From a press release issued by Erion Racing:

Anaheim, CA—Erion Racing announced today that it is releasing rider Anthony Gobert from the Erion team effective immediately.

Gobert was hired by the Honda-supported Erion Racing team to compete in the new AMA Superstock class in 2004.

“There is a level of commitment and dedication that is required to be a rider on our team,” said team owner Kevin Erion. “Unfortunately, Anthony was unwilling to demonstrate the level of commitment and dedication required to get the job done. We wish Anthony well. He has displayed great talent over the years.”

No further comment is available at this time.


See related post:

4/9/2004 Erion: No Action On Anthony Gobert DUI Arrest Until At Least Next Week


And now, some reader reaction:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

You are welcome to publish my submission, although I don’t expect you will.

I’ve read the letter(s) regarding the decline of AMA racing followed by the letter regarding the release of Anthony Gobert after being “charged” with DUI.

The real scary decline in this sport is how BORING it is becoming. WSBK is rubbish. AMA is rubbish. It’s unbelievable to think that people expect motorcyclists to continue supporting this nonsense.

Real talented riders like Aaron Yates and Go-show get abused, fined and worse while morons with Red-Bull sippy cups end up boring us on the TV. Give me a break.

This year I’m going to go to some club races regardless of how far I have to travel. Motorcycle racing cannot be this bad. Can it ?

I’ll buy the DVDs for MotoGP and BSB at the end of the year and I’m even revising my opinion of IOM TT which the political correctness and politics in these other series’ can only serve to bolster.

Excuse me now, I’m off to cancel my DirecTV subscription.

Great magazine and great website. Keep it up.

Malachy O’Connell
Arlington Virginia



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Is ANYONE shocked at this??

Gary Hilliard
Dover,Delaware

From a press release:

Join Pro Italia on Saturday April 17th 10am-4pm for our annual Aprilia Demo Day. Aprilia USA has provided Pro Italia with a full fleet of 2004
Aprilia demos including RSV-R, Futura, Falco and Capo Nord models.

Aprilia Demo Day:
– Demo Rides 10am-4pm
– Shoei Helmet representative
– SIDI Boots representative
– Save thousands of dollars on new 2003 Aprilia RSV Mille (black & red)
and RSV Mille R (silver).
– Food (Our own David Patton will be working the grill.)
– Beverages

We have a limited number of available demo rides. Please call or email Pro Italia Sales to reserve your preferred time.

818 249-5707
[email protected]

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I would like to respond to Marcus McBain’s opinion (4/11/2004 A Racer’s Opinion On Declining AMA Pro Road Racing Participation):

Marcus McBain offers some interesting opinions on responsibility for the decline in participation in AMA Pro Racing’s road racing program. I agree with some of them, most significantly “everyone is to blame.” I think that he is misinformed in other aspects.

McBain wishes to paint AMA Pro Racing as pro-factory, anti-privateer. Given the circumstances, this would seem reasonable, as the AMA’s organizational structure grants significant representation to motorcycle manufacturers, and manufacturer’s executives that control factory racing budgets sit on both the AMA Pro Racing board and the AMA board itself. The problem is that the bias isn’t supported, and when he tries to slip “lack of integrity” into his criticisms, he lacks the substance to back up his position.

Many of us have participated in racing organizations that blatantly lacked integrity, where track records set by infrequent participants were erased, or homeboys were literally given different rules. The person who made the profit off the entries was the same person who officiated – and heard appeals. The manufacturer who sponsored the series controlled the television coverage, and when the wrong brand won, it didn’t get covered.

AMA Pro Racing has demonstrated their integrity by avoiding these influences. I have personally seen race officials stand by officiating decisions in the face of the influential manufacturers’ executives who sit on their own board. I have heard presentations to appeal boards where the AMA strictly limits their position to the facts, treats the appellant with respect, and avoids the issues and politics, while the appellant shows no such discipline. Despite their influence, I have seen the factories lose appeals – a reflection of AMA Pro Racing’s integrity. Most recently, I have seen Aaron Yates effectively given the “death penalty”, in a situation where no one wanted that to have to happen. The AMA’s integrity came through. The integrity of the sport was more important than a competitive season’s points chase.

