Newsgroup: it.sport
Titolo: Dorna NEWS - Marlboro Riders

28 Jun 1996 - 18:00 CET
Final 125 & 250cc Qualifying
250cc
HARADA TUMBLES
A crash during this morning's 'untimed' practice session at Assen left 
former 250 World Champion Tetsuya Harada
struggling in this afternoon's final qualifier. The Japanese slipped to 
eighth fastest aboard his Marlboro Yamaha Team
Rainey YZR250 and still has plenty of work to do before tomorrow's 250 
Dutch Grand Prix.
"I lost the front on the bumps as you go into the second right hander," 
explained Harada, who was placed sixth fastest after
yesterday's opening qualifying session. "I hurt my neck a bit, but 
basically I feel okay on the bike. But the crash lost us a lot
of time which we needed to work on suspension set-up and tyre choice. We 
will be trying our best to improve things in
tomorrow morning's warm-up session, but it won't be easy.
"The engine could be better too, the new cylinders are still not working 
as well as they did when we tested them for the first
time at Mugello last week."
JACQUE'S FIRST POLE
Olivier Jacque (Chesterfield Elf Tech 3 Team) scored his first pole 
position this afternoon, half a second ahead of World
Champion Max Biaggi (Chesterfield Aprilia Team).
"I'm obviously delighted, but what happens tomorrow is more important," 
said the French youngster. "I did my best time
when I was having some problems with front-end chatter, and though we 
solved that trouble, I didn't want to risk pushing
any harder, because I was happy enough with my lap time.
"The bike set-up is fine, but tyre choice is a real problem at this 
track. You need a bike which is both fast steering and
stable, which isn't easy. And the wind makes things even more complex."
BIAGGI HURTING
Double 250 World Champion Max Biaggi rode in some pain today following 
his high-speed tumble during yesterday's first
qualifying session. The Italian hurt his back and a finger in the fall, 
but was okay to ride today.
"I don't feel so good on the bike, I hurt all over," said Biaggi, who 
nevertheless took second fastest time in this afternoon's
final qualifier. "My left hand hurts the most and I was just happy to 
take second fastest time. All I can say is that I will do
my best to finish the race tomorrow and secure as many points as 
possible. I actually felt better this morning, but then my
bike cracked its crankcases and spilled oil onto the rear tyre. I had a 
big slide and that really jarred my back. Maybe I'll be
better off if it rains tomorrow, because you ride slower and more 
smoothly in the rain, but then again..."
125cc
GEISSLER THWARTED
Manfred Geissler's hopes of achieving his best-ever grid position came 
to nothing this afternoon when he ran low on fuel at
the end of the final qualifying session.
Seventh yesterday, the young Marlboro Team Eckl rider ended this 
afternoon's outing down in 15th after the usual frantic
125 sort-out.
"Early in the session it was difficult to go fast because the wind was 
stronger than it had been yesterday," said Geissler. "I
tried to improve by tucking in behind Aoki, but then a slower rider got 
in the way, and I lost touch with him.
"After that I was doing okay. I was able to close the gap on the main 
group of riders who were all going around together.
But on my last lap I made a mistake down the back straight, and then the 
engine wouldn't pull out of the chicane. I was
running low on fuel! That was my fastest lap, so I'm confident I can do 
well tomorrow, so long as I can get a really good
start."
OETTL OUT
Peter Oettl will not race in tomorrow's 125 Dutch GP after a nasty 
tumble in this afternoon's session. The Marlboro Team
Eckl man was briefly knocked out in the fall and was thus immediately 
ruled out of the race.
-- 
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28 Jun 1996 - 18:00 CET
Final 500cc Qualifying
CAPIROSSI UP FRONT AGAIN
Loris Capirossi put a difficult first day of qualifying behind him in 
cool, cloudy conditions this afternoon to leap up to fourth
fastest on his Marlboro Yamaha Team Rainey YZR500. The Italian struggled 
with major chassis problems yesterday and
things got worse this morning, but some excellent team work put him back 
on track for the final qualifier.
