Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 42:02.041
2. Alex Barros, Honda RC211V, 42:11.823
3. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 42:13.175
4. Daijiro Kato, Honda RC211V, 42:13.368
5. Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 42.13.455
6. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 42:22.978
7. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 42:24.546
8. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR-M1, 42:28.683
9. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 42:28.733
10. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 42:34.035
11. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 42:36.604
12. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 42:40.868
13. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR-M1, 42:47.459
14. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 42:54.583
15. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha YZR500, 42:54.806
16. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 43:14.210*
17. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 43:14.237
18. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, -1 lap**
19. Shinichi Itoh, Honda, -16 laps, DNF
20. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, -17 laps, DNF
21. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, -25 laps, DNF

*crashed, rejoined race
**pitted, rejoined race


More, from a press release issued by Red Bull Yamaha WCM:

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
Sunday 20th October 2002

SPEED TO NO AVAIL

The Aussie crowd were expecting the best from their hero, Garry McCoy at today’s Australian Grand Prix and his fans launched him off the grid to the chant of Aussie, Aussie Aussie ­ McCoy, McCoy, McCoy.

But elation soon dropped to bitter disappointment when McCoy pulled into the pits on Lap 14 with a blistered Dunlop rear tyre. A quick tyre change by Garry’s pit crew and he was back out in the race, fighting head to head with the leading pack of Rossi and Barros but a lap behind.

Setting a lighting speed lap of 1:32.877 McCoy set the third fastest lap of all riders on Lap 18, when his second Dunlop started to perform perfectly for him. His two-stroke machine keeping pace with the four-stroke giants. But it seemed it was too little too late for the Australian as he ended the day in 18th place.

Hopkins was not impressed with his ride today either and is hoping for his best result in Valencia to finish his rookie year in the Top Ten. Hopkins, who raced today for the first time in Phillip Island, is looking forward to returning to Valencia, a track that he has tested on in pre-season testing.

GARRY McCOY, ­ 18th
World Championship Classification ­ 20th on 53 points
“What can I say, ­ better luck next year.

“I think unfortunately the tyre we chose for the race must have been just the bad one in the batch, as we used exactly the same tyre in the second half of the race and it seemed okay.

“The four strokes got a good jump off the start, compared to us and it wasn’t looking too bad at the start. We started to scrap out there and the tyre started to drop off quickly, losing grip mid-corner nearly spitting me off a couple of times. No point to continue, so I just came in for a new tyre.

“I did not think about passing Barros or Rossi, I could of passed them when they went wide but I just backed off and kept out of their way.”

JOHN HOPKINS,­ 16th
World Championship Classification ­ 13th on 33 points
“I got off the start alright but I was riding a bit off the pace in the beginning and I was a fraction shy on the braking markers early on. I started going backwards after a few laps and I calmed myself down and the rear then started to slide around a bit.

“By the time I was back on the pace, the tyre had no edge grip. I got too hot on the corner around the back horseshoe and lost the front on the grass. I picked it up and rejoined the race;­ at the least, I had to beat Pitt.”

PETER CLIFFORD ­ DIRECTOR OF RACING
“It doesn’t get much more on an anti-climax than that. Words inadequately express the disappointment. A single bright point to take away from this is the skill and determination exhibited by Garry and John.”


More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Yamaha:

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, PHILLIP ISLAND
Race Day, Sunday October 20 2002

MARLBORO YAMAHA MEN TAKE POINTS ON ISLAND
Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1 riders Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa completed a difficult weekend at cold and windy Phillip Island with sixth- and 11th-place finishes in today’s Australian Grand Prix, just a week after Biaggi had scored a brilliant win in Malaysia. The pair, who had qualified eighth and 20th, struggled to get the usual performance from their M1s at this unique high-speed venue.

“It’s been a difficult weekend,” admitted Marlboro Yamaha Team director Davide Brivio. “We struggled all weekend to find a good compromise with our settings, which has been especially frustrating after Max’s fantastic win at Sepang, but that’s racing. Max and Carlos couldn’t ride the way they want to ride, the general concern has been front-end confidence and the bike moving around. Now we will analyse all the data from this weekend and try again at Valencia, where we hope our riders and bikes will get the results they deserve.”

The Valencia GP, last race of the first four-stroke-based MotoGP season, takes place at the Spanish track on November 3.

BIAGGI GIVES IT THE MAX TO STAY SECOND
Max Biaggi rode a super-determined race at Phillip Island this afternoon, coming home sixth after a long and entertaining contest with Nobuatsu Aoki (Proton), Olivier Jacque (Yamaha) and Kenny Roberts Junior (Suzuki). The Marlboro Yamaha Team man battled back and forth with his three rivals, eventually emerging at the front of the group. The result keeps him in second place in the MotoGP World Championship standings, albeit just one point ahead of today’s third-place finisher Tohru Ukawa (Honda).

“It was impossible to do better than that,” said the Marlboro Yamaha Team star. “I tried everything but I’m not happy with the result. Things have been difficult all weekend, and though we tried many settings changes throughout practice and qualifying, we couldn’t really resolve our problems. At least I’m still second in the World Championship, so I’ve simply got to do better than Ukawa at Valencia, it’s imperative for me to finish second overall, for Yamaha and for myself.”

CHECA RECOVERS FROM FIFTH-ROW START
Carlos Checa recovered well from a gruelling two days of qualifying to score an 11th-place finish, just behind Jeremy McWilliams (Proton), who had started the race from pole position. The Marlboro Yamaha Team rider made major changes to bike spec overnight, which allowed him to move up the order, after starting from 20th on the grid. Checa still retains fifth overall in the points chase, with just his home-country Valencia GP to go.

“Last night we changed to our previous-spec chassis, but then I had engine problems in warm-up, so I couldn’t fully test the settings we’d decided upon,” explained the Spaniard. “I was able to give some feedback though, so we could make some small adjustments to the suspension balance for the race. The early laps were okay, then we lost some stability through the high-speed turns. I tried everything – different lines, moving my body position around on the bike and using the throttle differently – but with no real effect. The main thing is that we’ve learned a lot this weekend, which will help us build a better bike for 2003.”

ROSSI WINS AGAIN AFTER TWO-RACE LULL
World Champion Valentino Rossi scored his first victory in three races today, beating fellow Honda rider Alex Barros after a tantalising race-long duel. The pair were side by side on the final lap when Barros ran off the track as they braked for a hairpin turn, Barros recovering to take second.

“Alex’s rhythm in the early stages was incredible,” said Rossi after his 50th GP win. “But when he started sliding around I knew I could attack, and when he ran off on the final lap the battle was over.”

RESULTS
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Repsol HONDA Team (RC211v) 42:02.041

2. Alex Barros (BRA) West HONDA Pons (RC211v) +9.782

3. Tohru Ukawa (JPN) Repsol HONDA Team (RC211v) +11.134

4. Daijiro Kato (JPN) Fortuna HONDA Gresini (RC211v) +11.327

5. Jurgen vd Goorbergh (NED) Kanemoto Racing (NSR500) +11.414

6. MAX BIAGGI (ITA) Marlboro YAMAHA Team (YZR-M1) +20.937

7. Nobuatsu Aoki (JPN) PROTON Team KR (KR3) +22.505

8. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Gauloises YAMAHA Tech 3 (YZR-M1) +26.642

9. Kenny Roberts (USA) Telefonica Movistar SUZUKI (GSV-R) +26.692

10. Jeremy McWilliams (GBR) PROTON Team KR (KR3) +31.994

11. CARLOS CHECA (SPA) Marlboro YAMAHA Team (YZR-M1) +34.563

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) 335
2. MAX BIAGGI (JPN) 199
3. Tohru Ukawa (JPN) 198
4. Alex Barros (BRA) 179
5. CARLOS CHECA (SPA) 141
6. Norick Abe (JPN) 123
7. Loris Capirossi (ITA) 109
8. Daijiro Kato (JPN) 104
9. Kenny Roberts (USA) 99
10. Olivier Jacque (FRA) 74


More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

PITT JUST OUT OF THE POINTS IN SECOND GP FINISH

New South Wales rider Andrew Pitt was just two places out of the World Championship points in his and the all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR’s second GP finish, claiming 17th place in today’s Australian GP.

