Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
Repsol Honda’s Valentino Rossi was the first rider across the finish line in Sunday’s MotoGP race at Donington Park in England, but the defending Champion was penalized 10 seconds for passing under a waving yellow flag during the 30-lap race. The race win was awarded to Biaggi, who originally took second, several seconds behind Rossi.
Rossi’s penalty promoted Sete Gibernau to second.
Rossi was scored as finishing third.
MotoGP Race Results:
1. Max Biaggi, Honda, 30 laps, 46:06.688
2. Sete Gibernau, Honda, -7.138 seconds
3. Valentino Rossi, Honda, -8.794 seconds
4. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, -13.041 seconds
5. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, -16.269 seconds
6. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, -27.065 seconds
7. Noriyuki Haga, Aprilia, -27.662 seconds
8. Nicky Hayden, Honda, -32.012 seconds
9. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, -34.799 seconds
10. Colin Edwards, Aprilia, -35.001 seconds
11. John Hopkins, Suzuki, -48.165 seconds
12. Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki, -60.423 seconds
13. Makoto Tamada, Honda, -66.160 seconds
14. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda, -74.866 seconds
15. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton, -90.291 seconds
16. Garry McCoy, Kawasaki, -1 lap
17. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki, -1 lap
18. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha, -12 laps, DNF, crash
19. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton, -17 laps, DNF, mechanical
20. David De Gea, Sabre, -21 laps, DNF, mechanical
21. Marco Melandri, Yamaha, -26 laps, DNF, crash
22. Chris Burns, ROC Yamaha, -29 laps, DNF, crash
23. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, -30 laps, DNF, crash
24. Alex Barros, Yamaha, DNS
MotoGP World Championship Point Standings:
1. Rossi, 167 points
2. Gibernau, 133 points
3. Biaggi, 130 points
4. Capirossi, 84 points
5. Bayliss, 64 points
6. Barros, 62 points
7. Checa, 57 points
8. Ukawa, 56 points
9. Nakano, 54 points
10. Hayden, 46 points
11. Jacque, 43 points
12. Edwards, 40 points
13. Tamada, 37 points
14. Haga, 30 points
15. Hopkins, 22 points
More, from a press release issued by Joh Hopkins’ publicist:
HOPKINS SCORES SECOND-BEST FINISH OF THE SEASON AT BRITISH GRAND PRIX
DONINGTON PARK, England (July 13, 2003) – Suzuki’s John Hopkins scored his second-best result of the 2003 Motorcycle Grand Prix season by finishing 11th at the British Grand Prix at Donington Park on Sunday. Hopkins raced in front of 72,000 British racing fans, many of who cheered for the American with deep British roots.
Hopkins, who started 15th on the grid, darted his way into the top-10 early in the race on the factory Suzuki GSV-R. He battled back and forth in the race and ran as high as 10th and as far back as 12th during the 30-lap race. In the end Hopkins finished 11th, about 13 seconds behind the battle for ninth between Shinya Nakano and fellow American Colin Edwards. Defending World Champion Valentino Rossi won the race on a Honda. Hopkins’ Suzuki teammate Yukio Kagayama finished 12th.
“I got out right away with a good launch,” said Hopkins, who moved up four positions on the first lap. “I just barely made it through a little gap between Nakano and Ukawa right at the start. I almost got sandwiched. That might have been pretty ugly if I didn’t make it. I had a decent run early and hung with a group that included Nicky (Hayden), Colin (Edwards) and Olivier Jacque for nearly half the race.
“It felt good to run in the top 10. We sort of knew that would be possible, but we also knew that it would be important to make a good showing early before the tires went off. It was warm and not a cloud in the sky, which is unusual for Britain, and predictably the tires went off and it was difficult to do anything but hold my position late in the race. I lost touch of the group in front of me and finished pretty much by myself.”
Hopkins added that the team found a good base setting in England and hoped that they could build from that in the next few rounds.
Hopkins scored five points Sunday and moved up one position to 15th in the world championship standings at mid-season. The second half of the 2003 campaign begins in two weeks at the German Grand Prix in at the Sachsenring.