"We pretty much ran an experimental bike this afternoon - we were trying 
out lots of different things, even though we didn't
have much time," said a relieved Capirossi. "We lost the first session 
to rain and the bike was very bad in the first two dry
sessions. After this morning we all got our heads together and decided 
to try a few standard solutions. The bike was better
straight away and after a few more changes I was able to make the front 
row. I'm feeling very up and down at the moment.
Now I'm happy, but this morning I was really upset - I was taking some 
big risks, but I was still way off the pace."
BAYLE - A GREAT SIXTH
Jean-Michel Bayle recovered from a dramatic 200kph/120mph this morning 
to take sixth fastest time in this afternoon's
final qualifying session. The French Marlboro Yamaha Team Roberts rider 
fell at the rapid Meeuwenmeer right hander,
escaping with bruising and grazes.
"It was a fast one - fifth gear. I can't explain what happened because I 
was a little groggy afterwards. We had changed
something on the bike and the front end suddenly went very light," said 
Bayle, who held fourth in the late stages of this
afternoon's qualifier, after lapping 1.5 seconds faster than yesterday. 
"I didn't push so hard at the end of this afternoon's
session because my front tyre had done 31 laps. The second row is good 
enough and I'm happy because we managed to
iron out most of the front-end chatter we were having yesterday."
ROBERTS ON SECOND ROW
Kenny Roberts Junior improved to eighth fastest this afternoon, chopping 
1.3 seconds off his previous best, despite
discovering yesterday evening that he has been riding with a stress 
fracture to his right leg for the last few weeks.
"The leg has been hurting a lot since I fell at Imola, when a water hose 
broke," said the Marlboro Yamaha Team Roberts
man. "It takes a while for that kind of fracture to show up. I can feel 
it on the bike, but everyone has to ride with pain
sometime, I guess it's my turn.
"The leg is a problem, but my dad, Lars from Ohlins and my engineer Nick 
have been a great help. I just explain my
problems and they come up with ideas to make things better. All I have 
to do is get on the bike and ride the thing, it's so
well prepared, anyone could do it.
"I didn't want to push too early this afternoon, so I saved my effort 
for later on. I tried to beat my best lap, but I overshot a
couple of corners. All I need tomorrow is a good start - I reckon I can 
do high threes and low fours all race."
ABE IMPROVES
Norifumi Abe just missed out on a third row start after taking 1.4 
seconds off his Thursday best. The Japanese Marlboro
Yamaha Team Roberts ace improved from 16th to 13th fastest in the 
process.
"This morning we ran the bike exactly as we had it for the race at Assen 
last year," said Abe. "Then this afternoon we made
a couple of changes to the chassis set-up, suspension mainly. A lot of 
people are having front-end problems here, and I'm
not getting any feedback from the front tyre. Tomorrow we'll run our 
usual front and we still have to make a choice from
two rears. My aim is to beat the 2m 03.9s lap time I did in the race 
last year."
CRIVILLE SNATCHES POLE
Marlboro rider Alex Criville took his third pole of the season on his 
last lap of the final qualifying session. The lap took
Criville ahead of Doriano Romboni (Aprilia) by just eight hundredths of 
a second.
"I'm very happy," said a delighted Criville. "I had to push very hard 
because there was a lot of traffic out on the track at the
end of the session. The race is going to be difficult, for sure. I think 
Mick (Doohan) and I will have a close battle, and my
main concern is to choose the right front tyre, because I made a mistake 
with my front tyre choice in France and that lost
me the race."
CADALORA SEVENTH
Luca Cadalora ended qualifying with seventh fastest time on his Kanemoto 
Honda.
"We've been having some problems with chatter, it feels like it's coming 
from the back of the bike," said the Marlboro
rider. "We've gradually been working the chatter down, but we'll try 
some other solutions tomorrow morning. We're pretty
much decided on what tyres we'll run, but that depends on how hot it is. 
