Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Th ere was a b ig g e r gro u p b e hind , with th e Yamahas of Takeshi Tsu jirn ura and Luis d ' A n tin do ing m o s t of the lea d ing, w hile Jason Vi ncent g ra d ually pi c k e d h is w a y t hro ug h o n h is RS H o nd a a fter d r oppin g ba c k to 15 t h , where h e w a s caug ht up i n t h e Ro ssi/ Perugini muddle . At th e finis h, h e led Ts u ji m ura a cross th e line by a . ten t h , w it h Luca Bosco scuro a n d Jose Cardoso close beh ind . Pe rugi ni recovered to p us h a head of d ' Antin over t h e li n e for 11th; Edo Yamaha rider Fra nco Ba tta ini took 12th from a fad ing Noriyasu Numata's Rizla Suzuki, with Roberto Rolfo ta king th e la s t point by in ch es from Jo han Stigefelt's Suzuki. Jac que re ti red after nine depressing laps. He al most stalled.o n the line , and though he did move through to seventh, he retired w it h a faulty rear tire after 11 laps. Porto also retired with a sliding rear ti re on the same lap. There were 22 finishers. Ha ra da's fifth win of the year extended his championship lea d to 26 points over Capirossi, 174-148. Rossi is third with 101 p oin ts, w hile Ukawa lies fourth o n 97. Aoki's 85 points gives him fifth overall, w ith McWilliams closing in with h is 77 poin ts-. 125c c GRA ND PR IX All ri ders had complained of problems with the g us ty wind durin g practice, a n d p o le q ualifie r Ka z uta Sakata was far fro m confident at wha t had been a favorit e track. The Japanese rider led the first tw o laps b u t was the n overwhelmed by a huge a nd ever-growing ga ng of rid ers, a ll crawling all over each o the r. Fo r the n e xt ni n e l a p s t h e lead changed back a n d fo r th - A z urna , Ui , Cecc hine llo a nd Sakata again all taking turns, tho u gh seldo m fo r very long w hile the res t peered over their shou ld er s or ti c k led up against t h eir ba ck w heels. Chasing hard to catch th e ga ng , bo th Ma sa ki To kudom e and Emilio Alzamora crashe d ou t before half-distance. Then, a fter 12 laps, the first d ev elopm en t saw Ui's Yamaha move ahead con- v i nci ng ly . H e 'd o pened th e gap to a l mos t t w o seco n d s after tw o more to urs - bu t h e was pushin g to o ha rd , a n d h e slid off w i t ho ut co mp leti ng another lap. T h is h a n d ed t he le ad briefly to im p ressive Fr ench n ewcomer A rna ud Vin cen t, but Tomomi Ma nako was nex t to lead , o nly to slow d ramatically and pull off w it h engine trouble be fo re the en d of la p 15. Now it was Azuma 's tu rn, a nd th e Bridgesto ne-shod ri d er , who'd claimed h is first front-row start, also m anag ed to secure a small bu t growing gap to pu ll away in fro nt fo r h is stab at a firs t GP w in . Sadly, th is' d idn' t last eithe r, and he too slid off with ha lf a lap left. Melandri, who turned 16 earlier this mont h, ha d no tim e to enjoy the sig ht of a cle ar track ahe ad . Sakata was ha rd on h is heels, wi th Ce cc hi nello lo cked on behind. Th e first three crossed th e line withi n four-tenth s of a second . The group had b roken up a bit in th e last coupl e of laps. Mirko Gi ansanti was fourth, n arrowly ahe ad of fellow Ita lian G ia nlu igi Sca lv in i. Vin cent led th e next t r io , closel y fo llowed by Hiroyu ki Kikuchi ' s G i v i H o nd a and Rob ert o Loca telli. Sakata ' s ti tle le a d s h ra n k b y five poi nts, but