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/127782
more races to go. Anything can happen, and after all it's after weekends like this tha t yo u learn most." Foga rty was also pretty down in the dumps after two dif ficu lt heats. "This is about the wo rst weekend of my en tire caree r," the Briton said . "I wis h I knew w hat wen t wrong. Everyth ing seemed not to wo rk this weekend . Even the engine and the gea rbox gave troubles. The engi ne felt very flat in the corners a nd coming out of the hairpins. I had .to try to make up for the los t ground sliding past everybody on the bra kes. But th a t is not rea lly my sty le . O n top of tha t, I had to ride the second race on my spa re b ike , w hic h mad e thi ngs ev .en worse. My best bike di dn' t want to start just before the second heat." D o n i ngton Park Ra ce C irc u it Donington Pa rk, England Results: April 28 , 1996 (R ound 2 o f 12) QUALIFYING : 1. Tro y Corse r 0 :33.00 /196 .558 m p h ); 2. S im on C ra fa r 0 :33 .78) ; 3 . Aa ro n Slig ht 0 :33.84); 4. Ant hony Gobert 0:34 .06); 5. Neil Hod gson 0 :34.17); 6. Pi er -Fr an cesco C h il i 0 :34.20 ); 7. Colin (A b o v e) J ohn K o ci n s k i (c e n t e r) g ives c hase. The D ucatl factory rider d idn 't li v e up to prerace e x p ectatio n s, fi n is hin g 7-6 on the day , (L eft) Corser ( c e n t e r ) celebrates his first-l e g victory with M uzzy teamsters C r af a r (left) and Gobert (right), racing team in Italy. hoping for someextra s~pport . for our nat io na l progra m, W hen I le f t. I had a promi se froni the Japanese that we wo uld have a full-factory bike for both British rounds of the wqrl d series (Doni ngto n Park and Brands Hatch). " Things, however, di d not wo rko ut quile as ex pected . Bepp e Russo and a mechanic of the , , Engine .. H o n da is develop ing a V -twin with a cylinder Belqarda team only arrived on Friday morning with the bikes; which didn 't leave any time for the Bntish.: capacity of about 1000cc, which co uld be entered beginning with next year' s World Superbike Champito find a proper setup before the first free practice . onship. Strangely. Honda doesn't plan to, build speOn top of th at the bi ke was set up c omple t ely" cial factory bikes using the twin. Tlie factory riders wrong due to a communication problem betw een . .. .. _will have to make do with the RC45 - or its successor . the It alian mechanic s (w ho do not speak Engli sh) , and the ," 9uests " . .• Jamie Whitham is a 'rider who is for at least three more years. The V-four will not be , ' abando ned becau se of com mercia l reasons: the -able to ride around aproblemon the bike, but as a , ". . ' , . _.._-_' Ii,. , -:--'-_ 750cc Supersports market is still verY important on a . for mer, 250ci: Grand Prix rider Niall is very critical global scale. It also seems more and 'more probable : about the setup. especially on the front suspension: , As could be expected, T~am M uzzy has appealed the that the successor to the RG45 might be introduced one of the inherent problems of the VZF.· McElnea decision of the,R M technlcalcommittee inMisano, , 'at the end of this year or next year. to be homologatsaid. Whitham, who was suffe ring fro m food poison-: ' which cost Anthony Gobert victory and 25 points , edin time for a successful career for the V-four-coning during pract ice .days, went bett er ' on race day . ." A matter ofa different interpre tation." ,Rob Muzzy , cept ·in Wo rld Superbike racing. The Honda V-twin , than his teammate. He will have the official bike at said. "Carburetion rules have changed compared to (with racing kitl will' be sold at a competitive price to his disposal at Bra nd~ Hatch. . last year and there was some sort of a gray area that .. privateteams. is not well' understood . Now at least we know whatis As in Misano, John Kocinski used a " new " ·damping , legal accord ing to FIM and what is not : If that had , The arrival of John Kocinski on the World Super- . unit under his Ducati.. " Nothinqnew," said engineer been clear before Mi sana , wewould not have had ' bike scene was not only