From a press release issed by Fortuna Yamaha:

CHAMPIONSHIP HOTS UP AGAIN AFTER SUMMER BREAK

After a string of races across northern Europe, the Fortuna Yamaha Team makes its way with the rest of the MotoGP paddock back to the Iberian peninsula this weekend for the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril. This weekend’s race marks the end of the European sector of the season before each team packs its equipment into freight cases for the string of four ‘flyaway’ races in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia and Australia. The nomadic paddock then returns to Europe for the final showdown in Valencia, Spain on 2 November.

After a six week lull, interruputed only by the Gauloises Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno in mid-August and the ensuing Michelin tyre test at the Czech circuit, the MotoGP riders will be looking forward to getting back to the action in what has turned into an unusually close championship . The excitement reached its peak at the last race in Brno, when at mid-race distance the top five riders were covered by just 1.171 seconds, and the race win was claimed by just 0.042 seconds by Valentino Rossi from Sete Gibernau. The leading pack didn’t just change positition on every lap but virtually every corner!

Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Carlos Checa was one of the strongest race contenders in Brno. Although he followed the leading five riders for the majority of the race, his times improved lap by lap and he closed in on the top group to finish in a solid fourth. His team-mate Marco Melandri had a more difficult weekend, struggling to get comfortable with his Yamaha YZR-M1 four-stroke machine but eventually overcoming his difficulties to finish what was an impressive tenth place, considering his seventeenth place starting grid position.

Checa and Melandri came away from the group Michelin tyre test which followed the Czech race feeling the benefits of the day. Checa continued to set impressively fast and consistent lap times, and Melandri made more progress conquering the troubles that had affected his performance during the race weekend. Both riders and their crews will return to Estoril this weekend not only with the confidence that they left the test with, but also fully relaxed and focused after the two week break since. The team’s Italian director, Davide Brivio, knows how much extra effort his team has put in recently, and the result is making a difference. He is sure that the enhanced performances of both riders will improve even more this weekend.

“Carlos got pole position in Estoril last year so has a proven track record with the M1 there,” said Davide Brivio about the elder of his two riders. “Also he’s come from another positive race in the Czech Republic and at the races before it, with Brno probably the most positive. We are looking forward to this end of the season for Carlos – he was fighting again in Brno with the top group so his confidence is improving. We’re working to get him on the podium soon.

“With Marco, his weekend in Brno was not as positive as we were expecting but I think that probably that track doesn’t perfectly suit his riding style on the M1. However, he made the best of a difficult situation and by race day had made adjustments working closely with his crew, which made a lot of difference, and he was able to achieve a solid result despite a difficult grid position. This was all part of an important and steep learning curve! Estoril will hopefully be a different story. During the winter testing Marco had a small fall on the wet there, and hurt his shoulder but now he is so much more confident with the bike. I think we can have him back on good form this weekend.

“Both riders were pleased with the chance to test at Brno on the Monday after the race in the Michelin tyre test. Carlos’ lap times were as good with the tyres he was testing as they were in the race on Sunday. His times were also consistent and the same as the pace setters were achieving in the race, so he has come away from the test feeling confident. The test was also positive and useful for Marco – a chance to clarify some doubts and improve some settings.”


CHECA SIXTH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND DETERMINED FOR HIGHER
Carlos Checa’s season did not start out as one of his best but he is making up for lost time, and now just needs a podium finish to reestablish himself as one of the top protagonists in motorcycle racing’s premier class. His season has improved slowly but surely, his change in luck starting at his home Barcelona Grand Prix in June when he finished fourth. Since then he has achieved another fourth in Assen, sixth in Donington, a frustrating eighth in Sachsenring, and then back on track to finish fourth at the Czech Republic Grand Prix three weeks ago. He has moved up to sixth position in the championship standings – eighteen points behind Ducati MotoGP rookie Troy Bayliss and nineteen points behind Bayliss’ team-mate Loris Capirossi.


Checa will need to use every ounce of his determination this weekend to achieve Fortuna Yamaha’s first podium finish of the season. Last year he finished second at the Portuguese circuit after a pole position start, and a hard-ridden race in harsh wet conditions. The Spaniard is looking forward to getting back into the championship after the break, and feels that the Portuguese circuit can provide the platform for his first podium of the season.

“I got the pole there last year, so obviously it’s a track that I quite like,” said the Spanish rider. “At all tracks you need good front and rear balance and good stability on turning, that’s the basic character, and then you build on that from circuit to circuit. Estoril has a long straight, and you need hard braking on T1. Then about seventy percent of the track consists of slow turns where you need hard braking. The last section has the slowest corner, and for me it’s the slowest corner of all the GP circuits. You need good handling there and connection with the throttle. The bike becomes very heavy at that point.

“The track doesn’t look like it has any grip but actually when you’re on the track the grip level isn’t so bad. The last section is quite important for the lap time, and by the last section I mean the last two turns. It’s easy to lose a lot of time in the slower area. I like the track in general but not the bumps, especially on the exit of turns one and two. That last slow section is too slow for us four-stroke riders really, it’s too slow for 200 horsepower.”


TWENTY-ONE YEARS OLD AND READY FOR ACTION
Marco Melandri has spent the two short season intervals training, hanging out with friends, looking forward to the next race, and turning twenty-one! He celebrated his birthday just before the Czech Grand Prix, and the Brno Grand Prix was certainly a test of his maturity. The 250cc World Champion had a tricky weekend, struggling to find a set-up that he felt comfortable with, and didn’t find a compromise until morning practice on race day, when he and his crew made adjustments that set him up for a steady race. He finished in tenth place, and now lies nineteenth in the championship.

His current championship standing belies the progress he has made in his rookie MotoGP season. Having missed the first two races of the year due to injury, and spending the following few races relearning the ropes, he amazed everyone by claiming his first MotoGP front row start at the French Grand Prix in Le Mans, then claiming a second front row start at the British Grand Prix in Donington when he fought with the race leaders before tumbling out of the race from fourth place. At the ensuing German Grand Prix in Sachsenring he brilliantly fought his way as high as second after a twelfth place start, unluckily falling off when he had difficulties changing gear.