And some people are saying it will rain
tomorrow..."
ROMBONI SO CLOSE
Doriano Romboni was eight hundredths of a second short of giving Aprilia 
their first 500 pole position this afternoon.
'Rambo' led the session until he was toppled in the final moments by 
Alex Criville.
"Despite losing pole I'm happy," said Romboni. "We are obviously 
competitive here because we've been up front every
session. Now I want to get on the podium - I'm fed up with seeing the 
other guys up there. The problem tomorrow will be
the long run to the first corner."
DOOHAN SLIPS TO THIRD
Mick Doohan slipped to third fastest this afternoon, behind pole sitter 
and Repsol Honda team-mate Alex Criville and
provisional pole sitter Doriano Romboni (Aprilia). Tomorrow Doohan goes 
for his 31st GP win which would put him equal
third in the all-time 500 winners' list with Eddie Lawson.
"This morning we fixed the suspension problem we had yesterday which was 
making one of the bikes shake around a lot,"
said Doohan. "We run the suspension a little harder than normal here, 
because the bike is forever loading up and unloading
with all the camber changes and crowns in the middle of the road.
"It's hard to make a judgement of what's going to happen tomorrow, I 
haven't really looked at what the other guys have
been up to, but I don't expect an easy race."


29 Jun 1996 - 18:00 CET
125 & 250cc Races
250cc
HARADA'S MYSTERY PROBLEM
Tetsuya Harada finished tenth in this afternoon's crash-strewn 250 GP at 
Assen, run in chilly, drizzly conditions. Despite the
lowly finish, the Marlboro Yamaha Team Rainey man's six points were 
enough to keep him third in the World
Championship standings.
"I'm not sure what was wrong," said an unhappy Harada at the end of the 
race.
"It was a bit weird because his lap times were up and down," added team 
owner Wayne Rainey. "We'll have to talk to him
later to find out what went wrong."
SUTER'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT
Marlboro rider Eskil Suter improved on his best GP result for the second 
GP running, taking a superb fifth place at Assen
aboard his Mohag Aprilia. It was the perfect birthday present for the 
Swiss, who is 29 today - June 29th - and who
brought his World Championship score to 29 points.
"I got a great start," said Suter, who was seventh at the French GP 
three weeks ago. "I was very motivated to do well after
I crashed yesterday and it was a fun race. My only real moment came when 
Ukawa crashed with two laps to go - we were
side by side at the time."
BIAGGI TAKES THIRD
Max Biaggi (Chesterfield Aprilia Team) rode a brave race to third after 
his high-speed get-off on Thursday. The third-place
finish keeps him well ahead in the World Championship.
"My back was hurting a lot all the way through the race," said Biaggi. 
"I just want to say that third was the best I could
possibly do in this situation. Sometimes you can overcome the pain, and 
that's what I did today."
WALDMANN'S GREAT CENTURY
Ralf Waldmann won his first GP of the year at Assen today, his 100th GP 
outing. The German took over the lead when
fellow Honda rider Olivier Jacque crashed out of first place on lap 13.
"I like these kind of weather conditions," said a delighted Waldmann, 
now second in the championship. "I won the 125 race
here in '91 in similar conditions. Today's victory makes a great 100th 
GP present."
125cc
GEISSLER'S BATTLING EIGHTH
Manfred Geissler came back brilliantly from a cautious start in this 
afternoon's damp but thrilling 125 race to snatch eighth
place, just ahead of former World Champion Jorge Martinez. Fifteenth 
after the first lap, Geissler gradually picked up
speed on his Marlboro Aprilia Eckl RSR125 to make up places in the 
second half of the race.
He led Martinez over the line by almost a second, with Herri Torrentegui 
and Fred Petit also in close attendance.
"I was just too slow at the start, no excuses for that," said Geissler. 
