ROAD RACE
IRTA Grand Prix test
(left) World Champion Michael Doohan
picked up where he left off and was the
quickest of the 500cc men at Phillip
Island. (Above) Rainey Yamaha's
Norlfuml Abe was the quickest nonHonda rider, despite a crash.
(Above left) New
teammates luca
Cadalora (left) and Troy
Corser (right) discuss
the Promotor Yamahas.
(Above) Ale~ Criville
finished Just off
teammate Doohan's
pace.
(left) Aprilia's loris
Caplrossi was the
quickest of the 250cc
riders in his return to
the class after a year of
500cc GP racing with
Wayne Relney's
Yamaha team.
16
By Ken Wootton
Photos by Lou Martin
PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRAliA, JAN. 28 -FEB. 1
hree-time World Champion Michael Doohan returned
to work .:vith a vengeance last week when he recorded
the fastest time during the season-opening IRTA "winter" tests at PlillIip Island in Australia.
Doohan completed 193 laps of the 2.759-mile circuit
throughout the test period, logging a best time of 1:33.6 to
finish 0.96 second inside the lap record of 1:34.56, set back in
1990 by then-teammate Wayne Gardner.
.
''We're taking it pretty steady, so I'm happy with those
times," Doohan said. "We've been able to lap consistently in
the 33s, and I believe that will be the race pace in 1997.
Going out near the end of the session and ripping off one
fast lap doesn't mean anything..."
But while Doohan was all smiles, three-time 250cc World