remained su bstan tial - 185 to M el andri' s 13 8 . N on s corer M anak o drops to third o n 122, Cecchinello ha s 92, and Giansa nti takes fifth from Tokudome with 79. n Czech Grand Prix . Brno , Czech Republic Results: August 23,1998 (Round 10 of 15) 125(( QUA LIFYING : 1 Kaz u to Sa ka ta (2:11.302); 2. Tomo mi M an ako (2:11.408); 3. Luci o Cecc h inello (2:11.573); 4 . Ma sa o Az u ma (2: 11.577); 5. Ma s a ki Tokud orne (2:11.589) ; 6. ].uoslav H ules (2:11.726); 7. Ma rco Meland ri (2:11.742 ); 8. Yo uichi V i (2:11.964); 9. Robert o Locatelli (2:12.127); 10. Ste ve [en kner (2:12.398); It. Cia nlu igi Sca lvini (2:12.481); 12. H iro yuki Kiku chi (2:12.605); 13. Arnau d Vinc e nt (2:12.747); 14. Mi rk o Gia nsanti (2: 12J~07); 15. Ivan Co i (2:12.837); 16. Frederic Petit (2:12.979); 17. Yoshiak i Katoh (2:13.196); 18. Emilio Alzmo ra (2:13.241); 19. G inn Borso i (2:13.248); 20. Angel N ie to Jr. (2:13.425); 21. Fed e rico Cerro ni (2:13.869); 22. Jua n E. Matu ra n a (2 :14 .048 ); 23 . Jeroni m o V idal (2:14.686 ); 24. Ch r is tian Mann a {2:15.390 }; 25. Iak u b Smr z (2:15.880); 26. Andrea lo m mi (2:15.898); 27. Igo r Ka l;lb (2 :19. 128); 28. Mich a l Bre zin a (2:19.5 15); 29 . Martin Pso tav (2:19.807); 30. Boh us lav Sei fert (2:20.23 0 . 125cc G RAND PRIX: 1. Ma rco Melan d ri (H on ): 2. Kazu to Sa ka ta (Apr) ; 3. Luci o Cecc h ine llo (Han); 4, Mirk o Gia nsanti (Hon); 5. G ia nluig i Sca lvini (H on ); 6. Arnaud Vincent (Apr ); 7. Hiroy u ki Kiku chi (Ho n) ; 8. Robl·rto Loca telli (Hon) ; 9. Ivan Cui (A pr); 10. Frederic Petit (Hon); 11. Stl'W It'nkner (A pr) ; 12. Angel N iet(l Jr. . engine dispenses with the experimental KR carburetors that previously stuck out at funny angles. and instead has a neat bank of Young Ita lia n Marco Melandrl won a second 125cc Grand Prix In his debut season. Melandrl Is second In the champion sh ip point standings.· (A p r); 13. Iuan E. Ma turan a (Ya m ); 14. G ino Borso i (Apr ); 15. Yos hia ki Katoh (Yam) ; 16. Andre a lummi ( Hen ): 17. C h ri stia n Man na (Yam); 18. Igor Kalab ( He n ); 19. M ich al Brez ina ( Ho n}: 20 . Boh u s lnv Seifert (H o n ). Tim e: 42 m in ., 5.161 sec. Distance : 19 laps, 63.647 miles Av erage speed: 90.768 m ph Margin of victory: 0.038 sec. Fastest lap: Ma sao Azu rna, 2:10.899, la p 16 125cc WORLD C' S H I P POI N T STA ND ING S (After 10 of 15 rou nds) : l. Ka z ut o Sa ka ta (18 5 /4 wi n s) ; 2, Ma rco Meln nd ri 038 /2); 3. To mom i Ma na ko (122 /2 ); 4. Luci o Ce cch inell o (92/1); 5. M irko Gian sa nt i (79); 6 . Masak i Tok udome (75); 7. Frederic Petit (67); ' 8. Gianlui gi Scalvini (66); 9. Masao Azu ma (65): to. Robe rto Locate lli (57); 11. You ich i Ui (54 ); 12. A rn a ud Vincen t (52) ; 13 . Hiroyuki Kiku chi (5 1); 14 No bo ru Ueda (45/1); 15. Steve [e nkner (42); 16. Angel N ieto Jr. (38); 17. G ino Borsoi (33); 18. Ivan Goi (32); 19. Yoshi,lki Katoh (26); 20. [a roslnv Hul l'S (17). 250cc QUALIFYING: 1. Loris Caprioss l (2:03.974); 2. Va le n ti no Ros s i (2:04. 145); 3. Ma rc e ll ino Lu cch i (2 :04.552); 4. Te tsu ya Ha rada (2:05 .278) ; 5. O liv ie r Jacq ue (2:05.778); 6, Jeremy McW illiams (2:06. 144); 7. Stefano Perugin i (2:06.193); It Tohru Ukawa (2:06.250); 9. No r ivasu Numa ta (2 :06.650); 10. Har uc hika Ao ki (2:06.757); 11. Tak eshi Tsu jimu ra (2:06.981); 12. Fra nco Batta in i (2:07 .223 ); 13 . Ja so n Vin ce n t (2:07.460); 14. Se ba stia n Por to (2:07.467); 15. Luis d' Antin (2:07.503); 16. Lu ca Bos c oscu r o (2 :07 .682 ); 17 . Robe rt o Ro lfe (2:07.870); 18. O samu Miya zaki (2:08.008); 19. Jose Luis Ca rdoso (2:08.360); 20. Jo han Sti gefelt (2:08.796); 21. David e Bulcg a (2 :08.986) ; 22 . Vladimir Ca s tk a (2 :09. 109); 23 . Ya su Hata k e y a m a (2:09 .685) ; 24 . Met thieu Lag j -i ve (2 :10 .16 8) ; 25 . Federico Gart ner (2:11.905); 26. Radomi l Rons (2:12.327). 250cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Tet suya Harad a (Apr); 2. Lori s Ca p rloss i (A pr) ; 3. Ma rcel lino Luccbl (Apr); 4. Jer em y McWillia ms (H en) : 5. To hr u Uka w a (Hen): 6, H aru ch ika Ao ki (H an) ; 7. Ja son Vin cent (H e n ): 8. Te kesh i Tsujim ur a (Yam ); 9. Luea Boscoscuro (He n): 10. Jose Luis Cardoso (Yam); 11. Stefan o-Per ugi ni (He n): 12. Lu is d ' An tin (Ya m ); 13. Franco Ba tta in i (Yam); 14 . No riyas u N u ma ta (Su z) : IS. Rob e rto Rolfo (Hu n ); 16. [o ha n Snge felt (Suz) : 17. Yas u Ha take yama (H en): 18. Osa mu Miya zaki (Ya m); 19. Matthi eu Lagrive (He n): 20. Davide Bulega (H en): 21. Vlad im ir Castka (H en): 22. Radcrnil Rous (Yam ). Ti me: 41 min., 52.318 sec . D is tan ce: 20 la ps , 66.997 mile s Average speed : 95.975 mph Margin of vi cto ry: 5.207 sec . Fastest la p: Loris Ca pi rossi , 2:04.614. lap 9 250« G RA N D I'RIX WORL D C 'SHI I' 1'0 lNT STANDINGS (Afte r 10 of 15 rou nds): 1. Te tsu ya Ha ra d a (174 /5 wi ns }, 2. Lori s Cap lrossi (148 /2); 3 . Vale nt ino Ro s si (101 /1) ; 4. To hr u Uka wa (97); 5. Haruchika Ao ki (85); 6. Jere my McWilli ams (77); 7. Takesht Tsujim ura (69); 8. Stefa no Peru gini (66); 9. Luis d ' Antin (60 ); 10. Jose Lu is Ca rdoso (57); 11. O liv ier Jacqu e (56); 12. Jason Vincent (54); 13. Mar cellin o Lucchi (52/1); 14. Jurgen Fuc hs (45); 15. Luca Buscoscuro (33); 16. Norivas u Numata (31); 17. Roberto Rolfo (31/1); 18. Da ijiro Katoh (25); 19, Shi ny a Na ka no (20); 20. (TIE) Seba stian Porto/Fran co Battaini (7). 500cc QUALIFYING: 1. Mick Doo han (2:01.S85); 2. Max Biaggi (2:02.087); 3. Jea n-Michel Bayle (2:02.528); 4. Ralf Wald m an n (2:02.640); 5. A lex Barros (2:02.730); 6. Alex Criville (2:02.784); 7. Tad ayuki Okada (2:02.900); 8. Kenn y Ro ber ts J r . (2:02 .950) ; 9. Nob ua ts u Aok i (2:03.168); 10. Ca rlos Checa (2:03.218); 11. Simon Crafar (2:03.304); ]2. Norick Abe (2:03.3n ); 13. Regis Lacon i (2:03.488); 14. Esk il Suter (2:03.7lJ9); 15. j u rge n va n de n Goorberg h (2:03.814); 16. Sete G ibern au (2:0J .976); 17. John Kocins ki (2:04.207); 18. Ga rry McCoy (2:04.409); 19. Jua n Borja (2:04.723); 20. Sebas tie n Gi mbert (2:05.435); 2 1. Kat suaki Fuj iwa ra (2 :05 .900) ; 22 . Sc ott S ma r t (2:07.997); 23. Fabi o Ca rpa ni (2:08.211); 24. Matt Wa it (2,08.230). ' 5t'JOcc GRAND PR IX: 1. Max Bi,'ggi (Hem); 2. Alex Criville (Hen): 3. Alex Barros (Hen): 4. Tudu vuki Okada (H un); 5. No rick Abe (Ya m ); 6. Se te Gjbern~ u (Hen): 7. Ca rlos C heca (H o n) : 8. Jea n-Michel Bay le (Ya m ); 9. Regis Lacon i (Yam) ; 10. Kenn y Roberts Jr. (Mo d) ; 11. Simon Cra far (Yam ): 12. No bua tsu Aoki (Su:d; 13. Ralf w ul d m nn n (Mo d) ; 1"4. Es kil Suter (M u Z ); 15. Joh n Kocinski (Hen ): 16. [ urgen van d en Goo rbe rg h (Ho n): 17. Juan Borj a (Hen): 18. Kats uaki Fu jiwa ra (Suz): 19. Sebastien Gimbert (Hen) : 20. Matt Wait (Ha n); 21. Scott Smart (Ha n). c T ime: 45 min ., 12.043 se . D istan ce: 22 la ps, 73.6Cn mill'S Average speed: 97.836 mph Margin of vict ory : 0.768 sec. Fastes t lap: Alex Criville, 2:U2 .335, lap 22 . 