We have seen AMA Pro Racing offer various privateer spiffs, such as top privateer qualifier, fastest privateer lap, etc. We have seen privateers exempted from tire compound rules and practice restrictions. We have seen the 1000cc Superbike rule that eliminates factory modifications that were common on the 750 Superbikes in order to help reduce the gap between factories and privateers. I have seen the AMA give free season entries to club racing champions.

The success of road racing is limited to what promoters wish to pay for, and in turn, what people want to pay to watch (and during which advertisers want to place their ads.) I have consistently heard that the promoters are not interested in classes that do not feature the big names and personalities of racing. They do not want to give up the track time, pay the fees or purses or offer up the television coverage for a race that doesn’t have Miguel DuHamel or the Bostroms in it. Somehow, I believe that this, rather than AMA Pro Racing, is why “privateer classes” are not treated in the way McBain wishes. The crowd and the television want an exciting two hour show. Improving the market appeal of the premier class racing product is the way to improve participation, and subsequent sponsorship and support throughout the racing hierarchy.

My personal opinion is that the television coverage needs to improve. We need an announcer who understands racing well enough to realize that Mladin’s lap times are three seconds a lap better than DuHamel’s, and that DuHamel will be passed in the pits at the current rate, rather than the contorted explanation that we listened to while watching Daytona. We need support shows that highlight racing personalities in a fun way, not Greg White’s “I’m a stud” attitude. (Imagine Steve Crevier as a host. We’d be tied to the tube. Your mother would be tied to the tube.) We need NASCAR-style ads, that make you actually want to see them, not Japanese-style fantasy ads.

Privateer classes at nationals are definitely not the answer.

Jay Sherritt
Boulder, Colorado

(Sherritt is a former racer and team owner…editor.)



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Regarding your post, 4/7/2004, AMA Pro Road Racing Participation Declining:

A brief comment on the continual decline in the AMA pro road racing. Our 100% privateer race team ran AMA Pro Racing series for eleven years. I may be under an incorrect ASSUMPTION BUT, during that time there were an astonishing number of road blocks from a variety of AMA Pro Racing management and selected corporate supporters of the series that continually popped up stalling and some times stopping us from participating. Lack of dissemination of information to the NON- FACTORY teams, unavailability of selected equipment, tires, engine parts to non-factory supported groups. Unique interpretation of rules or regulations not specifically listed in the AMA rulebook, then when a 100% privateer actually does good and sets up a non-industry sponsor, not affiliated with the selected group, Bam! a new rule change only affecting one rider AFTER the season starts and you’re left on the sideline. Seems like that has happened more than once.

After Daytona 2003 we basically pulled out of the AMA series and our rider took a position with a motorcycle company overseas as a test pilot. We no longer directly participate in the AMA series but do provide some support for riders in several other road racing series and the AMA MX/SX/AX series.

Justin & Bruce Blake
Caledonia, Michigan

From a press release issued by Moto Guzzi North America:

Moto Guzzi and Sportbike Track Time Announce Special Offer For All MGS-01 Corsa Buyers



Atlanta, GA—Moto Guzzi North America will partner with the premier track-day provider in the country to offer buyers of the high-performance MGS-01 Corsa an unlimited 1 year pass to unwind their bikes under safe, controlled conditions. The lucky owners of the first Corsa models to be imported will enjoy the thrill of riding without cars, signals, driveways, radar guns, gravel, double yellow lines, or other distractions.

