Motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport
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<strong>Motorsport</strong><br />
News<br />
News<br />
T E A M F U C H S<br />
J a n u a r y 2 0 0 2
Supersport World Cham<br />
Supersport World Champ<br />
in Vohenstrauss<br />
2<br />
The new Superbike and Supersport World Championship Diary for 2002<br />
Date Country Track Superbike Supersport<br />
10 March Spain Valencia<br />
24 March Australia Phillip Island<br />
7 April South Afrika Kyalami<br />
21 April Japan Sugo<br />
12 May Italy Monza<br />
26 May United Kingdom Silverstone<br />
9 June Germany Eurospeedway Lausitz<br />
23 June San Marino Misano<br />
14 July USA Laguna Seca<br />
28 July United Kingdom Brands Hatch<br />
1 September Germany Oschersleben<br />
8 September Netherlands Assen<br />
29 September Italy Imola
pionship<br />
ionship celebrations<br />
At the end of a successful racing<br />
season, Andrew Pitt at last<br />
achieved a well-earned victory<br />
in front of invited guests.<br />
In October of last year, the<br />
Kawasaki Racing Team sent out<br />
invitations to the World Championship<br />
festivities in Vohenstrauss,<br />
not only to celebrate<br />
the Supersport title, but also to<br />
thank all the team’s sponsors<br />
and friends for their support.<br />
Among the highlights of the<br />
event were a tour of the Kawasaki<br />
workshop, an electric rodeo,<br />
and live music.<br />
The guests enjoying themselves<br />
into the early hours of the morning<br />
included the President of<br />
Kawasaki Europe.<br />
3
Walker and Isutzu in the Eckl team<br />
Now it’s official: the FUCHS-Kawasaki<br />
Team headed by Harald<br />
Eckl, in the final year before<br />
changing over to the GP1 world<br />
championships, will be fielding<br />
the Japanese Superbike Champion<br />
Hitoyasu Isutzu and the<br />
Englishman Chris Walker.<br />
The Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla<br />
(10th in the final world championship<br />
rankings) has left the<br />
team, while Akira Yanagawa<br />
(9th place) will be staying with<br />
Kawasaki as a test and development<br />
driver for the future GP1<br />
four-stroke racing bike.<br />
Walker, second in the British<br />
Superbike Championships of<br />
2000, rode for the Shell Advance<br />
Team in the 2001 GP1 world<br />
championships on a V4 Honda,<br />
4<br />
but was released after<br />
the Donington-GP.<br />
In Harald Eckl’s team,<br />
Walker will be taking<br />
part in his first full<br />
Superbike World Championship<br />
season. He is<br />
acknowledged as a fourstroke<br />
specialist, and<br />
given good results in the<br />
season ahead will have<br />
good chances of returning<br />
to the Grand Prix<br />
scene in 2003 with the GP1 fourstroke<br />
Kawasaki. Walker: “This<br />
season didn’t go all that well for<br />
me. Now I’ve got a chance to<br />
show what I can do, and one day<br />
restore my reputation on the GP<br />
scene.”<br />
The Japanese Hitoyasu Isutzu<br />
Impressions of the Chinese<br />
Motorcycle Grand Prix 2001,<br />
won by Hervé Danilo from<br />
our FUCHS Silkolene Team.<br />
Hitoyasu Isutzu<br />
Chris Walker<br />
entered two races last year in the<br />
Superbike world championships. In<br />
Sugo, he finished second (behind<br />
Honda star Makoto Tamada) and<br />
third (behind Tamada and Aprilia<br />
star Troy Corser).<br />
On the EuroSpeedway, Isutzu placed<br />
fourth and ninth.<br />
(Artikel from “motorsport aktuell”)
The Italjet Racing Team recommends<br />
and uses FUCHS Silkolene products<br />
Quote from Jörg Moeller, Senior Engineer of the<br />
Italjet Racing Team/Moto Grand Prix 125 ccm, on<br />
the superlative performance achieved by the team<br />
using FUCHS Silkolene products:<br />
“In the past, I’ve often worked with mineral oil<br />
companies who supplied us with very good products,<br />
but didn’t necessarily match the needs of a<br />
team participating in a really difficult competition<br />
like the World Championships.<br />
So I was delighted when FUCHS LUBRICANTS (UK) –<br />
and its excellent R&D laboratory – got together<br />
with us and developed Silkolene products which<br />
also meet the complex requirements of a Moto<br />
Grand Prix.<br />
What’s particularly important in the 125 ccm category?<br />
Getting more power out of the engine than<br />
is really possible! After a few trial laps, we found<br />
that by using FUCHS Silkolene PRO 2, we were able<br />
to get 0.6 more horsepower.<br />
The range of complementary products, too, like<br />
gear oil, chain lubricant and maintenance spray,<br />
all guarantee excellent results.<br />
FUCHS Silkolene has thus become our ideal partner<br />
for trying out and developing new products, which<br />
