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The scene is set for an exciting start to the 2000 GP season that kicks off this weekend at the Welkom circuit in South Africa.
Some of the Honda boys have had some pre-season troubles with both Okada and last years winner, 30 year-old Spaniard Criville, struggling to overcome the effects of recent crashes. They both flew out from the Phillip Island tests prematurely after experiencing problems with their health.
Alex - \"People have talked about my problems a lot over the last few days. The only thing to say is that this winter, I was unable to relax in the way that I like to and need to relax and that played against me. Of course, I know full well that being World Champion entails certain obligations and I did my best to carry them out. But I cannot deny that I don\'t always handle stress in the best possible way. When my nerves are frayed, I tend to hold everything inside instead of letting it come out and then forgetting about it. In Australia, during the tests, I ended up paying the price for that. Now, I\'m just resting. I\'m over the incident and I\'ll be totally refreshed by the time I get to Welkom. I really can\'t wait to ride again. During the Valencia and Phillip Island tests, I was able to see that I am still riding at the same level as ever and that the bike has been improved. That means I feel very confident. I would have liked to train more but that was impossible. It\'s annoying, but in Welkom I\'ll be ready to give my very best\".
Tady - \"Crashing this winter has really upset my testing program and means that I wasn\'t able to give my best during the Phillip Island tests and that I had to sit the Welkom tests out. That\'s a real pity, but the time off gave me the chance to make a full recovery and that is what I really needed. My doctors back home in Japan have now given me the all clear and I feel fine. Of course, it\'s hard to say exactly what I will be like for this first race as I have not ridden my race bike since Phillip Island. But I\'m in good spirits and Welkom was a good Grand Prix for my team and me last year. So why should it be any different this year?\".
The pre-season problems of Criville and Okada left Sete Gibernau to complete P.I. testing, and the following test in South Africa.
\"As soon as we get to Welkom, all the winter testing we\'ve done will not mean anything anymore. This is the moment of truth. We\'ll be able to see how much the bikes and the riders have really progressed this winter. Up until now, any comparison didn\'t really mean all that much. We\'ve all been riding in different places, at different times and in different conditions. This winter\'s testing has been very positive for me and now I just can\'t wait to go racing. We tested in Welkom just a few days ago and, even though the conditions weren\'t too good, I was still able to test all I wanted to test on the engine and the tyres. So I\'m optimistic. Physically, I feel fine. My shoulder is just a little weak but it\'s nothing to worry about\".
6 different riders won 500 GPs in 1999. Kenny Roberts brought home a few race wins, and Suzuki some long-awaited GP success along with the number 2 plate for his good self. Okada scored the number 3 plate.
4-times 250 GP Champion Max Biaggi was the centre of Yamaha\'s hopes but only managed to score 1 win and 3 second places to finish the season as number 4.
Biaggi is looking to better that score in 2000 and his form during off-season tests also suggests he will be one of the men to beat this weekend.
He has broken lap records at a number of circuits, including Sepang (venue for the Malaysian GP on April 2) where he was a massive 1.5 seconds inside the existing record. This combined with the fact that the Yamaha seems to work well in South Africa (Biaggi won there in \'99) could put Max on short odds to take the win this weekend.
\"I feel we are ready,\" says the Italian. \"We are certainly in a much better position than this time last year -- you can\'t even compare the two situations. I feel much more comfortable on the bike and the team is working really well together, so I do feel good. But of course we don\'t really know what to expect from the other teams. Testing is one thing, racing is altogether different.\"
\"There are no drastic changes to our bike that you\'d notice just by taking a quick look, but there are many, many crucial differences that really affect the way it works on the racetrack. We have worked hard at a lot of things, especially at improving braking stability. That is very important in 500 racing because so much overtaking is done under braking.\"
\"I feel fine about Welkom, it\'s a good track for me. Maybe our bike works well there, but don\'t forget I was the only Yamaha rider in the top-four last year, the rest were all Hondas.\"
Carlos Checa has been getting his engineers to concentrate on improving the front-end feel of his YZR 500. Working closely with his team crew and engineers from Yamaha, Michelins and Ohlins, Checa is convinced he has turned the corner.
\"I\'ve got the right feeling from the bike -- so now I can sleep at night!\" he says. \"It\'s been a combination of things -- new suspension and chassis parts, new settings and new tyres from Michelin. I believe I now have the right equipment to suit my riding style, so I\'m optimistic for the championship. I don\'t want another season like last year and because I\'m confident, I can\'t wait for the racing to start. Everyone has worked so hard this winter and traveled so much but I believe it will all be worth it.\"
Frenchman Laconi is battling to be fit after breaking his leg in a practice accident at Sepang in Malaysia last month. The Red Bull Yamaha rider completed a memorable day for the comparatively new team by winning the Valencia Grand Prix last season with his teammate, Australian Garry McCoy in third place. The other Yamaha success came when the popular Japanese rider Norick Abe won a fabulous three-way battle in Brazil fighting off Biaggi and Roberts in the race of the season.
A welcome addition to the 500 ranks is 21 year-old Valentino Rossi. He seems to be the hottest property in Grand Prix racing and makes his long-awaited debut in the 500cc class riding the Nastro Azzuro Honda machine. Rossi has not only brought 125 and 250cc world titles to Aprilia, but millions of new fans to the sport with his flamboyant style on and off the track.
Another former 125 and 250 world champion, the \'veteran\' 26-year-old Loris Capirossi returns to the 500s riding for Honda Pons and has been very impressive in pre-season testing. MCNews.com.au thinks that Capirossi will stand on the podium many times this year.
Aprilia fields a very competitive two-man team with Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams joining former 250cc world champion Tetsuya Harada on the twin-cylinder machines.
With Rossi moving on, the 250cc class this season should be even more competitive with Japanese Honda rider Tohru Ukawa happy to see the back of the young Italian. Last year, Ukawa started the season brilliantly riding the Shell Advance Honda but finally succumbed to Rossi\'s pressure to finish as runner-up in the championship. With third-placed Capirossi also returning to the 500 fray, Ukawa could be forgiven for thinking he has an easy ride.
Just ask the likes of Chesterfield Yamaha Tech 3 riders Shinya Nakano and Frenchman Olivier Jacque if they agree. Nakano finished fourth in the championship, while Jacque completed an injury-wrecked season by winning the final round in Argentina.
Ukawa\'s Shell Advance Honda team-mate is Australia\'s Anthony West who has a competitive bike this season and is looking to be a front runner.
Rossi\'s place at Aprilia is taken by another young Italian with prodigious talent, 17-year-old Marco Melandri. Last year Melandri finished second in the 125cc championship despite missing the early part of the season with a broken arm.
German Ralf Waldmann has won 12 250cc Grand Prix and finished twice runner-up in the championship. Last year he made a disappointing return to the class, but he should be a real threat this season.
Japanese rider Daijiro Katoh arrives in South Africa for his first full season of Grand Prix racing with an amazing record. He has ridden in four Japanese Grand Prix and won two of them. This year, the 23-year-old is planning to compete in all 16 races for the Axo Honda Gresini team.
Spaniard Emilio Alzamora produced a lesson in concentration by winning the ultra-competitive 125cc championship. He may not have won a Grand Prix, but only failed to finish one race and was on the rostrum 10 times. His only non-finish was at Welkom when he was involved in a three-rider crash. He returns this year determined to retain his title riding the Telefonica MoviStar Honda, but it will be tough.
Japanese Honda rider Masao Azuma was running away with the championship, winning five of the first eight races but eventually he had to settle for third place.
This all bodes for a great start to the 2000 Season this weekend in South Africa.
Article courtesy of MCNews Australia