bad news for Troy Corser. Donienicali. "We used the sameair/oil technique 10 the same problems. We are waiting the decision "who was the favorite for the 1996 worl d title. Pier. years ago already:' the jdea was dusted off a couple of the FIM . which should followwithin ,30 day s." , Francesco Chili was another. rider.who saw his plans ofwee ks ago by one of our team members . Jo hn Teani M uzzy is determ ined to get the points back, fall,through when "little Jo hn" signed a contract with · ' used the Italian co mponent during private practice espec ially as b oth bikes p assed scrut ineerinq after Ducati. ' " I had been talking to Virginio Ferrari a lonq sessions in Misano. and broke the lap record with it. · the first heat in Misano and were not changed for the .. time before Jo hn Kocinski showed up. " the BoIogna- · He is very happy ·about it: N eil (Hodgson) has not second one. Also. the identical bike used by Simon based former Grand Pox racer said. " Ferran had told : tried it out y et. " in an effort to make his Ducati han-.: .Crafar did pass the test after the second hea t. me that I would have factory bikes arid that I would . die better on Su nday: the teani swi tc hedback .to " Maybe it is all right if .you don't win," M uzzy said. be part of the factory team this year. But then everyOhlins, ACcording to Kocinski, this didn't change the . "We will. however. go through the whole 'process. thing changed. Wit h the arrival of John. the original bike 'much.,"John will try the Italian system 'again in There are three phases of appeal: 'w e will continue if promise was watered down·to the supply of a factory . Hockenheim." Virginio Ferrari said. " But it is improb- · , RM does not agree with us afterthe first appeal. " In -. bike in my current team 'C tolone): And finally; we ' ' able that we will use it on the bike for the rest of the Gat Doninq both bikes were of course comple ton tely H ie_ received one day before the first practice sesslo nin season. There is no development work being done · gal." · "The ,so-called ' illegal carburetion system, with , Misano half factory bike", withsome special engine and on top of,that, Ohlins are not quite happy about which' the,bikes were homologated. have been in the and chassis parts. " And Chili's troubles aren't Over. our using different stuff ." . ' bike since Deceinber."We have never done a back· ' With the Italian Grand Prix at Mug ello neahng again, . to-beck. tes t withand without the parts. We noticed Chili hopes that the Castiglione brothers ,might again ' Mor~ " shocking" news: Honda tested·Ohli~s da;"pers · on the dynethat top performancewas better without bring the Cagiva 5000ut of the museum' and allow . dunnq private testsessions one week before the Donthem, but in thai case the performance was not .so " Frankie" to' try to repeat his last year's finish. But . ington round in Snetterton. "I didn't feel any difference ' usable. Last week D oug Chandler and Mike Smith according to some sources in Italy, Kocinski might be and the lap limes were not betler either. ~ said.Carl rode the bikes without the parts at Pomona. just to . the on e riding the red bike in the Grand ,Prix if the : Fogarty , At Donington, the team retumed to units from ' get. some experience . In the meantime, the. perforCast igliones give the ,green light fo r a new one-off Showa, one of the subsidiaries 'of HO J'da, .. mance difference has disappeared. thanks pertially to . ,Grand Prix perfor mance. , the new parts that we received from Japan last week " Ch rister Lindholm. one of the biggest surprises at ' . N iall Mackenzie had a fact cryYamaha at his dis" for the Donington race." '.. Misano: took two Ducatis 9 16 with l000cc engines posal in Donington. 