Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/139559
VOL. 50 ISSUE 25 JUNE 25, 2013 go as they please, they could think again. He means to make them jump through hoops. Of course his position is different now. CRT bikes have arrived as grid-fillers. Never mind the quality, feel the width. Whether you agree that the top level of racing should favor privateers at the expense of true factory prototypes is quite another matter. At first, he said there would be no place for Suzuki unless they bought into an existing team. No takers. Then a new condition: they could return in 2014, but entirely at their own expense. No Dorna allowance, no freight allowance, and no free tires. At the same time, he disclosed his new plan – to introduce an F1-style "rich get richer" scheme whereby the bottom teams don't get any share of the income. The response was a typical Suzuki sidestep. Change of plan: they want another year to develop the bike. Suzuki would pay for itself in 2015 without demur, although it is clear they expect Bridgestone to come to some sort of private deal over the tires. We shall see if these are the last words from Ezpeleta, or from Suzuki, as events unfold. Meanwhile, the bike has been out at Catalunya, de Puniet aboard, and placed a good eighth out of 19, admittedly with the factory Hondas absent. The lap time was even more impressive: just seven tenths off Jorge Lorenzo and the Ducatis. He'd have been 12th on the grid: two days before he'd qualified his Aprilia CRT bike 13th, almost three tenths slower. Encouraging, but not really fair. The other bikes are in race trim, meaning 21 liters of fuel and five engines for the season. You can be sure the Suzuki was chowing gas a lot faster than that. It is these economy and endurance targets that have required a year longer than expected. What a pity we have to wait. Grand prix racing is a factory game, and for Ezpeleta to play spiteful is another black mark against a man whose policies have already downgraded the premier class close to the breaking point. CN P119 LOOKING BACK 40 Years Ago July 3, 1973 Roger DeCoster in all his glory was featured on the cover 40 years ago for our coverage of the Carlsbad USGP. Willie Bauer won for the second time in a row; DeCoster was fifth and Brad Lackey was top American in eighth… We tested the Maico 250 Radial. At $1495 we said it was expensive but the best in its class. 30 Years Ago July 6, 1983 A photo of Jeff Ward made the cover to accompany our interview with the Team Kawasaki racer... Our coverage of the 500cc USGP was featured inside. Swede Hakan Carlqvist took the win; Broc Glover was top American in second and Brian Myerscough won the 250 Support class. 20 Years Ago June 30, 1993 Scott Russell won his way onto the cover of Cycle News at topping a wet Loudon National Road Race... Mike Kiedrowski and Jeremy McGrath shared overall victories at the Hangtown National Motocross… Daryle Beattie edged out Kevin Schwantz for his first GP win at Hockenheimring. 10 Years Ago June 25, 2003 Ducati made history for winning its first GP road race in the hands of Loris Capirossi, who was featured on the cover… Ricky Carmichael (250) and James Stewart (125) came away with class wins at Budds Creek… Team Honda, with Steve Hengeveld and Johnny Campbell won the Baja 500. Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives