Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500) comes Down Under this weekend for promises to be the biggest race of his dazzling career. At just 22-years old the charismatic Italian stands on the threshold of true greatness. Following his brilliant Pacific GP win last weekend, Rossi only needs a top-eight finish at Phillip Island on Sunday to secure his first 500 World Championship.

And if he does earn motorcycling's greatest prize he will add that to the 125 and 250 crowns he won in 1997 and 1999. Since the advent of the World Championships in 1949 there have been few careers as remarkable as Rossi's. In over five decades only one rider has already achieved the triple crown, and that was Briton Phil Read who took ten years to conquer the 125, 250 and 500 classes. Rossi looks like accomplishing the same achievement in just five seasons. He commenced his full-time World Championship career in 1996, won the 125 crown the following year, graduated to 250s in 1998 and took the title in his second season in the class. He moved on again last year, attacking the senior 500 category and once again his progress has been remorseless: a year to learn, the next to dominate.

And Rossi has been dominant, winning eight of the 13 races so far to amass a massive 67-point lead over arch-rival Max Biaggi (Yamaha), a four-time 250 World Champion. His pace has been so swift that Biaggi has crashed at three of the last four races trying to match the youngster.

There's no doubt that Rossi will be going for a ninth win this weekend. "Mathematics say I can win the World Championship if I finish eighth in Australia," he says. "But I'm not going to Phillip Island to finish eighth."

On the other hand, Rossi is clever enough not to be obsessed with victory at any cost. There are still two races left after Australia - the Malaysian and Rio GPs - so there's no need to take excessive risks at the Island, and while Rossi may make his relentless ride into the history books look easy, he knows full well that bike racing is a risky sport.

"I hope to win the title in Australia but it doesn't matter when or where I win it, so long as I do win it," adds Rossi, who won the 1998 and 1999 Phillip Island 250 GPs. "It will be necessary to stay calm but it would be great to win there because most of my mechanics are Australian. I love the track and I finished a close third there last time. As usual, I'll just do my best."

Rossi's pit crew - who guided Mick Doohan to his five 500 crowns - consists of three Australians - crew chief Jerry Burgess and mechanics Dickie Smart and Alex Briggs. Fourth core member, Belgian Bernard Ansiau, worked on the Yamahas of three-time 500 champ Wayne Rainey some years before he joined Doohan's crew.

Burgess is a typically down-to-earth Aussie who has already won World Championships with Doohan, Wayne Gardner and Freddie Spencer. He shares massive mutual respect with his riders.

"I like the way Valentino has approached all his championships," he says. "In '99, when he was going for the 250 title, he could win the title early at Rio and yet he rode that race to win. That's a sign of a guy who likes winning races and I've always said that if you win races the championships take care of themselves. It's always been that way with the guys I've worked with - Mick, Wayne and Freddie, they all knew how to fight. I don't think it's good to win a championship by just riding around for points."

"But we'll work with him the same as always this weekend. We know Valentino loves Phillip Island, and so do most riders, so long as there's no horizontal wind or rain. Tyres used to be a bit of a concern for some riders but with Michelin's 16.5in rear it should be fine. In fact we never had a problem with the 17in when we raced there with Mick because we knew he could conserve his tyres, and Valentino is another clever rider."

Incidentally, if Rossi does win the title on Sunday he will be the third Italian to have secured a World Championship crown at the Victorian track, following Loris Capirossi, who won the 1990 125 title there with Team Pileri Honda, and Biaggi, who won his fourth 250 championship at the 1997 Australian GP, with Marlboro Team Kanemoto Honda.

While Rossi goes for his first 500 crown, his rivals also have points to prove. Team-mates Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500) and Alex Barros (West Honda Pons NSR500) are currently third and fourth in the championship, and though they have no chance of the title they will be fighting for every point. Indeed Biaggi's fall at Motegi last Sunday brings Capirossi within range of second overall.

"I still have great memories of winning my first world title at Phillip Island," says the Italian, another 125 and 250 champ. "I really love the circuit, and after my third place at Motegi, I need more points to chase Biaggi, and also to keep ahead of Alex!"

Barros is just 16 points behind his team-mate after a rousing ride to second at Motegi, pressurizing Rossi all the way. "I think we can expect another great race in Australia," says the Brazilian, who should make his 161st 500 start on Sunday. "Last year I battled all the way with Loris, Valentino and Max. Phillip Island is that kind of track, fast and open, so you get very close racing."

Former 500 World Champion Alex Crivillé (Repsol YPF Honda NSR500), who won the 1989 125 and 1997 500 GPs at Phillip Island, needs a good result to get over the nightmare of Motegi. "I want to forget that weekend as soon as possible," says the Spaniard. "I had stomach problems at Motegi and had to ride with pain-killers after hurting myself in a trials-bike crash. I should be better for Australia and I'm looking forward to having some fun at a great circuit."

This weekend team-mate Tohru Ukawa (Repsol YPF Honda NSR500) will tackle the Island's daunting curves for the first time on a 500. "I'm still learning the bike but I think Australia will be exciting for me!" says Ukawa who finished third in the '99 Island 250 race. "I like fast corners
and Phillip Island is all about fast turns. I will need to stay very concentrated to get a good result there."

World 250 leader Daijiro Katoh (Telefonica Movistar Honda NSR250) was looking good to wrap up the 250 World Championship Down Under until he was knocked out of last Sunday's Motegi 250 GP. The 24-year old was leading the 250s by 49 points going into his home race when Marco Melandri (Aprilia) tumbled in front of him, inadvertently taking him out. Katoh's advantage has now been trimmed to just 24 points.

"The main thing is that I wasn't badly hurt, just a bruised elbow," says Katoh of the spectacular tumble. "Now I have lost some points but that doesn't change anything. I must keep trying to win races and that's my aim in Australia."

Team-mate Emilio Alzamora (Telefonica Movistar Honda NSR250) finished a brave second at Motegi despite suffering a nasty nerve condition that affects his left eye. "That was the hardest race of my life, I just hope the eye gets better in time for the next race," says the former 125 champ. "I'll be receiving treatment all week, so I'm hopeful the eye won't be so bad."

Brilliant teenager Toni Elias (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team Honda RSR125) also suffered badly at Motegi. He crashed out of the 125 race and lost the World Championship lead to title-rival Manuel Poggiali (Gilera). He comes to Australia 12 points down with three races to go. "I made a
mistake and paid the price," says the hard-riding 18-year old. "Twelve points is quite a difference but I will push very hard to retake the lead over the final few races."

Elias can at least count on the support of his team-mate, remarkable 16-year-old Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team Honda RSR125), who has scored podiums at the last two GPs. Both Elias and Pedrosa are products of a Spanish initiative to create more Spanish World Champions. The team is led by former Honda 500 winner Alberto Puig.

After two consecutive weekends of racing the GP circus keeps moving after Phillip Island, heading directly to Sepang for next weekend's Malaysian GP. The World Championship season concludes at Rio de Janeiro on November 3.