Australian Grand Prix

Phillip Island

RACE REVIEW

After two days of unpredictable weather the sun finally shone on Phillip Island for a breath - taking Australian Grand Prix which finished in disappointment for local Red Bull Yamaha hero Garry McCoy who was forced to retire with clutch problems.

Despite qualifying 14th McCoy was primed for a huge effort in his home race and he had charged into seventh place when he was forced into the pits, unable to use the clutch for downshifts.

While McCoy was an unhappy spectator for the final laps his Red Bull teammate Nori Haga rode a fast and aggressive race which deserved much more than his eighth place finish.

Haga was a central figure in a series of high-speed slipstreaming duels and tyre-rubbing passing moves typical of grand prix racing on the classic Phillip Island circuit. Although he finished eighth Haga was just 2.5s behind the winner Valentino Rossi after 27 laps on the fast-flowing Phillip Island track.

Haga made a brilliant start from the third row and immediately engaged Rossi, Alex Barros, Olivier Jacque and Max Biaggi in the battle for the lead. On lap ten Haga led a 500 GP for first time and held the front spot until lap thirteen. With Rossi and Biaggi battling for the lead Haga was forced to concede, complaining of a lack of top speed from his Yamaha.

McCoy's weekend had started with stunning Friday qualifying run which saw the Sydney rider claim provisional pole position.  But as cold and rainy weather swept across Phillip Island McCoy was concerned about his race chances starting from 14th after struggling with rear tyre grip through final qualifying. But his dash to seventh place, which he held until lap 17, was all for nothing with the clutch problem sidelining McCoy on lap eighteen.

Rossi's victory clinched the 500cc world championship for the 22 year old Italian who had previously won the 125 cc (1997) and 250cc (1999) world titles. 

Peter Clifford, Director of Racing

"I feel for Garry who had a lot of family and friends at Phillip Island and he was right on the back of the leading group when the clutch problem became just too much. He deserved a much better result in his home race. For me Nori was a real star the way he raced against riders with much more 500 experience and then led for three laps. There was never any doubt Nori was fast and aggressive and now that he has led a GP I'm sure he will have a strong finish to the season."


GARRY McCOY: Race: DNF World Championship Position: 12th/ 66 points

NORIYUKI HAGA: Race: 8th World Championship Position : 15th/ 52 points 

Race Report

Nori Haga 8th (at 2.582)

"I got a good start and was straight up with the leaders. I was overtaking in the corners ­ sometimes getting to the front ­ and being slip-streamed down the straights ­ but always fighting. That is the kind of race I like ­ the best so far this year ­ a lot of fun. It is just a pity that in the end I only finished 8th."

Colin Davies (Nori Haga¹s Race Engineer)

"Nori rode ­ raced ­ really well and showed his true ability and aggression.   He seemed a little bit down on speed, as he would pass people, then get drafted down the straight and not be able to do the same thing back. Apart from that, the bike set up and tyre choice worked out fine."

Garry McCoy (Retired on 17th lap while in 7th position)

"Right from the start I had no clutch and was just having to kick the gear lever up to change down in the corners ­ with the back wheel bouncing around all over the place. Still I managed to catch up with the front group, making most of my time up on the corners where you changed up. Down the straights I was screwing the clutch adjuster out, until eventually the whole mechanism was hanging off. I think at that point I just decided it was too dangerous to continue. I was giving the gearbox some real abuse, trying to get the cable back in and race with the others. I don¹t think I have ever been so disappointed."

Hamish Jamieson (Garry McCoy¹s Race Engineer)

"Part of the clutch mechanism came adrift ­ just simple human error. I think while he was riding on his own he could just about cope, but once he caught up with the others he started to realise it was just too dangerous to carry on. It is a great pity because the weather had come back our way and it would have been interesting to see what he could have done without the clutch problem."

Official Qualifying - Saturday 13th October, 2001

Nori Haga 1.32.934 - 11th (at 0.950)
"Yesterday we had a problem with the bike squatting at the exit of the corner. We decided to target the problem and this morning made good progress. Then this afternoon we made some more changes and the bike improved even more. Also Michelin bought us a new tyre and it turned out to be quite good - our lap times came down and maybe we will use it for the race. I think starting from the third row here is less of a disadvantage than at other tracks and although you must remember that I have never raced a 500 here before, I think maybe I can put in a good result."

Colin Davies (Nori Haga's Race Engineer)
We're pretty happy with our tyre choice and we will use the rear that gave us our fastest qualifying lap. Today we spend a lot of time on the rear suspension and Ohlins have come up with something that seems to be working well. Although Noir is back on the third row of the grid he is only half a second slower than the second fastest man. A lot of riders posted their fastest laps by getting a tow off somebody, while Nori spent most of the time on his own. I think if he had hooked up with another rider he might have gone quicker. As it is, we're pretty happy with the set up, and providing it stays dry, I think we should have a good race."

Garry McCoy 1'33.049 - 14th (at 1.065)
"We have a choice of tyres - but they are all doing the same thing. We've got plenty of race options but nothing soft enough to do a time. Apart from that, the bike set up is fine for the gusty conditions but I don't know what it will be like if the wind drops."

