Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

World Superbike Championship Round 12, Assen, Holland Bostrom (Due): 9. Broc Parkes (Due); 10. Juan Borja (Duc); 11. MllrcO Borciani (Duc); 12. Peter Goddard (Ben); 13. Mauro Sanchini (Kaw); 14. Serafino Forti (Duc); 15. Jeronimo VicUll (Hon); 16. Thierry Mulot (Due); 17. Mark Heckles (Hon). rune: 32 min. 58.60 I sees. Distance: 59.78 miles Margin 01 victory:3.606 secs. Fastest lap: 2:02.395, lap 5. Colin Edwards RACE TWO: I. Colin Edwards (Hon); 2. Pier- Francesco Chili (Due); 3. James Toselend (Duc); 4. Neil Hodgson (Duc); 5. Ben Bostrom (Duc); 6. Noriyuki Haga (Apr); 7. Chris Walker (KllW); 8. Broc Parkes (Duc); 9. Marco Borciani (Duc); 10. Lucio Pedercini (Duc); 11. Peter Godd8rd (Ben); 12. Mauro Sanchini (Kaw): 13. Alessandro Antonello (Due); 14. Iven Clementi (Kew); 15. Mark Heckles (Hon); 16. Serllfino Foli (Duc); 17. Thierry Mulot (Due). Time: 32 min. 59.681 sees. Distance: 59.78 miles M.argin of victory: 7.506 sees. Fastest lap: Colin Edwards, lap 3, 2:02.657 WORLD C'SHI? POINTS STANDINGS (After 12 or 13 rounds): 1. Colln Edwerds (502/9 wins); 2. Troy B.yliss (501/14 wins); 3. Neil Hodgson (302); 4. Noriyukl H.g. (254); 5. Ben Bostrom (248); 6. Ruben Xaus (217); 7. Jemes Toseland (175); 8. Pier. Froneeseo Chili (158); 9. Chris W.lker (143); 10. Gregorio L.vill. (113); 11. Ju.n BorJ' (69): 12. Lucio Pederelnl (66); 13. Broc P.rkes (62); 14. (Tie) Hitoyasu IzutsujMerco BorcillOl (55). Final Round: Round 13 - Imola, Italy, September, 29 (Above) Chris Walker (9) tried to hold off Ben Bostrom (155) in the second race, but the Californian got around both him and Haga to finish fifth, (Right) Edwards had plent)< to celebrate after a perfect day In Holland. BRIEFLY••• The latest MSMA meeting took place at Assen. with the main topic of discussion being exactly how the air·restrictors rule will be implemented in a real-world situation come 2003. Four-cylinder machines of l000cc will be allowed into World Supebike In 2003, but only if they are fitted with air restrictors, as all machines will be required to in 2004. Members of the committee were adamant that this rule would be Implemented, as it the only fair way in which the machine configurations can race against each other on a level looting. Of the numerous problems inherent in introducing such a 'radical' handicapping system into a motorcycle application ,there is the obvious one of policing the rules. Some, who have previous experience of the system in AMA dirt track racing, say the only fair way to work it is for the FIM to produce restrlctors, to be fitted on to the intake side of the carbs or throttle bodies, which can be checked and replaced after removing the tank and airbox at the end of each session, along with any other technical checks. However, as has been long attested by the members of the MSMA committee, their idea is to put the restrictors inside the intake system somewhere, so that the orifice sizes can be checked externally at any time, a la Formula 3000 car racing. Some teams and tuners who have experimented with their own interpretations of a restricted system have reported that the engine works until around 11 ,000 rpm on a four-cylinder machine, when the airbox collapses in on itself. Tuners have stated In private that there are many ways to 'avoid' the restrictors If they appear just under the extemal surfaces of the machine, inside the Induction tract. Jan Witteveen, however, stated that there were ways to ensure that there would be no cheating thanks to checks using a vacuum pump, measuring back pressure, so that no liberties had been taken with the airbox entries or ducting. According to one spokesman, the orifice sizes have been set at the original measurements, and now it was just a case of formulating the final presentation of the new system of checks at Imola, with the absolute last word coming in December, with the printing of the 2003 AM rulebook. The father of the legendary Honda Fireblade, Tadao Baba, was in attendance at Assen, ostensibly for a Fireblade owners' ride and the new CBR600 launch in Belgium. He spent time in the Honda UK Supersport Pit. and naturally enough with the Castrol Honda team. His very presence, however, set tongues wagging about the possibility of Honda going racing with the Fireblade in 2003, as well as, or instead of, any factory VTRI 000 V·twin effort. This was denied by a Honda spokesman. but Honda is bUilding a new full· 1OOOcc four-cylinder (some say a V-four. most likely a transverse four) and it is expected to be turned into a racer for World Superbike. but more likely in 2004. The Makoto Tamada link to World Superbike in 2003 was still not commented on, and there was no comment regarding the future of any official World Superbike Honda involvement. Frederic Bolley, the French Motocross Champion. intends to 'pull a Jean-Michel Bayle' and cross over (no pun intended) to the world of global road racing, attempting to put an effort together in World Supersport. Due to the track invasion at the MotoGP race, where fences were cut to allow access to the track for some elements of the Dutch fans, searches were being carried out on incoming spectators to reduce the chances of wirecutters and so on from even reaching the fences. The entire Northem loop of the track was 20 SEPTEMBER 18. 