Edwards: Yamaha has the best bike

Yamaha took a one-two at Motegi last weekend, and monopolised the top three places for much of Friday practice in Spain before Suzuki's Loris Capirossi and Ducati's Casey Stoner got amongst them.

Edwards has been much more competitive since getting hold of the 2009 Yamaha M1, and is delighted with the bike so far.

"We have got the best bike on the grid," he said. "From last year's, they did small little things with the chassis and made it a lot better and it's the best bike out there.

"To be honest with you there is a little bit of spring stuff here and there, but the bike is really, really good. Electronics, chassis is all in order."

He believes factory rider Valentino Rossi's early switch to Bridgestone tyres in 2008 gave Yamaha a crucial headstart when preparing for this year's control rubber.

"I hate to say this, but thanks to Valentino and Jerry Burgess and that crew for spending the year developing it because the settings are completely different from the Michelin settings," said Edwards.

"Otherwise we'll probably still be w****** around trying to find the settings if he hadn't done that. Compared to what Valentino had to use last year they've more or less built the bike for what it needs (on Bridgestones)."

The American added that the combination of the 2009 M1 and the single Bridgestones was ideally suited to his style.

"I've always been a front end guy," Edwards said. "If I have forks I can feel and comfortable with and a front tyre I can feel. I'm always fast, so long as I have those two things. Then the rear just follows; we can just make it work.

"The Bridgestone front is very impressive and our settings are good and once you get those two things in line then I don't need the planets to be in line or the eclipse to come, it's just forks and front tyre."