Run in dry and sunny conditions at the sweeping and picturesque seaside circuit of Phillip Island, the race represented another step forward for the newest of the new 990cc four-strokes: the Ninja ZX-RR is taking part only in the final four races of this season, in preparation for a full entry next year.

The latest full-prototype-spec machine, run for the first time last month in its lightweight chassis and with new fuel injection, qualified closer than ever to the leaders. The aggressively styled lime-green bike ran perfectly throughout a lonely race for the Australian, who was brought in as a last minute substitute after factory tester Akira Yanagawa was injured in a race crash in the bike’s first outing at Motegi a fortnight ago.

One more round remains of the 2002 MotoGP World Championship. After that the new Kawasaki will undergo a winter of extensive testing and development in preparation for the factory’s full time GP return in 2003.


Andrew Pitt – 17th 43:14,237: “The biggest bonus today is that I finished 35 seconds closer to the race winner than I did in Malaysia last week. But it was hard work to ride on my own again. I had a good start, and on the first lap I actually passed Carlos Checa, and raced with Tetsuya Harada for a while. But they passed me back. I still didn’t ride the bike like a big bike should be ridden, I was carrying too much corner speed on the very edge of the tyre. Only towards the end of the race, I started to square the corners off and open the throttle earlier, and doing that, I chopped a second off my lap time immediately!”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager: “In Malaysia, Andrew was five seconds behind the leaders, here in Phillip Island he cut it down to 2.6 seconds on his fastest lap in comparison to Rossi’s one, and I’m sure we will be able to cut another half a second when we go to Valencia. Andrew’s problem is that he still doesn’t ride the bike at its limit. He is actually slower on new tyres with a lot of grip, where slides are more difficult to provoke and to control, than later in the race. That was clearly visible towards the end, when he battled nicely with John Hopkins. But we are definitely on track, with Andrew’s riding as much as with the technical development of our bike. We were ninth in top speed today, less than 10 kph down on Valentino Rossi!”


More, from a press release issued by Team Proton KR:

HEROIC RIDING YIELDS ANOTHER DOUBLE TOP TEN FOR PROTON

Round 15: Australian GP, Phillip Island Race: Sunday, October 20, 2002

Nobuatsu Aoki: Seventh
Jeremy McWilliams: Tenth

Proton Team KR riders Nobuatsu Aoki and Jeremy McWilliams overcame manifold disadvantages to claim another double top ten finish in today’s Australian GP It is the fourth such in the three-cylinder lightweight two-stroke KR3’s run-out season, before it is replaced with a new 990cc V5 four-stroke next year.

In some ways, it was a major disappointment, after McWilliams started from the KR3’s first ever pole position, with Aoki also on the front row. McWilliams got off the line slowly, then ran into a braking problem while forcing his way back up through the field. He ran off the track, rejoining right at the back for an enjoyable and yet frustrating charge through to the top ten again – several times the fastest man on the track as he scythed through the mid-field.

Aoki had no problems, and had the 40,000-strong crowd thrilled as he battled back and forth with Max Biaggi’s factory Yamaha for almost the full 27 laps of the 4.448km circuit by the sea south of Melbourne. With a speed advantage of almost 20mph, the big four-stroke would surge past Aoki every time down the start-finish straight … only for the determined Japanese rider to get back ahead with his much faster corner speed on the infield section. At the finish he was still less than two seconds behind the GP-winning four-stroke, and both outdistanced the four-stroke Yamaha of Olivier Jacque and the factory Suzuki of Kenny Roberts Jr.

The race was run in cool but sunny conditions, with less wind than during practice and the threat of rain failing to materialise. Just one more round remains of this year’s first MotoGP mixed two-stroke/four-stroke championship – the Valencia GP in two weeks. That will be the two-stroke KR3’s last race. From next year the Proton riders will be aboard the all-new V5 four-stroke currently under development at the team’s headquarters in England.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS
“That was just frustrating. I never do get a good start, so that was no surprise. In fact Tom (O’Kane) has set the carburetion a bit richer this morning, so it was even more woolly than normal. Half our problem is just down to the horsepower difference, and as I was trying to outbrake a couple of guys on lap four at Honda Hairpin I guess the front carbon discs weren’t warm enough, and they grabbed. I ran on straight and onto the grass, and got back on right at the back. After that my lap times were good and I was having fun passing the four-strokes all over the place … but if I hadn’t gone off I believe I could have been fighting for sixth or seventh.”

NOBUATSU AOKI
“Everything worked perfectly today – engine, chassis, suspension, tyres, and myself. I thought I’d made a good start, but after a couple of hundred metres – boom, boom, boom – the four-strokes came flying past me so fast. I knew right away it would be a hard race. After ten or 12 laps I started fighting with Max. I could see he was struggling through the infield, from Honda Hairpin to the last turn. If I could pass him before that then my lap time was in the low 1:33s; if I didn’t pass him it was a second slower. So I really concentrated on being in a position to get ahead every time he passed me. I must have been like a fly to him, buzzing round his head – but if I wanted consistent times I had to do that. It was always hard to pass, and I had to take risks. Then he would pass me so easily again on the straight. I think it was quite spectacular for the fans, and I kept as close to him as I could. Many thanks to my team staff, to Bridgestone and to everyone.”

KENNY ROBERTS – Team Owner
“I know what I have to do … buy the track and redesign it without the straight. Then we’d be winning. Both our guys rode real well, but Jeremy had a problem with the brakes. Sometimes they’re not consistent on application when they’re not up to temperature. I’ve figured it out now: it’s like when you have a really old dog and you have to take her to the vet to be put down … and in the car she gets real frisky. That’s what our bike is doing right now.”



More, from a press release issued by Suzuki:

ROBERTS TAKES TOP TEN FINISH IN AUSTRALIAN GP

Phillip Island, Australia – Sunday, October 20, 2002:

Team Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts finished ninth in today’s Australian GP, after a steadfast ride holding eighth position in a close fight between the new 990cc four-strokes and the defending 500cc two-strokes, only to lose one place by inches over the line. Team-mate Sete Gibernau finished 12th, after running with Roberts in the early stages.

The race was run in windy but sunny conditions, round 27 laps of the scenic seaside Phillip Island circuit, where a crowd of 40,000 watched new MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi claim his 11th win of the season.

There is just one more race, in two weeks, in the first ever MotoGP season, with the premier motorcycle racing class opened to 990cc four-strokes as well as the traditional 500cc two-strokes. Suzuki joined the four-stroke brigade from the start of the year with the all-new V4 GSV-R prototype racer, now nearing the end of its first year of on-track race development.