500cc G R AND I' R I X W O R LD C 'S H lI ' r O I N T STANDINGS (Aft er 10 of 15 rou n ds): t. Ma x Biaggl 0 73 /2 w ins): 2. Alex Cri ville (162/2); 3. Mick Doo ha n OtJO / 4); 4. Ca rlos ChL"Ca 0 15 /1); 5. Alex Barro s (87); 6. Simon C ra fa r (150/ 1); 7. No nck Abe (78); 8. Nobua tsu Aoki (75); 9. Regis Laco n! (55); to. Taday ukt O ka d: (50); 11. (TIE) Sete Gi bernau /John Kockinsk i (44); 13. (TIE) Kenn y Robert s Jr./ Ra lf w aldma nn (40); IS. lur gen va n d en Coorbe rg h (30); 16 Garry McCo y (23); 17: Kyo ji Nanab a (22); 18 . No r iyu ki H a g a (16 ); 19. Sco t! . Sma rt /Ma tt Wa it (12). Upcoming Rounds : Round 11 - Imola , Ita ly, Se ptembe r 6 Round 12 - Calalinya, Spain, Se ptember 20 , s igned anyt hing ye t. but I've rea ched verbal agreement with Honda." he confirmed at Brno. th ree Keih in ·carbureto rs. The main visual diff er ence is that the The rebuilt Br no paddoc k and pits complex was compleled only in the nick of time for the GP; surfacing and other work was st ill in progress until the day before the paddock ope ned. But though t he new,press room and hos pitality suites above the pits were not ready for use. the pits and paddock received universal approval, making the track a candidate for GP of the Year, Spacious pit boxes are fully equipped with ample power outlets a n d ~ 'new bike has two exhausts exiting at high level under the seat, and jus t' one at low level'on the right-hand side. The previous engine was the opposite. The new layout. is neater and "friendlie r , 'acco rd ing to team staff, wi th im proved power delivery , M although at this stage no more power. "Right now." confirmed Roberts Sr.. after tests in the USA and in Britain during the break; ..it may have slight ly le ss power. but we 're at ground zero wi th ·this engine . So far if s prov ing very rellable . so incr easing ho rse· powerwo n't bea problem...· running water. w ith secure Jocking do or s and all. ameniti es . The paddock has also been revised. improving n ot only parking facilities for team transporters but also extending and improving the area for hospitali ty and e nte rtainment su ites . "They gave us everything we asked for. This has to be the new stan dard by which other tracks will be judged." said an IRTA spokesman. . Honda's disappointing new t win-crank NSR25 0 was revised for the retu rn to racing, w ith the pannier radiators replac ed w ith a co nv e nt io nal f ro n t-mo'unt e d un it. T he ai rbo x has also be e n redesigned to accommodate the change . while HRC also produced new exhaust pipes . These made the engine hard to se t up. Luca Ca d a lo ra to race the MuZ? The rumor was s trong at . Brno. after the Italian tested the bike along with displaced American Mike Hale duri ng the break - but fellow Italians thought this ari unlikely event. ..Luca will be too afraid that peo ple will laugh at him." said a friend. acco rding to the team s .' but did improve the overall performa nce slightly. narrowing the gap on the Aprilias somewhat. if not actually closing it. ' Team S uzuki manager Ga rry Tayl.... teamed with British photographer Richard Richards to claim v ictory 'in a ' ''Paddock Top Gun" handgun· sh oo t in·g co ntest at the Srno in doo r