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/126519
M.co Lucchlnelll took hla new factory Suzuki RG600 end won both heeta of the lmole 200. beating World Chemp Kenny Roberta. Lucchinelli wins.lmola 200, Roberts second By Stefano Parmeggiani IMOLA, ITALY, APR. 5 King Kenny Roberts debuted his 1981 factory Yamaha 500 iIi the Imola 200 road race, but could do nothing against Marco Lucchinelli and his Suzuki RG500. The Italian rider, 14 third in ~t year's Grand Prix final standings of the 500cc ~ also rode a new. factory bike I and his victory is an indication of how tight the fight for the forthcoming season:stitle. is going to be_ For Roberts the event marked a change from his yellow and black leathers and bike of past years. The Yamaha was red and white and the three-time World Champion was wearing red, white and blue leathers. Lucchinelli won both legs of the race in front of Roberts; Dutch riders Jack Middleburg and Boet Van Dulmen followed in both heats. 1979 and 1981 Daytona 200 winner Dale Singleton took a fifth overall aboard his Yamaha TZ750, while the other two Americans who entered the race, Jimmy Adamo and Gina Bovaird, did not make it into the 40rider field for the race. U. S. Road Racing Champion Richard Schlachter could not even reach the Italian circuit, being sidelined with illness in England. The race was an international event not valid for any FIM championship after last year's dismissal of the World Championship F750 class, nevertheless several of the best riders from three continents were on hand in addition to those already mentioned. Among them were Dutchman Wil Hartog, Italian Franco Uncini, Japan's Sadao Asami and Switzerland's Michel Frutschi. But perhaps the most interesting entry was Australia's Gregg Hansford who appeared on the new Kawasaki four-cylinder road racer. Hansford surprised everyone with the fastest lap time in practice', but unfortunately crashed hard after only three laps of the first leg. Hansford suffered a slight concussion and a suspected fracture of one knee. 500cc two· stroke machines proved to be the most common choice of the entrants, but the field did have one four-stroke qualified, a Ducati 600 twin derived from the Pantah and ridden by local ace Sauro Pazzaglia, Pazzaglia qualified 18th fastest and ran in mid-pack. Singleton, Denmark's Kimmo Kopra and Asami and three other entrants rode TZ750s, while Graziano Rossi competed aboard a 610cc version of Morbidelli's 500·4. The victory by Lucchinelli was virtually uncontested after the opening laps and Kenny Roberts later admitted to having raced at the maximum of his capability. He was rather disappointed at his Yamaha's performance. saying, "Actually this bike is not totally new, but only an updated version of last year's." Some changes in its engine, exhaust system, silencers and tail section were in fact evident, but otherwise the Yamaha even shared the same frame (developed in 1980) with .the factory "assisted" bikes used by privateers Van Dulmen and Frutschi. Roberts and Singleton were the first riders off the line in the first leg, but by the end of the first lap Hartog had moved by Singleton, who in turn was followed by Asami and Hansford. Just after passing ASami after three laps, Hansford slid in some oil and crashed in a 120-mph turn. Despite the injuries he incurred, doctors have said he should be able to contest the season opening GP in Austria on April 26. By the fifth lap Lucchinelli, only ninth at the end of tbe· first lap, had gotten around Singleton and shortly thereafter Marco worked the Team Nava Su.zuki past Hartog. Then Lucchinelli turned in the fastest lap of the race, a record breaking lap at that. to get by Roberts. Lucchinelli then began to open up a gap on R?berts. The remaining top positions seemed settled with Hartog, Middleburg, Uncini and Singleton following the leading duo in that order. But Uncini dropped back when his rear tire began sliding. "It was really too soft," he admitted later. The running order began to shuffle when fuel stops started. Roberts pitted on lap 20 and lost second to Hartog, who had decided to complete tbe 100 mile leg on one tank of gas. Unfortunately, Hartog crashed with· only eight laps to go. The first leg ended with Lucchinelli winning ahead of Roberts, Middleburg, Van Dulmen, Uncini, Frutschi and Singleton. At the start of tbe second leg it was Singleton leaving everybody else almost standing still in comparison to his furious start. but soon Roberts and Lucchinelli were out front and engaged in a breathtaking duel, continuously switching positions. Luccbinelli took the lead for good £rom the fIfth lap on and slowly increased his margin over Roberts. When the leader pitted £or fud, Roberts made up all of the disadvantage but Lucchinelli soon re-established his lead and when the checkered flag waved he had II· seconds 01). Roberts.