Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

That didn't really happen until the 15th lap, and by then Checa was more ,than four seconds in front. Doohan was never far from Criville up to that point and knew he'd be able to stay close after watching Criville slide both ends of the bike dramatically out of the Repsol Curve. "Speaking to Alex afterwards he said you could either have it spinning or in line and the lap time was the same," Doohan said. "I felt the same thing. When he was in front, it was a lot easier to try to open the throttle a bit more and try to get away and the end'result is just spinning. It was pretty spectacular behind him. It looked like he was cooking up a barbecue, basically," Those two were joined for much of the race by Cadalora and Rob!"rts, though neither could make a move into the podium spots. Cadalora chose a harder tire than Doohan and Crivil1e and said he didn't have as much grip as they had through the fast turns. "I couldn't get close enough to mount an attack," he said, Roberts was riding smoothly at the back of the quartet after having dispatched with Barros in the opening laps, As usual, the Yamaha was down on power to the Hondas, forcing the firstyear 500cc rider to work harder ,through the corners. It would be his undoing. It . . -. . Dunlops six. s~ven years, It was a big challenge , fo( him.. In ,the, be,glnhing: 'we had ari advantage , 't~e 'otbe'r rid,,-rs didn't, have, Rid~rs have to , believe that. ~ Rainey added ,that th" team hqd, a , ~~nriber of, tests, and ,tha! .Michelin maqe many: ',tires. "When.you .switc,h ,t,lr:e companies.. you" have to approach it as a challenge, In Tetsuya",S , .case., maybe' it ';"as' t09 509n'," ',Rainey added that he didn,'t believe a switch ,to Dunl6ps'wou!d , have ma'cje a difference, ,"I'm.holding back a lot., for sure, He.'s the ooe riding the bike, not m,,: 'I know'what it takes to keep it 0P' in there, I felt af. the end of,ihe year it didiTt exist, ", Sete 'Giber,nau' ,had',previously. tested the YZR ,in' Brnei' and Imola" beitering Harada',s race times on both Max Blaggl (1) leads Jurgen Fuchs (11), Oliver Jacque (19) and a host of others at the start of the 250Cc Grand Prix. didn't help that Tadayuki Okada Seemed to awake from a deep sleep late in the race to mount a very effective charge. "The last few laps I knew someone was catching me hand over fist and 1 knew it was a twin, so I was trying to dose right up on Luca (Cadalora) so the guy couldn't get by me," Roberts said. That's when he made the mistake in the downhill hairpin that put him on his back while he was in fiftlliess than two laps from the end. "I wasn't expecting them to do well here and they were going better than 1 thought," team owner Kenny Roberts said. "Jean-Michel (Bayle) and Junior were having to push through the bumps a little hard and they pushed the front." Bayle's undoing came on the 18th lap while he was in sixth place after passing Okada, As the end approached, Doohan and CriviUe continued to swap second place, , CriviIle took it on the 23rd lap, then Doohan took it back, and Criville was out front in the first turn starting the final lap. Doohan counterattacked in the long, looping left-hand Renault Curve just as Criville's rear tire slid to the left, That gave Doohan some