Kenny: It's like windsurfing on a motorcycle!

Team Telefonica MoviStar Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts recorded second-fastest time in today's windswept first qualifying session at Phillip Island - but didn't enjoy the experience.

The newly crowned World Champion missed out on provisional pole by just a hundredth of a second to Brazilian Alex Barros, and will be hoping that the weather will improve tomorrow - but is well positioned for the race should it deteriorate.

Roberts spoke of the difficulty in finding a bike set-up under the conditions, "It's a waste of time being out there, because you can't get any feedback or information about tyres, suspension and so on. The wind changes from one lap to another, and mentally it's unpleasant." As a result of the wind lap times were almost three seconds slower than last year.

"It's no fun just trying to get a lap in without getting blown off. It's like wind-surfing on a 500cc motorcycle!" Said Roberts, referring to the unpredictable 50 mph gusts that claimed Gary McCoy and Alex Criville at Turn One.

Teammate Nobatsu Aoki was equally unhappy "That was horrible - it is a really, really big wind. I saw a few guys fall off because of the wind at Turn One, which made me careful there. The other problem so far is when the bike wheelies when you accelerate. That's just normal - but because of the wind as soon as the front wheel lifts the wind blows you off line. It means I can't open the gas as normal." The Japanese rider would provisionally qualify in fifteenth.

Engineering Director Warren Willing confirmed the effect of the wind on lap times, "A tailwind down the straight improves top end, which is not that significant to lap time, but then the wind hurts you into Turn One and Turn Three, which are important. A headwind drops top speed, but helps you on those corners, so usually those lap times are a little better. Today the wind has been gusty, and blowing across the straight, which is unusual."