Melandri’s weekend in Brno was more complicated. Despite a reasonable test at the Czech circuit in mid-July, he struggled to find a set-up that he felt comfortable with during the race weekend. He and his crew worked harder than ever to overcome the difficulties, and after lowering the front geometry of his YZR-M1 on race day, the young Italian went on to complete a steady race, finishing tenth. The same set-up helped him complete a positive Michelin test the following day at the group tyre test in Brno. Now he moves on to Estoril

“Last year I finished second in Estoril, I was hoping for another win but couldn’t quite make it. I was still winning the 250cc championship at that stage anyway so I have good memories of this circuit. However in winter testing this year I had a tumble when I was testing Michelin’s wet tyres in the rain. I slid on an uphill chicane on my second lap in the wet, and had to be taken to the Clinica Mobile. They confirmed that my right collar bone had separated from my shoulder blade, it really hurt! At least I got to ride about 22 laps before the fall, with a reasonable time, so I do have some experience with the M1 on the Estoril circuit.

“All through the summer break I haven’t been able to relax properly because I’ve been so focused on racing. After having such a good feeling with the bike in Donington and Sachsenring, I was so disappointed in Brno when I couldn’t ride as I wanted to. It seemed that no matter what we did on Friday and Saturday, it didn’t get any better. My crew worked so hard all weekend and then we made another change on Sunday and it immediately felt better.

“Now I’m just desperate to get back to the racing, and I really want to finish the race in a good position in Estoril. In some ways the frustration in Brno was good for me because it taught me that if you can’t get the feeling you want at the start of the weekend, you have to be patient sometimes, trust your crew, and keep working without making too many changes.”


TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
In some ways many of the issues that plague the South African circuit, Welkom, also make racing at Estoril interesting, to say the least. The combination of its design and geography make it a technically challenging venue. Situated 32km west of Lisbon on the western coast of Portugal, 7km from the beach resort of Cascais, Estoril is regularly hit by offshore winds – resulting in a light film of dust on the track surface. This, combined with the circuit’s flat camber and irregular use, means that grip levels are always minimal for the first couple of days during the Portuguese Grand Prix, until a clean racing line is formed.

As the circuit naturally becomes cleaner and faster over the course of the Grand Prix weekend, the chassis characteristics and the ideal setting continually change, making bike set-up difficult for all. The engine alone must cater for all extremes here; predictability, due to the low grip levels; low to midrange power, which must satisfy the drive needed off the half dozen second gear corners; and top-end over-rev, essential to make the leap between each bend.

Chassis wise the first target is a balanced, neutral geometry; offering good turn-in characteristics while also catering for the big braking areas, such as turn one. The base setting will be similar to that used at Donington, only with slightly higher rate fork springs to deal with the extra weight transfer under deceleration. Meanwhile the rear spring will be softer to improve feedback under power. This will be done while the technicians and riders focus on a set-up suited more on the latter part of the race, at which point the tyre grip levels will be fading, rather than on a one-off ultra fast time on new rubber.



More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing Press Information:

ESTORIL: ELEVENTH MOTOGP RACE BEFORE TRANSFER TO SOUTH AMERICA

The Estoril circuit is located 28 kilometres from Lisbon, just off the Atlantic coast, and will be the venue for the eleventh round of the World Road Racing Championship. Built in 1972, the Portuguese track hosted a number of Formula 2 races in the 1970s, before being “consecrated” at world level with the arrival of Formula 1 in 1984. Since 2000, it has been the Portuguese venue for the world motorcycling tests of the Grand Prix.

The Estoril circuit is difficult to interpret and its layout contains all those complexities that make it technical and selective. Many corners to be taken at slower speeds are followed by rapid acceleration while other are faster, leading into tight chicanes where a change of direction needs to be negotiated with great skill. And there is more: extreme braking to enable overtaking, and then the long straight, where engine power can make all the difference. This means that Estoril has all it takes to make things difficult for both technicians and riders – and the weather remains an unknown factor: its proximity to the Atlantic coast makes the area susceptible to rapid changes in temperature.

The circuit. Length: 4,182 metres – 4 left-handers – 9 right-handers – longest straight: 986 metres – Maximum width: 14 metres –

Constructed in: 1972 – Modified in: 1999.

2002 winners.
125 class: Vincent (FRA) Aprilia
250 class: Nieto (SPA) Aprilia
MotoGP class: Rossi (ITA) Honda.

Circuit records:
125: 1:46.329, Ui, 2001
250: 1:42.285, Kato 2001
MotoGP: 1:40.683, Capirossi, 2001.

MAX BIAGGI THIRD IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RATINGS

CAMEL PRAMAC PONS TEAM SECOND IN TEAM RATINGS

Four-times world champion Massimiliano Biaggi finished the Brno race in third place, gaining 11 precious points that keep him firmly in third place in the world championship standings. The arrival of some updates for his RC211V required some extra work on setting up the bike and there is a good chance that it will be right here at Estoril that Max Biaggi will be able to show what he and such a powerful machine are really capable of. The gap separating him from the top is now 71 points – a lot, and hard to claw back, but nothing is impossible. Assisted by Ukawa’s eighth place in the Czech Republic, the Camel Pramac Pons Team still maintains second place in the special team standings. Tohru Ukawa is currently seventh in the world championship with 71 points.

MORE TRACK TESTS FOR MAKOTO TAMADA AND THE PRAMAC HONDA TEAM

There was no respite for Makoto Tamada and the Pramac Honda Team as they carried out tests on the Monday following the Brno race. The same track, with hot summer conditions like during the race the day before. A good opportunity to carry on Bridgestone development work and to carefully examine with the technicians the set-up of the bike as it had been used for the race. The Japanese rider clocked up a total of 72 laps, posting a best time of 2:00.4. The Brno tests were used to try out some new materials from Bridgestone: evolution plies and profiles on which this end-of-season’s work will concentrate, but also the basis for the work to be carried out next year.