KENNY ROBERTS – Ninth Position.
It was the same old thing, really. We started the race not so bad, but straight away I was suffering – At this stage of the development our engine has too much torque, so that the power is not so usable when it is on its side, then we get beaten down the straight. The bike stayed consistent throughout the race, but consistently too aggressive. I was spinning the wheel so badly from maximum lean until the bike was completely upright. Nothing I did made any difference – moving body position or trying different things. I was just murdering the tyre, and I’m pretty surprised it lasted full race distance. I have to hand it to Michelin for that. As I said, the team carried me this weekend, because with the wind I wasn’t able to give them much feedback. Next year’s bike is already on the drawing board, and I hope we’ll be able to give it the opposite power characteristics.

SETE GIBERNAU – 12th Position.
The bike went better this morning, and better again in the race. My start was not so bad, and I felt comfortable lapping in the mid-1:33s, which was the race pace. But after eight laps something went wrong and I lost engine performance. My team are checking now to try to find the problem, but I lost seven km/h top speed on the straight, and after that my lap times got slower. I was also suffering some wheelspin, but if I had been able to keep at my earlier pace I know I could have got a much better finish.


More, from a press release issued by Michelin:

ROSSI BEATS BARROS FOR 50th GP VICTORY

Honda duo run away at front of the MotoGP pack in fastest-ever Australian Grand Prix

Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) scored his 50th Grand Prix victory at Phillip Island this afternoon, winning a titanic duel with Alex Barros (West Honda Pons RC211V-Michelin). The pair finished the race well ahead of third-finisher Tohru Ukawa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) who won a similarly frantic battle for the final podium place with Daijiro Kato (Fortuna Honda Gresini RC211V-Michelin), giving Honda’s V5 four-stroke a clean sweep at the epic Australian circuit. Michelin riders filled seven of the first nine positions and currently hold the top ten places in the MotoGP World Championship.

Rossi and Barros ran away from the pack from the very first laps, pulverising the track record time and again as they fought for supremacy through the Island’s sweeping, high-speed curves. Barros led from the start, chased hard by Rossi, who had slipped 1.5 seconds behind at one-third distance before mounting a spirited counter-attack. The Brazilian veteran and Italian youngster are getting used to sharing racetracks together – they’ve now battled side by side on three successive Sundays, Barros beating Rossi for the win at Motegi and again for second place at Sepang, but losing out today when the pair attacked Honda hairpin for the final time, Rossi slightly ahead and Barros running off the track

“That was another great race between the two, and their tyre choices worked really well, with a fast, consistent pace and both lap and race records broken,” said Michelin Grand Prix manager Emmanuel Fournier. “Alex chose a slightly softer rear than Valentino today, just because he liked the feel of the tyre. Their lap times were as fast as in qualifying, which isn’t so surprising, since they both used race tyres in qualifying. Although we didn’t get pole here, our strategy will be to continue without qualifying tyres because we believe this gives our riders the best chance to get their bike settings correct for the race, and World Championships are won on Sundays, not Saturdays.”

Rossi was delighted with his half-century of victories, which ended an unusual two-race drought. “Fifty wins is a dream, and Alex was so difficult to beat,” said the 23-year old, who has won every one of his 24 premier-class successes with Michelin. “His pace was incredible in the beginning, but then he had some slides and I was able to catch him. I waited until the final laps before going past and I expected his attack at the hairpin, so I took the inside line. He did come past but he ran off the track and the battle was over.”

Barros was happy enough with his third successive podium finish. “I used a slightly softer rear than Valentino, so I pushed really hard early on to try and open a gap,” said Barros, who celebrated his 32nd birthday last Friday. “Even though I maintained a fast rhythm he came back at me. I had no engine braking on the last lap, that was my problem, but he deserved the win.”

Ukawa’s third-place finish was crucial, since it brought him to within one point of second overall Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), who could only manage sixth today. The Japanese beat compatriot Kato by less than two tenths of a second, with Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Kanemoto Honda NSR500) a close fifth. “I tried to follow the leaders but I couldn’t quite keep their pace,” said Ukawa after his first podium finish since last month’s Portuguese GP. “That left me in a big fight with Kato and van den Goorbergh, but I really needed those points!”

Diminutive Kato struggled throughout to get his RCV to change direction through the track’s fast corners, but he was still able to get the better of top two-stroke rider van den Goorbergh on the final lap.

Today’s Australian GP ended a gruelling run of three back-to-back Grands Prix which have taken the MotoGP circus from Japan to Malaysia and Australia in double-quick time. The first-ever four-stroke-based MotoGP World Championship concludes at Valencia, in Spain, on November 3.



More, from a press release issued by Honda:

MotoGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2002
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, PHILLIP ISLAND
Race Day, Sunday October 20th, 2002

ROSSI ROMPS TO WIN NUMBER 11

Blanket Honda domination of the top five places at the outstandingly beautiful Phillip Island circuit was headed by a two-man battle for the win, the 27-lap race contested between Alex Barros (West Honda Pons RC211V) and Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V). The former had the advantage for the vast majority of the blustery race, with Rossi first hunting down and then shadowing the Brazilian until lap 22, before finally blasting past the Motegi race winner.

An ambitious overtake on the brakes from Barros on the final lap sealed his fate, shooting off down the escape road at Honda corner before re-joining in second place.

For Rossi, it was his 50th race win in all classes of GP competition, and his 11th victory of a quite outstanding season, during which he was crowned champion four races early. At Valencia in two weeks time he will have the chance to equal another Honda legend, Michael Doohan, in terms of the most races won in a single MotoGP season, 12. Rossi is also within touching distance of the record single-season points score in the premier class of racing.

The RC211V was once more the dominant machine on the MotoGP grid, filling the first four places, and propelling Rossi to a new lap record of 1:32.233, and a weekend-best top speed of 323.5km/h, achieved in the first qualifying session.

Despite his good race up and wise tyre choice, Rossi stated that the race was as tough as any this year, despite being gifted the win in the final analysis.

“The 50th GP win is a very good result for me; a dream, and the race with Alex was very difficult,” said the four-time GP champion. “My start was good from the second row, and I didn’t lose any time, so it seemed possible to follow Alex. In the beginning his rhythm was incredible but I tried to push hard all the time and I knew that when his tyre started to slide I could come back on him. When I arrived I waited a bit for the last laps to come around, then passed him. On the final lap I expected his attack at the hairpin so I stayed very close to the inside. He overtook me but he ran off and the battle was finished. Today the bike worked like I wanted, and I could ride it the way I liked, but Barros was still very difficult to beat.”

For Barros, a small technical glitch contributed to his eventual second place, after what was his 150th consecutive Grand Prix start.

“I tried to push at the beginning and I had a slightly softer tyre than Vale, so maybe I had some opportunity to make a gap on the first 10 or 15 laps,” said Barros of his early race tactics. “I kept a good rhythm when Valentino arrived and as soon as he overtook me I tried to get back past him. I was having a little problem with the clutch, however, and I had no engine braking at all, because it was slipping so much. But Vale deserved the win.”

Rossi’s team-mate Tohru Ukawa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V) found himself too far from the rapidly disappearing RC211V duo of Barros and Rossi to go with them, and ended up in a constantly changing battle with another two Honda riders for the final podium spot. It was Ukawa’s first podium finish since Round 11, at Estoril, and he is now just a single point from the second place rider in the championship table.

“I am quite happy because it has been a long time since I was here on the podium,” said the Repsol rider. “Staying with the two top riders was bit too difficult because of the gap they had on me, although I tried to follow them in the early laps. Kato and van den Goorbergh were with me anyway and we made a big fight. I am happy to finish third and I have to beat Biaggi again next weekend to finish second in the championship.”