the Italjet Racing Team uses, and recommends to<br />
everyone keen on looking after their motorbikes<br />
properly.”<br />
Impressions of the<br />
Malaysian Motorcycle<br />
Grand Prix 2001 with<br />
our FUCHS Silkolene Team.<br />
2001 was a successful<br />
year for the FUCHS<br />
ZONGSHEN Team in the<br />
Endurance Class. A good<br />
start to the season in Le<br />
Mans was crowned by a<br />
first place in the Endurance<br />
World Cup and a second<br />
place in the Endurance<br />
World Championships.<br />
5
Ice speedwa<br />
6<br />
Franky determined<br />
to win the Ice<br />
Speedway World<br />
Championships<br />
Individual runner-up<br />
in the winter 2000<br />
world championships,<br />
team runnerup<br />
in the 2001<br />
world championships,<br />
“Franky” Zorn is now<br />
going for the big one: he’s<br />
determined to be the next individual<br />
Ice Speedway World Champion. In pursuit of<br />
this goal, Austria’s ice-cyclist spent the summer innovating.<br />
Two motorcycles built to his own design, three engines from Finnish master tuner Veyo Touriniemi.<br />
The bike weighs 112.5 kg (the minimum under the rules is 110 kg) and has 61 HP, about 2 HP more than last<br />
year. To optimize his speed, he now changes gear with his calf instead of his foot. So Zorn is confident of<br />
giving the Russian stars Dragolin and Vadeev, in particular,<br />
more than a run for their money in the world championships.<br />
In December of last year, Zorn traveled to Finland for training,<br />
and to try out the bike on an iced-over lake. Principal sponsor<br />
FUCHS, the helmet sponsor Red Bull, Whitepower (shock-absorber<br />
fork) and Esso Filling Station Prantl (Zorn’s employer during<br />
the summer months) share the sponsorship costs. Excluding<br />
labor, the bike costs around 40,000 DM.
y<br />
Ice speedway diary for 2002<br />
Date Track Country Event<br />
5 January Berlin Germany Masters of Spikes<br />
6 January St. Johann i. Pongau Austria International<br />
12/13 January Steingarden Germany International<br />
12/13 January Bollnäs Sweden WC qualification I<br />
12/13 January Saalfelden Austria WC qualification II<br />
19/20 January Flims Switzerland International<br />
2/3 February Ufa Russia Semifinal I<br />
9 February Berlin Germany WC qualification III<br />
10 February Berlin Germany Semifinal II<br />
16/17 February Ekaterinburg Russia GP 1+2<br />
20/21 February Saransk Russia GP 3+4<br />
23/24 February Krasnogorsk Russia Team-WC-final<br />
28 February Saransk Russia European championships<br />
2/3 March Saransk Russia European championships<br />
9/10 March Assen Netherlands GP 5+6<br />
16/17 March Inzell Germany GP 7+8<br />
Speedway<br />
53rd “Golden Helmet”<br />
sponsored by<br />
FUCHS OIL in Czechia<br />
The 53rd “Golden Helmet”<br />
organized by FUCHS OIL was<br />
held at Pardubice in the Czech<br />
Republic from 5 to 7 October<br />
2001. The competition is one of<br />
the oldest speedway races on<br />
the European continent, dating<br />
back to 1929. FUCHS OIL CORP.<br />
(CZ) acted as the principal sponsor<br />
for the region’s most popular<br />
speedway event. In the<br />
Motodrom, offering space for<br />
35,000 spectators, the FUCHS<br />
promotion enjoyed excellent<br />
exposure. The Czech TV station<br />
CT2 broadcast the event live for<br />
90 minutes. The winner of the<br />
two preceding years, the<br />
Australian Leigh Adams, thrilled<br />
the public by winning this time<br />
as well, adding a third “Golden<br />
Helmet” to his collection of trophies.<br />
The 54th “Golden<br />
Helmet” will be held from 4 to 6<br />
October 2002. FUCHS OIL CORP.<br />
(CZ) hopes to act as the principal<br />
sponsor once again.<br />
7
F1 World Championship<br />
Third place for P<br />
Philippe Dessertenne crowned<br />
a successful season.<br />
With four top-three-finishes<br />
(twice second and twice third),<br />
the FUCHS Team’s helmsman<br />
achieved third place in the<br />
overall rankings of the<br />
F1 World Championships<br />
in 2001.<br />
Following a copybook start,<br />
Philippe was already sixth during<br />
the first lap, before finally closing<br />
the gap on the leaders to<br />
8<br />
move up to fourth.<br />
Philippe knew he could not permit<br />
himself any mistakes, since<br />
he was being hard-pressed by<br />
top-caliber drivers like Guido<br />
Cappellini (5-times world champion).<br />
An interruption to the race<br />
necessitated by the capsizing of<br />
the Arab Tani Al Qamzi’s boat,<br />
turned out in his favor. After his<br />
team manager had given the<br />
start signal, Philippe found his<br />
very best form, lying second behind<br />
the Italian helmsman Francesco<br />
Cantando. But with 40 laps<br />
still to go there could be no relaxing.