After the race in the Czech Republic, Makoto went back to Japan and will be flying in directly to Portugal in time to take part in the promotional event for the Estoril GP promotional event slated for Thursday afternoon.


More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati:

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM – PRESS INFORMATION
Marlboro Portuguese Grand Prix, Estoril
September 5/6/7 2003

DESMOSEDICI REFINEMENTS INSPIRE DUCATI MARLBORO MEN
The Ducati Marlboro Team goes into this weekend’s Marlboro Portuguese Grand Prix confident of once again being in the hunt for victory. At last month’s Czech GP Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss were in the thick of the action, and while the Desmosedici has already proved itself a winning force in MotoGP, this was the first time that both riders have been in with a chance of victory.

New chassis parts helped Capirossi and Bayliss fight for the win at Brno, and further refinements have been made since then to give the pair an even better chance of success at Estoril on Sunday. Capirossi still holds fourth in the World Championship standings, just one point ahead of Bayliss, who has scored podium finishes at the last two GPs. And Ducati is still running strong in the manufacturers’ championship, currently holding second place in its debut MotoGP season.

Estoril is MotoGP’s final race in Europe before the paddock heads oversees for a gruelling run of four flyaway races in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia and Australia over just five weekends. The GP circus returns to Europe for the season finale at Valencia, Spain, on November 2.

AWESOME DESMOSEDICI KEEPS MOVING FORWARD
Ten races done, six to go, and the Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici continues to improve with every outing. Three weeks ago at Brno Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss both raced with a new frame, designed to speed the bike’s progress through esses and chicanes. And this weekend at Estoril the pair will have at their disposal a new, larger diameter Ohlins front fork, designed to further improve the bike’s behaviour in direction changes, as well as increasing stability under braking.

“We tested the new fork at Brno the day after the race,” explains Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. “Loris really liked the new fork and also some new front tyres that Michelin wanted us to evaluate. He went even faster than he did during the race, even though he was using race-compound tyres. Troy also bettered his race lap times from the race on race tyres, so we go to Estoril in confident mood. We went well there during winter testing and the bike is much better now, we’ve made some good steps forward over the past few weeks.”

Ducati Marlboro Team director Livio Suppo believes Estoril will provide an interesting gauge of just how far the Desmosedici has come since winter testing. “The bike was very young when we went there in February,” he says. “So it will be nice to see how far we’ve come since then. Both riders are happy with the latest new parts, it seems like the bike is getting better and better. It’s also good that Troy is now really used to MotoGP and getting more and more confident, he rode a great race at Brno. Loris also rode a wonderful race, it’s just a pity that he lost points due to an electrical fault. We can sure that he’ll be very hungry at Estoril! Finally, I think we will all arrive at Estoril nice and relaxed, because most of us have had some time off for holidays since Brno.”

CAPIROSSI TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LATEST UPGRADES
Loris Capirossi has already proved that the Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici is a winning machine. The super-determined Italian won the bike’s first MotoGP success at Catalunya in June and he looked capable of repeating that success at Brno last month until a minor electrical fault halted his victory assault three laps from the finish. This weekend Capirossi will be out to make up for the misfortune and bolster his championship position.

“We put what happened at Brno behind us,” says Capirossi. “At least that race proved just how good the bike is at the moment, so Estoril shouldn’t be bad for us. We went okay there during winter testing but the bike has changed quite a lot since then, so we will have to work carefully on set-up. We’ve made good progress this year, and we’re now at a very good level. The new frame we received at Brno helped improve the overall balance of the bike, and the new Ohlins fork and Michelin front tyres we tried during the tests make the bike even better in direction changes and also more stable on the brakes. I think everyone can see we’re moving in the right direction. The test team is working really hard to help us, we appreciate their input.”

“I like Estoril and the bike seems okay there, though I’m not so keen on the tiny chicane which is a bit awkward, but I think it’s the same for everyone in MotoGP. Anyway, we have a lot of speed and that will be good for us down the two straights.”

BAYLISS PRAISES ‘PRETTY PERFECT’ DESMOSEDICI
Troy Bayliss comes to Estoril this week anxious to get back to work after his best-ever MotoGP ride in last month’s Czech GP. The Ducati Marlboro Team rider scored his third MotoGP third-place finish at Brno, but this time he was less than a second away from victory, proving that the hard-riding Aussie has the talent and the equipment to go all the way.

“The bike is starting to feel pretty perfect, I feel a lot more comfortable on it now,” says Bayliss. “Brno showed that we can run right up front, that’s where I want to be and I think I should be there all the time. Estoril is another place we visited during the off-season, but the bike has come on a long way since then. It’s bumpy and twisty, but I enjoy the track, it’s fun. The bike is really coming on now. We got a new chassis at Brno that makes the bike easier in direction changes and I’m looking forward to working on the new front fork when we get to Estoril.”

Bayliss and wife Kim are expecting their third child within the next few weeks. Baby boy Oliver is expected in early October. The Bayliss family already has two kids – son Mitchell (seven) and daughter Abbey (five). “We’re hoping that Oliver will arrive a few days early so that Troy can say ‘hello’ before he heads off to the three flyaway races in Japan, Malaysia and Australia,” says Kim.

THE TRACK
Estoril is the slowest circuit on the GP calendar, with a lap record of less than 150kmh. Nevertheless the track presents a real challenge to riders and engineers. The contrast between very slow and very fast corners demands some tricky compromises in chassis set-up, with riders requiring manoeuvrability in the tight corners and stability in the sweepers. These two characteristics aren’t mutually exclusive but it’s not easy to create a motorcycle that excels in both situations, so compromise is the only answer. It’s the same with the engine – the contrast between the fast start-finish straight and the many slow-speed corners requires maximum peak horsepower as well as gentle low-rpm performance.

