Valker
04-18-2004, 10:14 AM
From Cyclenews.com site
Honda, Yamaha, it doesn’t matter: Valentino Rossi is a true champion.
In his first race for Yamaha, the brand he defected to after three World Championships at Honda, the reigning MotoGP World Champion outrode Camel Honda’s Max Biaggi over 28 thrilling laps to score an historic win in the betandwin.com Africa’s Grand Prix on a sun-kissed day at Phakisa Raceway in Welkom, South Africa. Biaggi challenged for the duration, passing on more than one occasion, but it was Rossi to the front for good on the 26th of 28 laps. Ironically, Biaggi was the last rider to win on a Yamaha, at Malaysia in 2002.
“I think this was the best race of my career,” a sweat-drenched Rossi said after the 0.210 second victory. “Is a surprise for us, for everybody I think and difficult to explain the emotion.” So overcome was Rossi, that on the cooldown lap he parked by the side of the track and appeared to be sobbing. Then he kissed the windscreen of the previously underachieving Yamaha M-1, re-mounted, and put on a wheelie and burn-out show on the way to the podium.
The race would be decided at the end, Biaggi attacking in the final laps, knowing full well where he was vulnerable.
“The last section of the track, that’s the place where I always have a problem,” Biaggi said, adding that the team couldn’t solve it during practice. “We need to ride over the problem. It’s very easy to me to be passed by other riders. I couldn’t reply to the attack and I take the second position very close.”
Third place went to Telefonica MoviStar Honda’s Sete Gibernau, the Spaniard opting for a harder rear tire, rather than the medium of Rossi and Biaggi. Close for the early parts of the race, Gibernau began to fade on the 10th lap, finishing seven seconds behind Biaggi.
Gibernau said it wasn’t a tire issue. The problem was not finding the proper set-up in practice and qualifying.
“Yesterday I knew we were maybe not on the best pace,” he said. “Today I try in the beginning, but the chatter came with me. I think the team did the best they could. When things are not perfect we fight for the podium. When things go OK we fight for the win.”
Next was Brazilian Alex Barros, the Repsol Honda rider working his way through the pack to pass teammate Nicky Hayden on the 12th lap. They’d finish fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sixth went to Marlboro Ducati’s Loris Capirossi, the Italian passing Telefonica MoviStar Honda’s Colin Edwards on the 24th lap. Edwards spent the majority of the race chasing Hayden.
Seventh was Camel Honda’s Makoto Tamada, with Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3’s Norick Abe a close ninth.
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha’s Carlos Checa was 10th, well in front of Abe’s teammate Marco Melandri who had Fuchs Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano on his tail.
Team Suzuki’s John Hopkins was 13th.
Hopkins teammate Kenny Roberts Jr. retired on the eighth lap with electrical problems. Other retirees included Fuchs Kawasaki’s Alex Hoffman, who crashed out on the 16th lap; D’Antin Ducati’s Neil Hodgson who retired on the 16th lap; and his teammate Ruben Xaus who’d retired five laps into the race.
MotoGP:
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
2. Max Biaggi (Honda)
3. Sete Gibernau (Honda)
4. Alex Barros (Honda)
5. Nicky Hayden (Honda)
6. Loris Capirossi (Ducati)
7. Colin Edwards (Honda)
8. Makoto Tamada (Honda)
9. Norick Abe (Yamaha)
10. Carlos Checa (Yamaha) :shock:
Honda, Yamaha, it doesn’t matter: Valentino Rossi is a true champion.
In his first race for Yamaha, the brand he defected to after three World Championships at Honda, the reigning MotoGP World Champion outrode Camel Honda’s Max Biaggi over 28 thrilling laps to score an historic win in the betandwin.com Africa’s Grand Prix on a sun-kissed day at Phakisa Raceway in Welkom, South Africa. Biaggi challenged for the duration, passing on more than one occasion, but it was Rossi to the front for good on the 26th of 28 laps. Ironically, Biaggi was the last rider to win on a Yamaha, at Malaysia in 2002.
“I think this was the best race of my career,” a sweat-drenched Rossi said after the 0.210 second victory. “Is a surprise for us, for everybody I think and difficult to explain the emotion.” So overcome was Rossi, that on the cooldown lap he parked by the side of the track and appeared to be sobbing. Then he kissed the windscreen of the previously underachieving Yamaha M-1, re-mounted, and put on a wheelie and burn-out show on the way to the podium.
The race would be decided at the end, Biaggi attacking in the final laps, knowing full well where he was vulnerable.
“The last section of the track, that’s the place where I always have a problem,” Biaggi said, adding that the team couldn’t solve it during practice. “We need to ride over the problem. It’s very easy to me to be passed by other riders. I couldn’t reply to the attack and I take the second position very close.”
Third place went to Telefonica MoviStar Honda’s Sete Gibernau, the Spaniard opting for a harder rear tire, rather than the medium of Rossi and Biaggi. Close for the early parts of the race, Gibernau began to fade on the 10th lap, finishing seven seconds behind Biaggi.
Gibernau said it wasn’t a tire issue. The problem was not finding the proper set-up in practice and qualifying.
“Yesterday I knew we were maybe not on the best pace,” he said. “Today I try in the beginning, but the chatter came with me. I think the team did the best they could. When things are not perfect we fight for the podium. When things go OK we fight for the win.”
Next was Brazilian Alex Barros, the Repsol Honda rider working his way through the pack to pass teammate Nicky Hayden on the 12th lap. They’d finish fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sixth went to Marlboro Ducati’s Loris Capirossi, the Italian passing Telefonica MoviStar Honda’s Colin Edwards on the 24th lap. Edwards spent the majority of the race chasing Hayden.
Seventh was Camel Honda’s Makoto Tamada, with Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3’s Norick Abe a close ninth.
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha’s Carlos Checa was 10th, well in front of Abe’s teammate Marco Melandri who had Fuchs Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano on his tail.
Team Suzuki’s John Hopkins was 13th.
Hopkins teammate Kenny Roberts Jr. retired on the eighth lap with electrical problems. Other retirees included Fuchs Kawasaki’s Alex Hoffman, who crashed out on the 16th lap; D’Antin Ducati’s Neil Hodgson who retired on the 16th lap; and his teammate Ruben Xaus who’d retired five laps into the race.
MotoGP:
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
2. Max Biaggi (Honda)
3. Sete Gibernau (Honda)
4. Alex Barros (Honda)
5. Nicky Hayden (Honda)
6. Loris Capirossi (Ducati)
7. Colin Edwards (Honda)
8. Makoto Tamada (Honda)
9. Norick Abe (Yamaha)
10. Carlos Checa (Yamaha) :shock: