Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

all and it looked like a slick," said Rainey. "The back tire was shredded and almost had cord showing. With the right tires, I might have been able LO go a second and a half a lap faster." Like the 250s, the 500s didn't get a chance LO show their stuff until the qualifying session on Saturday. The way Spencer's V-4 was running, he knew it would be difficult lO cut Lawson's points lead so he and £rv decided LO go back to the type 01 machine they won the title with last year. "We've tried so many changes on the Four and, basically, we're moving in the right direction,"Spencel said. "But we don't have the midrange power we need and since thf frame is tuned lO the motor itthrows off the suspension. Then, the steering and tires don't work right. I'd rather ride the four-cylinder because it's hard for the mechanics lO switch bikes." There was speculation in the pits that the move would alienate Spencer from Honda, but he said that "the most important thing to Honda is the World Championship. They did agree that we should try the lhreecylinder." Lawson held a comfortable margin after the third qualifying session, but the fourth session was ideal and Spencer went to work. "I knew we could go a lot quicker than this morning's session. We basically just put in a transmission we thought would be close and in the final session we were a lot beller prepared," said Spencer. Lawson was thinking along the same lines. "I know I can go a lot faster, but we were trying some different things in the last session so my third session was fastest," said Lawson. Asked'about Spencer's choice of the three-cylinder Lawson said, "I felt he wou Id do ita long time ago, even at South Africa. It looks so bad. It looks like they failed. But itshould be a good race. If he goes a lot faster then maybe we're in trouble." Rob Mc£lnea, on the former Barry Sheene Heron Suzuki, was pleased LO have qualified third." ntilthe track dried out there was lillIe I could do," the 24-year-old former steelworker said. "In the morning I did the testing I wanted lO and by the aflernoon my mechanics had everything sorted out. To be honest, I feel I can go faster in the race." To prove his point, McElnea lried lO jel inLO the lead off the start, even though the Hondas of Spencer. Haslam and Mamola plus Lawson's Yamaha fired fir t. Mc£lnea charged into turn one, nearly laking Lawson down in front of the rest of the 41rider field. "McElnea just stuffed il up lhe inside and I thought 'Here we go, we're all going down,' but we kept on going," said Lawson. Spencer moved to the point and by lhe third lap Lawson had dismissed Haslam and Mamola and sel off afler Spencer. On the same lap, Mc£lnea crashed unhurt. Three laps later and Mamola was in third, but down three seconds to Lawson who was seven seconds behind Spencer and gaining. "The tires fell cold LO me," said Lawson. "It lakes a long time for the Dunlop slicks to heat up. Michelins seem LO heat up fasler." On the sixlh of 30 laps the order read Spencer, Lawson, Mamola, ahead of Haslam and Roche. Although the order wouldn't change, there were a few limes it could have. "[ was goingdown the hill inLO the right-handel' and some uzuki rid I' pushed me off the track," said Lawson. "( was going lO go around him on the outside and he moved over. [ was starting LO pick up the pace lhen and was gaininga second a lap. Then (Above) Ron Haslam leads the 500s off the start, followed by Mamola (3), Spencer (1) and Rob McElnea (19), (Below) Rainey was almost taken out in this first-lap crash of Michel Simeon. [ weill off the track and into the mud. [ had LO PUl my feet down to keep from crash ing." The off-track excursion cost Lawson some 12 seconds and a shol allhe vicLOry_ Spencer had a 21-second lead after Lawson's mishap and Mamola had closed LO within two seconds,"1 thought Randy would've passed me, but when I glanced back up the lrack as I gal back on he was still behind me, After thal I just cruised around," said Lawson. "If ( hadn't been run off the track I lhink [ could've caught Freddie and we would have had a good race." Al the halfway point, Mamola was having problems. "The brakes began to fade," said Mamola. "Before the Slan we weren't sure how much brake we would need. Freddie and I use bigger discs than Haslam. We had a lillIe brake pad left. It