Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

with Ueda t h i r d , while Peru gini remounted to fin ish 12th_ W ith Emili o Al zamora crashing out of the front group with 11 laps r emai ning a n d veteran Jorge Martinez dropping back from t hird with overheating p roblems, thi s left fourth to Tomomi Manako , with Manfred Geissler narrowly leading the rest of the pack across the line for fifth. 1-'; Suzuka Circu it Suz u ka City, Japan Results: A pril 21, 1996 (Round 3 of 15) 125« QUALIFYING, 1. N obo ru Ued a (2:17.788); 2. Haruchika Aoki (2: 17.864 ~ 3. Masaki Tokudome (2:17.990~ 4. Kazuto Saka ta (2:18.426); 5. Akira Saito (2, 1 8.63S~ 6. Jo rge Martinez (2:19.191); 7. Mesao Uzam a (2:19.263); 8. Peter Oettl (2: 1 9.336~ 9. Lucio Cecchinello (2:19.364); 10. Valentino Ros «(2:19.695); 11. Emilio Alza mora (2:19.921); si 12. Stefano Peru gini (2:19.990 ); 13. Cany M cCoy (2:20.290); 14. K. Ta ka o (2:20 .376); I S. Y. Katoh (2:20. 456); 16. S. Suga ya (2,20.508 ); 17. Ma nfred Geissler (2:20.5 84); 18: Da rr en Barton (2:20.584 ); 19. S. Ib a rak i (2:20.636) ; 20. Iaroslav Hules (2:21.042); 21. Andrea Ballerini (2:21.114); 22. K. O has h i (2:21.114); 23. Dirk Raudies (2:21.914); 24. Tom om i Manako (2:21.412); 25. P. Tessart (2:21.898); 26. Youishi Vi (2:21.431); 27. [osep Sarda (2:22.618); 28. Ivan Coi (2:24.232); 29. Stefano Crudard (2:24.280); 31. Frederic Petit (2:24328); 32. M. 000. 250cc QUALIFYING : I . Tetsuy a Harada (2:10.676); 2. Max Bieggi (2:10.685); 3. No riyasu Numata (2~l O .795); 4. Olivie r Jacque (2:11.403); 5. Daijiro Kato (2:11.446); 6. Kyoji N arnba (2:11.482); 7. Ralf Wa ldm ann (2:11.509); 8. Tahru Ukawa (2:11.818); 9. Noboatsu Aok i (2:11.928); 10. Kens u ke H aga (2:11.948); 11. Yasuamasa Hatakeyama (2:11.948); 12. Iur gen van d en Goorbergh (2:12.098); 13. Jean Phili p pe Ruggi a (2:12. 102~ 14. Eskil Suter (2:12.158); 15. Luis d 'Antin (2:12.777); 16. [urgen Fuchs (2:13.042); 17. Ta kesbt Tsuj im u ra (2:13.053); 18. Roberto Locatelli (2:13 .057); 19 . Osamu Miva z a ki (2:13.513); 20. Ja m ie Rob inso n (2:13.664); 21. RePs Laconi (2:13.722); 22. Sell' Gibemau (2, 1 4.101~ 23. Lu ca Bcsccscuro (U4,248~ 24. Se bastia n Porco (2 :14 .40 4 ); 25 . M a s sim o Ottob re (2:14.476); 26 . Davide Buleg a (2:14.949) ; 27. Jose Lui s Cardoso (2: 1S. 133~ 28. Cristiano Miglio rati (2:15.138); 29. Christian ' Bo u di no t (2:15.548); 30 . Chri stophe Cogan (2,16 .235); 31. Gianluigi Scalvini (2, 16.518) ; 32 . O liv er Pettrudani (2:16.8m 33. Jose Barresi (2:21.304). SOOcc QUALIFYING: 1. Alex Cri ville (2:08.652); 2. Do rta no Ro mboni (2:08.753); 3 . jean -Mtc he t Bayle (2:08.922); 4. Kat suak i Fuj iwara «(2:09 .130); 5. Takumi Aok i (2:09. 169); 6. Lorio; Ca pi ross ! (2:09 .223) ; 7. Mick Doohan (2."09.276); 8. Tadayuki Okada (2:09353); 9. Ale x Barros (2 :09.725 ); 10 . S co tt Ru ssell (2 :10.0 72 ); 11. Norifumi Abe (2:10.186); 12. Luca Cadalora (2:10.354); 13 . Kenny Roberts Jr . (2:10 .50 3 ); 14 . Shini chi Ito h (2:10.715); 15. Toshi Arakaki (2:10.912); 16. Carles Ch eca (2, 11.25 8 ); 17. Daryl Beattie (2:11.291 ); 18. Juan Borja (2:11.449); 19. Alberto Puig (2:11.471); 20. Lucio Pedercini (2:12.057); 21. Frederic P rotat (2:14. 