room, but CriviUe was back. Doohan then took the spot for good in the pair of left-handers halfway into the flnallap, "I wasn't quite sure how many of us there was in the battle for second," Doohan said. "I knew if I could get him (Checa) far enough away that we weren't going to pull him back, all I had to worry about was keeping close to Alex and that's why, basically, we were swapping back and forth. Realistically, 1 was catching him by not opening up the throttle so much. It just seemed to be that was it for the day, You couldn't ~arry any more speed. I think my front tire was a bit better than Alex's. I could roll through the turns, especially when 1 was behind him, a bit quicker." "During the battle with Mick (Doohan), I wanted to beat him and be second," Criville said, "In the end, 1 had to settle for third, but at least I was veiy close to him." Lucky St~ke likely would 'nOt Dack the. team, Th<;l The" FIM c,ollect~d' $2200 'in pi~.lan" .~: ,last time ,they were in 250cc GP, racing 'was In, nmit ,violation f,ine. at Catalunya. the , 993, the' ye'ar ,that joh-n Kocinski 'rode 'the bike biggest offenders' being two-time lo"ers Carlos ,Uritll'beirigfired after thi: Quteh IT at Assen, " 'Checa arid Alberto PUig 6f ilie Fortuna, Plonda Inoiher Apriila rie';"s, Ap;'iIIa'engineerJan Wit-, , Po'ns,team, Each violation' costs $1'00, but if teveimsaid the factory is ,considering bi,iilding: pespite' finishing 14,th in ,the, previ,?us 'Sa~ Milri· ' yo'u're caught ~ice, You' re 'ei~t $500, 'The limit' either a ,thr~ or fou;,!,ylinder, ma"hine for: no' 'GP.'at Imol,a two weeks <;ladier" Aprllia:'s' is '90, kp,liJS5,:93 ,mph: an,d vi91ators, '~ere next year and its, decision will be based on, what 'D'or'iano Romboni withdrew from ,the issued tickets for beii:tg as'little:as 1.:7 kph,ov~r ,fuel: the FIM ai,andates for use n'ext year, There Catallmya~ ,Gp after Ifngering righi'wrist inju~es ,C:1250c rider E;inilio,Alzaf1)ora), Among the tipk, , IS,a mover'T]ent afoot in the FIM to,switch to' forced hlf'!) out:of Fridaymoming's practice,ses-:, eted were World, Champion Michael D'oohan pump gas', for,next,year" a move already made in,' sian, The deCiSion was made by Romboni, Ap~i.- , ,and his Repsol Horida teammate Alex, 'Criville,', ',the AII . Japan, Champ.ionship, 'He sa,id ,th'at!i.e 'ia spQrtillg 'mariag'e, 'Carlo Pernat, and Grand World' ChampioIJ Max Biaggi,; and Marlborn' thought development of the V,twin 'would cantin', ' Prix M~ical' Director Dr. Claudio Costa, •R:oni: Roberts ',Yamaha team'mates Kenny ,Roberts ue, but. he' wasn't certain 'if it would be ,raced 'pr bani has brokiin his' scaphoid ,four times' dunng and Norifumi Abe, Abe won the speed prize, ,'not. Either way" the team has a contracl-lNith" 'his'career," Costa saiil'. '-This has resulted in a ,whl'zzing down 'the' pit lane at 105.4 'kph/65,5 ' ':o~tinQ~'. . . . . . Dorlano Romborit, though il could' put him 01'1 a, bone'that is very delicate and, prone to causing mph, with Roberts, secono' at.'1 02 kph/63,38 ",250 if the 400 V,twin doesn't run, -To dp so ,irritation, Considering 'that thls'track'requlres'a ' mph,' , Gil:iemau, the 23,ye~r,old' Barcel6nan: ,has' been, ,wQul,d mean puttin!=} him on yet another' te~m:, lot of'hea'vy braklng'and a load on the wrist.'lt Is ' , repl,aced, on the AXO.