2002' cue I e n • closed to spectators throughout race weekend, with all potential spectators offered a grandstand seat opposite a large video screen. The circuit IS investing around 1 to 1.5 million Euros to improve its safety and crowd·control measures. to allow it to regain its FIM license for the 2003 and World Superbike events. n The Castrol connection may not be severed completely by Colin Edwards yet, and after the Imola race the American will be invited to Lake Como for a ride in an offshore powerboat with Italian Champion Guido Cappellini. the six-time World Champion, who is also sponsored by Castrol. Noriyuki Haga has had his work cut out for him this year, being the only Aprilia rider, testing out new materials and tires on track himself, with no other rider there to help him filter out the clearly unsuitable tire compounds and so on. He redoubled his work on the opening day at Assen. by crashing in the timed session and setting only a few laps. 'The track has been changed in the fastest stretch, though the Veensiang comer seems to me to be almost exactly as it was last year! The bike's really fast and the tires felt good too. If I hadn't falien. I'd have got a better qualifying time, but I'm not worried as I can see we've got great potential and I'm sure I'll be able to put up a good fight. When I crashed, I went too fast into a right-hander and the handlebar suddenly went sideways.' Nonetheless, Haga qualified high up for Superpole, and was almost on the front row afterward. Ruben Xaus, never a man to do things by halves when double wili suffice. roared into a new arena of contrariness at Assen, taking fastest time in final regulation qualifying six minutes from the completion of the hour, then crashing trying to improve his pre-Superpole best time on his last lap. His current total of crashes is 1B. Troy Bayliss set off a small panic In the red-painted areas of the paddock when he fell off in the second free practice session on Saturday aftemoon, thankfully for all without serious injury. His visor was lifted in the crash and Bayliss, resplendent with a grubby visage due to a high-speed grit blasting session, held a short debrief with his team before re-finding his composure and setting third best Superpole lap. Bayliss has crashed pre-race at three of the last four World Superbike meetings, although only the Assen one was completely his fault. Unusually, there were no major incidents in morning warm-up. as none of the Superbike riders crashed, although Chris Walkers rock hit did prove uncomfortable in race conditions. Lucio Pedercini has been confirmed as the fourth rider (i.e. reserve) for both offiCial Yamaha teams in the non·World Championship Bol d'Or race on September 14-15 at Magny Cours. He is, however, expected to ride in any case due to reported injuries of Ludovic Holan. Troy Bayliss swapped to a different front·brake disc setup to help with direction changes at Assen, declaring them a bit better than what he had been using. He was not a great fan of the new track, but realized the faster way to go on one of the existing areas of tarmac. "The changes to the circuit are so-so, but I'm starting to enjoy the track, it's more physical. The last chicane is definitely better, as the ripple strips are in line with the tarmac and I like it. • Magny Cours is expected to undergo a minor track change to better accommodate the needs of sprint races, in readiness for its maiden flight on the World Superbike schedule. The final section, from Maison de l'Eau to the finish line, is expected to be VII' S made less stop-and-go and increasing rider safety. The late date, of October, was forced on the track because of the demands of setting up for the Fl race, then the build up to the 601 d'Or in September. A lot was made at the Assen World Superbike race when the practice times were as fast or faster than the best MotoGP qualifying times from June. Despite the World Superbike times being commendably fast on the new track

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