Daijiro Kato (Fortuna Honda Gresini RC211V) out-dragged Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR500) across the line by less than a tenth of a second to take fourth place.

“I did not find this race easy because it was difficult to change direction,” said the slightly built Japanese rider. “The transmission and clutch didn’t give us any problems in this race.”

For his part, van den Goorbergh was delighted to be challenging for a podium finish again, after some difficult races in his 2002 campaign. Using his high cornering speed and nimble NSR to outmanoeuvre the heavier four-strokes of Ukawa and Katoh, the Dutchman was nonetheless at a disadvantage under acceleration.

“I was the best two-stroke rider into the first corner and once I had got a good feel for the tyres I was confident. I knew we were in for a good race,” grinned van den Goorbergh. “When Kato joined Ukawa and me, I thought we were racing for third place. I knew he could pass me on the run down the main straight and that’s just what happened. I was very happy with my race anyway and I was smiling away during the race under my crash helmet.

Loris Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500) was forced to retire on lap three, after suffering front suspension problems on his two-stroke.

“I don’t know what happened,” said a bemused Capirossi. “The front suspension was vibrating a lot and it was uncontrollable. I had two choices, come into the pit box or fall off. I am disappointed because the track was in perfect condition and I had a good feeling. I think I could have at least equalled the result of van den Goorbergh, and maybe have battled for another podium finish.”

Tetsuya Harada (Pramac Honda NSR500) stuck to his task during the cool Phillip Island race, finishing with two points for 14th place.

Robby Rolfo (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) battled for third place almost throughout the 25-lap 250cc Grand Prix, only yielding on the final circuit as he fell at the hairpin, re-mounting to finish fourth.

“It’s a pity that the steering tucked on me when I touched the brakes entering the hairpin,” said a rueful Rolfo. “This crash cost me time and a podium place. I did not have the best feeling with the front end and I have suffered with this problem all season. Anyway, I was riding well and I have to congratulate my mechanics, who all worked very well.”

Rolfo’s 13-points guaranteed he would finish no higher and no lower than third in the World Championship fight, even though there is still one race to run.

Emilio Alzamora (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) ran in 13th in the 250 race, toiling against an imperfect race set-up.

“My bike wasn’t OK and it was sliding around very much. I only thought about finishing the race and earning some points. I’m waiting for Valencia to put in a good race and give my fans a good result.”

The best of the privateer Hondas was ridden by Haruchika Aoki (DeGraaf Grand Prix Team Honda RS250R/W) scoring a top 11 on the evolution spec machine.

Jakub Smrz (DeGraaf Grand Prix Team Honda RS250R/W) missed out on points in 17th, one place ahead of Leon Haslam (By Queroseno Racing Honda RS250R/W). Jason Vincent (By Queroseno Racing Honda RS250R/W) was lucky to escape injury after falling mid pack after 16 laps.

Marco Melandri (Aprilia) took the race win and the World Championship, beating his only remaining title rival Fonsi Nieto (Aprilia).

Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) took a fifth place finish in the 125 Grand Prix, with his last lap charge netting him the new lap record of 1:37.983. Too far from the leading quartet for his last gasp turn of pace to translate into a podium finish, Pedrosa was nonetheless only 0.575 from the race winner’s race time. A few spots of rain after a few laps came to nothing substantive, but did make for a few disquieting moments for the top riders.

The 11 points Pedrosa scored in Australia confirmed his third place in the championship battle, irrespective of the outcome at the Valencia GP in two weeks’ time. The 125cc class is now the only GP championship category yet to be decided.

Pedrosa said: “I’m not disappointed with this fifth place, because I think I got the best result possible with my bike the way it is. The suspension problems are turning into a nightmare. During the race I Ied several times but in the last corner the rear tyre was sliding badly. In the last lap I made a desperate attempt and set the fastest lap of the race, but it just wasn’t quite enough to get to the podium.”

Joan Olive (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) battled hard for his ninth place finish, having to give best in a bitter handlebar-to-handlebar fight with Masao Azuma (Tribe by Breil Honda RS125R), yet Olive narrowly overcame Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS125R).

“There were many different situations in the race that determined my result,” said Olive after his struggle with his fell

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday Morning MotoGP Practice Times:

1. Alex Barros, Honda RC211V, 1:33.106
2. Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 1:33.459
3. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 1:33.461
4. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 1:33.528
5. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 1:33.773
6. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 1:34.245
7. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.250
8. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:34.346
9. Daijiro Kato, Honda RC211V, 1:34.352
10. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.417
11. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:34.427
12. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 1:34.514
13. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.596
14. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 1:34.620
15. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.801
16. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 1:34.999
17. Shinichi Itoh, Honda, 1:35.059
18. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 1:35.061
19. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 1:35.472
20. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:36.280
21. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha YZR500, 1:36.313
22. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 1:36.383

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp ran a GSX-R1000 AMA Formula Xtreme bike in practice and some CCS races Thursday and Friday at Daytona International Speedway to test tires and to test how competitive the 1000cc four-cylinder machine would be under the new-for-2003 AMA Superbike rules.

“For here, I think it could be competitive,” said Rapp. “I only did 20 laps on it ever, and I did 1:52s on it. If you can do 1:52s in the (Daytona) 200, you could be in the top five.

“The only problem would be tires. I can only run a few laps on a tire, and I need to be able to run 20 laps. If we’re going to race it here, they’re (Michelin) going to have to send some of those MotoGP tires over here. We’re running 17-inch slicks, which I think makes a smaller contact patch leading to more problems.”

According to Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry, the stock-bore bike that Rapp rode during the test is basically legal under the new AMA Superbike rules. “It’s virtually the same. It probably has 0.5mm or 0.75mm too much cam lift, but the rest of it is within the (new) rules,” said Perry. “It hasn’t been optimized for here yet. We were still working on gearing the last time (Rapp) was out. There’s more in it for sure.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

1. Alex Barros, Honda RC211V, 1:32.921
2. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:33.205
3. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 1:33.209
4. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 1:33.486
5. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 1:33.517
6. Jurgen v.d. Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 1:33.545
7. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:33.725
8. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 1:33.765
9. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.040
10. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 1:34.089
11. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 1:34.201
12. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.225
13. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.258
14. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:34.611
15. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 1:34.613
16. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 1:34.814
17. Daijiro Kato, Honda RC211V, 1:34.839
18. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 1:35.123
19. Shinichi Itoh, Honda, 1:35.381
20. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha YZR500, 1:35.479
21. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 1:35.921

From a press release:

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME INDUCTS CLASS OF 2002

PICKERINGTON, OHIO — The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced that sixteen legendary figures in the history of American motorcycling were inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame today, during ceremonies at the Museum in Pickerington, Ohio.

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

The new inductees join 269 others already enshrined in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, located on the lower level of the Museum. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame features a plaque recognizing each inductee, along with related motorcycles, photos and memorabilia.

This year’s class includes racers, stunt riders, engineers, media figures, and everyday riders who became pioneers. Among the notables: Doug Domokos, aka “The Wheelie King,” the best-known stunt rider of the 1980s and 1990s; Freddie Marsh, who began short-course racing and hill-climbing in 1924, continued racing until age 88 (now 102); Bessie Stringfield, who broke down barriers for women and African-Americans in the 1940s, completing eight solo cross-country tours and serving as a U.S. Army motorcycle dispatch rider; and Sylvester Roper, American inventor and transportation pioneer who built a steam-powered motorcycle in
1869.