would be interesting to know how much pad Ron had left." Tire problems slowed Mamola's charge also, "I had the same lires as Freddie, but I was sliding more in the corner than he was. I tried to ride the bike like Freddie does, bUl I'm still learni ng." The pace of the race was slow with 'Spencer turning in the faslest lap, 'about seven-lenths slower than his 'qualifying time. "[ never even spun the rear tire," said Spencer. ·'1 wantedLO go as fast 'as I could, but as slowly as possible." When asked if he could explain how il wa· thal he could win so easily while the other Honda riders, on almosl idelllical equipment, weren·t 'able lO challenge Lawson, Spencer diplomatically replied, "I rode the 'bike for two years and we basically did very welL" Atthe end, Spencer had 16 seconds on Lawson and 42 on Mamola. Il was lhe second American 1-2-3 finish of the year and kepI alive an American winning lreak. The last 500cc GP win by a non-American was alSilverSlOne allhe Brilish GP in August of 1982. Franc6 Uncini clinched his title in tha trace.. The World Championship was on lhe riders' minds in Germany. "The faa is," Spencer began, "lhat if Eddie fini hes every race in second and I win them all, he willS the tiLle. There are seven GPs to go and everYlhing has been going good for him. Maybe lhe luck will slartturning my way." On the choice of machinery he said, "We don'l plan to ride the threecylinder in the French GP at Paul Ricard. I'd prefer LO ride the V-4 on the faster tracks." Mamola also has his eye on the four-cylinder. A ride on it would amounttoadmjtLance by Honda lhat Mamola has the besl chance lO help Spencer by finishing ahead of Lawson. "( lhink I have a chance LO ride the four-cylinder in the future," said Mamola cauliously. "Honda gives me no pre 'sure and we know il's p<;>ssible LO beal Yamaha. Freddie's win makes me more confident." ''I'm disappointed and happy al the same time," said Lawson aboul his runner-up finish. ,·It's so early in the season I'm slill going lO keep going prelly hard. At ccrtai n tracks Randy will do well,but ( feel Paul Ri ard will be a good lrack [or us. ". The ever-oplimislic Spencer, nOling the point gap, said, "Last year I had a 25-point lead at one time and the title was decided by three." At which point an [talian journalist said, "Yes, and you won lhechampionship." • Results SOOcc: 1. Freddie Spencer (Hon); 2. Eddie Law· son (Yam); 3. Randy Mamora (Han); 4. Ron Haslam (Han); 5. Raymond Roche (Hon); 6. Franco Uncini (SUI); 7. Virginia Ferrari (Yam); 8. Keith Huewen (Hon); 9. Boet Van Dulmen (SUI); 10. Barry Sheena (Suz). 500cc POINT STANDINGS: 1. lawson 169): 2. Roche 143); 3. Spencer 142); 4. Mamela 132); 5. Haslam (29). 25Occ: 1. Christian Sarron (Yam); 2. Martin Wimmer (Yaml; 3. Manfred Herweh (Rea); 4. Anton Mang (Yam); S. Carlos Lavado(Yam); 6. Wayne Rainey (Yam); 7. Alan Carter (Yam); 8. Jacques Cornu (Yam); 9. Thierry Espie (Che); 10. Jean Michel Mattioli (Che). 250cc POINT STANDINGS; 1. Sarron 154); 2. SilO Pons 135); 3. Mang 131); 4. Wimmer 128); 5. Layado (24); 6. Herweh 120); 7.ITIE) Rainey/Cernu (16). 125cc: 1. Angel Nieto (Gar); 2. Luca Cadalora (MBA); 3. Eugenio Lauarini (Gar); 4. Fausto Gresini (MBA); S. August Auinger (Bar); 6. Jean-Claude Selini (MBA); 7. Guiseppe Ascareggi (MBA); 8. JohnnyWickstroem {MBA); 9. Bruno Kneubuehler; 10. Lucia Peitroniro (MBA). 125ce POINT STANDINGS; 1. Nieto (45); 2. lazzarini (321; 3. Cadalora (18); 4. Stefano Carracchi (16); 5. Selini (13). BOcc: 1. Stefan Doerflinger (Zun); 2. Pier-Paolo Bianchi (Cas); 3. Gerhard Waibel (Rea); 4. Hubert Abold (Zun); 5. Wilhem Heykoop (Huv); 6. George Looyesteyn (Cas); 7. Serge Julin (Cas); 8. Zdravko Matulja (Zie); 9. Reinhard Koberstein (Feh); 10. Bernd Rossbach (Cas). 80ce POINT STANDINGS: 1. 8ianchi (50); 2. Doerflinger (46); 3. Abold 138); 4. Waibel (26); 5. Hans Spaan (19). SIDECAR: 1. Streuer/Schneiders ('tam); 2. Mlchel/Rese (Yam); 3. Webster/Hewitt (Pad); 4. Schwaerzel/Huber (Yam); S. Abbot/Smith (Yam); 6. Kumano/Diehl (Yaml; 7. Zurbruegg/Zurgruegg (Vam); 8. Van Drie/Van Dis(Yam): 9. Van Kempenl De Haas (Yam); 10. 8agham/Bagham (pad). SIDECAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Streuer/Schnieders (30); 2. Schwaerzel/Huber (20); 3. (TIE) Michel/Rese - Kumano/Diehl (15); 5. Webster/ Hewitt (10). 19

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