More, from a press release issued by Alice Aprilia Racing Press Information:
BRITISH GRAND PRIX/RACE
Donington – Spectacular and hard-closed race for both Aprilia RS Cube bikes of Alice Aprilia Racing Team. A good performance on the british track for Colin and Nori getting the top ten although some strange mishaps.. Anyway the good result did not brake the hard work of the team: in fact the whole team the riders and the bikes are going to test in Brno next week in order to develop the Italian three cylinders bike.
COLIN EDWARDS: “This was a very difficult race! During the start I had a small problem with the clutch then another rider touched me and I had a bad collision with Ukawa’s bike (Colin’s fairing is the proof of the collision). So I decided to start my recover overtaking Hopkins, Hayden and Jacque easily. When I passed the French Yamaha Rider I beat the my right knee against the white line loosing the slider. Then I have been forced to change my riding: in the left corners I normally used the knee but in the right corners I was unable to touch the asphalt. The problem is that there are only 3 left corners here!”
NORIYUKI HAGA: “I am happy to end a difficult race with a high temperature and 30 laps. It was not easy because after 5 laps the beads of sweat were going down into my eyes and the visibility was not perfect. I did not make a correct start but I was very determined in the first corner achieving many positions. I enjoyed the fight with Hayden very much: firstly I studied his trajectories and then I passed him. I thought to make the same thing with Checa but my rear tyre was almost finished so I preferred to avoid any stupid mistake. For sure I made some exciting slides but its better to keep the wheels glued to the surface”.
GIGI DALL’IGNA (Project Leader): “It was a positive race with a difficult start: in the warm up session we had a technical problem in the clutch so Colin used the bike no. 2. The one with the “old” chassis. We used the tested material for both riders even if they decided to get different tyres for the race. Colin lost the slider and he was not able to ride as he likes whilst Haga has been simply great. In any case we got a good result on this track that is not so suitable to our bikes”.
More, from a press release issued by Fortuna Yamaha:
DISAPPOINTING ‘HOME’ GRAND PRIX FOR FORTUNA YAMAHA TEAM-MATES
After an ultimately close combined qualifying session for the British Grand Prix at Donington Park, with only one second covering the top 13 contenders, expectations were already high for a close MotoGP main event today. Yet despite an initially promising opening few laps into the race, both Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri ended their dopted ‘home’ Grand Prix disappointed – the former riding a lonely race outside the top five, while 20-year-old Melandri crashed out of contention.
Checa, who qualified fifth for today’s race, timed the lights well and leapt off the grid for a solid run into turn one. His charge was unfortunately interrupted when his team-mate Melandri tumbled on lap five and Checa swerved to avoid hitting him. By mid-race distance the Spaniard was unable to mount any serious challenge for a podium result and was left languishing back in a lonely sixth place. The 30-year-old also suffered from a lack of grip from the notoriously slippery Donington circuit.
“My start was good and I was able to follow the top group,” said Checa. “Then Marco had an unfortunate fall, which broke my pace. I kept pushing and then lost stability with the rear, which was difficult to manage. Towards the end of the race I’d got used to it and I kept a constant pace but I was hoping for a better race pace consistency. At the moment this problem with the rear is my weakest area so now it is my target to improve that and to maintain a good pace throughout the following races.”
It was further frustration for MotoGP rookie Marco Melandri who began today brimming with confidence, following his best ever qualifying performance in the premier class. The Fortuna Yamaha rider started from third place and just 0.186 seconds shy of pole, only to end the day prematurely. The 250cc World Champion said he felt more comfortable on his 220-plus horsepower YZR-M1 in qualifying at Donington Park than he had all season, and was looking forward to challenging for a podium place in the 30-lap race, when the weekend took a turn for the worse on lap five.
Melandri, who won the 250cc race here last year, launched off the line like a veteran, entering turn one fourth before taking third only a few corners further on. The 20-year-old then remained in the top four as the lead group pulled away from the competition, then misfortune struck when Melandri lost the front of his machine entering Fogarty Esses. The Honda trio of Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau then broke away from the pack even further and finished the race first, second and third respectively.