027); 22 . Je re m y McWilliams (2:14.378); 23. Adri an Bossha rd (2:14.380); 24. Jean Pierre [ean d a t (2:14.965); 25 . Laurent Neveau (2:15398); 26. James H ayd on (2:15.793); 27. Sean Emmett (2:16.066); 28. Eugene McManus (2:17.4%): 12See GRAND PRIX: 1. Masaki Tokudome (Apr); 2. Haruchi ka Ao ki (H o n ); 3. N o bo ru Veda (Hon); 4. Tomomi M anako (Han); 5. Ma nfred Gei ss ler (Apr); 6. Masa o Uz uma (Hon); 7. Lu cio Cecchtnello (Hon) ; 8. Jorge Martinez (Ap r); 9 . Da rren Barton (Apr); 10. S. Ibarak i (Yam ); 11. Vale ntino Rossi (Ap r ); 12. Stefano Perugini (Apr); 13. P. Tessari (Hon); 14. Iar o slav Hul es (H on); 15. S. Sugaya (Han); 16. [osep Sar da (Hon); 17. Andrea Ba llerin i (Ap r); 18. Stefano Cruciani (A p r); 19. Ivan Goi (H o n ); 20. Frdereie Pe tit (Hon); 21. M . Ono (Han); 22. Akira Sol ita (Han); 23. Kazuto Sakata (A pr ); 24. Peter Oett l (A p r ); 25 . K. Takao (H a n); 26 . Garry McCo y (Apr); 27. Emilio Alzamora (Han); 28. Gabrielle Debbia (Yam); 29 . Dirk Raudies (H on ); 30. You ishi Ui (Yam) ; 31. K. Ohashi (Han); 32. Yosbialci Katah (Yam ). Time: 41 minutes, 44.002 seconds. Distance: 18 laps, 65.59 mi les. Aver.age speed: 94.298 mph. Margin o f vi ctory: 1.23 seconds. F.astest Lap: Kazuto Sak ata. 2:17.055, Lap 8 ~5 0ee G RA N D PRIX : 1. M ax Bia g g i ( A p r); 2. Nonyasu N u ma ta (Suz ); 3. Daijiro Kato (Hon); 4. Olivier Jacque (Hon); 5. Tohru Ukawa (Hon); 6. N oboatsu Aoki (Hon); 7. Kens uke Haga (Ya m); 8 . Ralf Waldmann (Hon); 9. Luis D' Antin (H on) ; 10. Jean--PhiHppe Ru ggi a (Han); 11. Takeshi Tsujuimura (Hon); 12. Jurgen Fuchs (Hon ); 13. Osamu Mi ya zaki (Ap r); 14. Re gi s Laconi (Hon); 15. Ta sumasa H ata key ama (Hon); 16. Sebastian Porco (A p r ); 17. Ky oji N am ba (Ya m); 18 . Robe rt o Locat elli (Apr); 19. Eskil Suter (Apr); 20. Sete Gibemau (Hon): 21. Luca Boscoscuro (Ap r ); 22. Jamie Robinson (Apr); 23. Jose Lu is Cardoso (Ap r); 24. Oli ver Petrocciani (Ap r); 25. Ouistophe Cogan (Hon); 26. Jurgen v an d en Goorbergh (Hon ); 27 . Ma ssimo Ott obre (A p r ); 28 . C~tiano Miglio ria ti (Hon); 29. Gianluigi Scalvini (Hon); 30. Da vide Bulega (Ap r); 31. Ouistian Boudinot (Apr); 32. Tetsuya Harada (Yam ); 33. Jose Barresi (Yam). Time: 41 minutes, 36.486 seconds. Dist.anee: 19 laps , 69.24 miles . M.ugin of vict ory: 13.560 se conds. Average spee d: 99.837 mph Fastes t Lap : Max Bia~Ki, 2:10.492. Lap 11 SOOec GRAND PRIX: 1. N orifumi Abe (Yam); 2. Alex Criville (H on ); 3. Scott RUS-"lt'll (Suz); 4. Tadayuki Okada (Ho n ); 5 . Daryl Beatt ie (Su z); 6. Mick Doohan (Yam); 7. Doriano Romboni (Apr); 8. Jean-Michel Bayle (Yam); 9. Alberto Pu ig (Ho n); 10. Carl es Checa (Ho n ); 11. Shi nichi Ito~ (~on); 12. Kenny Ro~erts Jr. (Yam); 13. Jeremy McWllhams (Yam); 14. Tos hi Arakaki (Yam); IS. Jam es Haydon (Yam); 16. Eugene McManus (Yam); 17. Sean Emmett (Yam ); 18. Juan Borja (Elf); 19. Takuma Aoki (H a n ); 20. Adrien Bosshard (Elf); 21. Katsuaki F ujiwara (Su z) ; 22 . Al e x Barros (H o n ); 23 . Loris Ca p ir os si (Hon); 24. Lau rent Naveau (Yam); 25 . l uca Cadalora (Hon ); 26 . Je an Pierre Je a n d a t (P a t); 27 . Frederic Protat (Yam). Time: 45 minutes. 34.590 seconds. Distance: 21 laps, 76.52 m iles. Margin of victory: 6.496 St'COOds. Average IIpHd: 100.138 m ph. Futest up' No rifumi Abe. 2. 