“Our track days are all about just the pure joy of riding,” says Monte Lutz, who, along with partner Bonnie Strawser, founded Sportbike Track Time (STT) in 1997. In 2004 the Delta, Ohio-based company is offering nearly 100 event dates at 23 tracks across the United States. MGS-01 Corsa owners will be able to participate at any of those tracks or dates (excluding Talladega GP and Grattan).

The first 32 MGS-01’s to be imported are “track only” models, so the Sportbike Track Time offer is a perfect match to this one-of-a-kind bike whose introduction took the Intermoto show in Europe by storm. (A street version of the bike is scheduled for U.S. release late in 2004.) According to STT’s Monte Lutz, the collaboration was inspired when the first MGS-01 Corsa he saw “stopped me dead in my tracks. There have been only two motorcycles in my 40 years that have captivated me like that. I have admired this unique design which is a perfect blend of form and function.”

There is much to admire in the MGS-01 Corsa, which came to life from the imagination of the esteemed motorcycle designers Ghezzi and Brian working at the Moto Guzzi Style Laboratory in Mandello del Lario, Italy. The team is developing a new range of modern, agile, sport motorcycles to embody all the rich racing history and spirit of the famous Eagle brand. The MGS-01 Corsa’s designers decided to work with the existing 4 valve V-twin power plant originally developed for the Centauro. The new Corsa racing engine has chrome cylinder walls, Cosworth triple ring racing pistons, and (31 mm exhaust, 36 mm intake) nymonic valves. The choice for the transmission was the current V11 Sport’s road-tested six-speed gearbox and shaft drive.

Sportbike Track Time designs its events to be a cut above in every aspect. Not a racing school, or an “open practice” session for racers preparing for their race weekend, SST events cater to select individuals who want to have a quality experience while riding at their own pace. Events are open to riders of all skill levels. Personalized instruction is provided and encouraged. All novice group participants receive class-time and on-track instruction with qualified instructors at no additional cost. Personal instruction is available for the intermediate and advanced riders by the STT staff.

Sportbike Track Time is an approved AHRMA licensing school. STT operates events at Road America, Mid Ohio, Grattan, Pahrump, Gingerman, Beaver Run, Moroso, Talladega, North Florida Motorsports Park, Putnam Park, Virginia International Raceway, Barber Motorsports Complex, and other top facilities.

For more information about the MGS-01 Corsa, contact your nearest Moto Guzzi dealer or visit the Moto Guzzi North America website, www.motoguzzi-us.com. For information about Sportbike Track Time, visit www.sportbiketracktime.com.

From a press release issued by Ducati North America:

MICHAEL TAYLOR RACING DUCATI 999S IN PARTS CANADA NATIONAL SUPERBIKE SERIES

Four-time Canadian National Champion Michael Taylor will be riding the 2004 Ducati 999S for Z1 Cycletech in the Parts Canada National Superbike series.

Ducati increases its North American racing support with the addition of four-time National champion, Michael Taylor in the Parts Canada National Superbike series. Taylor, who recently returned from testing the Ducati 749R in Spain for Cycle Canada Magazine came home from the press launch enthusiastic about Ducati. He will campaign a 999S in the Canadian Superbike series this year. The 999 already dominates World Superbike and took the podium twice in the AMA series so far this year.

Michael Taylor declared himself completely fit and eager to go racing. “Five months ago I asked myself the question, will I be strong enough to compete? Indeed I will! My new team has the right bikes, the right people AND the right tires and I will be faster this year!”

Zaid Saleemi, owner of Z1 Cycletech is also looking forward to the challenge. “Having someone of Michael’s caliber and experience certainly makes my job a lot easier. We’re all really excited about the 999, everyone knows it’s a great platform to go racing. And I think Canadian fans are going to appreciate seeing a Ducati. I’m sure in some ways this will be a learning year for both of us, but as the season progresses be prepared for some surprises.”

The newly formed Z1 Cycletech Ducati team is supported by Eurocorsa performance, Importations Thibault Ltd, VP Racing Fuels, Steen Hansen, Shift Art & Design, Terminal Velocity Ducati and will use Dunlop tires.

Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. Ducati has won eleven of the last thirteen World Superbike Championship titles and more individual victories than the competition put together. The Company produces motorcycles in five market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Supersport; Monster, Sport Touring and Multistrada. The Company’s motorcycles are sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European and North American markets. For more information about the Company, please visit our web site at http://www.ducati.com.

From a press release issued by the FIM:

Mies, April 13, 2004

Superbike & Supersport World Championships
Regulations – Decisions of the Superbike Commission

The Superbike Commission, composed of Messrs. Claude Danis (FIM), Paolo Alberto Flammini (FGSport) and Giulio Bardi (Team representative), has unanimously decided to introduce the following modifications to the Road Racing World championship Regulations for Superbike & Supersport, for immediate application:

1.15.2 Practice Sessions
iii) The end of practice will be indicated by the waving of a chequered flag at which time the pit exit will be closed. A rider’s time will continue to be recorded until he passes the finish line after the allotted time has elapsed (to delete the rest of the sentence). After the chequered flag riders may complete one additional lap prior to entering the pits.

1.22 Behaviour during Practice and Race
8) Riders may enter the pits during the race. Refuelling and changing motorcycle are strictly prohibited.

1.23.2 Red Flag and Red Lights
To delete: At the end of each practice session and warm-up, the red lights will be switched on at the start line.

2.4.6.7 and 2.5.6.7 Tyres
To add at the end of each article:
After the samples have been delivered to the Technical Director at the beginning of the event, modification of the tread pattern (with the exception of the normal wear) is not permitted.

From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

AMA Pro Racing and Daytona International Speedway Officials to Meet

Pickerington, Ohio (April 12, 2004) — Officials from AMA Pro Racing and Daytona International Speedway are scheduled to meet this week to discuss AMA-sanctioned motorcycle racing at the race track. Issues related to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as the track’s upcoming renovation project are agenda items to be discussed during the meeting.

AMA Pro Racing Vice President, Director of Communications Kerry Graeber confirmed that Daytona remains an essential part of the championship. “There is so much history and importance surrounding Daytona,” says Graeber. “We’re looking forward to sitting down with Daytona’s leadership to map out the future of AMA motorcycle racing at the facility.”

Motorcycles have raced at Daytona International Speedway since 1961. The Daytona 200 by Arai is the cornerstone of motorcycle racing activities occurring each March. In addition to the AMA-sanctioned road races held at the facility, AMA Pro Racing sanctions a supercross race that’s part of the AMA Supercross Series as well as an AMA Flat Track Championship event at nearby Municipal Stadium. All of the races are held during Daytona’s “Bike Week” which draws thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country. The 2004 event drew the largest crowds in recent years to view motorcycle racing at the facility.

Graeber stated that the major motorcycle manufacturers view Daytona as the premier event on the championship calendar. “Winning at Daytona is a tremendous accomplishment for any individual and, to a large extent, defines him as racer,” said Graeber. “Plus, when you consider the amount of effort put forth by the manufacturers in promoting their success at Daytona through advertising and marketing support, it’s obvious how important this single event is in everyone’s mind.”

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Reuben Frankenfield and wife Brittany had a daughter, Mia Rose Frankenfield, April 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

From a press release issued by Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha:

GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM OPENS A NEW CHAPTER

After the re-introduction of four-stroke machinery to MotoGP racing in 2002 the public interest and levels of factory participation in the premier motorcycle racing class have grown to all-time record levels, a fact the recently restructured Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team and its riders Valentino Ross and Carlos Checa have played a solid part in achieving. On the eve of the 2004 World Championship season, which starts in South Africa on 18 April, a glittering array of talent lines up to do battle after an exhausting off-season of testing and machine development.