'The fornierGrand Prix rider is with him to England.'The bike he used in Misano was concen trating his efforts cin the British Superb ike , Despit e his ex~ellent results in the.World Superbike ridden by' Edwin Weibel in the German Championship Championship. Anthony Gobert still considers hi mself C hampionship for 1996 , r iding in th e 'C aobury ' s '. in 1995 and was an ex-Cart Fogarty bike from 1994, , t o be-made for two-stroke racing, His "ro ugher " rid- .. Boost team aiong with Jamie,Whitham , who . afte r The second , 100Ccc engine is actually a " homewor k ing style compared to his 't eammate' s Simon Crafar recovering from cancer · has become one of the . project. " ' wlt h cylinder s coming out of a Mercedes and the way he wears out tires seems to confirm this, racing engine. 'There is stiUa lot of potential in the most popular: riders in Britain. Team manager Rob The " Go-Show " is det ermined to try his luck next McElnea explained how the deal with Yamaha came bike: " Undholm said., "We still have to optimize the · year in the Grands Prix, " Next year J would like to combustion chambers. the inlet ports . etc... " thro ugh. - In J anuary I vis ~ted t~ e official Yamaha ride a Honda NSR.' he said, Tve been working with Kawasaki and Honda the last couple of years. and I feel happy with them. With. Honda we, already had Grand Prix plans worked out two years ago. but then those were postponed. Now, I feel ready to return to them and go Grand Prix racing for them. " Ed wards (1 :34 .26); 8 . Carl Fogarty 0 :34 .31) ; 9. Jo hn Koci ns ki (1;34.4 4); 10. Jo hn Rey no lds 0 :35 .21); 1l. Piergiorgio Bont emp i 0 :35.22); 12. wata ru Yoshikawa 0 :35.27); 13. Chris ter Lin d holm 0 :35.30); 14. [o che n Schm id 0:35.56); 15. Nia ll Mackenzie 0 :35.59); 16. Kirk McCa rt hy (1035.59); 17. Pao lo Casoli 0:35.76); 18. James Whitha m 0:35.95); 19. Mike Hale 0:35.96); 20. Stephane Chambon (1:36.54); 21. Jim Mood ie (] :36.56); 22. Micha il Paq uay (1:37.14); 23. Mall Llewellyn (1:37 .31); 24. Ray Stri nge r 0:37.39); 25. Jan Simpson 0 :37.40); 26. Dav id Jefferies (1;37.65); 27. Igor Jerman (1:37.67); 28. Gra ha m Wa rd 0:3.74); 29. Michael Rutter 0:37.76); 30. Dea n Ashto n 0 :37.81); 31. Joh n Boustes 0 :38.67); 32. Shau n Mu ir 0:38.69); 33. Bernhar d Haenggeli 0:38.87); 34. Ale x Buc kin g ham ' 0 :39.35); 35 . An d ers Rasmu ssen (H O .62). RACE ONE: 1. Troy Corser (Due); 2. Simon Crafa r (Kaw ): 3. Anthony Gobert (Ka w ): 4. Pier-Fra ncesco Chili (Du e): 5. Aaron Slight (He n): 6. Colin Edwards (Yam); 7. John Kocin ski (Due); 8. Ca rl Fogarty (H en) : 9. Wataru Yos hika wa (Yam ); 10. Pierg icrgic Bontem pi (Kaw): 11. Paolo CasoIi (Due); 12. [ochen Schmi d (Kaw): 13. Kirk McCarthy (Suz) : 14. Mike H ale (Due); 15. Stepha ne Cha mbo n (Duc); 16. NiaU Mackenzie (Yam); 17. Da vid Jefferies (Hon): 18. Ray Stringer (Kaw); 19. Joh n Boustas (D ue) ; 20 . Al e x Bu ck in gh am (Ya m ); 21. Be r n a rd Haenggel i (Hen): 22. Igor Jerma n (Ka w l. Ti me: 41 min ., 09.84 Sl."C. D istance: 26 laps, 65 miles. Average speed: 94.531 mph . Margin of vict ory: 5.27 sec. Fastest lap: Troy Corser, 1:33.47/ 96.06 mp h. RA CE TW O: 1. Troy Corser (Due); 2. Aaron Slight (H e n ): 3. An tho ny Gobert (Ka w); 4. Co lin Edward s (Yam); 5. Pier-Fra ncesco Chili (Due); 6. Joh n Kocinski (Du e); 7. Ca rl Foga r ty (H en): 8. C hris te r Lindholm (Due); 9. Paolo Casoli (Due); 10. James Whitha m (Yam); 11. Picrgiorgio Bontcrnp i (Kaw): 12. Wataru Yoshikawa (Yam); 13. Nia ll Macke nzie (Yam); 14. Kirk McCarthy (Su z): 15 . Stephane Chambon (Du d ; 16 . Mike Ha le (Due) : 17. Da vid Jeffer ies (Hon) : 18. Michael Rutter (Due); 19. Igor Jerma n (Kaw): 20. Graha m Ward (Due); 21. John Bous tas (Due) ; 22. Bernard Heenggeli (H e n): 23. Alex Buckingham (Yam ). Ti me: 41 min., 14.18 sec. ;lp D istan ce: 26 1 S, 65 miles. Ave rage speed: 94.354 mph. Margin of victory: 0.69 sec. Fastest lap: Aaro n Slight, 1:33.88/ 95.653 mph WORLD SU PE R BI KE C HA MPIO NSH IP P OI N T ST AN D IN G S (After 2 of 12 roun d s): 1. Troy Co rser (90 /2 wi ns) ; 2. John Koci nski (69 /2 w in s) ; 3. Pier Fran cesco C hili (56); 4. Aaron Sli ght (52); 5. Sim on Crafar (46); 6. Antho ny Gobert (43); 7. Colin Edwards (37); 8. Ca rl Fogarty (36); 9. (TIE) Christer Lindh olm/ Wataru Yoshikawa (23). . U pc omi ng rou nds: Round 3 - Hoc ke nhe imring , G erm a ny , Ma y 12 Ro und 4 - Mo nz a, Ita ly, Ju n e 16 '· r·t-e" fly· .., B .. n ow a mn a

