Motor-cycling Spencer faces ‘easy’ world 500 c.c. championship

Press, 19 March 1984, Page 21

Motor-cycling Spencer faces ‘easy’ world 500 c.c. championship

NZPA-Reuter London Freddie Spencer is poised for a runaway success in the 1984 world 500 c.c. motor-cycle championship. The retirement of his fellow American, Kenny Roberts, his only real rival . last season, makes him the clearest title favourite since the heady days of Giacomo Agostini more than a “Fast Freddie” begins? his campaign for a repeat triumph in the South African grand prix, a race he won last year, at Kyalami next Saturday. A brand new four-cylin-der works Honda will be wheeled out for him and, barring mechanical teething problems with the machine, he should disappear into the distance. Roberts, who dominated the blue riband big-engine category for three successive years between 1978 and 1980, will not be on hand to contest the outcome. He has quit grand prix racing, at least temporarily,, and the sport may suffer 1 because of it Last year, the pair staged an epic struggle for supremacy; a battle reflected in the final outcome which left Spencer champion by two points and third-placed Randy Mamola, also of the United States, a staggering 53 pointe behind Roberts. Spencer, from Shreveport, Louisiana, followed up his win in South Africa by taking first place in the French and Italian grands prix But Roberts, from California,

was having none of that and roared back with first place in West Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. The duo then shared first and second place in the last four rounds, Spencer clinching the title at Imola, Italy, in a race which went to Roberts. With the season over, Roberts decided he wanted to spend more time with his family and opted out of the championship. He said he would still appear in selected races and fulfilled his promise by steering his Yamaha to victory over none other than Spencer in the Daytona 200 classic last Sunday. The Yamaha team, which fervently hopes that Roberts will again grace its machines in 1985, has promoted Eddie Lawson from number two to number one team rider. Lawson, now out of Roberts’ shadow, could shine this season, having finished in the frame on almost every outing last year. But he failed to win and would need that sort of confidence boost if he is to threaten Spencer. The Italian, Virginio Ferrari, a seasoned campaigner for several teams, has been signed by Yamaha to replace Roberts. The team’s bikes will be much the same as last year, though frames have been lightened to make them more manageable.

Spencer apart, Honda has Ron Haslam, third at Daytona and the best British prospect since the doiible-

champion, Barry Sheene, and Takazumi Katayama, of Japan, in its line-up. Both men will ride the threecylinder bikes used last year. Katayama, the former 350 c.c. world champion, is unlikely to race in South Africa because he is still recovering from injuries suffered in a crash late last season.

Mamola, who rode for Suzuki in 1983, may make an occasional appearance on a privately-entered Honda.

Suzuki will have no official factory team in action this year — its bikes were simply not quick enough in 1983 — but Italian and British teams will use its machines. Franco Uncini, world champion in 1982, and Loris Reggiani will ride for the Italian importers, while

Sheene and a newcomer, Rob McElnea, will campaign for their British counterparts. South Africa apart, all 12 rounds of the series will be staged in Europe. The 250 c.c. category should prove a much closer championship. Venezuela’s Carlo Lavado defends on a Yamaha but he will do well to keep a close watch on his rivals, particularly Britain’s Alan Carter, who became the youngest winner of a motor-cycle grand prix with a victory at Le Mans last ApriL

Carter and the American superbike champion, Wayne Rayney, will be riding for a team which has Roberts on its managerial strength.

An 80 c.c. category replaces the 50 c.c. class this year but the competitors will be much the same as before.