For the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team, 2004 heralds a new stage in the development of Yamaha’s factory squad, after a series of encouraging winter tests. In pre-season 2003 the Team confined its testing operations to Europe, but so far in 2004 the squad has completed two tests in Malaysia, two in Australia and most recently two in Spain. This gruelling programme has given Yamaha newcomer Valentino Rossi, his team-mate Carlos Checa and the Yamaha engineers and crews ample opportunity to get to know the newest version of the Yamaha YZR-M1.

The newly-named Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team was officially unveiled to the world in an extravagant flurry of publicity, with a special display of the bikes, livery and riding skill prior to the recent IRTA tests in Barcelona. Rossi and Checa pulled wheelies and performed stoppies and burnouts for an appreciative crowd under the shadow of Montjuic Castle in Barcelona, during an event that was beamed worldwide on television.

The Factory Team’s intimate knowledge of the YZR-M1’s ever expanding capabilities, allied to the prowess of five times World Champion Rossi and proven top level race winner Checa has delivered some impressive results in pre-season and Rossi has topped the test time sheets in the two most recent Barcelona and Jerez IRTA sessions. The 25-year-old set the fastest lap of all in the special timed session at the Barcelona test, scooping his and Yamaha’s first prize of their new association – a BMW car. The IRTA tests are always a significant moment, taking place right before the race season begins. Virtually every team and rider attends, vying for that last fragment of psychological advantage to take into the first race of the season. The good performance of both Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha riders at these tests is a vindication of the development work carried out by Yamaha, under the supervision of Yamaha’s MotoGP Technical Director Masao Furusawa.

The arrival to the Yamaha Factory Team of Rossi, 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and double MotoGP World Champion, along with his experienced pit crew headed up by Jerry Burgess, has brought an added impetus to Yamaha’s MotoGP efforts, and the long-running development programme of the M1 has gone from strength to strength in the last few months. Checa, the 31-year-old Spaniard, is twice a race winner in the premier class and has also played a strong role in the team’s resurgence. He demonstrated his personal progress recently at the Jerez IRTA tests, where he took his M1 to fourth best time overall. The competition in MotoGP has never been stronger but the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team is looking forward to a competitive season as it moves to Welkom for the betandwin.com Africa’s Grand Prix.

ROSSI RELISHES NEW 2004 CHALLENGE
Since signing for Yamaha, reigning World Champion Rossi has enjoyed some memorable moments, on track and off. Alongside Checa he was a guest at the recent Australian F1 round, where he found a myriad of fans on both sides of the pit wall. Rossi, as big a star in Japan as anywhere, was also the guest of Yamaha at a Tokyo press conference, when he was officially presented to the local media.

After the final, very wet, session at the recent Jerez IRTA tests the Italian said: “There’s not very much to say because of the bad weather, except that I’m pleased with the way the bike has gone in the wet. It is still not bad to ride and the tyres felt okay too. Anyway this is the end of the winter tests and I’m very happy with our progress.

“I completely feel I am a Yamaha rider now. In fact I felt this even by our second day together in Sepang in January! It’s great, we are working together to improve the bike and to get to the top together. Certainly every test so far has been really important for us because we started from the beginning with this bike and are all working to the same goal.

“When I spoke with Yamaha in the beginning I got a great feeling from them because they wanted me so much to come and join them to go for victory. My work with Honda was finished so now with Yamaha we are trying to make another dream, to make a fresh start and to come back to the top. This is so good for motivation and to keep that motivation at 100 per cent.”

When asked of his hopes for first race he stated: “It’s difficult to say, we hope to improve a bit from now, and to arrive at the first race ready to fight for the podium. That is our target, it might not be easy but we will try.”

CHECA LOOKING FOR RESURGENT FORM TO CONTINUE
It’s been a busy winter for Carlos Checa. Having put in sterling work at the Phillip Island test sessions Carlos also put in an appearance at the Yamaha World press test of the new R1 at the Eastern Creek circuit near Sydney, before coming back to Europe via California, where he dropped in to visit old friend and Yamaha legend Wayne Rainey.

