The main topic of conversation in the Istanbul Park paddock was the future of Chris Vermeulen: would he announce he's signed with Suzuki, would he keep quiet until after another ride on the Honda at Valencia, or would Honda find a way to lever him into a team for 2006? Chris did nothing wrong all weekend. He achieved his ambition of not being the last Honda home and he impressed everybody—and that no doubt includes HRC who might be reconsidering their decision to ask him to go back to World Superbikes next season.

The other bloke who did nothing wrong was Marco Melandri. He took the win he's been threatening for a while, and the outcome was never in doubt once Sete Gibernau had run off the track half way round the sixth lap—while leading: Shades of Qatar.

Marco didn't have a lot to say after the race, mainly because he'd spent most of the cool-down lap screaming inside his helmet and had frazzled his vocal cords. Other people were only too happy to point out that Marco is just 23 years old (his birthday was six weeks ago) and that Hayden, standing on the rostrum for the third time in a row for the first time in his MotoGP career, is 24. Chris Vermeulen is 23.

The other youngster who impressed more than a little was Toni Elias. He started off the second row for the first time in his career, was running sixth when he lost eight seconds and three places with one off-track excursion and then fought back to sixth place, taking Colin Edwards on the run to the flag. Toni ran off track at the same place as Gibernau and said afterwards he was glad he did because it made the race so much more fun!

Nicky might have had a chance of taking second off Rossi, but he came across a backmarker in the left/right/left chicane that ends the lap and lost touch. He dedicated his podium to a 'special friend' who has recently been taken ill.

Nicky is now third in the championship nine points adrift of Marco Melandri, but second place is still there to fight for at Valencia.

Quite what this outbreak of youthful enthusiasm will do for the careers of such old stagers as Max Biaggi, Alex Barros, Carlos Checa and Sete Gibernau remains to be seen.