~an Palr1gnanO team With Biaggi on the yhest..rfield' factory team: better that he does' riot 'race'," Rombonl was Sunday's ,crowd of 62,500 was a' 'record n~mby' Fra~co Bi'ttain;', a 24'ye~,'0Id 'Italian 'Who'W~s ,and Stefano Perugini'set to ",ove to the Nastro ' hoping th'at, with ~(j we'eks ciif uritil the 'next GP' for motorcycle ,Grand Prix 'at, the 'Catalunya a wild card in, the' previous GP at .Imola, Rainey ,,'Azzurr:o Aprilla team, ,Ramboni couid 'stay ,on t~e' ,in ,Rio de Janeiro, t~'i' right wMst would be strong .eir.cuit, arid contribut..d to a' i.v"ekend total of admitted he w,as aware of tn-at, a'nd, sa,I~, ,IP Aprilia team" 'lmOugh,to'aliow him to ,compete.. ' !l9.500, 'indudiog '14,8000n Friday arid 22,2,00 , "They've replaced him, ahd, we"re 'not going to " , ' , , ' , on Saturday, ," ' ' leave Sete out." Glbemau, in'his rookie GP'seaThe, t~am,';'ith ihe 'largest rost~r or' p'otential:rid·, The FU\II releas'ed a statemenfin Barce!ona say- ' '" ,~On, has scored points, three, tlrnes this Year OrY ers 'is, Lucky Strike Suzuki, Scott R........ said' irig that - Riders' who wish to participate' in the, 'Fortona Honda Peins.' Catalunyan GP'victory , the AXO,San'"Patrignane> H9nda RS250.. He is' ,at'BarcelQna,that he, would'like to siay. in' GPs,' whole season 'of the 1997 FIM Road Racing ,marked the' ,t OOth' 'SOOcc GP 'wiri for the.grands'on,of F.raricisco Bulto, tlie founder of. but' wouldn't say who with.' As~ed about his' ,Grand'P'ix'World.Championship must request Honda, a record 'started in 1966 when 'Jim Bultaco 'motorcycles, .and .has. previously ,ridden ' fut'ure: Russ"II,sa,id, 'Right 'now ,it"s~ propably, 'im- applicatiori: form Jrom ,the FiM, :' They also' Redman' won the W"st German 'GP at, Hockenfor-tv1arlboro Team Roberts In the Spanish Open 'floating' around in the air, ~ His representative ' gave a deadline of February 28, 1997: though, ,heim over' MV Agusta's Giacomo ,Agostini. It' 4S0CC series, " , '" was, seen.,in QiScussicin,s, with, Eif SOO ,ROC pro- . th,l~ is .thought' to underclJ,t the authority of 'the .~lsO, marked f;londa:s '10th CQris",cutiye win in .. ject leader Mlchel.Metraux, who. thinks t~at l1us' ,Intematlo~al Racing ,Teams Assocatiein " 'although they too have rep,ort'edlyJalked to l::uca' th,ough' the :smaller cfasses were more Widely " , ,Rainey said. ,"Se,te likes to feel much more, Cadalora, If'Luc'kyStrike'Suzuki has three'rid·, 'subscribed, ':, Though.,RepsoIHon,da's Michael Do,ohan set a movement·in the back thari,Tetsuya:-, ::' " ,'ers, whicli is ooe of, its options, .Ru·ssell probably, 'new'record p.ole position with a'iap time of , ' " could stay·p~,t., With a two:rider,t~am, h'is The'French GP. which has alternated between, ):46,?O'1/9!t57 mp~ late in' the' second qua!ify." , Rainey's replaclrig Harada with' Gibemau came "chaooes, from the Lucky Strike Su'zuki side. 'are' the Le Mans and Paul Ricard cir.cuits. the past 'ing se~sion, on 't~e' 2,94-mile' Catalunya Circuit, ' 'as a',corT1plele sLi."ris'e to race spo.nsor, Marl· , less 'sanguin'e, The only certai'nty, 'is' that Daryl ,f~w years, wiil,r"main at Paul, Ricard for'the,' some perspectiYe,is,i'n order, Consider that Eng· , "bo,ro: Harada's pipture was ,featuredprominent: . Beattl", wlil,be'b'ack:' Team l)1anager GarTy layl!:>r ,nekt three' year~.