Doohan betters own lap record in Indonesian GP practice

JAKARTA (JP): World 500cc champion Michael Doohan of Australia demonstrated his supremacy by bettering his own speed record during the second practice session yesterday prior to today's Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix at Sentul, near Bogor.

Doohan, riding a Honda, clocked 1 minute 25.474 seconds on the 26th of the scheduled 30 laps yesterday. He bettered his time of 1:26.214 in the first session which he recorded on the 25th lap.

Tadayuka Oka of Japan is in second place, after timing 1:25.992 on his 29th lap. Third place on the grid went to Alex Criville of Spain, clocking 1:25.927. Both Tadayuka and Alex rode Hondas.

Luca Cadalora of Italy, Noboatsu Aoki (Japan), Sete Bibernau (Spain), Kenny Roberts Jr. (USA) and Jean Michael Bayle (France) slipped to 4th, 7th, 11th, 13th and 14th positions respectively.

Cadalora clocked 1:26.247, Aoki 1:26.492, Bibernau 1:26.755, Roberts 1:26.781 and Bayle 1:26.957.

All improved their times from the first session on Friday. Then Cadalora timed 1:27.216, Aoki 1:27.057, Bibernay 1:27.422, Roberts 1:28.218 and Bayle 1:27.515.

After the practice on Friday, Doohan and his Resol Honda team kept silent and avoid commenting.

In the first session on Friday, Tadayuka was also second, timing 1:26.447 on the 25th lap while Alex was third, clocking 1:26.759.

World 250 cc champion Max Biaggi of Italy, on his Honda NSR 250, yesterday also bettered his speed record in the second session, timing 1:27.438 on the 27th lap.

Biaggi is from the Marlboro team Kanebo. He is a former member of the Chesterfield Aprilla Team

Olivier Jacque of France was in second place with 1:27.696 and Tetsuya Harada of Japan third with 1:28.180.

Biaggi was also first in the first session, clocking 1:28.692 on the 29th lap.

Olivier took second place with a time of 1:28.618 and Harada third with 1:29.693.

Meanwhile, Team Lucky Strike Suzuki riders Daryl Beattie and Peter Goddard will start today's Indonesian GP from the third and fifth rows of the grid respectively.

In the second session of practice yesterday, Beattie was in 12th position, clocking 1:26.778 while Goddard was in 18th position, timing 1:27.551.

Beattie used a combination of the revised bike settings he tested on Friday with the settings he has used at recent races to maintain his overall position.

"I was testing the different chassis settings, geometry and weight distribution favored by factory tester Yukio Kagayama," Beattie said.

Goddard kept experimentation to a minimum as he continued adapting to a GP bike after a long spell riding four-strokes.

"I've started enjoying myself a bit more on the GP bike today. I'm getting a better feel for the tires and so on. I need a bit more time, though, to be fully comfortable," Goddard.

Practice results

500cc: 1. Michael Doohan (Aus) Honda 1:25.474 2. Tadayuki Okada (Jpn) Honda 1:25.882 3. Alex Criville (Spa) Honda 1:25.927 4. Doriano Romboni (Ita) Aprilla 1:26.005 5. Luca Cadalora (Ita) Yamaha 1:26.247 6. Carlos Checha (Spa) Honda 1:26.269 7. Nobuatsu Aoki (Jpn) Honda 1:26.492 8. Norick Abe (Jpn) Yamaha 1:26.538 9. Jurgen Fuchs (Ger) Elf 500 1:26.696 10. Taukma Aoki (Jpn) Honda 1:26.743

250cc: 1. Max Biaggi (Ita) Honda 1:27.438 2. Olivier Jacque (Fra) Honda 1:27.696 3. Tetsuya Harada (Jpn) Aprilla 1:28.180 4. Ralph Waldmann (Ger) Honda 1:28.306 5. Tohru Ukawa (Jpn) Honda 1:28.363 6. Takeshi Tsujimura (Jpn) Honda 1:28.464 7. Loris Capirossi (Ita) Aprilla 1:28.690 8. Stefano Perugini (Ita) Aprilla 1:28.716 9. Haruchika Aoki (Jpn) Honda 1:28.935 10. Jeremy McWilliams (Gbr) Honda 1:29.296