But perhaps the greatest concern for riders is the track’s proximity to the Atlantic. High-speed winds often whip off the ocean, blowing bikes and riders off course, and throwing dust onto the circuit, with potentially disastrous results.

Estoril hosts its fourth GP this weekend, though this is the sixth Portuguese GP. The nation’s first two GPs were held at Spanish tracks in 1987 and 1988, because Estoril failed stringent track safety standards.

ESTORIL: 4.182km/2.599 miles
Lap record: Loris Capirossi (Honda), 1m 40.683s, 149.530kmh/92.914mph (2001)
Pole position 2002: Carlos Checa (Marlboro Yamaha Team), 1m 39.793s


DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM DATA LOGS

TROY BAYLISS
Age: 34
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
First GP: Australia, 1997 (250)
GP starts: 11 (10xMotoGP, 1×250)
World Superbike victories: 22
World Championships: 1 (Superbike: 2001)
Estoril 2002 results: DNS

LORIS CAPIROSSI
Age: 30
Lives: Monaco
Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici
GP victories: 23 (1xMotoGP, 2×500, 12×250, 8×125)
First GP victory: Britain, 1990 (125)
First GP: Japan, 1990 (125)
GP starts: 194 (24xMotoGP, 59×500, 84×250, 27×125)
Pole positions: 35 (2xMotoGP, 5×500, 23×250, 5×125)
First pole: Australia, 1991 (125)
World Championships: 3 (125: 1990, 1991, 250: 1998)
Estoril 2002 results: Grid 7th. Race DNF


More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:

ROUND: 11, PORTUGESE GRAND PRIX
September 7, 2003
Circuit: Estoril
Country: Portugal
Track length: 4182 m
Opened: 1972
Fastest Lap Ever: 1:39.793 (Carlos Checa, 2002 – MotoGP)
MotoGP lap record: 1:40.683 (Loris Capirossi, 2001)
Last year MotoGP winner: Valentino Rossi
GP250 lap record: 1:42.285 (Daijiro Kato, 2001)
Last year GP250 winner: Alfonso Nieto
Circuit tel: +351 21 4691462
Circuit web site: http://www.fpak.pt

2002 race summary
The 11th round of the 2002 MotoGP World Championship came under the attack of not only the most exotic two-wheeled motorcycles on the planet, but the temperamental Portuguese weather too when wind and heavy rain lashed the 4182m Estoril circuit. Defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (Honda) was the man who splashed his way to yet another win, to close in on his second MotoGP title; while Portuguese polesitter Carlos Checa (Yamaha) recovered from a difficult opening few laps to clinch a gutsy second place finish on the ever-improving YZR-M1.

The Spaniard suffered excess wheelspin of the start line, relegating him as far back as 12th on the opening lap, before finding the momentum to climb eight places in three laps. Once on the tail end of the leading quartet Checa began the progress of inching his way to yet another podium performance. Tohru Ukawa (Honda) was unable to match the pace of the #7 machine and settled for a safe third.

However, the man robbed of the win was fellow Spaniard Sete Gibernau, who shot off the grid to take the race lead on lap three, building a buffer of nearly six seconds, before victory slipped through his fingers with four laps remaining. The Suzuki man was one of nine riders to be caught out by the treacherous conditions; seventh placed finisher Norick Abe (Yamaha) being the first victim. Abe’s misfortune began on the sighting lap when he lost the front of his YZR500 at walking pace – forced back to the pits to mount his spare machine he started from the rear of the grid. The Japanese completed the race one place behind sixth placed Max Biaggi (Yamaha).

Set-up report YZR-M1
In some ways many of the issues that plague the South African circuit, Welkom, also make racing at Estoril interesting, to say the least. A technically challenging venue, due to a combination of its design and geography, make it so. Situated 32km west of Lisbon on the western coast of Portugal, 7km from the beach resorts of Cascais, Estoril is regularly hit by offshore winds – resulting in a light film of dust on the track surface. The common problem between the two circuit. Combined with its flat camber and irregular use, grip levels are always minimal for the first few days during the Portuguese MotoGP, until a clean racing line is formed.

As in Welkom, this makes setting up a MotoGP bike difficult. As the circuit naturally becomes cleaner and faster over the course of the GP weekend the chassis characteristics continually change – as will the ideal setting. This combined with the fat that the actual layout sees to it that an ideal chassis is, in itself, difficult to find. With its high-speed straight – topping 310kmh – combined with some hard braking – especially into turn one, the most popular passing point. Add in a sequence of tight twists and turns, a few fast sweepers, the meanest chicane on the championship calendar, and the best race set-up is a compromise.

The engine alone must cater for all extremes here – predictability, due to the low grip levels; low to midrange power, which must satisfy the drive needed off the half dozen second gear corners; and top-end over-rev, essential to make the leap between each bend.

Chassis wise the first target is a balanced, neutral geometry; offering good turn-in characteristics while also catering for the big braking areas, such as turn one. The base setting will be similar to that used at Donington, only with slightly higher rate fork springs to deal with the extra weight transfer under deceleration. Meanwhile the rear spring will be softer to improve feedback under power, although it is a fine line, with the circuit reasonably narrow and the limited amount of grip off the racing line there is little room to understeer and run wide.

All this will be done while the technicians and riders focus on a set-up suited more on the latter part of the race, at which point the tyre grip levels will be fading, rather than on a one-off ultra fast time on new rubber – more so than at any other circuit. The different grip characteristics as the tyre wears will make a substantial difference and will ultimately determine the outcome of the race. Again the low grip levels are a factor, as are the repetitive bumps in the track surface on the exits of the turns, which can unsettle a fast bike on old tyres easily.


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

PORTUGUESE GP ANOTHER STEP FOR SUZUKI

Team Suzuki Press Office Friday 29th August 2003.
Next weekend’s Portuguese GP marks the end of the European season, and closes off a phase of racing in 2003 – for the Suzuki team, as well as the MotoGP rivals.

