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/128219
charged through the field, finally overcoming a fierce four-bike battle to claim fourth place, inches ahead of front-row starter Shinya Nakano and his Gauloises Yamaha, factory Camel Honda rider Tohru Ukawa, and double-GP winner Sete Gibernau. "I said to my team this morning - I think this will be the day," Tamada revealed afterwards. Tamada was using Bridgestone tires, the best yet result for the Japanese brand in their second year in the top class. "There was lots of overtaking, but no strategy," he added. "With a better start, I would have been fighting with the leaders, which is what I really want." Capirossi (left) and Max Blaggl (right) took off the gloves and slugged it out, making serious contact on at least one occasion. (Left) Capirossi (65) leads Biaggi (3), Rossi (hidden), and Shinya Nakano (56). Capirossi's Ducati was unbelievably fast at Mugello, recording the fastest time ever recorded at a Grand Prix at 206 mph! (Below) Makoto Tamada (6) had an outstanding race after a dismal launch at the start put him back in 18th. He charged through the pack to take fourth, his and Bridgestone's best results so far in the class. Colin Edwards (45) put the Alice Aprilia in ninth. The crazed Italian fans got to ~ Latin blowout at .......... cOUl'tfty of BI8ggI, RoRl an.n- and CaplnJlISi. Fortuna Yamaha's Carlos Checa lost touch with the gang to finish eighth, with Alice Aprilia's Colin Edwards a lonely ninth. Neither of the Protons finished, but it was still a proud day for a bike in only its fourth full day on a racetrack. Fuel starvation problems had bedeviled the team in practice, although Jeremy McWilliams was as high as 16th at one point in practice. In the race, he moved through from a slow start to take an eventual 15th from Garry McCoy's Kawasaki. continuing to pull away until the fuel pump problems forced him into the pits. The same could not be said for the Suzukis, after a disastrous afternoon piled yet more woe onto their difficult season. At the back of the midfield pack on only the third of 23 laps, Kenny Roberts Jr. ran into the back of John Hopkins, knocking his teammate off and falling under the wheels of his bike. Although nothing was broken, Roberts was comprehensivecue I e Iy battered and is a doubtful starter for the Catalunya GP in one week. Roberts declined to comment after the race, while Hopkins just said succinctly: "I got T-boned." Marlboro Ducati's Troy Bayliss also crashed out after overcoming practice problems to move from 10th on the first lap to sixth, closing on the riders ahead. "I was riding hard, trying to bridge the gap," Bayliss said. "I had a few moments, then I just crashed. I hate not finishing races. and that's two in a row.'" Edwards was ninth after a poor start - "the best we could do with what we have" and surviving some scary moments as he tried to override the bike to make up for it. Nicky Hayden never did pick up the pace at the challenging circuit, finishing a distant 12th, saying: "I never felt comfortable all weekend but we ain't letting up." Earlier, MS Aprilia's Manuel Poggiali put the crash at Le Mans behind n e _ S • JUNE 18, 2003 31