“I made a little mistake on the fifth lap,” said the Ravenna-born rider. “I had a bit of a problem when I rode with a full tank because it seemed to unsettle the rear of the bike. I braked a bit too late, maybe, and I think that the front may have touched the white line. I’m so sad because I was going so fast and really thought that I might have a chance. What can I say – I’m so sad. Though at least I can see that I have the capability of doing very well in a race.”
Team Director Davide Brivio had this to say following the race: “Carlos tried his best – sixth position is at least a chance to get points. It’s been three races now that he’s fought in the top group so we’ve improved since the start of the year.
“It’s a big shame for Marco, but I think overall a positive weekend for him because he had a front row start and was up with the top riders in the first few laps. I think he could have stayed with Sete. Marco crashed because of a small mistake, not because he was pushing too hard. He could have kept the same pace and that’s a positive notion for us to take away. We know he has great potential and for sure another opportunity will come.”
More, from a second press release from Fortuna Yamaha:
BRITISH GRAND PRIX RESULTS CHANGED DUE TO ROSSI OVERTAKE ON YELLOW FLAG
The MotoGP Race Direction has chosen to impose a penalty of 10 seconds to Valentino Rossi for overtaking under yellow flags during the race. He made the manoeuvre after fellow Honda rider Tohru Ukawa had fallen in the first lap and the yellow flags were out. Please find below the revised race classification and revised championship standings.
More, from a press release issued by Pramac Honda Racing Press Information:
Makoto Tamada: thirteenth at Donington Park
Makoto Tamada finished the weekend in England in thirteenth place after a race that revealed some of the difficulties he had encountered during the three days at Donington. The temperature today was higher than yesterday and the day before and this influenced the choice of tyres: a medium compound at the front and medium-hard at the rear. This meant that Makoto Tamada had good grip at the beginning of the race but, the rider stated afterwards, it proved not to have been quite so successful towards the end of the 30 laps. In any case, it was a good compromise after this weekend’s intense work, in which the Japanese rider tried to get to grips with the frame of his RC211V and with the new compounds that Bridgestone had prepared for this round of the championship.
Use of the new frame was postponed until some time in the near future and, in the very short time available, the technicians concentrated on finding the right geometry for the bike to give Tamada a better feeling at the front: something that is absolutely essential on the technical English circuit. In actual fact, the Japanese rider had not acquired sufficient self-assurance and was not able to attempt a comeback during the race.
There will be a test session this week on the Brno circuit and it should be an excellent opportunity for Makoto to work calmly on getting to know the new frame. Shinichi Itoh, the official Pramac Honda Team test rider will also be going to the Czech Republic to make his contribution towards the development of new Bridgestone materials.
Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda Team): 13th – 47:12.848
“I never managed to get the right feeling for the front of the bike during the last three days here in Donington. We worked on the settings and tried out a number of tyre solutions, but I didn’t get the confidence I needed to be competitive. Still, I’m not going lose my cool or try to cross my bridges before I come to them, and I’m looking forward to the tests in Brno – one by one, we’re going to be examining all the details I want to understand. I wasn’t able to be aggressive in the race precisely because I didn’t have the right feeling for the front of the bike, and that’s really important here, so the lack of grip I had in the closing stages of the race meant I could only maintain my position. But it’s not going to get me down and I’ll be concentrating all I can on the work that needs to be done.”
More, from a press release issued by Team KR:
Aoki 15th at Donington
Two-Stroke returns to points
Nobuatsu Aoki: 15th
Jeremy McWilliams: DNF – Retired
Team Proton KR rider Nobuatsu Aoki made a last-minute switch to the old 500cc two-stroke for today’s British GP after teething problems with the new 990cc four-stroke – and in spite of minimal set-up time he brought the machine home in 15th place, in the world championship points.
Team-mate Jeremy McWilliams also made the same decision, after problems with his preferred four-stroke in the morning. His set-up difficulties were compounded by gearshifting problems, however, and after battling near the back of the field he retired to the pits, the risks not worth the potential rewards.
This would have been the fourth race for the all-new V5 four-stroke, but the hectic schedule since it ran on a circuit for the first time only seven weeks ago meant that an accumulation of teething problems finally took its toll. The team is still awaiting a batch of redesigned crankshafts, to solve a string of earlier failures, and more problems in practice at Donington Park finally meant the back-up two-strokes would be brought out for one more race.