“We see the Motorcycle Hall of Fame as an important part of the Museum’s mission,” said Don Emde, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which runs the facility. “Preserving the heritage of American motorcycling means more than displaying a collection of classic machines. It means keeping alive the memory of those who built that heritage.”

Emde, winner of the 1972 Daytona 200, is a Hall-of-Famer himself, as is his father, Floyd, who won the same event in 1948.

Any motorcycling enthusiast may submit a person to be considered for induction into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame; complete biographical information should accompany the submission. Inductees are chosen by six committees consisting of Hall-of-Famers and independent experts in various disciplines. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2003 will be announced next May.


THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2002

Russ Darnell – Motocross pioneer, helped shape the sport when it came to the U.S. in the late 1960s.

Will Davis – Seventh in career AMA Grand National wins, five-time champion of MARS Motorcycle Asphalt Racing Series.

Marty Dickerson – Road racer, Vincent dealer, set world speed records in 1953 and 1955.

Doug Domokos – “The Wheelie King,” best-known stunt rider of the 1980s and 1990s.

Ed Fisher – Racer, tuner, dealer, life-long enthusiast, winner of 1953 Laconia 100.

Jeff Fredette – “Mr. ISDT/ISDE,” won ten gold and ten silver medals, U.S. National Enduro winner.

Lars Larsson – 13-time ISDT/ISDE competitor, won multiple gold medals, among the first Swedish motocrossers to make his mark in the U.S., first Husqvarna factory rider in the U.S.

Walt Mahony – Motorcycle-racing photographer for 39 years, took more than 435,000 photos, printed more than 1 million images for racers, fans and
publications.

Freddie Marsh – Began short-course racing and hill-climbing in 1924, continued hill-climbing until age 88 (now age 102), dealer for Indian and Moto Guzzi.

Reg Pridmore – AMA Superbike National Champion in 1976, 1977 and 1978, founder of CLASS Motorcycle Schools.

Sylvester Roper – American inventor and transportation pioneer who built a steam-powered motorcycle in 1869.

Donny Schmit – Won seven AMA Motocross Nationals, 1992 250cc World Champion, 1990 125cc World Motocross Champion, 1986 125cc Western Supercross Champion.

Dale Singleton – “The Flying Pig Farmer,” won the Daytona 200 in 1979 and 1981.

Bessie Stringfield – In the 1940s, “The Motorcycle Queen of Miami” broke down barriers for women and African American motorcyclists at the same time, completing eight solo cross-country tours and serving as a U.S. Army motorcycle dispatch rider.

Adeline and Augusta Van Buren – These sisters’ 1916 cross-country ride proved to the U.S. military that women were fit to serve as dispatch riders. The Van Burens were the first women to make the transcontinental journey on two solo motorcycles.

The goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed notably to the sport, and three major exhibition halls showcase the machines and memorabilia that have shaped motorcycling. The Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; noon to 4 p.m. on Memorial Day,
Independence Day and Labor Day; and closed on New Year’s, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult admission is $4 per person; ages 17 and under are admitted free. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Museum’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The redesigned chicane at Daytona International Raceway is leading to problems with tire life for some teams at the famed tri-oval.

“I think everyone is,” said Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki Crew Chief Keith Perry when asked if he was having problems with his team’s Michelin tires. “What was fine with the old chicane is borderline with the new one. The speeds in (NASCAR turns) three and four are faster, and it’s creating higher temperatures. We still have a few modifications on the tires to try, but I think we’ve gone through everything they (Michelin) have. They brought three or four new tires here, but I think the new chicane has caused them to throw everything out the window and start over.

“We’ve done 8-10 laps without problems, but after that the problems start. We can get them not to blister and chunk, but then they slide everywhere.”

“The new configuration appears to be hard on tires,” said KWS Motorsports’ Kevin Hunt. “Dunlop has a new dual-compound that appears to be working well, but the standard Dunlop 240-compound that they run everywhere else wouldn’t survive here. It’s okay on a 600, but not on the big bike.

“We think because the tires spend less time at low speed they have less of a chance to cool down, the exit speed of the chicane is higher and it spends more time on the same spot of the tire at the higher speed on the East banking. The higher speed is causing higher tire temperatures. If you get it back to the same temperature it was vulcanized at, it is going to go back to a liquid state.”

“Our only concern is we haven’t had enough track time to do a tire durability test,” said Arclight Suzuki Crew Chief Chuck Warren. “We haven’t had any problems with our tires chunking. The Pirellis don’t chunk. They only blister, and we haven’t had that. But 7-8 laps is the longest we’ve run.”

When asked why they hadn’t entered some of the longer CCS races to do a tire durability test, Warren said, “We feel confident we won’t have a tire problem.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final 250cc Grand Prix Qualifying Times:

1. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:33.904
2. Marco Melandri Aprilia, 1:34.096
3. Sebastian Porto, Yamaha, 1:34.336
4. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 1:34.507
5. Randy DePuniet, Aprilia, 1:34.554
6. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:34.773
7. Jaroslav Hules, Yamaha, 1:35.347
8. Alex Debon, Aprilia, 1:35.487
9. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:35.590
10. Leon Haslam, Honda, 1:35.628
11. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, 1:35.787
12. David Checa, Aprilia, 1:35.866
13. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 1:35.916
14. Roberto Locatelli, Aprilia, 1:36.092
15. Haruchika Aoki, Honda, 1:36.198

Final 125cc Grand Prix Qualifying Times:

1. Manuel Poggiali, Gilera, 1:38.632
2. Arnaud Vincent, Aprilia, 1:38.889
3. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 1:38.903
4. Steve Jenkner, Aprilia, 1:38.926
5. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 1:39.223
6. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 1:39.296
7. Simone Sanna, Aprilia, 1:39.334
8. Stefano Bianco, Aprilia, 1:39.369
9. Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, 1:39.498
10. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:39.618

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Final MotoGP Qualifying Results:

1. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, 1:31.919
2. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, 1:32.325
3. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, 1:32.477
4. Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, 1:32.509
5. Alex Barros, Honda RC211V, 1:32.572
6. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 1:32.592
7. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, 1:32.849
8. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:32.889
9. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, 1:32.918
10. Daijiro Kato, Honda RC211V, 1:32.927
11. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, 1:32.927
12. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:33.116
13. Shinichi Itoh, Honda, 1:33.160
14. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, 1:33.424
15. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, 1:33.433
16. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:33.471
17. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:33.565
18. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, 1:33.572
19. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-RR, 1:33.842
20. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:33.848
21. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha YZR500, 1:34.447
22. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR-M1, 1:35.317

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull Yamaha:

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
Saturday 19th October 2002
Final Qualifying

MAGIC FROM McCOY

Australian, Garry McCoy attacked the 4.448 km Phillip Island track and in what has been the highlight of his season so far, secured a front row start for his home Grand Prix.

“The Slide King” sliced almost a full second off his qualifying time from yesterday and set a scorching time of 1:32.325 just 0.406-second off pole, set by two-stroke rival Jeremy McWilliams.

For the first time this year, the front row consists of only two-stroke machines, a factor that McCoy can’t quite explain.

“Its surprised me all weekend. I thought it being a fast ­ flowing track with sweeping turns that it would suit the four-strokes. I really don’t know what’s happening,” said the 30-year-old Australian.

In 2001, McCoy started his “home” GP from the 4th row in 14th place and due to mechanical problems was unable to finish the race. He is making sure this weekend that his memory of Phillip Island is replaced by something far more positive.