Hamish Jamieson (Garry McCoy's Race Engineer)
"To say I am frustrated would be something of an understatement. We have two or three race options, all of which we can do "33's" on, but nothing available with which to make the next step up. I think the race will go round at "33" - but where will he be after the first lap is the question"

FIRST QUALIFYING, Friday October 12, 2001

Garry McCoy 1'34.104 - 1st
"Well that's Friday over with. It's funny 'cos this isn't a favourite track of mine or anything and I haven't really raced here much more than any of my competitors. I don't think the fact that this is my 'home' Grand Prix helps either - to be honest it just adds to the pressure - plus the strong winds made it really tricky today. Still, I'm obviously very happy with how the session worked out. Hopefully we will be able to hold on to the pole tomorrow. Certainly my aim is to finish on the podium here on Sunday - the top box would be nice."

Hamish Jamieson (Garry McCoy's Race Engineer)
'I think Garry was feeling comfortable on the bike and everything came together at the right moment. Its very difficult to say whether or not he will be able to hold on the pole tomorrow - the priority is to start from the front row. It is also hard to say if the strong winds work in Garry's favour. Being light means he is more easily deflected. On the other hand, his ability to 'improvise' mid-corner is perhaps an advantage."


Nori Haga 1'35.253 - 11th (at 1.149)
"Knowing this track from Superbike races is a help, but the wind and the fact that I have never raced a 500 here before makes setting the bike up very difficult. The front feels fine, but at the moment we have a problem with rear feel."

Colin Davies (Nori Haga's Race Engineer)
"We didn't manage to get many dry runs in, so we weren't able to try many different set up changes. However the improvements we found concerning, front end feel at Motegi seem to be working equally well here - what we need to work on now is rear wheel grip"

Australian Grand Prix Preview

The Australian Grand Prix brings to end, although only briefly, ten months of international travel for Garry McCoy, Red Bull Yamaha's resident slide-master.

McCoy will race at Phillip Island carrying the high expectations of home fans eager for a local victory in the Australian Grand Prix, the 14th round of the Motorcycle World Championship.

Success in Australia is nothing new to McCoy although victory in Sunday's race would be his first at home in the elite 500cc category. McCoy already claims a win in the 125cc Australian GP on his increasingly impressive CV.

With Phillip Island holding such a special place in Australian motorcycle racing history McCoy knows that local fans will be anticipating success. 

"For sure everyone expects me to do well here but I try not to think about that," McCoy said.  "There is always a great atmosphere Phillip Island and the fans are really good but sometimes the pressure can be a little uncomfortable so I try not to worry about it. "I'm going to approach Phillip Island like I do every other GP, take it as it comes and just do my best and aim for a podium finish. I try not to have favourite tracks, just treat them all the same." 

Meanwhile McCoy's Red Bull teammate, Japan's Nori Haga will also race on familiar territory this weekend. Haga has tasted world championship superbike success at the super-fast 4.4 km Phillip Island layout. 

"I always look forward to racing at Phillip Island, I like the track," Haga said.  "My first season of 500 GP racing has been difficult with a change of bike and tyres plus having to learn new tracks.  But when I go to a track that I know and have at raced at before I feel a lot more comfortable."

Haga is looking to make amends for the crash that spoilt his chances in last Sunday's Pacific Grand Prix at Motegi.

For McCoy, Phillip Island is an opportunity to put behind him the disappointments of a distant 12th place finish at Motegi where his Red Bull Yamaha was slowed early in the race with a broken exhaust.

McCoy also raced in a battered and bruised state after a crash in the warm-up session at Motegi but says he has recovered quickly and expects to be 100% ready for Phillip Island. 

"I was stiff and sore for a couple of days but I'll be fine once I get on the bike, I'm looking forward to it," said McCoy who took time out for a thrilling aerobatic plane ride with the RAAF Roulettes team upon his arrival in Melbourne.

"The Roulettes were excellent, that was really enjoyable and I was surprised how calm it was strapped inside the plane compared how it looks if you are watching the Roulettes from the ground."

The Australian GP is squeezed into a tight three week GP schedule which sees riders and teams scheduled to race again next week at Sepang in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

"It seems a little strange because I'm in Australia but there is really no time for me to get to Sydney and catch up with family and friends, it's one track after another," said McCoy who now lives in Andorra on Spanish-French border.

The Australian Grand Prix is conducted at what is regarded as one of the classic tracks on the GP calender. The long and fast flowing Phillip Island circuit always generates close, high speed racing.

In this race last year McCoy, in what was then just his second race at this track with the Red Bull Yamaha team, finished a close fifth in what was regarded as one of most dramatic races of the 2000 season.

"I'm often asked what it takes for a fast lap at Phillip Island and bravery certainly helps," McCoy said. "It's flat out most of the way with a lot of quick corners "

In the world championship McCoy is 12th with 66 points and Nori Haga 15th with 44 points.