BBC Sport motorsport

By Steve Parrish BBC motorbikes commentator

Redding's victory on Sunday grabbed the headlines

The Donington weekend was a very mixed bag, with tears of joy and disappointment.

Tears of joy for 125cc rider Scott Redding - to become the youngest ever Grand Prix winner, and in his home race, was excellent.

But tears of disappointment for James Toseland in the MotoGP.

Scott's win set the day up a bit and possibly put even more pressure on James - you don't like being beaten by anyone who's going to get more column inches than you.

Everyone felt so sorry for him and his fans - there was a sea of Toseland flags and shirts around, but he only lasted 250m of the race.

It was his home race, and sometimes these things happen. Subconsciously, you try a bit harder because you've got everyone watching you.

He just had a dreadful time in qualifying, tried to make up too many places on the first corner and it went wrong.

A lot of people say he was too busy in the build-up but I don't think that makes any difference.

James isn't a 16-year-old being pushed into doing things he doesn't want to do, he makes up his own mind - the charity bike ride round the circuit was no different to going to the gym, and playing in his band the night before is his relaxation - it's good to get his mind away from the track.

DUTCH MOTOGP 125 and 250cc races live: Saturday, BBCi (Freeview channel 301) and BBC Sport website, 0945-1215 Race live: BBC Two and BBC Sport website, 1245-1400 Coverage on the BBC Sport website is available for UK users only MotoGP on the BBC

I think it went wrong in qualifying. Turn one is the only place you're going to make serious ground and he went in too fast for the tyres.

Maybe the team made a rod for their own back by talking about a podium finish - the rest of the season will be about turning up, riding, and seeing what happens - forget predictions, just get on with it.

But it's great news for him that there is another race six days later in Assen, to get his head away from what happened at Donington.

Time's a great healer and in racing, six days is a long time.

Casey Stoner won at Donington, but afterwards he played down talk he was back in the championship race.

That's because he's smart enough to be a pessimist, which is an optimist with experience.

His engine failure at Le Mans, when he was near the front, meant he failed to score any points and that knocked him back a long way.

I didn't realise some people who came to watch bike racing were that stupid - Casey Stoner is a magician on that bike, they should appreciate that

And while Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa can make do with second and third place finishes, he needs wins.

After the race he was booed by some fans, which I found very disappointing.

It's happened here before, it only happens in the UK and I don't understand where it's coming from.

I didn't realise some people who came to watch bike racing were that stupid - they don't appreciate how good he is.

It's not just about having a fast bike, otherwise anyone could have won on that bike last year - he's a magician on it and they should appreciate that.

He could probably do his own PR a bit better by not complaining so much, but he reminds me of Mick Doohan - he's incredibly hard on himself and the team around him and if things aren't perfect he moans - but maybe he should do it behind closed doors.

My prediction for this weekend is Stoner - Rossi - Pedrosa.

Last year Casey qualified on pole, but Valentino won from 11th, but I think Casey is just so comfortable with the bike at the moment.

Ever since post-race testing in Barcelona he's been so good, and he now says the bike is better than the one he had last year which he didn't say at the start of the season.

Assen prediction 1. Stoner 2. Rossi 3. Pedrosa

Steve Parrish was talking to Julian Shea