Aoki decided this morning not to risk a non-finish on the four-stroke and to switch back to the trusty Proton KR3 lightweight three-cylinder machine on which they started the season. Even though the bike was not at its best, he finished in the points.
McWilliams was keen to race the radical new 990cc V5 four-stroke, but another small problem in morning warm-up tipped the decision in favour of the two-stroke for him as well.
Today’s race attracted a record crowd of 72,000, enjoying baking sunshine at the parkland circuit outside Derby. The race was won by defending champion Valentino Rossi (Honda).
Footnote: Dire Straits lead guitarist and vocalist Mark Knoppfler was a guest of Proton Team KR today, and presented the manufacturers trophy after the race.
Nobuatsu Aoki
That was such a tough race. We had to use the set-up from last year, because I only had six or seven laps on the two-stroke yesterday. You really need that fine tuning … the tyres are different now, and the temperature and other things. I decided on the two-stroke this morning. It seems there are still many small problems with the four-stroke, so we thought there would be a better chance of finishing on the two-stroke. It was hard even to get 15th. It’s very difficult to overtake any four-strokes, and I also had a problem with the clutch in the last five laps. It wouldn’t disengage, and backshifting without a clutch was really horrible. I think I did the best I could today, and I must thank my whole team – they have been working very hard on both types of machine this weekend.
Jeremy McWilliams
I really wanted to race the four-stroke today, but there was an oiling problem, and I wasn’t sure it could make the finish. Then it broke in morning warm-up, so the two-stroke was the obvious choice. I’d only had about ten laps on it in practice, and the set-up wasn’t right. Then I got a backshifting problem going into the chicane, so I pulled in. To be honest, I didn’t feel like busting my balls to get 18th on a bike that we won’t be racing for the rest of the year. I’d prefer to work hard to make the four-stroke work.
Chuck Aksland – Team Manager
Jeremy was set to race the four-stroke, but with a problem in morning warm-up there just wasn’t the time to fix it and test it, and we couldn’t have any confidence in it. We have plenty of big issues to solve with the four-stroke, but first we need to get it to the point where we aren’t still having niggling little problems. There just hasn’t been time for development work since it arrived. We haven’t had a single day of testing – just one race after another. Now we are going testing in Brno next week, and things will be different when we bring the bike back here next year.
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:
BOTH SUZUKIS IN THE POINTS AGAIN AT GP
Team Suzuki Press Office Sunday, July 13, 2003.
Team Suzuki riders John Hopkins and Yukio Kagayama finished 11th and 12th in today’s British GP, both improving on their qualifying positions, although narrowly missing the top ten in the blazing hot race.
Both made a good start from the sun-soaked grid, but while Kagayama was slowed when another rider fell under his front wheel in the first corner, Hopkins finished the first lap tenth after qualifying 15th.
The Anglo-American rider, who was entertaining a large contingent of his British family at the race, started from the fourth row of the grid, and held tenth for the first seven of 30 laps, holding his own even while starting to battle problems as the tyres got hot on a 38-degree track.
At that point Nori Haga on an Aprilia found his way past, and though Hopkins wasn’t able to stay with him, he lost only one more place by the end of the race, finishing 11th.
Kagayama recovered almost immediately from his first-corner problems, but by then he had lost a lot of positions. The Japanese factory rider, substituting for team regular Kenny Roberts, finished the first lap 14th, and was 12th at the finish.
Record crowds flocked to the 4.023km parkland circuit outside Derby, with 72,000 fans enjoying a day of hot sunshine and high quality racing. That is four times the gate in 2000, a clear indication of the rise in popularity of MotoGP racing. The race was won by defending champion Valentino Rossi.
JOHN HOPKINS – 11th Position
It went pretty much as I predicted yesterday. I accomplished my goal to get a good start, and I had a good run with the boys for the first laps. We had the bike a tad better here, but as I said, once the tyres go off the handling problems come out. That happens with every bike, but more so with this one. After that I kept on and tried to stay consistent. I thought I might get a top ten until Nakano came past and I lost touch. After that I decided I’d better settle for what I had, and bring the bike home.