Always a force to be reckoned with when all things are equal, Checa is enthused beyond measure at the prospect of the new season, and feels Welkom will be good to him.

“Welkom is a circuit I like quite a lot,” said the London resident. “It feels like we are going to our first race this year at just the right moment in our development. Anything can happen but for sure it’s going to be really tough this year because everyone is at such a high level. It’s really not easy to predict who could win the first race. The new rule change to have three guys per row on the starting grid will make things very tricky, but exciting.”

In relation to some previous seasons, Checa thinks he and his machinery are in perfect shape to challenge. “I feel completely different in my approach to the championship this year compared to last year. At the start of 2003 we had some problems with the bike and it did not evolve as much as I would have liked during the winter. I didn’t really feel ready to start racing at the Suzuka GP and it was the same at Welkom last year, when I had problems with rear grip and stability, and just could not break through the pack to fight with the top guys. By the time of Jerez we had made significantly good progress with the bike but unfortunately I had some unlucky problems with the engine in the race there.

“We have made great progress with the M1 since then and I really want to prove that at this first race, where the results will give us our reference point for the rest of the season. I am very excited, in fact I think maybe this is the most excited I have felt before a season in all my years with Yamaha. It’s going to be great.”

DAVIDE BRIVIO LOOKS FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE AHEAD
“I’m happy to start racing finally!” said Davide Brivio, Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team Director, summing up the feelings of his motivated and determined team. “We’re all very curious to see how competitive we are going to be. It’s seemed like a longer winter than ever with all the testing and it will be great to go racing. It feels like an extra special moment because we are involved in this new challenge that Valentino chose to take on board with Yamaha. We are fully committed to giving him the necessary support, and to succeed with him in the challenge. It’s just the beginning of a two-year plan so we still have a lot of time to develop our bike and grow up further.”

Brivio is confident that his riders will be well able to handle the challenge of the first event of the year, but stops short of making predictions. “At the last two tests in Spain we had very strange and difficult weather conditions but even then our bike showed good potential, both with Valentino and Carlos, and with the other Yamaha riders. We aim of course to do our best, and I don’t want to make any specific results predictions now!” he stated.

“All I can say is that Yamaha has been very busy for many months redesigning many chassis parts and reviewing the engine. Valentino seems quite satisfied with the bike and that makes me relaxed, as it’s a good sign that our engineers have done a good job so far. We need to see how the bike copes at the last part of the race under race conditions.”

Brivio explained the team’s technical approach to Welkom. “Valentino has tested four different chassis and four different engine specs during the winter. He has selected a final race package that was also given to Carlos at the recent test in Barcelona and that combination seems to be the right one to use for Welkom. Carlos also had an important part to play in the bike’s winter development as he has worked a lot on the chassis. At the IRTA tests we saw that he can be up there in the top positions. We hope to see both him and Valentino in the top group from Welkom onwards. We are motivated, excited, and ready to race!”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
The Phakisa circuit, a stand-alone facility near Welkom in the South African gold fields, is a flat and frequently dusty track, ringed by a speed bowl designed for CART-style car racing. Not used as a venue for pre-season testing, it always throws up some peculiarities come race weekend and has a consistent reputation of featuring a slippery surface due to the dusty environment.

More than most tracks, the key to a quick lap time at Welkom is good machine balance, with a harmonious relationship of chassis and engine, allied to a keen tyre choice for the prevailing conditions. Always bumpy, the low change in gradient over the lap distance of 4.242 kilometres is a factor in suspension set-up. The front and rear suspension needs enough pliability to handle the staccato bumps at full lean, but enough firmness during acceleration to keep the rear tyre in contact with the tarmac at all times, thus preventing understeer on the exit.

Softer springing and damping rates are generally the starting point for the Phakisa set-up, moving progressively firmer as the lap times drop and the work done by the suspension becomes more demanding.

