Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ROAD' RACE. World Championship Road Race series Round 12: Argentine Grand Prix OES now far enough ahead of Honda rider Alex Criville (a close fourth in the race) to secure third from the Spaniard. The relief of tension for Doohan was almost visible. After the race, relaxed and smiling where before he'd been short-fused and spiky, he paid tribute to the dedication of his team and the quality of Beattie's opposition. "He's been a worthy rival, and a worthy replacement for Kevin Schwantz," he said. "The difference this year compared with last was I seemed to spend more time in the dirt." This was a grinning reference to the early-season accidents he has refused to talk about until now. Beattie was happy also, after turning his career around after a disastrous 1994. ''I'm really pleased to be second. It's more than I hoped for. The main thing is since I joined Suzuki a year ago I've felt I had a really good bunch of guys behind me all the way." With Criville fourth, Loris Capirossi fought off a determined orifumi Abe for fifth, after the Japanese rider had charged through from a poor start. But temp<1Iary works Yamaha rider eil Hodgson could only manage 10th after qualifying for his first-ever front-row start on the test bike lent to him for a third race by Team Roberts. Earlier, new two-time World Champion Max Biaggi claimed a seventh win of the season in the 250cc class, after waiting for rival Marlboro Yamaha's Tetsuya Harada, apparently to tease him, though the Chesterfield Aprilia man denied it. "I was using soft tires so I couldn't (Left) MlchHI Doohan won his second successive 500cc World Chemplonshlp with s victory In Argentine. (Below) Deryl Beattie (4) led the fleld at the start, before eventually being caught by Doohen. Beattie finished second snd locked up second In the championship. By Michael Scott Photos by Gold & Goose BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, SEPT. 24 ichael Doohan went double tops in Argentina. The 30-year-old Australian won the race and his second World Championship in fighting style, barging his way through from a muffed start to put his last remaining rival Daryl Beattie back to second in the race and the championship. Marlboro Yamaha's Luca Cadalora had started from pole position after winning the last two races straight, but he could do no better than third at a race run in perfect, sunny conditions in front of a sparse crowd estimated at 14,000 at the Municipal Autodrome Oscar Galvez on the outskirts of the sprawling capital city of Buenos Aires. The finishing order settled the top four in the championship. Repsol Honda's Doohan's 26th Grand Prix win not only moved him ahead of Kevin Schwantz's 25 and the 24 of Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts, but also made him unassailable in the championship. Fellow-Australian Beattie is also safe in second overall, while Cadalora is M I!') 0\ 0\ '~... """' I-< Q.I .g .... u o 14 • keep going so fast," he insisted. The plan almost backfired when Harada was only two-tenths behind at the finish. Second place marginally improved his points position ahead of sixth-placed HB Honda rider Ralf Waldmann, though Harada said, "If you are not first, it doesn't matter where you come." Brazil winner Doriano Romboni was third, prevailing over a fierce battle to lead the Tech-3/ Elf Honda pair of Olivier Jacque and Jean-Philippe Ruggia over the line. Kenny Roberts Jr. had earlier caught up with this group, but crashed out trying to improve his position. The race brought heartbreak for French ex-motocrosser Jean-Michel Bayle. He had qualified on pole for the first time"this year, but retired after his throttle jammed open. 'Tm beginning to find my run of bad luck really tiring," he said. Spaniard Emilio Alzamora claimed his first-ever GP victory in the 12Scc race, with Aprilia-mounted Brazil GP winner Masaki Tokudome second and returned injury victim Dirk Raudies claiming third at the head of a typical close battle. 500cc GRAND PRIX The issue was clear cut for Doohan and Beattie both. If Doohan was ahead at the finish, he would be champion; if Beattie, then the fight would go to the last ra.ce of the year in two weeks time. Meanwhile Cadalora, on pole, needed to be ahead of Beattie to keep his chances of second overall alive. In this tense atmosphere, Beattie took a flier while Doohan took his turn to be slow off the line, so that while the Suzuki led the first lap from Capirossi by almost a second, Doohan was way back in eighth, and somewhat boxed in by works bikes at a track where passing is notoriously difficult. It was now that both showed their qualities. Beattie is strong in steadfast consistency, and he reeled off laps at a

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