s hooting range . situate d within the circuit ~ Brit ish privateer Scott S mart was second. with J apanese 250 S uzuki rider Noriya s ~ Numata th ird . Brno is a wo rld·famous manufacturing center of armame nts and sporting guns. April ia's V -t win 5 0 0 , already due for another o uti ng in the han'ds of wild-card rider Jorge Martinez at the Barcelona GP next mon th, may make a full racing retu rn next ye ar - b ut only if it is more co mpe ti tive tha n th eir V -four. The new bike is c urrently undergoing early te sts in the hands of Martinez and is not yet as fast as the V,twin. which has also been further developed in the inte rim. "We will be back in the 500 cc class next yea r with whichever bike is bette r." said tec hnical chief Jan Witteveen. "At the moment it is the twin. but that might be different in three months' time. " Aus tralian S hell Advance V-twin Honda rider Garry McCoy crashed heavily in morning warmup. apparently after clipping the rear of the Mick Doohan's seat after the V-four Honda rider had overtaken him . McCoy tumbled over and over at high speed , coming to' rest just short of the crash barrier. He broke his right tibia: and the injurywas almost immediately pinned at a Brrio hos pital Austria's S a lzb'u rgring may rejoin the GP calendar next year. if A p rilia has introduced a ..fly by wire " ele ct ro niC clutc h co ntro l to meetings al Bmo produced the ,results the promoters requir The try to help rider Loris Capiross i with his s tarting technique. Full ed. track. ina narrow Alpine valley. was replaced by the sanitized A'- Ring details are still sec ret, but the device operates only from rest . for the past two years. but the new venue failed to attract crowds. inte rpos ing elec tronic overrides to maint ain the right 'amount o f and it was dropped from the calendar this year. The ultra-fast Salzbur, clutch slip to keep the engine in the powerband while the ,rea r gong has been criticized 6n safety grounds - although some runoff wheel catches up. Capirossi used it for the first time at the Madrid Mick Doohan suffe red a ' se rio us rea ction fro m a bee sting in was clawed from the mountainside when it was last used in 1994 - . GP. where a malfunction of so me so rt saw him left behind on the . the break before the C2ech GP. and ended up in intensive care in ahospi tal back hom e in Mo naco: He w as stung on the ches t .while · and because the conflned space means the paddoi::k'and pits are not line. He planned to use it again at Brno. . ' cyc Hng. 'and ~ubseq u~ntly suffered an anap hylactic reactio n that .together. Nonetheless, it is a popular track with some riders. for the extreme demands of its ultra-high-speed comeni.. ' Bridgestone tires have regained 'lost grourid with rider ,Masao left him short of breath. He went to a hospital, where he passed out '.while,undergoing tests , falling and cuttinHhis eye brow. He Azuma this season. c, lminating.ir"!' a front ·row qualifying positio n -at u Mick Dooha'n will ~tay ~n f';r at least one 'more year. tei e~tend Bmo. Azuma has .been " long-temi Bridgestone user. though last .required th ree s titc hes and was ta ke n' 't o intensive ca re, fro m . his glittering racing career until t he ,end of the century. "I haven't yea"r.,in ~is GP debut season: he was obliged to ride on Michelins. . . which' he discharged himself shortlyafterward. . .. . ' , . < 9

• Cover