09.089. Lap 14. " 125« WO RLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDIN G S (A ft~r 3 of 15 racesb 1. Masaki Tokudome (63/2 wins); 2. Haruchtka Ao ld (60); 3. Stefano Perugini (37 / 1); 4. Noboru Ve da (33 ); S. Peter Dettl (32); 6. Tom o m i Manako (31); 7. Valentino Rossi (20); 8. Jorge Martinez (19); 9. Ak ira Sai to (15); 10. (TIE ) Dirk Rau d ies / Lucio Cecchinello (13 ); 12. mE) Emilio Alzamora / Manfred .Geissler (11); 14. Masao Azwna (10); 15. Andrea Ballerini (9), 16. Kaz uto Sakata (8); 17. Darren Barton (7); 18. (TIE) S. lbaraki /Frederic Pe tit (6); 20. (TIE) Garry McCov /P. Tessari r Iarosla v H ul E'S (4). . ~ 250« WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 3 of 15 races ); I. Max BiagJ;i (70/ 2 wins); 2. Tetsuya Har ad a (45 / 1); 3. luis d ' An tin (36); 4. O livier Jacque (34) ; 5 . Noboatsu Aold (31); 6. Ralf Wa ldmann (24); 7. (TIE) Jea n Ph ilip pe / Ruggi a Fuchs (23) ; 9, (TIE ) No n yasu Numa ta / To hru Uka wa (20); 11. Daijirc Kate (16); 12 . Ju rg en va n den Goorbergh (12 ); 13. Lucio Boscoscuro (10) ; 14 . (TIE) Katsuake H a g a / Ta ke shi Ts uj i m ura (9); 16. Sebasti an Porco (7 ); 17. Robe rto Loca telli (6); 18. (TIE ) Jami e Robi nson /Eski l Suter (5); 20. m E) Da vid e Buleg a / Osamu Miyazaki (4). 500« W OR LD CH A MP IO N SHI P POINT STAND" ING S (Afte r 3 o f 15 race s): 1. Mid Doohan (46 /1 win); 2. m E) No rilumi Abe / Alex Barro s (40), 4. Sco tt Rus sell (38); 5. Luca Ca da lora (35); 6. (TIE) Alex Criville /Carl es Checa (33); 8 . Jean-Mich el Bayl e (26); 9 . Alberto Pui g (22); 10. Lo~s Ca pt ross t (16); 11. Doriano Romboni .(14); 12. Ta d ayuki Okada (13); 13. Daryl Beatti e (11); 14. m E) Frederic Protat / Ieremy McWilli ams (9); 16. Sh ini chi Itch (8); 17. (TIE) Juan Borja /Sean Emmett (6); 19. (TIE) Ludo Pedercini /Kenny Roberts Jr . (4 ). Max Blaggl had It all his way In the 250cc Gra nd Pr ix , espec ia ll y aft er his main rival Tetsuy a Harada went out wi t h a cras h, Upcoming rounds : Round 4 " Je rez, Spain. May 12 Round 5 " Mugello , Italy, May 26 ·Briefl •• W ill M icha el Doohan switch to a V-twi~ for Jerez? The Spa'nish circuit. venue lor the first European GP..is one place wh ere new lightw eight is expected to excel. and the rumor mill at Suzuka said that the delending Wodd Champion . had request ed one. only for HRC to turn him down . . ·" First I've heard of it." Doohan said. "Obviously . il the thing tum s out to be the way to go 1 .might ask for one later in the season. but it'd be throw ing caution to the wind now. At least my V-four is faidy reliable." The Vtwi n showed well in the first tw o races, but wh ile Shinichi Itoh finished 13th· in Sentul, Okada crashed in the first round ,and broke down in the . second. Suguru Kanazawa. HRC managing director. also poured cold water on the suggestion. "It would be very difficult:- Kanazawa said. "Our priority is to developthe V-tWin l or sale in 1997, We have only lour bikes. two each fur our development nders O kada and ltoh . Perhaps later in the , seaso.n we might have more bikes that we could give to other riders if ·they wanted them. but there has been no request Irom Doohan ,- . the having one or two non-finishes in . a season. I've used up my alloca t ion already. I need w ins now to .catch up. buff also need t o 'finish every race. so I can 't afford to r isk .a nyt htnq . The 'A ust r alian sported a new hairstyle - or rat her no-hair style; with a shaved scalp . alte ri ng his appearanc e to the extent that paddock official s. fail. ing . to rec ognize him. frequently checked to see that he had a pit . pass. Had he lost a bet? Had the hairdresser misunderstood hi s inst ruct lons? No, it wa s 'dellberate : he insisted. " I gOt bored sitting around at home, so I thought l 'd try some thi ng different. " he said . " It hasn't made my hel.:net . too lose.. ILseems to so.rt of Velcro it into place." M ick Doohan' s 