YUKIO KAGAYAMA – 12th Position
That was a very hard race. My start was so-so, quite okay – but in the first corner Ukawa fell off right in front of me, and I had to brake so hard I almost stopped. Many riders came past me. After that I tried to push hard, but I wasn’t able to catch the others, and I was lonely for the whole race. By the end the engine feeling changed a little, so it was more difficult to open the throttle. I tried my best, and I am happy to finish in the points. That was only my second ride on this bike, and though I need more time to get used to it, I really enjoyed it.
GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
Once again, both our riders did their best, and there has been a small step forward with the bike, so we’re at least beginning to help them out. Both got a great reception from the crowd … everyone could see they were trying really hard. Now we think of the next race, and trying to make another step forward.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Donington disappointment for the Yamaha camp
After an ultimately close combined qualifying for the British Grand Prix, with only one second covering the top 13 contenders, expectations were high for a close MotoGP main event, held July 13, at Donington Park. But despite an initially promising opening few laps the Yamaha Factory contingent ended the eighth round of the MotoGP World Championship with little more than disappointment following the demise of the first of three riders today.
In a bizarre twist of fate Alex Barros (Gauloises Yamaha Team) was the victim of a raceday warm-up collision, which resulted in the Brazilian crashing out of the session and breaking the metacarpal bone in his right hand. The incident took place in turn one, mid way through the session and only seconds after Barros had exited the pits. Suzuki ‘wildcard’ rider Yukio Kagayama had overshot his braking point and collided with the side of the Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1 sending Barros into the gravel trap and ending any chance of him contesting the British Grand Prix.
Although it was more positive story for Carlos Checa (Fortuna Yamaha Team), who qualified fifth for today’s race, the end result was still short of what the he and the bike are capable of. Timing the lights well he leapt off the grid for a solid run into turn one, but by mid race distance the Spaniard was unable to mount any serious challenge for a podium result and was left languishing back in a lonely sixth place. The 30-year-old’s setback was the result of a lack of grip from the notoriously slippery Donington circuit.
It was further frustration for MotoGP rookie Marco Melandri (Fortuna Yamaha Team) who began today brimming with confidence following his best ever qualifying performance in the premier class – qualifying third, 0.186 seconds shy of pole – only to end the day prematurely. The 2002 GP250 World Champion openly said that he felt more comfortable on his 220-plus horsepower YZR-M1 than he had all season, and was looking forward to challenging for a podium place in the 30-lap race, when his weekend took a turn for the worse on lap five.
Melandri, who won the 250 race here last year, launched off the line like a veteran, entering turn one fourth before taking third only a few corners further on. The 20-year-old then remained in the top four as the lead group pulled a gap on the competition, only for the Italian to lose the front of his machine entering Fogarty Esses. This left the Honda trio of Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau to break away and finish the race first second and third respectively. However, a protest made against Rossi for passing under the yellow flag on the start of lap two has seen the defending MotoGP World Champion incur a 10 second penalty – dropping the Italian back to third in the official results.
Olivier Jacque (Gauloises Yamaha Team) also ended his weekend without any points following a highside on the exit of Melbourne Hairpin, which left Shinya Nakano (d’Antin Yamaha Team) as the second and final Yamaha to cross the finish line – in ninth.
Fortuna Yamaha Team
Carlos Checa 6th: “My start was good and I was able to follow the leaders. Then Marco had an unfortunate fall, which broke my pace. From that point the gap was too big and I couldn’t catch up with the group again. I kept pushing but lost stability with the rear, which was difficult to manage. Towards the end of the race I’d got used to it and I kept a constant pace but I was hoping for better. At the moment this problem with the rear is my weakest area so now it is my target to improve that and to maintain a good pace throughout the following races.”
Marco Melandri DNF: “I made a little mistake on the third lap. I had a bit of a problem when I rode with a full tank because it seemed to unsettle the rear of the bike. I braked a bit too late, maybe, and I think that the front may have touched the white line. I’m so sad because I was going so fast and really thought that I might have a chance. What can I say – I’m so sad. Though at least I can see that I have the capability of doing very well.”
