt strong enough to get a podium finish, I had problems in the race. I'm desperate to have a good end to the season and just hope I can be up among the leaders in this race."

In the 125cc class the title race looks like a straight shoot-out between Aprilia jockeys Gabor Talmacsi and Hector Faubel. Talmacsi has a nine-point lead over the Spanish contender and there will be no shortage of other combatants keen to steal the points from under them and perhaps change the balance of this two-way struggle.

The racing will be as frantic as ever and current form rider Mattia Pasini (Aprilia) is likely to be in the mix at the front. Were it not for an unenviable record of six DNFs this year, he would undoubtedly be a contender for the title.

Top Honda points scorer this year Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda RS125R) said: "The race in Japan was disappointing. We now know that wet conditions are more difficult, but it can rain anytime, so it's simply something we always have to be prepared for. I've just spent two weeks at home before this long trip to Australia and then on to Malaysia. In last year's race I was in a good position until I collided with another rider - overall it was a positive weekend. I'm just itching to produce a good run in to the end of the season."

His team-mate Esteve Rabat (Repsol Honda RS125R) said: "I liked it here last year. I'm very motivated now because after the race in Japan, I want to get a good result. The omens are quite good too and I'm mentally prepared to give my all so I can carry on learning and get among the leaders. There are only three races left and I want to finish the season on a high note, so let's see how I get on."