"But it was damp in a few places and I was just being
very cautious, I didn't want to crash. Later on I began to feel better 
out there and I caught Martinez and a few other guys. I
was happy with that, but I just wish I had got going earlier. We decided 
to run a cut front slick and it was the wrong
choice. I had several really big front end slides and nearly crashes a 
few times. I could have done better if we'd run an
uncut slick. I was also a little disappointed it didn't stay wet, 
because I was really fast in the wet warm-up."
OETTL SET TO MISS 'RING
Peter Oettl is likely to miss next Sunday's German GP after his crash 
during yesterday afternoon's final 125 qualifying
session. The Marlboro Aprilia Eckl rider fell heavily at turn one and 
was knocked unconscious for several minutes. He
spent the night in a local hospital but returned to Assen at lunch time 
today.
"We can't be sure, but it looks like he won't be able to ride next 
weekend," said team chief Harald Eckl. "It's a great shame
both for Peter and the team, but it doesn't make sense for him to ride 
if he's not fully fit."
ALZAMORA'S SECOND WIN
Spaniard Emilio Alzamora (Honda) won the second GP of his career after a 
nail-biting last-lap sort out with five other
riders. The leading pack had broken away in the early stages, but 
several riders fell foul of the tricky damp conditions.
Valentino Rossi (Aprilia) crashed out of second place on lap four, 
Stefano Perugini (Aprilia) went down on lap nine and
sometime leader Lucio Cecchinello (Honda) fell on the penultimate lap 
when he collided with Alzamora, who crossed the
finish line just ahead of Italian team-mate Ivan Goi.
"It was very difficult early on because the track was damp and that made 
things a little dangerous," said Alzamora. "I was
surprised but happy to see Goi up with us. I felt more comfortable at 
the end, but the last couple of laps were fairly crazy. I
braked very late at the end of the back straight on the final lap, and 
that was enough to get me the win."


29 Jun 1996 - 18:00 CET
500cc Race
ROBERTS JUNIOR'S BEST EVER
Kenny Roberts Junior made a superb job of a difficult Dutch GP this 
afternoon, taking fifth place in the two-leg event which
was stopped shortly before half distance due to rain. Results were 
decided on aggregate times from the eight and 12 lap
segments, making the riders' job even more difficult than usual.
Roberts Junior was classified seventh after the race was red-flagged on 
lap nine, but despite bike problems he made up
two positions in the second outing which was run on a dry track. He 
ended up just over three seconds behind Suzuki's
Scot Russell.
"In the second race I was out there with Abe and most of the other 
Marlboro guys - it was like we were riding in team
formation," said the Marlboro Yamaha Team Roberts man, riding in only 
his fifth 500 GP. "Near the end Abe came past
me on the brakes when I was trying to catch Scott, but I knew there was 
no point taking chances trying to go past him
again because I was six seconds ahead on aggregate time.
"The bike wasn't so good second time out. The back tyre didn't work like 
the one I ran in the first race. I nearly jumped off
once and we were still having some trouble with the bike wobbling 
around."
ABE SIXTH
Norifumi Abe continued his strong return to form with another determined 
ride on his Marlboro Yamaha Team Roberts
YZR. Ninth after the first race, he moved up to sixth after a excellent 
second-race showing.
"I enjoyed the second race a lot, for a while I was together with 
Junior, Bayle and Capirossi, it was like a Yamaha cup
race!" said the winner of the Japanese GP. "The bike was okay. I was 
making up all of my time on the brakes, and I got a
much better start in the second race than in the first."
BAYLE EIGHTH
Jean-Michel Bayle took eighth place aboard his Marlboro Yamaha Team 
Roberts YZR, after problems following his
high-speed practice crash kept him down in 11th after the first eight 
lap segment.
"The second leg was better because my guys took off the bandage on my 
right arm which had been restricting the
circulation during the first race," said Bayle, who gashed his right 
elbow in the 200kph/120mph practice fall. "I knew after
my first race placing that it was useless to try too hard in the second 
outing. I did the best I could without taking major
risks. I'm just happy to have got some points and finish this GP."
