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/127993
Continued from Page 25
'Don't use your tires up now, d,;)O't use them up
now.' I was following Frankie (Chilil for a while
and I was quite a bit qUicker than him at a few
places, so I went past him and started pushing, I
knew it was Aaron (Slight) behind me, because
only he keeps that kind of pressure up.•
lain MacPherson. the convincing winner of
the Kyalami World Supersport race all of five
weeks ago, found his ratum to the- fray, even on
home ground, heavy going for the first practice
session, "I feel a little rusty. like I've been of the
bike for about two years. not five weeks.·
MacPherson said. "If we have to nave anotner
gap between races like that. I think we should go
racing somewhere else to sharpen up."
MacPherson's rustiness may have contributed
to his ultra-high-speed practice set-off at Craner
curves. "I was leaned over into the left-hand
section. looking good, no problems. when the
front end just tucked in and I slid off.· MacPherson was unhurt and went on to set s·eCOr1d·
fastest lime in the second qualifying session.
to a lack of confidence. Piro broke both ,his feet
at Donington two years ago and has been struggling to match the brilliance of last year.
Controversy prec'eeded the World Super.
sport race at Donington 'when local wild-card
riders were told that they could not compete in
the Supersport race due to a surfeit of regular
participants. After much arguing, the SBK organizers were forced to agree that the regulations
did indeed stipulate that wild cards be allowed to
compete, hence another two Castrol Hondas.
ridden by Jim Moodie and Karl Muggeridge, and
the Clarion Suzuki of reigning British Supersport
champion, John Crawford, appeared on the
entry list. Another Brit, Ian Simpson. also lined
up on his Daily Star newspaper-sponsored
Honda. It is known that the publicity in one of
by the familiar figure of Paolo Casoli, winner
of boih Supersport races at. Donington in 1997.
and ·98. "I love Donington, and I really want to
win because I have already won for the last two
years,· he said.
.
Britain's major tabloids was a great ~fluence in
Former World Superbike works rider James
Whitham played the star stand-in for the
injured Massimo Meregalli at Donington. "I'm
glad to be riding in another world series again,·
said the·ever-enthusiastic Englishman, "But it's
not the series I want to b<: in. I would rather be
doing Superbike.· He settled into the road tires
and 600cc pow~r of the Belgarda Yamaha R6
fairly fast but had one complaint. "The bike feels
really slow compared to my Suzuki Endurance
bike." The opposition ""ere their usual fast
selves, however. beating Whitham down to ninth
in qualifying.
the decision to allow wild cards at Donington.
Donington may b.e the only round this year in
which local 60.Ooc wild cards will be permitted,
rul~s or no rules. because nowhere els'e has
such a strong 600cc field, otber than the United
States.
.
helped the B!>lgarda Yamaha Super.
sport team back to a slightly higher level of
compelitiven.ess after struggling badly on
Pirellis at Kyalami. Team Manager, Giulio
Bardi, confirmed that they were ~n improve·
ment on the previous Pirellis, "They seem to
be working better for us, and we'll be using
them for the rest of the season now.•
Davida De Gea's charge to third in qualifying
was especially. impressive as he is a World
Supersport rookie. The Ten Kate Honda rider
has shown flashes of speed so far this year, but
this was his best go yet.
The condition of Massimo Meragalli,
who badly broke his wrist in Brett Macleod's
fatal accident at Kyalami, is still not good.
however. "Massimo will still have a plaster
on for the next two and a half weeks, so he
will defin'itely miss Albacete. His spirit is
good. and he's healing,· Bardi said. also
confirming that James Whitham has been
offered the ride again at Albacete, should he
chose to accept it.
James Whitham scored Yamaha's firstever World 600cc Supersport victory with
the RS at his home circuit