Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ROAD RACE Race Series Final Round: Australian Grand Prix Championship Road Wo~d By Michael Scott Photos by Gold & Goose SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, ocr. 20 he catch-line for Eastern Creek's last Australian Grand Prix was apt - The Final Curtain. In response, circumstances produced a twist in the tale that would have made any playwright proud. In a day of high drama, the last scene of the last act of the last race of the year was a first-ever 500cc-class victory for Marlboro Rainey Yamaha rider and former two-time 125cc World Champion Loris Capirossi. And nobody could have predicted the way it all happened. Until the final lap, new three-time World Champion Michael Doohan had led his home GP from teammate and rival Alex Criville - if only by inches. On the last lap, the young Spaniard attacked 'at the sharp second corner. Doohan slammed the door firmly in his face for their first collision, and stayed in front. Then came the final onslaught, at the last right-hand hairpin. And it was almost suicidal. As Doohan braked, Criville simply ran right into the back of him. Both riders went flying, and as they scrambled through the dust to remount, Capirossi ~ flashed past, hardly believing his luck. 0\ He'd been close behind throughout. .. r l and now he was the winner. "Wayne (Rainey) had predicted something like this might happen, and told me to be ready to take the chance, but I'd settled for third after my front tire went off," Capirossi said. "It was a strange way to win a race, but a win is a 1C win." Repsol Honda's Tadayuki Okada inherited second place, the best-ever fin- ish for the lightweight V-twin, and Catalunyan GP winner Carlos Checa was third on the Fortuna Honda, less than a tenth ahead of Pileri Honda's Alex Barros. Marlboro Yamal,a's JeanMichel Bayle was another second behind in fifth. Then came Criviller the first of the fallen pair to scramble aboard, with Doohan eighth behind Kanemoto Honda's Luca Cadalora. The Spaniard admitted it had been his mistake, though he added: "If we'd done it earlier in the lap it would have been Mick's fault, when he blocked me at tum two." Doohan was a bit more vocal. "It proves what I've been saying all season," the Australian said. "Alex follows me all race long, then on the last lap he goes out of control This time he took me with him." Australian Superbike champion Peter Goddard was 10th in his one-off ride on the Lucky Strike Suzuki, taking the place of injury victim Daryl Beattie; Roc Yamal1a-mounted Fred Protat was 12th, winning the IRTA Cup for privateers after his nearest rival Jeremy McWilliams failed to finish. Marlboro Yamal1a's orifumi Abe lost fourth after crashing out. Lucky Strike Suzuki's Scott Russell pitted after falling back with handling problems. The 250cc race was also a marvelous climax to a dramatic season - though rather more predictable. Chesterfield Aprilia's Max Biaggi came to the Creek with a one-point lead over HB Honda's Ralf Waldmann, and the crown would go to whichever was aI1ead of the other. For much of the race, Waldmann stalked Biaggi closely, even leading for one early lap. But Biagg!, with a one- econd (Above) The Australian Grand Prix looked like this every lap except the last. Mlck Doohan (1) leads Alex Crlvllle (4) and eventual winner loris Caplrossl (65). advantage in practice, had it all under control, and moved firmly aI1ead in the closing laps to secure victory and his third successive World Championship. "Now I can fly like a bird," Biaggi said later, while Waldmann congratulated his rival. "Of course I am disappointed, but I did my best, and second is my best-ever finish in the title," he said. Rio GP winner Olivier Jacque and the Chesterfield Elf Honda was a distant third; with Benetton Honda's Tohru Ukawa prevailing in a fierce four-bike battle for fourth. Australian Garry McCoy took a breathtaking first full win in the 125cc race, just fending off Haruchika Aoki's Rheas Honda by less than a tenth of a second after a fearsome four-bike battle. Title rival Masaki Tokudome (Ditter Plastic Aprilia) was third and veteran Jorge Martinez (Airtel Aprilia) fourth, the group covered by half-a-second across the line after more than 100km of tooth-and-nail racing - Martinez was the only rider never to lead. But while McCoy was the hero of his home crowd, the true winner was Aoki, who secured his second uccessive title in heroic style, when all he needed to do was finish in tile top 13. His title chase victory meant that all three of last year's World Champions had successfully defended their 1995 titles. 500cc GRAND PRIX Capirossi led off the line, but Doohan was in front by the fourili comer, look- ing set for another breakaway. ot so Capirossi was for once on a bike with settings iliat suited him, and he stayed close behind, and it took Criville five laps before he finally managed to get past, using his Honda's straight-line speed then outbraking him into the first comer. The trio settled down in this order, steadily drawing away from Barros, who'd forced past Bayle and then Okada by lap five. It was not processional. Criville was right on Doohan's back wheel, and Capirossi right with them, only losing touch marginally on lap 10 after narrowly escaping a front-wheel slide that had him right out of the saddle. Five laps later, Doohan had a similar problem, just staying aI1ead of Criville as he fought for control, giving the Yamaha tile chance to close up again. The Australian was clearly not having an easy time, short of grip as he had been in- practice, while Criville was sliding less and looking more contained. Thus it continued until the closing stages. With three laps left, Capirossi finally lost touch, and was more than two seconds behind as they began the last lap. It gave hinl a grandstand seat for one of the most dramatic finales of an exciting season. Criville was looking strong - his fastest lap was the second-last, a new record. His first attack came at the second comer, a sharp left-hander. Doohan was holding the inside line, so he tried to go around the outside. If it had been anyone other than Doohan, he might have made it stick - but the World Champion is made of stem stuff, and he held his position so the bikes touched on the way out. No matter - he was still ahead. He stayed there as iliey swung right, ran around tile lake, then over the hill toward the final corners. There was just one place left to pass, the turn nine right-hand hairpin, and Doohan knew it. He was ahead as he swung into the tum. And there came Criville, traveling faster, with nowhere to go but straight into ilie Australian's back wheel. The consequences were inevitable, but the speed slow enough that neither rider was hurt and their bikes still ridable. Both scrambled back aboard, Criville getting away aI1ead. By then, however, not only Capirossi but also Okada, Checa and Barros, passed close together, and Bayle followed a little way behind. CadaIora was sandwiched between the two Repsol Hondas. He'd started well, then dropped away gradually. "We chose a hard tire, but the conditions were cooler than we expected," Cadalora said. Shinichi Itoh was another even seconds back after running off the track on the second lap. He'd passed Goddard in the closing laps, the Australian nursing a worn-out rear tire that was the result of "too much spring after too little setup time." He was delighted nonetheless to make the top 10. Kermy Roberts Jr. was less than a second behind on the Marlboro Yamal1a, most disgruntled that his expected good race setup had instead chewed up the

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