Phillip Island, Australia 2000

PHILLIP ISLAND: Red Bull Yamaha riders Garry McCoy and Regis Laconi completed the grand prix season in spectacular style in the Australian Grand Prix.

The season ended with a breathtaking race in which McCoy finished a hard-riding fifth and Laconi an unlucky eleventh before a crowd of more than 40,000.

McCoy wrapped up fifth place in the world championship thus achieving the goal he had set himself at the beginning of the season. Meanwhile Laconi finished 12th in the points after a Phillip Island race that the Flying Frenchman could quite easily have won.

Before an enthusiastic home town crowd McCoy tried desperately to win for his fans and was not disgraced to finish fifth just 1.8s behind the race winner Max Biaggi. McCoy nearly high-sided early in the race and was always in the leading group of riders who staged the race of the year on the fast and flowing Phillip Island circuit.

Laconi went unrewarded from a brilliant start and then a superb charge for the lead, which he briefly held, before running off the track at the hairpin in a braking duel with Loris Capirossi.

The race was won by Max Biaggi ahead of fellow Italian riders Capirossi and Valentino Rossi with the top nine finishers covered by just four seconds.

Garry McCoy 5th 

World Championship : Fifth, 161 points

"Unfortunately I couldn't give the crowd what they wanted, a win today, but I did the best I could. It was a tough race for me and towards the end I didn't want to risk everything with a desperate move and go down and not score any points at all. I nearly high-sided early in the race trying to pass Regis and that slapped me around a bit, my legs were flapping around and that's what broke the fairing on the bike.

"I got up to third at one stage but selected neutral and Jeremy McWilliams got past me and it was hard getting back in front of him because I had the speed on the straights and his twin had more mid-corner speed. And then towards the end the front guys were just out reach and it would have needed some desperate stuff to win and I was really struggling with my rear tyre.

"Today I just wanted to score as many points as possible. I am happy with the season overall with three wins. I started out wanting to be in the top five and I'm fifth so I can't be too disappointed with that. I'm really looking forward to next year as we made some mistakes this year and that won't happen again."

Regis Laconi 11th 

World Championship : Twelfth, 106 points

"I made a great start and knew I was on the pace straight away. Whenever another rider passed me I could come back past them almost anywhere on the circuit. Then on lap 19 on brakes into the hairpin Capirossi came off his line and I touched him from behind and went off the track. That was the race for me. It is very hard to swallow this result as I honestly believe I could have won this race."

Press Release No 3 Sunday 29 Oct 2000

Australian Grand Prix

TEAM RED BULL YAMAHA RIDERS PLAY STARRING ROLES IN THRILLING FINAL

In what was without doubt the most thrilling race of the year, the two Team Red Bull Yamaha riders played starring roles, with both Regis Laconi and team mate Garry McCoy leading the race at various times during the race.

Starting from the first row on the grid, Regis once again made a fantastic start, led into the first corner and finished laps 3 and 13 in first place. But while battling for the lead, coming into the hairpin on lap 18, he touched Capirossi’s back tyre and went off onto the grass. Although the Frenchman managed to keep the bike upright his bid for the victory was over and he eventually finished in 11^th place to take 12^th in the championship.

Garry McCoy was also unlucky not to finish better placed. By a miracle the Australian managed to survive a huge ‘moment’ on lap 9, but by the time he could get back on the gas he had lost vital ground. He also lost valuable time behind McWilliams and eventually finished in 5^th place to finish 5^th in the championship.

Garry McCoy (5^th)

Although the weather throughout the weekend didn’t make it easy, we made the right tyre choice and for most of the race they performed well. But towards the end they weren’t working as good as I’d have liked and I couldn’t get any closer to the front runners without taking a lot of risks – and the plan this weekend was to finish the race at all costs. Unfortunately I have slipped back to 5^th in the championships, but as that was the goal I’d set myself at the beginning of the year I can’t really complain. Overall, with 3 wins and 3 thirds, I’ve had a pretty good season. We’ve taken a few gambles, had a bit of bad luck and made a few mistakes, but we won’t repeat those next year and I’m looking forward to having a serious crack at the title.

Hamish Pitman (Garry McCoy’s Race Engineer)

I think if Garry had had a slightly clearer run earlier in the race he would have done a lot better. As it was, by the time he found some space his bike was past its best. Still we learnt a lot this year – even this weekend in wet practice we learnt plenty - and now we can go into next season knowing what we need to do in every type of condition.

