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/303159
MOTOGP MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3/APRIL 27, 2014 AUTODROMO TERMAS DE RIO HONDA/BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA P62 THE MEMORIES With tales of 20-plus hours on the road among travelers' woes, and a dusty if heartwarmingly enthusiastic welcome on arrival, the return of the Argentine to the MotoGP calendar – for a 10th time in 54 fitful years – revived memories of a colorful and often heroically shambolic history of past GPs, including some crucial title deciders. All were at least easily accessible, held in the capital, Buenos Aires. This year's inaugural event in the remote northwestern corner of the huge county saw teams and press corps operating a skeleton staff. Distance was no barrier to race-starved specta- tors, however. One such championship decider remains infamous. In 1998 Aprilia teammates Tetsuya Harada and Loris Capirossi were vying for the title, the Japanese rider six points ahead. In a mad move Capirossi used Harada to brake at the end of the back straight, bringing him down. The Italian man- aged to keep going to finish second and win the championship. He was then disqualified for dangerous riding, but finally reinstated after a long legal wrangle - Aprilia vs. the FIM. The loss of points, however, made no differ- ence to the final outcome. Rossi, in his first 250cc season, watched this at close quarters with vast amusement, and won. "An un- forgettable race, and very funny," he recalled. The next year: an extraordinary fi- nale in the 125cc class, where Marco Melandri had won four races, and needed one more to outpoint Emilio Alzamora (who had not won any), as long as the consistent Spaniard finished no higher than third. On the last lap leader Melandri all but parked it in Alzamora's way more than once to try to let the pursuit catch up. It didn't work, and the angry Italian donned a pre-prepared T-shirt after the race proclaiming himself "Quasi World Champion." Alzamora now manages Marc Mar- quez as an important figure in Spanish racing. Customs often posed problems when clearing racing equipment, and there were persistent financial con- troversies and rumors of unpaid fees; while the track and facilities were both dilapidated and sparse, and commu- nication with the outside world via a manual telephone exchange. In 1987 riders led by subsequent 250cc World Champion and now team owner Sito Pons redesigned the (officially homologated) circuit on race eve. Pit crews hefted straw-bales for a chicane to take the teeth out of a