30 year old Robbie Baird from Brisbane is the reigning Australian Formula Xtreme Champion and will defend that title again in 2002 with Radar's Team Yamaha.  This is a transcript from a brief chat we had with Robbie earlier this week.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - Sorry for taking so long to catch up with you Robbie. I understand you are with Radar's Team Yamaha again this year, much change to the set-up of the team for 2002 ?

Robbie - Pretty similar set-up to last year mate, when everything is going good there is no reason to change what works.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - You not racing the Australian Championship this year ?

Robbie - No, just concentrating on defending my Formula Xtreme Title.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - It seemed to be a pity for race fans this year not to see you go head to head with Shawn Giles on the Suzuki. That must have been disappointing for you a little ?

Robbie - Yeah it was a little, as I was looking forward to racing against him on fairly equal machinery. But unfortunately that didn't eventuate as Suzuki didn't race in Xtreme and as for the Australian Championship I only raced SuperSport so we never got to line up against each other.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - Who do you see as the biggest threat to your FX title ?

Robbie - Probably Kevin Curtain if he comes back, the Stauffer boys should go good, and Krusty, if he comes back, will also be hard to beat. Brookesy and Maxwell may come back faster also.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - Have you ridden the 2002 R1 yet? Radar seems to be pretty excited about the chassis improvements. Will you be on a 2002 bike at round 1 of the FX Series ?

Robbie - No I haven't ridden a 2002 yet but the boys are pretty excited about the new bike and it should be a good step forward for us. I can't wait to line up on the grid for round one.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - When do you get to ride a 2002 R1 ?

Robbie - There is one prototype out here at the moment that the boys are working on and I hope to get mine around the end of the month.  I hope to do some testing at Eastern Creek and Willowbank before the season kicks off.

MCNEWS.COM.AU - Thanks for that Robbie and I look forward to catching up with you at Eastern Creek over the March 17 weekend.

Robbie - Yep see you there, it should be a good show.