'sedond-rti w qu'alifying pos ition brought to an' end run ~f " front-row starts that was already in t he reco rd books . Doohan has been in the top four. for the last 29 GPs. The reco rd-holder in the modem (post fo ur,stroke) racing era is Eddie Lawson. with 47 front-row starts. .,' , . Th~ f~ture ' d irecti ';n ~f · GPracing 1;0"';1 997 o~~ard 'beca'rri~ ri'o clearer at Suzuka, With the waters muddled stili further by an announce- '. ·ment from the FIM of a' new accord between.them and the manufact urers' associa tion. the GPMA. Theannouncement followed a meeting on April 15 In SWltzedand between new FIM president France sco Zerbi and'representatives 01 the ,GPMA. and stated that the RM and the GPM A has "set up the basis for a global agreement... establishing the basis for a new era in the relationship betwee n,the RM and the manulacturers.": .The va9ue word ing conceaied powetful politica l implications ., with the federation and .'. the,GPMA establishing a third powe r base In'the struggielor 'the futu re of · racing. At present. teams ' association IRTA has broke n the mold by sign- . " ing an agreement with ·sports marketing organizat ion ISL fo r ,next year_ · tU ,:"ing their back on Doma: But Doma already has contracts in place with " the FIM 'concemlng all GP rights . and it appears that IRTA has sold 'somethi.ng t~ey do not possess . The only peac~fursoluti(>n wou ld be l or ISL to ' , buy Doma. thereby acquiring the GP rights. But the change 01 presidenCy at t he FIM throws 'everyth ing into doubt . One clause in the contracts between DOm8 and the FIM gives the federation the Fight to revoke t he deal If they do not agree with any sale of Doma. Z eroi - 'elect ed last year - . has publicly stated his inten tion 01 regaining control of the GPs. "The · tro uble with lATA. " he said ~t Suzuka. "i s that If You give them your hand to shake. they .take your.whole ann ." . ' .' - ' . a ' Suzu ki hope to return to ,the 250cc class in 1997, winning , AllJapan 250cc title in 1995 and leading so farin 1996. Rider. N o riy a su Numata was awnd card entry .at Suzuka. 'riding t he only Suzuki in the 250 cc class. and qualified on the fron t row ' of the grid after being l ast est lor almos t all 01 t he prev ious dais w et session. '" A lthough I have to defend 'my All-Japan title this year. my main.aim 'is to go GP :racing next year. and I will go all out to show wha t I am capable of and what the Suzuki can do: he said....lt 's a dtsadvantaqenot to have a Suiuki racing inter- ' nationally, because we .cannot develop the machine in comparison with wo rld-level competition ." Suzuki techn ical direct or Yukio Nakarnuracon",,!,ed t hey hoped to retu rn to GP racing in 1997 . "The only reason we . are not there now is budget: he said . At home , Numata carrfes tne.cov" eted Lucky Strike ,backing, but the' buck stops ,in' Japan, .with ,no further funds available for a GP campaign. The machine was last seen in GP.rac- . ing ,in 1993, wnere ij became famous as the innocent Victim of erstwhile rider John Kocimi k;"s rage at Assen. Aft er breaking the lap record but losing the race .to eventual champion Harada, Kocinski report edly destroyed the bike 's motor on the slow-down.lap on purpo se. It was his last ride wit h t he team . The Suzuki is a claSs-standard. ,singie-erankShaft V-tWin. the major change sin.ce its GP years being a change In:>m oversquare to square cylinder dimensio ns.,mirrori ng a similar change in the V,four 5OOs. ~fter