Teammate to McCoy, 19-year-old American John Hopkins, found another 1.987-second improvement today from yesterday’s qualifying session and lines up tomorrow on the fourth row of the grid. Hopkins who is rounding off his rookie year in the Moto GP has been impressive and consistent all season. Four top-10 finishes under his belt so far with intentions to finish this, his first Moto GP championship, in the Top Ten.

GARRY McCOY ­ 2nd 1:32.325
“It’s my best qualifying yet this Season and I’m happy to be on the front row. The two-strokes are working pretty well here and I think it’s going to be a tough race tomorrow. It will be good to see what’s going to happen with all the different tyre manufactures and different machinery. I’m pretty confident with the tyres for tomorrow although we have not done a full race distance yet.

“I’ve got a bit of a cold and I feel under the weather so I’d really like to feel ‘unsick.'”

JOHN HOPKINS ­ 14th 1:33.424
“I thought I did quite well today and I am pretty happy with it. Yesterday my fastest time was a 35.4 so I’ve made a big improvement today and gained about 2 seconds. The wind is so strong and it just blows you around everywhere but I’ve just had to adapt to the conditons and learn the new track.

“The track has a lovely layout and we’re looking like we’ve got a pretty good set-up for the race. I felt good out there today and I’m pretty happy all in all.”

PETER CLIFFORD ­ DIRECTOR OF RACING
“Brilliant ride from Jeremy. Damn him.

“Congratulations to the Roberts Team but I’m sure that Garry is going to make sure tomorrow does not come out the same way.

“On whole our team has put in a fantastic performance and its just shows that Garry and John are two of the best riders on the grid.”

More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Yamaha:

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, PHILLIP ISLAND
Final Qualifying, Saturday October 19 2002

STRANGE DAY FOR MARLBORO YAMAHA MEN
Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR-M1 riders Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa had another difficult day at windswept Phillip Island today, qualifying eighth and 20th for tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix. The pair have struggled to assume their usual front-of-pack positions here but have high hopes of improving in the race, which will start with four 500 two-strokes on the front row for the first time in MotoGP.

“Strange results today, with an all-500 front row,” said Marlboro Yamaha Team director Davide Brivio. “All the four-strokes seem to be suffering a little here, and I guess it’s the same for us. Today we continued working on adjustments, trying different suspension settings and engine mappings, but the wind doesn’t help and we’re still not there. Max could have a good race though, he’s on the second row and if the four-strokes are stronger over race distance, he’ll have a chance. But it will be tough for Carlos because he’s starting from the fifth row on the grid. He’s still not confident with the bike, so we’ll see what he can work out with his technicians this evening.”

BIAGGI STAYS ON ISLAND SECOND ROW
Max Biaggi, winner of last Sunday’s Malaysian GP, will start tomorrow’s Phillip Island GP from the second row of the grid after qualifying eighth fastest, 0.970 seconds off pole position. The Marlboro Yamaha Team man, who has had ten front-row starts this year, including three poles, needs another good result here to boost his bid for runner-up spot in the 2002 MotoGP World Championship.

“For sure the situation is not so rosy for us here,” said the Italian, a close second here last year and the Island winner in 2000. “I gave my maximum today, just like I do when I fight for pole, but this time I couldn’t do better than eighth. Being on the second row is a bit strange! My main problem is lack of confidence in keeping the front wheel on the tarmac, so the wind is troublesome. It’s also quite cold here, but I trust Michelin for the race, their tyres are the best and the future. Also, it’s strange to see four two-strokes on the front row but I think the race will be quite different.”

CHECA FASTER BUT ON FIFTH ROW
Carlos Checa improved his speed during today’s final Australian GP qualifying session, lapping the high-speed track 0.660 seconds faster than yesterday, but it wasn’t enough to move him up the grid. He will start the race from the fifth row of the grid after posting 20th-quickest time. This hasn’t been a normal weekend for the Marlboro Yamaha Team star who has scored six front row starts so far this year, including one pole position.

“It’s a shame this isn’t like go-kart racing, when they start the quickest guys from the back of the grid and the slowest guys from the front, because that way I might have a chance tomorrow!” said a philosophical Checa, extracting some humour from the situation. “My main problem is that I can’t carry enough speed through the fast sections, especially the run towards Lukey Heights. I can flick into turn one, no problem, but the bike doesn’t want to turn when I’m on the gas, it wants to stand up. We’ll try some more things in warm-up and see what we can do in the race.”

McWILLIAMS’ SHOCK POLE POSITION
Jeremy McWilliams amazed the Australian GP paddock by scoring the first-ever pole position for King Kenny Roberts’ Proton Team KR squad. Riding the slowest but lightest bike on the grid, MotoGP’s oldest rider used the KR3’s superior corner speed to devastating effect. “Corner speed is everything at Phillip Island,” said the 38-year-old Briton. “I’ve been pole here before, so I knew it was possible but I never expected to go that quick.”

FRONT ROW
1. Jeremy McWilliams (GBR) PROTON Team KR (KR3) 1:31.919
2. Garry McCoy (AUS) Red Bull YAMAHA WCM (YZR500) 1:32.325
3. Nobuatsu Aoki (JPN) PROTON Team KR (KR3) 1:32.477
4. Jurgen vd Goorbergh (NED) KANEMOTO Racing (NSR500) 1:32.509
8. MAX BIAGGI (ITA) Marlboro YAMAHA Team (YZR-M1) 1:32.889
20. CARLOS CHECA (SPA) Marlboro YAMAHA Team (YZR-M1) 1:33.848

More, from a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON’S FIRST POLE AND DOUBLE FRONT ROW IN AUSTRALIA

Round 15: Australian GP, Phillip Island Final Qualifying: Saturday, October 19, 2002

Jeremy McWilliams: First, 1:31.919
Nobuatsu Aoki: Third, 1:32.477

Proton Team KR riders produced the best qualifying performance in five years for legendary former champion Kenny Roberts’s team and his lightweight three-cylinder motorcycle, claiming pole position and third place so that both will start from the front row in tomorrow’s Australian GP at the scenic seaside circuit of Phillip Island, south of Melbourne.

McWilliams, overcoming a top speed deficit of almost 30km/h with his blinding corner speed, and had already set the fastest ever two-stroke lap of the 4.448km circuit with ten minutes of the final session to go. Then he was knocked off the top of the listing, and went out again to raise the standard still higher, and put his name back on top by a significant four tenths of a second.

Aoki had also been pushing hard throughout the session, and he too waited until the end for his best, slashing 1.3 seconds off his previous best time to slot into third place on the first all-two-stroke front row of the first season of the MotoGP class, which opens the premier motorchycle racing series also to 990cc four-stroke prototypes.

Conditions were windy again today, and McWilliams joined a handful of other riders in a novel solution – with technicians drilling a variety of different-sized holes in his machine’s fairing. Aoki preferred to stick with full bodywork and look for a solution to the instability by improving suspension settings.

Tomorrow’s race is the 15th of 16 rounds in the MotoGP world championship. Next season, Proton Team KR will be fielding their own V5 990cc four-stroke for the same pair of riders.

