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Sharing the stand but not the laurels with 350cc winner Walter Villa (center) are Johnny Cecotto (right! and French star Jean-Francois Balde (left).
Villa doubles, Lucchinelli dazzles,
Sheene shines
ยท .
By Chris Carter
The 250cc start had Morbidelli works man Paolo Pileri (83 ) leading reigning champion Villa (1) fo r a brief time.
LE MANS, FRANCE, APRIL 25
Barry Sheene staked an early
claim to the 500cc world title
with . a convincing victory in the
French Grand Prix at Le Mans, the
opening round in this year's series.
On a new lightweight Suzuki four
with a special frame, Barry pulled
through fro m a first lap tenth place
10
to catch and' pass early leader Johnny
Cecotto (Yam) midway through the 29
lap race.
Marco Lucchinelli was the sensation
of the meeting. The 22 year old rider
fro m La Spezia was riding in his first
Grand Prix outside his na tive Italy. and
he has bee n racing only two seasons.
Un til the final session of practice on
Saturday evening he had set the fastest
lap , then only Sheene was able to
improve on his ti me.
Lucchinelli made a poor start in the
race, with his production Suzuki
ru nn ing on j ust two cylinders. but he
soon carved h is way through the pack to
t hird. It lo o ked as though he might pass
Cecotto as the pair started the last lap
separated by just a few yards. but Marco
was low on 'fuel and had to coax his
motor on the fmal kilometre. Even so