s hilippe Dessertenne<br />
Philippe not only had to ward<br />
off the repeated attacks of the<br />
Saudi-Arabian helmsman Laith<br />
Pharaon directly behind him, but<br />
also pursue his own strategy of<br />
exploiting any possible weakness<br />
displayed by Francesco Cantando.<br />
After several cold sweats (with<br />
all the contestants straining every<br />
nerve and sinew), the FUCHS<br />
Team’s helmsman saw the blackand-white<br />
checkered flag dip to<br />
salute him into second place.<br />
This placing gave the FUCHS<br />
Team several top-three finishes<br />
in the 2001 season: second place<br />
at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,<br />
third place in the overall helmsman<br />
rankings, and third place in<br />
the overall team rankings.<br />
French Championships<br />
FUCHS-F1 Team at the<br />
“Salon Nautique” in Paris<br />
As guests of honor at the “Salon Nautique” boat show in Paris,<br />
the FUCHS-F1 Team and the F1 catamaran were a big attraction<br />
throughout the exhibition, held from 30 November to 10<br />
December 2001. Philippe Dessertenne and his team enthusiastically<br />
seized the opportunity to tell visitors all about their racing<br />
experiences, naturally remembering to mention the products of<br />
the FUCHS LABO range.<br />
9
Outstanding success in the French Mountain<br />
Championships – Formula 3000<br />
The big hope for the French<br />
championships, FUCHS LABO’s<br />
plant driver Lionel Régal, had<br />
some unforgettable races during<br />
the season. After a year of hard<br />
work, the young driver from<br />
10<br />
Lyon finally succeeded in mastering<br />
his problems: following his<br />
brilliant performances in Bagnols<br />
Sabran and Col St. Pierre, he set<br />
entirely new standards by beating<br />
the French title-holder and<br />
winner of the Grand Slam 2000,<br />
François Chamberod, in Pommeraye.<br />
Lionel Régal is now regarded<br />
as the hot favorite for the<br />
2002 season.<br />
“Les Galapiats”<br />
successful in Le Mans<br />
On the same track that’s used for the Le<br />
Mans 24-hour race, we met the eleven<br />
youthful drivers of the “Les Galapiats”<br />
team, who have already had an opportunity<br />
to take part in international events<br />
and drive their laps on<br />
the legendary 13.6 km<br />
track. All the team’s drivers<br />
finished the race.<br />
The President of the<br />
“Automobile Club de<br />
l’Ouest” presented them<br />
with the trophy of the<br />
Le Mans 24-hour race for up-and-coming<br />
drivers.
French Championships<br />
Formula Title won in the French Mountain<br />
Championships Renault<br />
The French Mountain Championships<br />
in Formula Renault were won in the<br />
2001 season by Rossel. His vehicle<br />
was tuned by the eponymous workshop<br />
in St. Jean du Gard, which he<br />
owns.<br />
Second place<br />
at the French Rally Championships<br />
With his new Subaru<br />
WRC, Jérôme Galpin<br />
came second in the<br />
famous autumn rally<br />
of La Rochelle. In the<br />
2002 season, too, we<br />
will be seeing him<br />
again in the French<br />
rally championships.<br />
11
In the 2001 season, our Portuguese company FUCHS LUBRI-<br />
FICANTES sponsored the Powerboat Formula 2 and 2000<br />
Team with Luis Figueiredo, which won the Portuguese Championships.<br />
At world championship races in Greece and Spain,<br />
too, and in the Multicopa-Series at the Algarve Championships,<br />
the boat achieved very high placings. Besides a<br />
variety of advertising initiatives on the spot, the races were<br />
also covered by media like the Eurosport TV channel.<br />
Championships Portuguese<br />
Rotax Go-Karts Championship in Portugal<br />
The Portuguese agency of Rotax Go-Karts has launched an annual<br />
championship included in the national championship program of the<br />
Portuguese Motor Sport and Karting Association. The official kart<br />
race oil recommended for the competition was Silkolene PRO 2; moreover,<br />
all participants carried the FUCHS logo on their karts and racing<br />
suits. The races were covered in a Portuguese daily<br />
newspaper and a specialist magazine for motor<br />
sport. There were also reports on the sports channel<br />
of the country’s cable network and on the TV2 channel<br />
of the Portuguese broadcasting corporation.<br />
In the Portuguese Oldtimer Championships...<br />
12<br />
...Campos Costa drove a Lotus Europa<br />
sponsored by FUCHS LUBRIFI-<br />
CANTES.<br />
The well-attended races are gaining<br />
more attention each year,<br />
both from spectators and from the<br />
media reporting them. In almost<br />
all races, the Lotus achieved first<br />
places in the class rankings.