The most significant factor affecting the performance of the engine is the relatively high altitude in that part of South Africa. The thinner air robs any engine of outright power, due to the decreased density of the incoming fuel/air mixture and thus the lower energy yield of each combustion cycle. With all MotoGP machines producing comfortably over 200bhp at present, this may be less of a factor across the board than it may at first appear. Fast work in qualifying, and reference to data from previous seasons, will nonetheless be required to make the necessary fuelling adjustments to the M1 in preparation for raceday.

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION
Age: 25
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 59 (20 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 124 (32 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 30
Welkom 2003 results (Honda):
Grid: 2nd, Race: 2nd

CARLOS CHECA: INFORMATION
Age: 31
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1
GP victories: 2 (500cc)
First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500cc)
First GP: Europe, 1993 (125cc)
GP starts: 152 (32 x MotoGP, 92 x 500cc, 27 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc)
First pole: Spain, 1998 (500cc)
Welkom 2003 results (Yamaha):
Grid: 7th, Race: 9th


Welkom MotoGP lap record
Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1:33.851 2003

Circuit best lap
Sete Gibernau (Honda) 1:33.174 2003


More, from a press release issued by Camel Honda Racing Information:

Camel Honda fires up engines as world championship gets underway in Welkom, South Africa

It’s upon us: on 18 April in South Africa the spotlights will be trained on what looks all set to be one of the most spectacular seasons of recent years – certainly one of the most long-awaited. The winter tests raised expectations for a truly hard fought season in which the outcome is by no means a foregone conclusion. The two Team Camel Honda riders, Max Biaggi and Makoto Tamada, were at any rate constantly among the fastest whenever they had time to set up their RC211Vs properly. So both are setting off for Welkom with one imperative: to make the very best of the four practice sessions and find the settings best suited to the African circuit. Since it was built in 1999, the “Phakisa” has acquired a reputation as a circuit with dirty and rippled tarmac. Last year the problem was reduced by repaving, but the fact that few races are held here means the inconvenience of having almost no rubbering in – and thus very little grip – comes round every year. Another characteristic of the Phakisa is the altitude, as the rarefied air reduces the power of the engines by as much as 15%: a challenge within the challenge that the Team Camel Honda technicians and riders are ready to take up.

Max Biaggi #3: (Michelin tyres)

“As for South Africa, I can say that I quite like the track: it’s got a nice layout and it’s pleasant to ride. The weather’s normally good… though I do feel like making a gesture to ward off ill-fate when I say that. What’s sure is that I’m not looking forward to the undulating tarmac, even though it’s been redone just recently, and the fact that the track generally takes quite a bit of time – at least all the first day of practice – before the grip is acceptable. And with two different frames to compare and the right set-up to work out, we’re going to need every minute we’ve got to decide what configuration to use for the official qualifying – and this is going to be even tougher, with the new three-per-row rule – and, of course, for the race. We’re going to have to react fast and understand immediately what to do. I feel good and I’m starting out with confidence and determination.”

Makoto Tamada #6: (Bridgestone tyres)

“I can’t wait to be in Welkom when the first green light of the season goes on. I’m just raring to go and I’m feeling incredibly motivated to do my best. In the recent IRTA tests in Montmelò and Jerez, I really didn’t bring my full potential to bear. We didn’t have the weather on our side that time, and the work was very discontinuous. The cold weather didn’t let our simulate the GP in conditions like what I think we’ll be finding in the first championship races. I’m waiting for some more new materials to come in from Bridgestone: I was able to try out some in the IRTA tests, and the results were good, but I’m expecting more in South Africa. Now, the track at Welkom has a few little unknown factors: first of all, it isn’t much used for practice and competitions, so we don’t have much recent information about the grip and the state of the circuit – and the weather, which is sometimes unsettled, may be another variable. So there may be a few surprises – but I’d like to be the biggest of all: going fast during the four hours of practice and getting out in front in the race.”