Held at Estoril, in the coastal hills near historic Sintra, the race is the 11th of 16 rounds, and the last of a non-stop European series that began at Jerez in Spain back in May. The next four races follow the gruelling flyaway schedule, spanning South America, Malaysia, Japan and Australia.

It is an important juncture for one of the most exciting championship battles for some years – with defending champion Valentino Rossi fighting back after a mid-season lull in race wins. And Estoril is the last race where teams will have the full range of facilities at their disposal –from now until the grand finale at Valencia on November 2, they will be operate out of crates and containers, with only the tools and spare parts they can carry with them.

It is an important race also for Suzuki, working this year to find the right combination to unleash the full competitive potential of the GSV-R MotoGP prototype racer. Radically redesigned for its second season in the new 990cc four-stroke premier class, the ground-breaking eight-valve V4 has cracked the 200mph barrier and finished in the top ten. The target of challenging for race wins has so far proved elusive.

The machine has been undergoing constant improvement, however, and now a new racing department head has pledged to speed up the rate of development over the last races of the season, at the same time as laying the foundations for the 2004 MotoGP racer.

Masahito Imada, who took control in July, is a veteran race engineer who was a key member of the RG500 team during the square four two-strokes’ years of serial success. Imada-San has returned to find a racing department where the racing team and the factory engineers work even closer than formerly, but where increasing size has complicated the overall structure. His aim was a return to the quicker decision and technical response times of the Eighties.

Imada-San said: “I believe the riders, the mechanics and engineers and the race department have the capabilities we need. The machine is not good enough yet, but we have set new deadlines and objectives, and are already working on new designs and parts for the next development, to realise its full potential.”

As well as tests after the last round at Brno, the Portuguese GP represents another chance to push the machine forward, as well as to prove progress so far with better race results for both riders.

Last year, the race was hit by bad weather, and came within a few laps of giving Suzuki’s new four-stroke GSV-R a first race win. Rider Sete Gibernau was comfortably in the lead when he slipped off with only four laps left to go. Team-mate Roberts finished fourth, his best result of the season so far, followed by a rostrum third in the next round at Rio.

KENNY ROBERTS – LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING FUN
At this stage, we’re racing to the machine’s potential at the same time as working on increasing that potential. For the race, I’ll do the best

From a press release issued by series organizers:

ASSEN TO SERVE DELECTABLE DOUBLE HELPING

The Superside World championship returns after a six-week absence for rounds seven and eight at Assen in Holland with more than 100,000 fans expected at the annual Dutch festival.

The three-wheeled flying machines will do battle at the legendary circuit in an unprecedented double bill that will keep the fans on the edge of their seats for the entirety of the weekend.

Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead took over the championship lead thanks to a hard-fought win at the last round at Brands Hatch, GB. But the Austrian pairing of Klaus Klaffenböck and Christian Parzer – who held top spot since round two at Monza, Italy – are hot on their heels, only six points adrift.

“Assen is my favourite circuit and whatever the conditions I always enjoy racing there. It should be a great weekend’s racing for the spectators,” said Webster, who won last year’s race at the 3.75-mile (6.05km) circuit near Groningen, in the north of the country.

Third-placed duo, Jörg Steinhausen and Trevor Hopkinson are brimming with confidence following a win at Misano, San Marino and second place at Brands Hatch in the last two rounds.

“We look forward to Assen, are well prepared for the two races and can’t wait to get there. We think that we can push them [Webster and Woodhead] harder,” said Hopkinson.

Reigning world champions Steve Abbott and Jamie Biggs are looking to build on their fourth place at Brands Hatch. “Having two races is a good thing for us and hopefully we can win one of them and make a move in the championship,” said Abbott.

Race one takes place on Saturday at 17.10hrs local time with the second race on Sunday at 16.30hrs. Both races are over 13 laps (78.351km/48.969 miles). The ever-popular ‘taxi’ rides are scheduled for Friday (18.10 to 18.30hrs).

Saturday’s race will be broadcast live on British Eurosport TV.

Superside World championship standings after six of 10 rounds:

1 Steve Webster, GB (Suzuki) 116, 2 Klaus Klaffenböck, Austria (Yamaha) 110, , 3 Jörg Steinhausen, Germany (Suzuki) 81, 4 Steve Abbott, GB (Suzuki) 62, 5 Mike Roscher, Germany (Suzuki) 58, 6 Tom Hanks, GB (Yamaha) and Martien van Gils, Holland (Suzuki) 57, 8 Bill Philp, GB (Yamaha) 42, 9 Gerhard Hauzenberger, Austria (Yamaha) 37, 10 Dan Morrissey, GB (Yamaha) 30.

From a press release issued by Dr. Rob Tuluie:

Tul-aris Patent Granted

One of several unique designs of the Tul-aris GP bike was recently granted a US design patent. The Tul-aris link was granted US patent no. 6581711 B1 under the title “Suspension Assembly with Compact Design and Low Center of Gravity Application.” The patent office allowed all claims without requiring any modification.

