MORE SOUTH AFRICAN GRAND PRIX NOTES

Welkom's high altitude meant that 500 riders had to ride with only 150 horsepower over the weekend.
Like Kyalami, Welkom is situated in South Africa's vast platteland at 1350m above sea level. The lack of oxygen at this altitude robs engines of up to 20 per cent of their power, so a 185bhp 500 V4 loses something like 35bhp.
"But you don't really notice the difference," claimed Marlboro Yamaha man Carlos Checa. "The main straight here is quite short so we run low gearing, in fact I'm not even using sixth. Anyway, on a 500 you always have enough power!"

Loris Capirossi says he'll be staying in 250s next year, rather than signing to ride Ducatis in World Superbike.
The Italian hard man - centre of controversy since he knocked off Tetsuya Harada to win last year's 250 title - wants to regain the 250 crown before thinking about switching to four-strokes.
"I want to stay with Gresini in 250s," said Capirossi, who rides factory Hondas for former team-mate Fausto Gresini.
"The Ducati offer was interesting but I'm not sure what's going on there at the moment. My aim is to win back my 250 crown next year and then think about going to Superbike in 2001." Capirossi is also due to sort out his legal wrangle with Aprilia this week when he meets factory boss Ivan Beggio in Italy.
The former 125 champ is suing Aprilia for $4.8 million after the factory sacked him following the Harada incident last October - $2.4 million for premature termination of his contract and $2.4 million for character defamation.

Italian factory Aprilia has offered Valentino Rossi a cool $3.5 million to stay in 250s next season, instead of moving to 500s with Honda.
Strong paddock rumours suggest the Italian has already inked a deal with Honda's factory 500 squad, but Rossi insists he still has to make up his mind on his plan for 2000. "Everyone says I've signed to ride 500s for Honda next year but it's not true," said Rossi at Welkom. "They've made a great offer but the Aprilia offer is still more money, not that money is the most important thing. The big thing with the Honda is that it's the best bike in 500s, so I have a great chance to enter the 500 class with a really good machine and a great team."
If Rossi does move to 500s fans can expect an entertaining battle with Marlboro Yamaha man Max Biaggi. The two Italians dislike each other intensely and this will be the first time they have competed in the same class.
"The Italian press is already going crazy about the whole thing." added Rossi. "For sure Max would be difficult to beat, especially in my first year. He's one of the best few 500 riders in the world but at the end of the day he's only another rider."
Rossi now leads the 250 championship by 47 points with just the Rio and Argentine GPs to go. He says he will decide on his future as soon as the title is decided.

Severe dust storms threatened the South African GP.
The new Welkom circuit, built outside a gold-mining city in the Free State and surrounded by dusty plains, was unridable when teams arrived mid-week. And on Thursday riders decided they wouldn't be able to ride if the storms continued, but luckily the winds died down and Friday practice got under way on time.
Initially the track was so slippery that 250 champ Loris Capirossi rode with his Honda NSR set up for the wet. Grip improved session by session, the 500 riders were lapping six seconds faster on Sunday that they'd managed on Friday morning.
Despite their initial reservations riders enjoyed the new track, built with tax payers' money in the hope of bringing new income to the area. With a layout not dissimilar to the Brands Hatch long circuit, Welkom is fast and twisting, with a good variety of high-speed and medium speed corners that get the best out of a 500.
"It's faster than a lot of new circuits and that's good," said Marlboro Yamaha rider Carlos Checa. "The last fast right is one of the best corners in GP racing."
German 250 man Ralf Waldmann added: "The track has a certain harmony."
Organisation was slick too, though the first 250 practice session had to be red-flagged when the circuit power failed after the media centre kitchen fans were turned on.

A group of top GP riders took advantage of their trip to South Africa by stopping off in Zimbabwe to visit a village helped by the Riders for Health charity.
Alex Criville, Kenny Roberts, Norick Abe, Alex Barros, Olivier Jacque and Marco Melandri travelled with long-time Riders for Health supporter Randy Mamola to Marowa village, 60 kilometres east of the capital Harare. GP riders raise money for the charity throughout the year, with the British GP's Day of Champions funding a major share of the income.
The money is spent on improving health in countries throughout Africa, providing motorcycles to be used by doctors and health workers.
The charity has also developed a three-wheel sidecar called the ranger that also works as a generator, providing vital power for out-of-the way places to pump water, recharge batteries and provide electricity for medical use.
Said Riders for Health boss Barry Coleman: "The first village which had a Ranger had the worst health record in Africa for a month - everyone pretended to be sick, just so they could have a ride to the local hospital! But now the Ranger is making a real difference to their lives. With improved irrigation thanks to the water pump, some familes are now growing enough vegetables to both feed themselves and make a little money by selling on the extras."
note: coleman wrote the 1982 biography Kenny Roberts ...
 
 

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