Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Rossi celebrates his 11 th !lOOcc Grand Prix win of the year on the podium at the Nelson Piquet circuit in Rio de Janiero. He attacked inside into the last corner, but there was enough lingering damp for Ui to hang on outside of him, spoil his exit, and win the race. Poggiali was now a long way back, surviving scary moments galore in a big gang of riders including Arnaud Vincent, Danny Pedrosa, until he crashed out, Smrz, Elias and Scalvini. By half-distance Vincent and Smrz had escaped up front, while Poggiali was mixed up with Olive, Elias and Masao Azuma and de Angelis. From there to the end it remained fraught for the youngster, but the group gradually broke up. By the finish, Vincent was well clear in third, with Elias five seconds Dailiro Katoh (74) leads Jeremy McWilliams (99) and a horde of 250s in the final Grand Prix of the season. Katoh won the race, setting a record for wins and points scored In a season. behind, Poggiali five seconds behin him, and de Angelis a similar distance away in sixth, half-a-second ahead of Azuma, Smrz, Scalvini and Hules, still packed together. Poggiali has 241 points, Ui 232, Elias 217 and Cecchinello 156, with Azuma fourth on 142. Danny Pedrosa was Rookie of the Year. eN Nelson Piquet Circuit Ria De Janie.., Brazil Results: November, 3, 2001 !25« QUAUFYING: 1. Youichi Ui (1:58.676); 2. Andrea Ballerini (1 :59.085); 3. Daniel Pedrosa (1:59.133); 4. Toni Elias (1:59.187); 5. Monuel Poggioli (1:59.214); 6. Lucio Cecchinello (1:59.244); 7. Joon Olive (I :59.546); 8. Jokub Smzr (1 :59.573); 9. Simone Sanne (1:59.661); 10. Gino Borsa! (1:59.749); 11. Angel Rodrigue, (1:59.777); 12. Steve Jenkner (1:59.822); 13. Max Sabbatlmi (1:59.903): 14. Arnoud Vincent (1:59.963); 15. Jaroslav Hules (2:00.017); 16. SteF8no Perugini (2:00.147); 17. Noberu Uedo (2:00.213); 18. Alex De Angelis (2:00.403); 19. Gabor Tzllmacsi (2:00.453): 20. Gionluigi Scolvini (2:00.496); 21. Mesao Azuma (2:00.533); 22. Angel Nieto Jr. (2:00.548); 23. Roul Jaro (2:00.686); 24. Jorno Muller (2:00.915); 25. Mirko Giansanti (2:01.009); 26. Alessandro Brannetti (2:01.158); 27. William De Angelis (2:01.175); 28. Pablo Nieto (2:01.350); 29. Eric Batallle (2:02.433); 30. Adrian Araujo (2:02.719); 31. Leondro Panodes (2:06.166). 250cc QUAUFY1NG: 1. Fons; Nieto (1:53.819): 2. Daijiro Ketoh (1 :53.860); 3. Jeremy McWilliams The seldom-used Nelson Piquet circuit was, as usual, slippery from the start, improving as the racing line was cleaned and built up rubber over two dry days. But it was even bumpier than last year, and it took until the second day before times even approached those of just one year ago. By then, everyone was doing them, with the first 13 qualifying within one second, and a few tenths of a second making the difference between the firs! and the third row. Pole was thus something of a lottery, and appropriately came up with a surprise winner - class rookie Tohru Ukawa, his first time, and the first of the year not to go to one of the Italian triumvirate. It was also the factory Repsol Honda team's first pole since the beginning of last season. "I didn't expect it. After practice, I thought I might be third or fourth," he said. "We concentrated on one bike today and tried many different suspension settings." In the end, surprisingly, the one that worked involved harder springing, but while he was bounding around over the bumps, the bike was more stable where it mattered, out of the comers. His only remaining problem was his tendency to start badly. "I need to get it right tomorrow," he said, rather unnecessarily. Six riders had headed the list during a hectic final session, and Ukawa's time came right at the end, deposing Loris Capirossi by just three hundredths of a second. He was happy enough, after suffering electronic problems right until the final session. "My team worked really hard to fix it. Now I have recovered confidence - but even so, this will be a very difficult race, with so many people qualified so close," he said. The entire top 13, with some justification, echoed the sentiment. Third-placed Kenny Roberts Jr. was only three tenths slower, after running strongly all weekend in perhaps his best race of a down-beat season. "Just business as usual," he insisted. "Like always, I worked to qualify as well as possible - though, to be honest. I generally start well and anywhere on the front three rows would be okay. At strange tracks like this you never know what might happen. My main aim is to enjoy the race - when you do that, you get good results. I'll try and get in front from the start, then fight them off." Second top Japanese class rookie Shinya Nakano was fourth, half-a-tenth off Roberts' time; regaining the front row on a soft tire at the end, after being bumped to 10th as the session hotted up. New champion Valentino Rossi was a similar distance behind - but on the second row after being fastest