The Tul-aris link was conceived as one of the very first and integral designs of the Tul-aris has been used on the Tul-aris for over three years now. It was instrumental to the success of the project, which includes a lap record and local and national race wins. The Tul-aris link is pictured in one of several patented variations below:



Dr. Rob Tuluie, inventor of the linkage, describes its advantages as follows:
The Tul-aris link is a unique arrangement of two lever arms and pivots, which allow the shock absorber to operate in the normal fashion (compression under a bump input), while being placed underneath the engine at the same time. It connects to the lower swingarm box section on one end and to the engine case on the other, thus creating a very rigid mounting arrangement without the need for a heavy subframe or mounting braces. Not only does the Tul-aris link have low unsprung mass, it has a very low unsprung moment of inertia as well, as only one of the two links (the floating link) rotates about its center, while the other (the flexure link) is nearly stationary. In addition, the linkage positions the shock closely underneath the engine to minimize roll, yaw and pitch moments of inertia for the entire bike and places it away from exhaust heat. The compact assembly, with low overall inertias, allows the bike to turn very quickly, without the need for a radical steering geometry or ultra-short wheelbase, which can sometimes result in a lack of stability and front tire feedback. As we found during our track testing and lab simulation development work, the adjustable nature of the linkage yields kinematics such that the desired linkage ratio can be achieved with easy track-side adjustments. These adjustments allow independent changes in both first and second derivatives of shock vs. wheel travel. We found these types of adjustment to be instrumental to the performance and feel of the rear suspension. Finally, the linkage only has 4 pivots (counting all pivots, including the shock mounting points), which is one fewer than the linkages used on modern sport and racing motorcycles. The 5th joint of the linkage is a flexure joint, similar to those more recently used on Formula One car front suspensions. This type of joint reduces backlash and friction and results in a more controlled connection between damping at the shock and actual damping at the rear wheel. Lastly, the linkage was engineered using fatigue analysis software for a satisfactory fatigue life.

Another aspect of the patent is that the entire linkage assembly can, in principle, be placed into another motorcycle, with some modifications of the motorcycle required. This allows for a fundamental upgrade of the rear suspension as a whole, something that cannot be achieved by re-valving, re-springing or re-mounting of the shock alone.

From a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

RIZLA SUZUKI TEAM FOR ASSEN WSB ROUND

Rizla Crescent Suzuki British Superbike Championship rider John Reynolds is to make a special ‘wild-card’ entry at the Assen World Superbike Championship round on September 7th. It was originally planned for both Reynolds and Rizla team mate Yuki Kagayama to race at Assen, but the Japanese star crashed at last week’s British Superbike round at Cadwell Park, breaking his pelvis and putting him out of action for the rest of the season.

The wild-card entry was made at the special request of the Crescent Suzuki team’s main sponsor Rizla, as the company’s European headquarters is based in the Netherlands. Reynolds’ GSX-R1000 race machine will also swop its British Superbike ‘Rizla Blue’ colours for a new ‘Rizla Red’ livery for the Assen event.

Both Reynolds and Kagayama have already scored World Superbike points this year in the two UK based rounds at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, with Reynolds taking a superb close second place in the second race at Brands.

Announcing the decision to race at Assen, Rizla Crescent Suzuki team owner Paul Denning said, “Making the final decision to race at the Assen WSB round wasn’t easy until we asked Yuki what he thought. Yuki is a world class rider and without his presence it would have been easy to pull out, but he is as eager as any of us for JR to race. We will do our best to put on a good show for Rizla, Yuki and all the team’s fans.

“Our Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 is undoubtedly the bike to beat at the moment and JR is riding better than ever. We have a really good chance of getting a couple of top finishes and that’s our goal.”

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer Neil Hodgson and wife Kathryn had a daughter, Holly Jean Hodgson, September 2 in Douglas, Isle Of Man.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Attack Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore broke his left tibia just below the knee in a crash during Monday’s AMA Formula Xtreme race at Virginia International Raceway.

That’s the word from American Suzuki’s Morgan Broadhead. “He’s in good spirits and not in much pain,” said Broadhead Tuesday morning in the Greensboro, North Carolina airport. “He’s planning on seeing Dr. Ting today to get another evaluation. He won’t be racing at Barber (Motorsports Park, September 19-21), but he hopes to be back for the final round of the World Endurance Championship October 5 in (Vallalunga) Italy.”

Pridmore collided with Roger Lee Hayden early in the Formula Xtreme race. Hayden walked away from the incident but did not make the restart of the race.

“Basically, it was my fault, bad judgment. I made a mistake. It was the first time I’ve crashed and taken someone with me in 14 years of racing,” said Pridmore.

From a press release issued by Team Oliver Yamaha:

Team Oliver Yamaha’s Rich Oliver and Robert Ward brought home a victory after their most challenging race to date. Starting from pole position, Rich jumped into the lead over Chuck Sorensen, Simon Turner and Perry Melneciuc but a few turns into the first lap, Rich’s fate was in question.

As he entered turn four, he heard a sharp cracking sound and felt an impact underneath the seat. “At first, I thought a wheel weight must have flown off of the rear wheel and smashed into the seat,” said Rich, “but after a few more turns, I was wondering if the rear tire had started to come apart because I was chattering terribly on all of the right-handers. Then, I thought maybe it was a wheel weight after all and it was just making the wheel bounce in all the right-handers because of the nature of the track or the way I was riding. Then, I realized it may not have anything to do with the wheel because the seat was flopping all around as I changed direction. After processing through all of these different possibilities, I found myself still steadily pulling away from second place so I decided to not worry about it anymore and ride as hard as I could with the bike I had underneath me.

“To compensate for the bike, I changed my body position, my acceleration points, slowed down my cornering speed and decreased all of my braking distances. This kept the chatter to a minimum and the lap times as quick as possible.

“I finally found the problem when I dismounted the bike in victory circle. All that had happened was one of the sub frame bolts that holds the seat on had snapped, dropped into the spinning rear wheel and had been shot back out into the seat underneath me. So, it wasn’t the wheel weight, it wasn’t the tire, it was just a simple bolt that changed the weight bias by dropping the seat down and moving me too far back on the bike, overloading the rear tire.

“I can honestly say that the training I do in the Rich Oliver Mystery School helped me adapt quickly to a difficult situation and still grind out relatively quick lap times on a bike that was not up to par.”

The final 250 AMA series will conclude at Barber in September. It’s your last chance ever to see the blue missile streak around the course! We hope to see you there and encourage you to visit www.richoliver.net for more information on our Championship season and Mystery School.



More, from a press release issued by No Limit Motorsports:

The No Limit Motorsports team was hit with more injuries during Round 10 of the AMA Superbike Series at Virginia this past weekend. Jason Curtis crashed his Honda CBR954RR during the final laps of the rain-delayed Formula Xtreme race on Monday. He went down in a fast turn three and slid all the way to the Airfence. His injuries include some road rash, and a rather serious injury to his left hand.