- it, was announced ,at, 'Iishman D,anion ~iII' pill hi's floihl)1ans' 'lyon tbe 'Coyer of the event program, ' ,Is known to' have spoken with a host of riders., ,Bilrcelona, Promoter Claude Michy said, 'he:d Williams-,Rena~rt 'on ,the pole for the' Fl' race , , ' , incloding' current GP, riders Cadalora' and Max' ,reached',an' agreement with ,Doroa 'to,hold, the. 'herewith:'; t,lme 0(1 :.?O,56, ' "Har~da 'is 'tho~ght to,b~j~inirig a 'cr;\I)IdedAprilia 'Biaggi, 'as weU as, Troy Co,ser and Anthony 'race,'at ,the, pirouit on, the Cote, d'Azur 'through ,What:s a' GP 'CQlIt ihese daYs? In Barcelona, ,a ' roster, Aprilia Sporting Manager Carlo' Pernat GooertJrorn th.. World S~perbike series, 1'8yl02 ,1999, " said he livas sWI in ,cjiscussions ,with'two·time ,aiso is' high' 00 Frenchman Jean·Michel Bayle, ' .thre~,·day, ticket 'for 'seatlh\} in 'the prerni~re World Champion Max Blaggl aboutthe ',1997, who is' out of aYamaha,rlde,now that, Kenny Jimmy Filice', who. has spenl much '0.1 th~. , Grandstand went fo,'- 9000' p,ese.!as. about. 'season. 'but thal-Bl,aggi was actively seeking ,a' Robert's is splitting from the factorY, .A.n,?ther ,"year workin.g at tlie Ke~ny Roberts'Training $73,17 at. todaY's, exchange' rate, The lowest ride on a competitive four·cyHnd~r in the 500cc name, occasionally mentioned is' Katsuaki Fuji: "Flancry' arid 'raCing .In the ~uropean Open 2500<': 'ge~eral admhision' three-da'y ticket' went' for' class, ,Biaggi is ,known to haye to ,talked ,with '''lara, a ,Suzuki rider in ,the AII:Japan Champi', ''S~ries" will be' mQving, to Spain' full-time, ,alqng, $40,65,' ~driiiss10n: to ~riday or'Satu'rday prac; : .. ,Lucky' Strike Suzuki. 'If ,Blaggi lelt, ifwou'ld make' onship who ,replaced Oaryl Beattie at the seawith his fam,iiy, later'ttiis 'mo.nth . ." I've iun ,the, :tic~ was, oriIY,$1'6:26, ' '!:iarada's sign'ing, aimosi a' certainty, th(lugh,ari ,son-opimlng MalaySian GP, only to Injure himself' school, her.. on and (lff, all.year-:" Filice said', "I Aprilia' insider,said the official works team would', in the first practice session" " t r i e d to race t~,e European Op!"n, but I brok~ my' ,'Two' pr"iaie~':'.'~aced their' fin'al races 'in' ihe, ' have two riders in Ma'rlbo'o colors, Harada and ,"', hand at Misa'no ,a month, ago, 'It's still sore:,: ,500cc ,class at ,Cataluny'a, Bcit ,Sean ,EmnHitt , ,Bla.g'gf. 'Per'nat 'said' keeping Biaggi wouid be 'T.h~ Suz,uki RCV250 may' also' make a return There are ~o' races left ,in Ih", :series.:bul FiHce' is 'going to !ide a Ducali in, the final'two 'World' , good for th,e team and sp'onsors, who are espe- '.'to OP raeing .'in 1997, but 'again there are,more,' s,aid he'didn:t know if would compete.', -The 'S'uperblke'races, 'gi"lng' up his Hilrris ,Yamaha, , , cially, keen to keep hlm,sin'ce' the,GPs' Will he' questions than answers, T,he team is'loci~i;'g for 'bike's good. but the bikes we race agaiost are.' And AdrienBosshard:has quit the EL:C Lease telecast next year on RAI 1: an Italian 'national. both' an eXperienced rider and a,sponsor since' " ,tough:~, " " " ," ' , ,ROC team',effective immediatel~" ' televjsioo ,network., for the first tl'me in five ye,al'S. Since 19'92, the,'races have been on,cable televi· ,sian, in Italy, ' ' bet a 'he 9

• Cover