Red Bull KTM factory rider Tomoyoshi Koyama started the 125cc French Grand Prix with great flair from the front row of the grid and steamed into second and third place in the opening four laps of the race on the circuit at Le Mans. But all hopes of the Japanese ace to add another podium finish to his career faded when he ran into chattering problems with his machine. Koyama was unable to defend his position and dropped down the order into a tight pack of riders and eventually crossed the line in a disappointing 10th place.
“At the beginning of the race, things looked really good. I was with the leading pack, and even though Pasini established an incredible pace right from the beginning, I really believed in my chance of a podium finish,” the Japanese rider said. Regrettably he then began to experience the chattering problems going into the corners and in mid corner. Knowing that he could not push as hard as he would have liked, Koyama then just had to settle down to make the best of the situation. The ever positive Japanese competitor still found it in himself to look forward positively, saying: “We’ve had this problem before and were able to solve it, so I’m sure we can fix it again for the next race!”
Any measure of luck also escaped Koyama’s team-mate Randy Krummenacher of Switzerland. “I had a good start and I was immediately within the point rankings but then Zanetti hit me from behind and I lost three or four places,” Krummenacher said. The painful blow he sustained on the back of his thigh was enough for him to lose his rhythm for the following few laps. “Then I got it back together and ended up in a nice battle with Michi Ranseder. I caught him four laps from the end and managed to stay ahead of him!”
Considering his misfortune with the other rider, Krummenacher crossed the line in a creditable thirteenth place.
Despite a satisfactory start, the team’s American dirt track hero Steve Bonsey was again out of luck and crashed after three laps. He had to take some quick defensive action after another rider crashed in the first corner and found himself at the back of the field. “I then tried to recover as quickly as possible, but my rear tyre would spin at the corner exits, and I also had some chattering. After a few laps, I opened the throttle at the exit of the last corner too early, had a highsider and crashed. Another bummer!”
Results 125 cc Race:
1. Sergio Gadea, Spain, Aprilia, 41’50.112
2. Lukas Pesek, Czech Republic, Derbi, 41’50.590
3. Bradley Smith, Britain, Honda, 41:53.075
4. Gabor Talmacsi, Hungary, Aprilia, 42’03.628
5. Joan Olive, Spain, Aprilia, 42’03.957
10. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Japan, KTM, 42’09.220
13. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland, 42’19.629
Steve Bonsey, USA, KTM DNF
Photos by Kirn F.
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