in the morning free training, and fastest yesterday. "We've had a lot of problems with chassis set-up, with chatter from the front and sliding at the back. I'll have to try something different tomorrow moming. That is quite usual for us, and it USUally works," said the usually unbeatable Italian. Sete Gibernau was next on the second Suzuki, one hundredth slower than Rossi, and half-a-tenth ahead of Marlboro Yamaha rider Carlos Checa, his rival for top Spaniard in the championship ... Checa is just two points ahead. "We're losing about half-a-second on the straight, but making it up again on the corners. That shows we have the chassis working pretty well," he said. Olivier Jacque completed the second row; former Rio winner Norick Abe led the c1osepacked third, from Max Biaggi, whose usual late-session fast lap was thwarted when he was caught up behind slow traffic. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (one of the six to top the chart, mid-session) was alongside, recovering day by day from the concussion at Malaysia. "I'm still haVing a little trouble concentrating - but the bike is working well. I don't think anybody could have done a faster lap than that - I was on the limit. and even a bit over it," he said. Only then came local hero Alex Barros, feeling the pressure at his home GP. "My rhythm is not bad, and my race pace. I think if I get a good start I can be among the leaders," he promised. Garry McCoy led row four, still within a second of pole, and almost half-a-second ahead of Alex Criville. Then came Jose Luis Cardoso, last of the V·fours, with Anthony West best of the twins, heading Aoki and Haslam. Noriyuki Haga was 19th, but was out of the race after missing day two of practice with such bad toothache that he couldn't even put his helmet on. Spanish privateer Fonsi Nieto confirmed his ever-improving form with 'a second 250cc pole of the season, beating new champion Daijiro Katoh by just four hundredths of a second. The rivalry between the two spilled over off the track after the session, with Katoh complaining that Nieto had followed him for his fast time. "'t's not funny to have Nieto following so close, and it's a bit dangerous," he said. But Nieto denied that he had used Katoh for his fast time. "I followed him unwillingly - though it did help me a bit," he said. Jeremy McWilliams was third, less than two tenths down, and also with some complaints. "This track is so bumpy that it's dangerous," he said. "You have to throw caution to the winds to go for just one fast lap." Roberto Locatelli was fourth, with factory man Tetsuya Harada on the second row, blaming heavy traffic for a relatively poor position for the only man who has run Katoh close all year. 10. Max Biaggi (1 :52.011); 11. Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh (1:52.109); 12. Alex Borros (1:52.177); 13. Garry MCCoy (1:52.324); 14. Alex Criv111e (1:52.771); 15. Jose Luis Cardoso (1:53.050); 16. Anthony West (I :53.764); 17. Harachika Aoki (1:54.319); 18. Leon Hoslom (1:54.557); 19. Brendan Clark (I :56.254); 20. Barry Veneml!ln (1 :56.776). 125cc GRAND PRIX: I. Youichi Ui (Der); 2. Simone Sanna (Apr); 3. Arnaud Vincent (Hon); 4. Toni Elias (Hon); 5. Manuel Pogglali (Gil): 6. Alex De Angelis (Hon); 7. Masao Azuma (Hon); 8. Ji!lkub Smrz (Hon); 9. Gianluigi Scalvini (Itl): 10. Jarosl8v Hules (Hon); 11. Joan Olive (Hon); 12. Jamo Muller (Hon); 13. Noboru Ueda (Hon); 14. Pablo Nieto (Der); 15. Alessandro Brannetti (Apr); 16. Adrian Araujo (Hon); 17. Steve Jenkner (Apr); 18. Raul Jara (Apr); 19. Leandro Panades (Han); 20. Gino Borsoi (Apr). Time: 46 min., 47.181 sees. Distance: 64.22 miles Average speed: 82.36 mph Margin of victory: .112 sec. Fastest lap: 2: 11.067, Simone Sanna, lap 6 (1 :54.011); 4. Roberto Locotelli (1 :54.376); 5. Tetsuya Harada (1 :54.474); 6. Naoki Matsudo (I :54.511); 7. Marco Melond,i (1 :54.598); 8. Randy De Puniet (1:54.644); 9. Franco Battaini (1:54.649); 10. Alex Deboo (1 :54.892); 11. Emilio Alzamora (1:55.123); 12. Roberto Rolfo (1:55.170); 13. Alex Hofmann (I :55.343); 14. Riccardo Chiarello· (1 :55.416); 15. Luca Boscoscuro (I :55.482); 16. Sharol Yuzy (1:55.519); 17. Sebastian Porto (1:55.530); 18. Loren,o L.n,i (1:55.816); 19. Sylvain Guintoli (1:56.224); 20. David Checa (1:56.451); 21. David De Geo (1:56.635); 22. David Tomas (1 :57.579): 23. Joy Vincent (I :57.~6); 24. Diego Giugovaz (1:57.753); 25. Shaun Geronimi (1 :58.425); 26. Cristiono Vieiro (l :58.909); 27. Cesar Borros (1:59.038); 28. Luis Costa (1:59.176); 29. Stuart Edwards (2:00.192); 30. Katja Poensgen (2:00.712); 31. Domaso Nache, (2:01.661). 500cc Q(JALIFYING: 1. Tohru Ukawa (1:51.431); 2. Loris Copirossi (1:51.462); 3. Kenny Roberts Jr. (1:51.767): 4. Shinya Nakano (1:51.820); 5. Valentino Rossi (1:51.863); 6. Sete Glbernau (1 :51.874); 7. C.rlos Checa (1 :51.920); 8. Olivier Jocque (1:51.974); g. Norick Abe (1:51.993); cue I e n e .... :IS NOVEMBER 14, 2001 13

• Cover