JEREMY McWILLIAMS
“This is what makes racing fun. That wasn’t by any means a perfect lap, but I’ll take it, even if I was a little bit ragged. I sort of expected it all weekend. There’s been a problem with a wind throughout, but it just dropped enough in the last seven minutes that I could get a run at it. It showed us how to get some improvements, especially to the gearbox, because I was over-revving at some places. The fairing holes create a negative pressure, and it’s just not so bumpy in the crosswinds. I feel that in my head, so at least they are better psychologically. For the race, I need a much better start than usual. Our problem is we get eaten on the straights. I just need to get a break. I might have to be a bit harsh getting through them. It might be a contact sport tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”

NOBUATSU AOKI
“I don’t care about fairing holes. I will ride with or without. The most important thing is to find a good set up. This morning I was struggling a little bit, but some changes to the front fork made it a lot better. Yesterday I was good on fast corners but not the slow turns. Now it’s better on the slow turns, and still okay on the fast. For the race, I can make consistent lap times, and even on the harder rear tyre I could do the times. I’m surprised – maybe everyone is surprised – to see three Bridgestone bikes on the front row, but the tyres are working very well here.”

KENNY ROBERTS – Team Owner
“We were on pole for a couple of seconds in Germany three years back, but another rider was following Kenny on our bike, and went faster right away. Now our theories seem to be working. This year we have the corner speed we’ve needed all along. Some of that’s the Bridgestone tyres, some of it is the riders. The race will be very difficult for us. There are a lot of fast trackers out there, and it’s hard for our guys to find their way round them. It will be down to how the tyres last, and our tyres are working pretty good. It’s going to be an exciting race. Especially for the riders.”

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

MOTOGP 2002
ROUND 14 – PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA
19TH OCTOBER 2002 – QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2

ANDREW PITT 19TH ON THE GRID FOR HOME GP
Australian GP novice Andrew Pitt put his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR 19th on the starting grid in only his second ride on the brand-new Green Machine, equalling his qualifying position for last week’s debut Malaysian GP, and taking the prototype another step closer towards its full-time debut next year.

Pitt dug deep into his home circuit knowledge, able to concentrate on working on the machine settings, gearing and suspension without also having to learn his way round a new track. The result was a steady improvement over two days and four hours of qualifying, with Pitt slashing almost two seconds off his lap time from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon.

The New South Wales rider, who won the 2001 World 600 Supersport Championship on a Kawasaki, was drafted in at short notice last weekend to replace injured factory tester Akira Yanagawa. The 990cc in-line four-cylinder prototype is by far the most powerful bike he has ever ridden, and he has also had to adapt to carbon brakes and re-adapt to slick tyres.

But his primary role is to move the Ninja ZX-RR down the road of development. The bike ran for the first time in current lightweight-chassis fuel-injected form only in September, and is taking part in the final four GPs of this season in preparation for a full season in 2003.

Andrew Pitt – 19th in 1.33’842: I was able to cut another six tenths of a second off yesterday’s lap time, and I’m happy about the fact that we made further progress, even though I dropped one row further back on the starting grid. I think I could have gone even faster in the end, but we tried a supposedly quicker way of starting the engine for my last run in order to save a few seconds, but instead I missed the last run altogether. No worries though – we improved our lap time, I managed to ride around a few problems that we’ve had, and I know that I can ride with a few of the other guys in the race. It would be great to get some points!

Takashi Yasui – Staff Officer, Kawasaki Research & Development Division: We made a mistake when we tried to push-start our bike for Andrew’s last run instead of using the auxiliary engine, and we missed our last time attack. No big problem – just another valuable experience for our crew!

Harald Eckl – Team Manager: Progress happens in small steps, and I’m happy with what we’ve achieved. In Malaysia, Andrew was two seconds behind the field, now he has closed the gap, and next time, it will be even better again!

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

ROWS THREE AND FOUR AS SUZUKI MEN SLASH THEIR TIMES

MotoGP, Round 15, Final Qualifying, Phillip Island, Australia – Saturday, October 19, 2002:

TEAM Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and Sete Gibernau placed 12th and 15th in the final qualifying session for tomorrow’s Australian GP. Both riders slashed their lap times by more than a second apiece, and improved overall positions on a close grid, with Kenny starting from the third row, and Sete one row behind.

Roberts cut 1.2-seconds off his previous best time, and was less than a second off a surprise pole, set by 500cc two-stroke rider Jeremy McWilliams. His three-cylinder Proton headed an unusual all-two-stroke front row, the first this year. All four front row qualifiers were on other makes of tyre than the class-leading Michelins used by the Suzuki team, and Roberts was barely half-a-second slower round the 4.448km circuit by the sea than the fastest Michelin runner, fifth-placed Alex Barros.

Gibernau was in turn a quarter of a second down on Kenny after a similar improvement, but interestingly the two riders followed very different technical routes in finding the way to make the machine more stable in the gusty crosswinds that continued to sweep the island circuit south of Melbourne.

Roberts and several other riders cut holes in the fairing flanks to minimise the effect of the cross-winds, while Gibernau preferred to work on suspension changes to find the stability needed for the inch-perfect corner lines on the fast sweeping turns of Phillip Island.

The Australian GP is the penultimate round in the 2002 MotoGP season, the first year of opening the 500cc class to 990cc four-stroke prototypes like the V4 Suzuki GSV-R. Now nearing the end of what was always scheduled as a race-development season, the machines are more competitive than ever, and at the same time are yielding more data for the engineers to build in to next year’s Mk2 version, already well advanced at factory race-shop headquarters in Japan.

KENNY ROBERTS – 12th Position, 1:33.116
“We did some consistent laps with race tyres, but there are some corners out there that are pretty hard with this wind, and that’s where I’m losing time, so we’re going to keep working on those areas for tomorrow. The fairing modifications we made to help it cut through the wind do seem to me to be an improvement. They keep the front more stable when it’s leaned over. There’s definitely something there for us to learn from, and hopefully the factory can find out why, and build in an even bigger improvement in that area for next year’s bike, to go one step further with a standard fairing. We’re suffering a little on top speed, but honestly it’s been so windy here I haven’t been able to tell my guys anything about the set-up. They’ve just been making it better, and I’m riding it. The guys are carrying me along this weekend. I’m on the third row, so hopefully I can get a good start, and be somewhat competitive tomorrow.”

SETE GIBERNAU – 15th Position, 1:33.433
“Not too bad. Again we’re chipping away at things. My chassis settings are much better today. I’m still having some aerodynamic problems into Turns One and Two. We need to work on that, but I’m not convinced that the fairing changes will solve the problem. I haven’t tried them yet.”

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
“In real terms were just six tenths behind the top Michelin rider, and I believe that Michelins will be the tyres to be on tomorrow. As part of the process, following Kenny’s suggestions, we cut substantial parts out of his fairing to try and stop it acting like a sail in these strong winds. His ideas seem to be right, and the skeleton fairing has made a significant contribution to stability, but rather surprisingly no reduction in top speed. That tells us something about our fairing, and is food for thought for the Japanese engineers. Sete has been gradually improving also, and I’m sure they’ll both do everything they can in the race. If we can’t be on pole, it’s good to see Proton there, so congratulations to Kenny’s father’s team.”

SATURDAY OFFICIAL QUALIFYING TIMES PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA
1. J. McWilliams (Proton KR) 1:31.919,
2. G. McCoy (Yamaha) +0.405,
3. N. Aoki (Proton KR) + 0. 558,
4. J. vd Goorbergh (Honda) + 0.590,
5. A. Barros (Honda) + 0.653,
6 T. Ukawa (Honda) + 0.673,
7. V. Rossi (Honda)+ 0.930,
8. M. Biaggi (Yamaha) +0.970,
9. L. Capirossi (Honda) + 0.999,
10 D. Kato (Honda) + 1.008,
12. KENNY ROBERTS (TELEFONICA MOVISTAR SUZUKI) + 1.197,
15. SETE GIBERNAU (TELEFONICA MOVISTAR SUZUKI) + 1.514.