CAPIROSSI OUT OF LUCK AGAIN
Loris Capirossi was a bitterly disappointed non-finisher today, his 
third DNF in a row. After a superb effort in qualifying,
when the Marlboro Yamaha Team Rainey man set fourth fastest time, 
Capirossi was in great form, holding fourth place at
the end of the first leg. He also went well second time out, but ran out 
of fuel with two laps to go.
"I can't believe it, I'm not having a lot of luck at the moment," said 
Capirossi. "We had another problem before the start of
the second race. My rear disc broke so we had to change wheels on the 
grid and I had to start the race with a tyre which
wasn't properly warmed. All I was trying to do second time out was to 
keep a safe fourth or fifth place - I really needed a
finish here."
CRIVILLE - SECOND AGAIN
Marlboro rider Alex Criville rode head to head with Repsol Honda 
team-mate Mick Doohan for the fourth consecutive
race, and once again he had to take second best to the World Champion.
But Criville rode a superb Dutch Grand Prix. Classified second behind 
Doohan by 0.3 seconds when the race was
red-flagged, he managed to stretch a one second lead over the Australian 
in the second leg. But then he made a mistake
which allowed Doohan to make up ground, and then retake the lead, first 
on time, and then on the road on the final lap.
"So close but so far again," said Criville after his third second-place 
finish in a row. "The second race was tough, I was
under a lot of pressure because I was three tenths down on Mick at the 
start, so I had to do more than just beat him. When
I made my mistake I knew Mick would come back at me, and I wasn't 
surprised when he came by on the back straight. I
tried to get him back at the chicane on the last lap, but I ran wide 
again."
CADALORA STOPS
Marlboro rider Luca Cadalora rode his Kanemoto into the pits after four 
laps of the first leg, complaining of the same
chassis problems which have thwarted his efforts at several GPs this 
year.
"The bike just wouldn't steer, there was no point in carrying on," said 
the Italian, who now holds fourth in the championship.
DOOHAN'S 31st 500 WIN
Mick Doohan's 31st GP win moved him to third equal with Eddie Lawson in 
the all-time 500 GP winners' list behind
Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood. The victory was also his third in a 
row at Assen, and his fourth consecutive success
this season. Doohan had to fight hard though, battling against team-mate 
Alex Criville.
"I had a lot of work to do in the second race because I didn't make a 
great job of the start," said the World Championship
leader. "Scott (Russell), Loris (Capirossi) and Barros all came by, and 
it seemed like Alex (Criville) was gone. It was a
matter of getting past the guys, but by the time I was behind Alex he 
had a good lead and I wasn't sure I could catch him. I
got my head down and was doing some good times but I didn't seem to be 
making much progress. Then he overshot at the
chicane and I was able to get back up with him. I knew I could pass him 
down the back straight on the last lap, because I'd
followed him there for a few laps."
BARROS BACK ON PODIUM
Brazilian Alex Barros was back on the podium after a lean spell 
following two strong rides at Assen today. Barros chased
Doohan and Criville in the first race before dropping back to battle 
with Scott Russell. He continued his contest with the
American in the second outing, and though Russell won the race on the 
road, Barros finished over three seconds ahead on
aggregate time.
"I'm both happy and disappointed," said Barros. "We've been setting some 
good times with our new front forks, but we
were confused by the settings here and decided to race with the older 
forks. It's great to be back on the podium."
RUSSELL FOURTH
Scott Russell finished the second race with a smile on his face. The 
Lucky Strike Suzuki man had passed Alex Barros on
the final lap to take third on the road and was all set to hit the 
podium celebrations. Then he discovered he was actually
classified fourth. 
"I'm just so disappointed," said Russell, who had qualified a disastrous 
15th fastest. "Stuart (Shenton) and the guys did
some magic with the bike after our problems in practice, I was having a 
lot of fun and passing a lot of guys. And I thought
I'd got Barros."