D’Antin Yamaha Team
Shinya Nakano 9th: “It was a difficult race. I touched a rider at the start and after that Ukawa crashed in front of me. It took me some laps to find a good pace but then I was behind Hopkins. I managed to pass him and push harder. At the end I caught Edwards and enjoyed the fight for ninth place. I’m not so happy with this result, but next round is in Sachsenring, my favourite track so I’m looking forward to that.”
Gauloises Yamaha Team
Olivier Jacque DNF: “The start of the race was difficult, I got stuck behind Bayliss and struggled to find my rhythm with a full tank of fuel. Then around the mid-race point the bike became a little easier to ride and I was attacking harder to try and get past Checa. Unfortunately I gave it a little too much throttle coming out of a corner and the bike let go suddenly and I high-sided off. I hit my head pretty hard and feel a bit dizzy. My left big toe is also hurting, but I should be OK for the German GP.”
Alex Barros DNS: “During this morning’s warm-up Kagayama missed the brakes at the end of the straight and hit me as I was coming out on to the track. I went to see Dr Costa straight after the crash and he told me I’d broken the fifth metacarpal in my right hand and that it was impossible to ride today. He has put my hand in a short plaster so that I don’t lose too much muscle strength in my forearm. He also told me to move my arm as much as possible so as to accelerate the calcification process. I will have to wait to see Dr Costa a week on Wednesday before I know if I can race in Germany. I’m extremely disappointed – this is the first time I haven’t been able to race due to injury since 1992, when I broke my collarbone at Magny Cours.”
More, from a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:
DONINGTON PROVES A TOUGH CHALLENGE FOR KAWASAKI DUO
Fuchs Kawasaki’s Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt battled bravely to finish just outside the points in today’s British Grand Prix at Donington Park, held in front of a record crowd of 72,000 sun soaked race fans.
McCoy brought his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR home in 16th place, with his Fuchs Kawasaki team-mate Pitt finishing one place further back in 17th.
Both riders made excellent starts in the race, quickly improving on their qualifying positions, but while McCoy was able to carry the momentum into an all-out 20-lap contest with Nobuatsu Aoki, Jeremy McWilliams and Ryuichi Kiyonari for 15th place, Pitt struggled under braking with a full fuel load on board his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR. An off-track excursion at the end of the back straight on lap 11 cost Pitt valuable time and he completed a lonely race to 17th place.
Kawasaki technical director Hamish Jamieson watched much of the 30-lap race from various points around the circuit and was able to confirm the effects of the set-up and engine compromises made to meet the unique challenge of the Donington Park circuit.
The Kawasaki Racing Team will travel to Brno in the Czech Republic next week to complete an important three-day midseason test session.
Garry McCoy – 16th
“The first half of the race was great. I was in amongst Nobu, Jezza and Kiyonari and actually racing, when in the past I’ve been mostly riding around on my own. I did my best to stay 15th and in the points, but then I started to lose grip with about ten laps to go and had to back off and try and conserve the rear tyre and Nobu and Kiyonari passed me back. The set-up and wheelie problem was much better for the race, although I had some chatter over the final five laps. The bike felt pretty loose and, at times, it felt like the rev limiter was cutting in early.”
Andrew Pitt – 17th
“I got a good start, but I was struggling to get the bike stopped in the early stages of the race and actually ran on and up the escape road at the end of the back straight at one point. That mistake lost me a lot of time. The tyres went off a bit towards the end of the race, but overall the set-up was pretty good and will provide a good starting point for our Brno test next week.”
Hamish Jamieson – Technical Director
“We had to make some compromises with set-up and gearing to counter the wheelie problem the riders have been experiencing this weekend. Unfortunately, these compromises didn’t do us any favours in the engine performance department. From watching both riders from trackside I could see that they were losing out on acceleration because of the taller gearing we’ve been forced to run here. Both riders also lost some rear tyre grip towards the end of the race, but we suspected that this may well be a problem, as we spent so much time on set-up during practice and qualifying that we didn’t have the opportunity to complete all the race endurance tests we originally had planned.”