He is currently traveling to a surgery session with Dr. Ting in Northern California, where Ting will try to repair tendon damage to the little finger of his left hand, and then graft some skin in place to try and replace what was lost in the slide. With any luck it looks as if Jason will ride at the final round at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.

Lance Isaacs was at the Virginia round to assist the team, but could not ride. He is recovering nicely from a badly broken right leg sustained at the Mid-Ohio round. Another patient of the famed Dr. Ting, Issacs had a rod placed in his broken leg, and that has hastened his healing. He is planning to race at the Alabama race in September as well.


More, from a press release issued by Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki:

ANOTHER TOP TEN FOR RAPP IN VIRGINIA

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki spent Labor Day racing at Virginia International Raceway, with Steve Rapp scoring another top-10 finish in the Superbike race. The second Superbike National was held on Monday morning in overcast conditions, shortened from 28 laps after an oil spill and rains forced the AMA to postpone the race for one day.

“We used the shortened Superbike race as a bit of a test,” said Crew Chief Keith Perry. “It turned out pretty well for us. We needed the track time. It was a fairly odd situation with the delay yesterday. Twenty laps was okay with us. We were actually prepared to run in the rain with our bike and the Michelin rain tires (on Sunday), but we made the best out of the situation.”

Steve Rapp was 10th on his GSX-R750 Superstock machine, a change from his usual Superbike — a Suzuki GSX-R1000. “We tried a new Michelin tire in the race and I liked it,” Rapp said. “I ran by myself for most of the race, and my lap times were pretty much what I thought they would be going into the race.”

Chris Ulrich finished 20th, racing his Superstock GSX-R750 bike as well. “I was faster than the racers in front of me. Unfortunately, they were riding 1000s,” Ulrich said. “VIR is a tight course and I wasn’t able to get past them when I needed to, before my shoulder faded.”

The AMA finale could be considered a “home race” for the team since it will be held at nearby Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. “It’s only an hour and a half from the shop,” Perry added. “We’re looking forward to getting some more good results at the first AMA National held there.”



More, from a press release issued by Proforma:

LEE ACREE CARDS STRONG FINISHES AT VIRGINIA

Lee Acree went up against some of America’s most talented roadracers as a privateer this weekend at round ten of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship, and came away with two strong finishes in the AMA Supersport and Superstock classes on his Triad Powersport Yamaha R6.

In the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock event on Saturday, Lee qualified 14th and finished 15th against a field of more powerful 750cc machines. Tire issues kept Lee from taking advantage of the more nimble handling R6 that he was riding. A poor start didn’t help his effort. “My start was at least a tie for career worst,” joked Acree. “My original plan of getting a good start and using turn one to get with the lead pack turned into go to the outside for damage control and try and get back as many people as just went motoring by me on the start. I went by a couple of guys in turn one on the outside and went by a couple more here and there. First, Ciccotto got by me and then Chris (Ulrich). I tried to get by him on the last lap. I got within striking distance and actually got up beside him, but to make the pass would have been potentially detrimental at least to him if not both of us, and I figured where we were in the pack it wasn’t worth punting either one of us. As far as the tires, the rear was a compund that I hadn’t run all weekend and the rear grip wasn’t there. The front was great.”

Lee qualified in seventh position for the Pro Honda Oils Supersport race on Sunday, giving him a second row start. However, rain delayed the start some four hours and the tires that Acree chose did not perform as well as expected. Lee fought with both Roger Lee Hayden and Marty Cragill over tenth place, with Cragill passing Lee on the last lap and pushing Lee to 11th at the checkered flag. “I got an okay start and got down to turn one in about 14th, then tried to get past a couple more exiting turn one, but had to back off because they couldn’t see me. At the end of the first lap is where my progress ended. I was able to go by Roger the first time and was behind Duhamel and just couldn’t match the grip coming off the corners. I finally got Roger and then Cragill came by once and I went back by him. I had some steam on him, but once again, I just didn’t have the grip in the rear. Marty passed me on the last lap going into turn four and I had a chance to pass him back going into seven, but we came up on a lapper and Marty went to the right, which made me have to back off and killed my drive and passing opportunity there. At that point in the race, the right side of the tire just wasn’t there, and coming on the front straightaway I had it as sideways as I cold get it without it throwing me off. The tires were consistent, they were just never great.”


More, from another press release issued by Proforma:

HANER FIGHTS TO EIGHTH PLACE IN AMA SUPERSTOCK AT VIRGINIA

HAS/Shogun Racing rider John Haner finished eighth in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Virginia International Raceway at round ten of the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship. Haner had qualified seventh on Friday afternoon, putting him on the second row of the grid.

“I got a good start and had a plan of going down to turn one in third gear so I didn’t have to make extra downshifts, and that went well,” said John. “About the fourth lap, my tires didn’t seem to hold up like I originally planned for them to. I almost crashed on the fast downhill and (Steve) Rapp got around me. I stayed behind him, and then I lost the front and the tires were going away pretty bad. Then Jason (Disalvo) got by, and he got a little gap and got up to Vincent (Haskovec), and I just didn’t have the tires to get by Vincent. Considering everything, we finished where we did and I can’t really complain too much.”

John’s teammate Heath Small elected not to race in Sunday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport race after the tendons in his hand became too painful to ride. Small is still recovering from surgery to his left hand after crashing at Pikes Peak Raceway in June. Heath rode throughout practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.


More, from a press release issued by 1-888-FASTLAP:

1-888-FASTLAP’S CAYLOR FINISHES 11TH IN SUPERSTOCK AT VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL
RACEWAY; SUPERMOTO RAINED OUT FOR WRIGHT

ALTON, Va.- Opie Caylor put the 1-888-FASTLAP/Team EMGO Taiwan Suzuki GSX-R600 on the front row for the Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock race at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, August 30, eventually finishing 11th after his tires wore out early.

Caylor qualified fourth with a time of 1:28.037. His time was quicker than the pole time set in 2002 for the Superstock class, and allowed him to get a front row start.

As the race progressed, Caylor dropped back to 11th as his tires began to degrade and slide. He finished the race in that position.

“We tested some different tires this weekend, and I went with something that was a bit harder than the softest compound,” said Caylor. “We tried them in practice and they seemed to be the best choice. But in the race I started sliding around after only the third lap. I feel like we had a legitimate shot at the win, so I’m disappointed.”

1-888-FASTLAP’s Brian Stokes qualified 16th with a time of 1: 29.623 on the Team Embry/FREEWEBTOWN.com Suzuki GSX-R600. His best lap time at VIR before the weekend was a 1:31.0.

Stokes was forced to retire early from the Superstock race when his fuel pump broke. “I got a good start and got up to 11th or so,” commented Stokes. “On the third lap the bike wasn’t driving well out of the corners and I couldn’t get it to rev out on the straights. The problem got a lot worse at the end of the race and I had to pull in with only one lap to go.”

Paul Wright, owner of 1-888-FASTLAP, brought his KTM 520 to compete in the Red Bull Supermoto race at South Boston Speedway, a nearby track that had been converted into combined dirt and road course for the Supermoto event. Practice, qualifying and the race were to be held on Saturday.

Wright rode in the first heat race, a 3-lap event, and then proceeded to the semi-finals. He was ready to ride when rain began to fall and the semi-finals had to be postponed. The rain continued and the race had to be rescheduled for Monday, September 1.

Wright has been winning numerous races on his motard in CCS and WERA events, and he is looking forward to racing on the professional level in the Supermoto Series.


More, from a press release issued by The Familie:

Jake Zemke Stands Strong with Second Place Finish

Carlsbad, CA – September 2, 2003 – After rain delays and race format changes, Erion Honda professional road racer Jake Zemke finished second in the tenth round of the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Race Series. The event was held at the Virginia International Raceway over the holiday weekend.

Due to heavy rains, round ten of the series was forced to continue on Monday, September 1. The race was then shortened from 17 laps to 12, and, with the red flag, it was cut by another lap to 11.

“The race format change definitely affected me a little since I usually push harder later on in a race,” said Zemke. “But second place is commendable, given how I began the weekend.”

The threesome, Ben Spies, Damon Buckmaster and Zemke, were all racing together, but a lapped rider prevented Buckmaster and Zemke from making
the critical pass that Spies was able to execute, placing him ahead of the rest. Zemke passed Buckmaster on lap eight to take second place in
the race.

Paso Robles resident Jake Zemke is currently in third place overall in the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Race Series, with a total point
standing of 249.

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

CCS and WERA racer Chris Beck of Washington Cycle Works Racing married Dina Picone September 1st, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From a press release issued by Team Troll Honda BQR:

Kenny Noyes Wins First-ever Road Race in Jerez, Spain

Californian Kenny Noyes (Team BQR Honda CBR 954RR) scored the first road race win of his career on Sunday, August 31 at Jerez de la Frontera, in the deep south of Spain. Air temperature was 98 degrees and the track temperature a scorching 122 at the start of the third round of the National Fórmula de Campeones Motocislismo Superseries Championship (basically 1000cc Superstock, but limited to a small choice of spec Dunlop slicks, more tuning options and freedom to change brakes and wheels).

The 24 year old former Formula USA Pro Singles Dirt Track champion, now in his third year of Spanish road racing, led into turn one but was passed at the end of the back-straight by Ismael Bonilla (Motorad Ducati 999) of Madrid who led lap one. Noyes came back past on the brakes into turn one at the start of the second lap and then gradually pulled clear of Bonilla, who was caught and passed four laps later by the, until now, undefeated championship leader José Manuel Hurtado of Valencia (MIR Suzuki GSX-R 1000).

Noyes read his board to build up and then hold a solid 4.5 second lead over Hurtado, avenging his loss (by a wheel’s length) to the European Superstock Championship regular in the season’s opener at Valencia. Bonilla’s Ducati blew a radiator hose with three laps to go, handing third to Jerónimo Castillejo (Honda). Noyes’ race average was faster that last year’s Formula Extreme win by Champion Dani Oliver Bultó (Suzuki GSX-R 1000)

“This is the first time I’ve been on top of the podium since the Manzanita, Arizona, Half Mile!” said Noyes, who is now second in the Superseries Championship points table, trailing Hurtado by 27 points with three rounds to go. “I had to miss the second round because the team was committed to run the 24 Hours of Barcelona and there was a conflict between the road race and endurance schedules. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to finish top ten in Formula Extreme and to try and win the Superseries. Right now, with four Formula Extreme and three Superseries races left to go, we are second and eleventh. It’s going to be hard to catch Hurtado unless he makes a mistake because he can still take the title by just finishing second. But I hope he’ll come out and fight to show he can beat me. It won’t just be between the two of us, anyway. Bonilla’s Ducati 999 has so much traction that it will be hard to beat at the twisty tracks coming up.”

The Spanish Formula Extreme and Superseries championships, run separately but both under Royal Spanish Motorcycling Federation sanction and with identical regulations (except for the fact that the Superseries is a Dunlop only class). Formula Extreme is the country’s most prestigious series and is broadcast live on TVE, Spain’s largest television network. The Motociclismo Superseries, televised in high-light form, is intended for up-and-coming riders and excludes from participation all riders who have previously finished in the top five in the points race for any other National Championship or ever scored Grand Prix points.

Noyes returns to Jerez on September 12-14 for round four of the Formula Extreme Championship.

“The great thing about racing over here,” says Noyes, “is that the tracks are just incredible…fun and real safe, wet or dry. Jerez is my favorite…it feels like you’re playing at Yankee Stadium when you race at this place!”