More, from a press release issued by Honda:

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

MotoGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2002
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, PHILLIP ISLAND
Final Qualifying, Saturday October 19th

VAN DEN GOORBERGH TAKES FRONT ROW START

The most unusual qualifying result of the 2002 season delivered an all-500cc two-stroke front row at Phillip Island, with the top Honda runner proving to be Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR500), in fourth place. Equally unexpectedly, there were no Michelin runners on the front row, with three Bridgestone and one Dunlop-supplied riders in the top four spots.

Held in largely the same windy conditions that plagued day one of qualifying, the final timed session was a frantic affair on the final laps, as the winds eased by a small degree and all the top riders embarked on one last gasp effort to take pole.

Van den Goorbergh, quick all weekend long, was happy with his entire package in qualifying, and feels he can put in a good race performance as well.

“Maybe this result has got more to do with the fact that we have got softer qualifying tyres than Michelin at the moment, but nevertheless I think that in terms of race lap times we are also competitive,” said the Dutch rider. “All weekend long we have been around fifth or sixth. It is nice to be here and back at the front again because it has been such a frustrating year. Until now it has not been going that well, and I don’t think it’s my fault either, so it is good to have this chance to show I can be successful.”

Alex Barros (West Honda Pons RC211V), pole for much of the session, went fifth overall, the top 990cc four-stroke rider on show once more.

“I think that the front row is a bit of a mirage,” said Barros, wryly. “I am happy because I am the first rider on Michelin tyres and also the first four-stroke pilot. Obviously I would have liked to be on the front row, but I am lapping quickly and I have a lot of confidence in the bike’s settings and the tyre choice.”

A numerical Honda domination of the top ten positions continued with Tohru Ukawa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V) in sixth, scoring a second row start after making ground on the second day.

“I am pretty happy with the result in these conditions,” affirmed Ukawa. “We have a good balance of the machine and the tyres are showing constant wear, which is important for the race. The tyres are moving a little on the gas but the whole package feels fine. Starting from the second row is no big deal.”

New World Champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda Team RC211V) went pole with 18 minutes of the final one-hour session remaining, dropping to seventh at the end, unable to get another perfect lap in before the final hour elapsed. If Rossi does repeat his 2001 success at Phillip Island it would be his 50th GP win in all classes.

“Generally the feeling of the bike is good,” said Rossi. “The place I know I need to be faster is the hairpin, the feeling from the bike is not so good there. The front doesn’t feel too solid and right in the middle of the corner there is a little chatter before the power comes on. Our bike is heavier and it needs a lot of effort to move it around in these conditions. For the race it will be very important to look after the tyres to be competitive.”

The first place on the third row of the grid was earned by Loris Capirossi (West Honda Pons NSR500), with the two-stroke rider running in tandem with his four-stroke equipped team-mate Barros for long periods of qualifying.

“This second day of qualifying has gone better than the first,” said a relieved Capirossi. “I think we are going about it in the right way to be competitive. I am lapping quickly and I can be up with the leaders tomorrow.”

Daijiro Kato (Fortuna Honda Gresini RC211V) took his wailing V5 to the final top ten spot, making it six Hondas in the top ten places. His troubles with the wind were more pronounced than most other riders’, simply due to his physique.

“I had great difficulty to ride in this wind,” said the small and slightly-build Kato. “In some points it moves the bike around and I have to use my maximum strength to hold it because I am very light. It is not my favourite way to ride…”

Wild card rider Shinichi Itoh (Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR500), was up in fifth spot at one stage, ending his one-off race qualifying 13th out of 22 after the last 20 minutes of the session saw much movement in the combined qualifying sheets.

Tetsuya Harada (Pramac Honda NSR500) ran out 18th, not being able to stay at the qualifying pace of some other Dunlop runners.

Like many other riders Robby Rolfo (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) struggled in the gusty winds that plagued qualifying, and had other factors to overcome to go ninth on the grid.

“I am not so happy because I did not improve on my first qualifying time,” said Rolfo. “We had a small technical problem on my number one bike. My team fixed it so that I could ride ‘my’ bike again in the final session, but we lost some time.”

Emilio Alzamora (Fortuna Honda Gresini NSR250) finally improved his first day qualifying time to go 11th fastest on his works machine, 1.883 seconds from pole.

“We had a lot of problems with the front pushing and that held back our times,” stated the former 125cc World Champion.

Splitting the Fortuna NSRs, young Brit Leon Haslam qualified an excellent tenth, using high corner speed to make up time on his production RS250R/W against the faster factory machines.

Haruchika Aoki (DeGraaf Grand Prix Team Honda RS250R/W) took a top 15 finish on his evolution spec machine, with Haslam’s team-mate Jason Vincent (By Queroseno Racing Honda RS250R/W) 17th. Jakub Smrz (DeGraaf Grand Prix Team Honda RS250R/W) was the final Honda qualifier, 22nd out of the 25 riders that made it to the grid.

Daniel Pedrosa (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R), close to a front row start on day one, ended his qualifying sessions in tenth place, earning a third row start, much to his chagrin as he races to keep his slender championship hopes alive in the last two races of the year.

He was plainly unhappy with his lot after practice, especially as a short fall of rain robbed all the riders of some vital time at the beginning of the qualifying session.

“I can’t be happy with that qualifying without any doubt the worst of the season,” said the disappointed Spaniard. “This position is not correct for me; my worst start for more than a year. I can’t pin down the problem exactly; it’s a sum of different problems. The bike wouldn’t go where I wanted it to go, and I couldn’t do any more. I was bouncing a lot in the fast corners, which is precisely where you make a good lap time. Instead I had to back off the throttle. I am confident we will find an improvement in warm-up tomorrow, so I am able to make a good race.”

Joan Olive (Telefonica Movistar Jr Team Honda RS125R) will start the 125 race from the outside of the fourth row, taking 16th fastest time overall.

“The rain at the start of the session ruined all our plans,” explained Olive.” I had a good tyre, with just one lap on it, so we decided to stick
with it until the closing stages. When I started to improve I got tied up in a big group that prevented me from getting a better time. My bike is much better overall than yesterday, and I think our settings are good for tomorrow.”

The top qualifying Honda rider proved to be Andrea Dovizioso (Scot Racing Team Honda RS125R), one place ahead of Pedrosa in ninth, and two places ahead of flying Finn Mika Kallio (Red Devil Honda RS125R). Masao Azuma (Tribe by Breil Honda RS125R) rode to 17th, Gabor Talmacsi (PEV
Moto ADAC Sachsen Honda RS125R) to the last position in the top 20.

And one last thing, from Desiree Crossman, on the scene with John Hopkins:

Well the weather held up today for MotoGP, but it was still very windy and cold, though the sun stayed out with some scattered clouds.

It’s a 2-stroke first row with Jeremy McWilliams taking pole, then Gaz, Nobu Aoki, and Jurgen Vd Goorbergh. Gaz had pole in the last minute but Jeremy snatched it. It was a good session. The four strokes are on the second row, Barros, Ukawa, Rossi, and then Biaggi.

John had a good session, too. He was 21st until about 4 minutes to go and then he jumped to 11th. He pulled into the garage with around 2 minutes to go and was dropped down to 14th. We are all very happy, though. It was good. John jumped alot of places and Gaz stayed on the top.

That’s all I have to say. Abe crashed out in the first session and was taken to the hospital. We don’t know if he’s alright because it was pretty bad. It’s his first time on the 4-stroke so I’m sure that was part of the reason.

A good day down under with a great Aussie crowd. Alot of people.

Des