Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Kocinski's numbers on, the lap was erroneously credited to Kocinski (who was only a little slower in any case). Biaggi also had his second crash of the weekend on the final afternoon, sliding off his own MI. "These three days were quite difficult for me and the team," said Biaggi, "because we had problems with the rear of the bike moving around. But then I jumped on John Kocinski's bike and quickly did my best lap. I am glad that we solved the problem and I can't wait to use the new chassis again next week at Estoril." Kocinski was apparently testing a new chassis design, with altered weight distribution. The final four-stroke, that of Regis Laconi, was only 15th fastest out of 18 MotoGP machines, after more proving tests on the technologically impressive but obviously fickle RS3 Cube. Ahead of Biaggi and well ahead of Laconi's four-stroke came 250cc World Champion Daijiro Katoh. quickest time, a significant .548 of a which will give me more immediate second slower than McCoy. Checa power when I open the throttle." used the electronically controlled The other four-stroke Yamaha rid- hydraulic engine-braking mechanism, With Biaggi and Kocinski swap- (Above) Cartos Checa ended the test as the third quickest MotoGP rider on his Martboro-backed MI. ping over fifth and sixth places, Alex Barros' time from the opening day ers were at least packing the top debuted at Valencia, and was pleased positions, with Max Biaggi fifth fastest with the result. overall. He did, however, set his "The new system is good and fastest time in the last session aboard helps me to run a faster corner entry the YZF-M 1 of test rider John Kocins- speed," he said. "Also, I think it will ki, with the American running differ- allow us to run a shorter gearbox, ent chassis settings to Biaggi. With Young John Hopkins has been linn plenty to think about. The C8Jlfomlan made his first public test of the Red Bull Yamaha VZR500 at the IRTA test in Spain. Alex Crivill€!, the 1999 500cc World Champion, was missing from the first day of testing at Valencia, with his team manager Luis D'Antin stating to the Spanish press. huddled around him like an expectant shroud in the Castillian corner of the press room. "Alex and Norifume wiiJ not be riding. but I wiiJ not tell you why until tomorrow." A packed press conference, broadcast on Spanish TV news later the next day, was headed by Criville, D'Antin. and team medic Dr. Angel Villamor, the latter of whom stated that. "Alex has been suffering episodes of a loss of consciousness since 1999, and we have not been able to make a full diagnosis of it. So we have decided to stop all his activity on the motorbike in order to find a real diagnosis of his condition. For this we need him to be with us all the time and that is the way in which we hope we can fmd a diagnosis and treatment. We hope that he can ride the bike again." Criville was subdued when he said: "I am not sure. I don't know. We wiiJ have to see. Now what I have to do is a lot of medical test because right now we don't know the problem exactly. Maybe this year for sure it will be difficult to ride the motorbike. I would like to ride next year, but I don't want to have this pressure right now. I wiiJ work hard to try to fix this problem." Rumors of epilepsy had been circulating in the off-season. as an explanation for his fainting fits, but as the team has stated, they are still awaiting diagnosis, despite having visited a specialist in Canada shortly before the Valencia tests. According to a translation of the Spanish sector of the press conference, "epilepsy is one of the avenues," being explored. CriviiJe conceded that periodic loss of consciousness had been a problem for him in the last couple of years, as he stated: "It is not a new thing; it has been in the papers. I am not sure if it is indefmite, but it is has affected me because I cannot give 100 percent on the bike." Before anyone could ponder too closely on whether Criville's medical condition had actuaily made him crash by losing consciousness during races, D'Antin stepped in, "but it hasn't happened on the bike. Otherwise, he would have had an accident from it." Other than the immediate drama of Criville's late withdrawal from competition, only a few short weeks after being ousted from his long-time employer, Honda, and joining the Antena 3 Yamaha, the next big question was, who will replace him in d'Antin's squad? John Kocinski was the first man in the mind of many people, being a proven GP winner, and currently a Yamaha test rider on the M1 project. He was reported to have rejected the idea out of hand, and even if he were keen on the idea, it would be difficult for d'Antin to find the extra budget to pay his fee. D'Antin would not be drawn on who would replace Criville, with the decision having only been made on Wednesday, but he did think that it would be a quick replacement. "Obviously, we will not have any rider at Estoril, but for the Barcelona IRTA tests, we should definitely have a new rider, who will stay with the team until Alex is fit to return. With due respect to Alex and the sponsors, we have got to work out the best compromise that Alex, the sponsors and the team will see what happens because there is no definite time that we can say that Alex will be back on the bike." Sponsorship is a particular problem given the new set of circumstances d'Antin has to work with, as Repsol only came on board to sponsor Criville in the first place, and have traditionally been adamant that at least one rider would have to be a Spaniard. A Repsol spokesman stated that, "D'Antin has said that from Monday they would think about a rider to be at the team. The sponsorship is for a Spanish rider - we know them [Repsol] a little bit, and I don't think they would want to support a team with two nonSpanish riders." cue I .. n e _ so • FEBRUARY 27, 2002 1!5

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