Regis Laconi (11^th)

I got a good start and was right on the pace from the beginning. When someone came past me I could come straight back again, wherever I was on the circuit. Then coming into the first gear hairpin Capirossi switched lines and I had nowhere to go. It is very hard to swallow, because I sincerely believe that if it wasn’t for that I could have won the race.

Mal Pitman (Regis Laconi’s Race Engineer)

Today Regis showed what he is really capable of. The final result is all part of racing - but it didn’t do him justice.

Press Release No 2 Saturday 28 Oct 2000

Australian Grand Prix

TEAM RED BULL RIDERS MOVE UP A ROW ON LAST PRACTICE

After yesterday’s difficult session the wind dropped and the sun shone today to allow both Team Red Bull Yamaha riders to move up a row on the grid. For Frenchman Regis Laconi that means he will be starting from the front row for the first time this year, while team mate Garry McCoy achieves his goal of starting his home GP among the first eight.

Regis Laconi (3^rd – 1’32.964)

Although I went OK yesterday it was really hard work, so I was relieved that the wind dropped for this afternoon’s session. At the start of the session however it wasn’t looking so good. We had a big problem with the rear wheel spinning and for some reason we just couldn’t dial it out. Towards the end we decided to try the other bike and the problem miraculously went away. Now we have some difficult tyre choices to make for the race and will be counting on Michelin’s experience to guides us. If between us we can get it right I reckon I should have a good shot at tomorrow’s podium.

Mal Pitman (Regis Laconi’s Race Engineer)

This morning Regis was complaining of rear pump, and despite making some changes for this afternoon, he still wasn’t happy. We went back to the original settings but that didn’t help either, so 17 minutes from the end we decided to try the other bike. Straightway Regis was quicker so we put in the best tyre from Friday and he went out and put in the 3^rd fastest time.

Garry McCoy (6^th – 1’33.312)

It is good to be on the second row, and as long as I get a clean start and safely through the first corner, I think we should have a good race. I could have maybe been even better placed if I hadn’t come up behind another rider on the Southern Loop. I don’t think he realised I was there and moved to the middle of the track, forcing me to lose concentration and take a little excursion down the slip road.

Hamish Jamieson (Garry McCoy’s Race Engineer)

It’s mission accomplished and I’m delighted we’re starting from the second row. There were no qualifiers here and Garry did his best time on a race tyre option – which I’m sure isn’t the case for a lot of the other riders out there. The other factor that bodes well for tomorrow is that we ran the bike fully fuelled during this morning’s practice and Garry felt very happy with how it handled. All in all I’m cautiously optimistic for tomorrow.

Once again Regis has shown that he has the talent to run with the very best and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he won his last GP as a member of Team Red Bull Yamaha .

Perhaps less unsettled than other riders by adverse conditions, Team Red Bull Yamaha rider Regis Laconi put in a strong performance on the first day of practice to post the 5^th fastest time.

For his featherweight team mate, Garry McCoy, the weather proved more of a handicap, with the gale force winds literally whipping the Australian rider’s front wheel out from underneath him. Although unhurt in the crash, the local hero effectively lost 20 minutes out of the session and could only manage to put in the 12^th fastest time.

The wind makes riding the bike really hard. At the end of the straight for example it is really crazy - you have to stay close to the interior because you know you are going to be blown towards the outside. It is virtually impossible to set the bike up in these kind of conditions and all I could do was put in the best possible time in case it rains tomorrow. It meant taking more risks than I would have liked, and I was really on the limit at the end of the session, but at least I’ve got a good provisional place on the grid.

Mal Pitman (Regis Laconi’s Race Engineer)

The weather really dictated today’s session and all we could do was try and help Regis combat the high winds. For example we used different wheel sizes and softer suspension settings to make the bike as stable as possible. The problem is that tomorrow those settings risk being totally irrelevant.

Whenever you are hard on the gas here and making the front light you’re in trouble. The wind just picks up the front wheel and you’re never too sure where it is going to come down. The bike was only damaged on one side but it was completely stuffed up with grass so I had to take the other bike out. The problem was that it had different cylinders on it which weren’t really suited to the circuit. Hopefully tomorrow I can improve my times a little and get on to the second row of the grid.

Obviously being so light, Garry is more effected by the wind than the other riders. You could see that the front wheel just went from underneath him, whereas normally, if Garry does crash, it is because he loses the back. On the positive side, the wind made it impossible for anyone to set their bike up, so although he was out for 20 minutes, that time was less valuable than it might have been. Hopefully tomorrow conditions will be a little bit more stable and we can move up the grid a little.