World Championship Road Race Series
Round 13: .Japanese G
By MICHAEL SCOTT
PHOTOS BY GOLD & GOOSE
MOTEGI, JAPAN, OCT. 7
~he
World Championship is all
over - bar the shouting. And the
shouting will almost Certairily happen
in Australia next weekend, where
even if Max Biaggi wins, Golden Boy
Valentino Rossi need finish no higher
than eighth to secure his first 500ccclass World title, to add to the 125
and 250cc crowns already cluttering
up his over-crowded trophy cabinet.
If he does win, he will be not only
the last 500cc champion, but the first
man since 1974 500cc World Champion Phil Read to win the 125, 250
and 500cc titles.
Better than eighth should hardly be
a problem for the Nastro Azzurro
Honda rider, who claimed h'is eighth
win of the season with his usual
apparent ease at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, where 66,000 Japaoese
fans enjoyed sunny weather, but
endured what turned into a rather
processional race.
Coming first, however, might be difficult for Biaggi, after another disastrous weekend. Yet again, for a third
time in four races, while fending off the
remorseless pressure of Rossi, Biaggi
lost the front of his Marlboro Yamaha,
and slid to earth. This time, however,
JJ
6
OcTOBER 17,2001 •
cue
it was at 125 mph, and though once
again he ran to the bike to try to
restart, there was barely enough of it
left, and it was certainly in no condition for him to get going again.
Biaggi had gone against the grain
to use a 17-inch rear tire rather than
the usual 16.5, and Rossi had noticed
this on the grid.
"I knew he would be fast in the
early part of the race, but then later
my tire would be better, so I was
very confident," Rossi said. "I
planned to wait, and take the lead
when he began to have problems
with grip."
Instead, circumstances did it for
him - but·still he couldn't relax. West
Honda's Alex Barros had recovered
from a poor start, and was around
two seconds behind and pushing