th~ Practice ,in Suzuka ';"as a great day for Du~I';p·. which has lost all' its major ,500cc -class V,four contracts to M ichelin lollowing the defec tion 01 Team Robert s and Team Rairiey. There were ·cmly.two 500s fitted with Dunlops - Doriano Rombon;"s sole V-twi n Aprili" and the' Lucky Strike Suzuki of wild card Katsuaki Fujiwara: Both qualified on the front rOw 61 the grid. Du nlops had also shOwn well In the' previous day's'wet ·practice. The quote of .the· weekend c~me fr~m an.IRTA meetl~g on Thu'rsda~: lead i~g the 250cc Class. In the dry . they split the front row equally with where presiden t M ichel Metraux assured delegates t hat he had ' M ichelin. . , '. . Zerbl's word that the future relations With IRTA muld be all nght. and that he .trusted him absolutely. '" hi that case . you must be the sort 01 person Romb oni's· sp'e cial-size tires ~elied -on - 'prC!d'uct!on-car racing Jar a who wou ld get M ichael Jackson to baby-sit your kids." said Roberts. " brand-new wet,weather compoun d that put him second-Ias test in the . irst f day's soaking wet session. ".We have a new size 01 rear tire - 175 against ' Aprili, boss Cado Pernat wa s forced io revise his bonus ~cheme a't ·Suzu~ . a the ex-250 165. with '8 veiy diffe rent 'profile." said Dunlop racing chief ka. wit h new 500cc-class rider Doriano Romboni beginning to show Jeremy f ei guson. .The new wet compound was developed wit h the Audi .rea lly we ll on the undersized. lightw eight Ytwin . Pernat already had to 'uring-car team . "They .have the l acil it les lor .w et-test ing o n flooded . $1 5.000 on the t able for Biaggi for a Japanese GP win'. and $5000 lor tracks . This is the first .chance we:ve had to try it on a bike." he ,added. . ' '1 ,25 rider Stefano Pe:u gini. Two day s into the ,Suzuka meeting , questioned by journalists. he said. "I think if is a gooa Idea that Rombon i , A .curiou ~ 't e c h n i c a l ~hi.ft has come 'Iu ll' circl~ in 1996. with all the "should have $10 ,000 if he finishes on the ros trum. - It wou ld have been Japanese ,m anufactu rers now conlorming to " square" cy lin'der dimenthe bike's best -ever lini sh after tWo develop,:,ent years. . . sions of 54 x 54mm . ·These have been Honda:s choice l or their 125cc · cylinders (for 500 lours) ~any years", Da~I 'Beattie came' back"t~ Suzuka with a clean bill of healih after doc" bot h Yamaha125 singles, 250 tWins and iy favored for "oversqua're wh ile , and Su zuki. have ·rece nt an 56 x torsi;' Aust ralia and in Japan' deClared the middle-ear problem that had " , 50 :6mm size. S uzuk i swi tc hed bot h 'it s V -four and it s V -twi n 250 to . been affecting hiS balance was now cured. .- I' m leeling fine~ sod bac k square dimensions last y ear; while Yamaha changed first its VZR250 (for home I flew my light aircraft and my helicop ter: said the Lucky .Strike Harada at"Barcelona last year), with this years 500s lo llowing suit. There ' ·Suzuki rider. ' " But this is the first time I've been on a motorcycle 'since is no simple explanatio n lo r the advantages 01 this layout , because so cras hing a week bel ore the Malaysian GP. If s going all nghi. but I have to . many other variables are involved. inc luding port size, shape and disPosi- . get back to l eeling comlo rtable on the bike. If s a bit like the feeling you t ion and conne cting-rod length. ' . have afte r the Ch ristmas break.. Usually, you can count on most .riders

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