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King Kenny Roberts re...... champegne from captivity a. Marco Lucchinem looks on. The photo _
World Championship Road Radng Series:
Round 3
Roberts makes it
three $traight in
France
By Chris Carter
Photo by Shigeo Kibiki
LcCASTELLAT. FRANCE, MAY 25
Kenny Roberts scored yet another impressive
win in the French GP at Paul Ricard near
Marseille to stretch his lead to 23 points in the
16 ch amplOnshi
.
Ip.
.
4'
___
taken in Spain; reaJltII were much the 88me in Franca.
Randy Mamola , on the new
monoshock Suzuki was second ,
after nipping past race-long rival
Marco Lucchinelli in the run in
to the flag.
But that apan, it was a sad day for
the Americans. Dale Singleton and
Richard Schlachter, making their GP
debuts, both failed to qualify for the
500cc race.
Out of luck. too was Britain's
number one man Barry Sheene, Barry
crashed at the end of the ninth lap ,
when battling with Graeme Crosby for
fifth place and seriously injured the
little finger on his left hand .
At first it was feared that he would
lose the finger , but Barry ignored the
diagnosis of doctors in Marseille and
flew back home where his own
specialist was able to perform a long
and complicated operation that saved
the finger.
This was the first time that Sheene
had ever crashed in a 500cc world
championship race. There were
suggestions that the accident was
caused by a suspension fault on the
privately owned Team.Akai Yamaha. ~
but whatever the reason it shows just
how hard Barry is having to ride to
match the factory opposition ahead of
him .
Roberts, though . is in a class of his
own at the moment. This time,
though, he had to work hard for his
deserved success.
Roberts made a slow start. but
rapidly carved his way through the
pack to catch Mamola and Lucchinelli
up front. Johnny Cecotto was another
slow starter. but the Venezuelan ran
short of steam and couldn't catch the
leaders. He fin ished ninth.
Roberts took the lead on the ninth
lap. but Lucchinelli took over a lap
later, and Mamola went ahead on the
eleventh lap to show they were not
taking things lying down .
But Roberts was not to be denied.
He went through to take command on
the next lap, and stayed there to head
Mamola home by just under six
seconds.
Rossi had a lonely ride to follow
Mamola and Lucchinelli over the line.
Graeme Crosby finished fifth to score
his first ever World Championship
points. The Suzuki factory must have
_ been reasonably happy with the day.
