Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tohru Ukawa beat Valentino Rossi, who led most of the race with Ukawa shadowing him, to the finish line to win the South African Grand Prix at Welkom after Rossi twice slid the rear tire and ran wide on the last lap. Both rode Honda RC211V 5-cylinder four-strokes. Loris Capirossi ran just behind Rossi and Ukawa for much of the race.

American Kenny Roberts pitted for new tires and DNF and California teen John Hopkins was again in the points, finishing 14th despite running off the track once. The race marked Hopkins’ second GP on a Red Bull Yamaha YZR500.

South African Grand Prix MotoGP Results:

1. Tohru Ukawa, Honda RC211V, 44:39.467, 28 laps
2. Valentino Rossi, Honda RC211V, +0.932 second
3. Loris Capirossi, Honda NSR500, +8.259 seconds
4. Daijiro Katoh, Honda NSR500, +26.962 seconds
5. Carlos Checa, Yamaha YZR-M1, +27.227 seconds
6. Olivier Jacque, Yamaha YZR500, +27.889 seconds
7. Norick Abe, Yamaha YZR500, +30.215 seconds
8. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha YZR500, +30.781 seconds
9. Max Biaggi, Yamaha YZR-M1, +43.796 seconds
10. Garry McCoy, Yamaha YZR500, +45.501 seconds
11. Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Honda NSR500, +66.938 seconds
12. Tetsuya Harada, Honda NSR500, +79.560 seconds
13. Pere Riba, Yamaha YZR500, +79.857 seconds
14. John Hopkins, Yamaha YZR500, +91.519 seconds
15. Regis Laconi, Aprilia RS3, +92.725 seconds
16. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki GSV-R, + 1 lap
17. Alex Barros, Honda NSR500, +2 laps, DNF
18. Kenny Roberts, Suzuki GSV-R, +19 laps, DNF
19. Nobuatsu Aoki, Proton KR3, +21 laps, DNF
20. Jeremy McWilliams, Proton KR3, +23 laps, DNF

MotoGP Point Standings:

1. Rossi, 45 points
2. Checa, 27 points
3. Ukawa, 25 points
4. Capirossi, 23 points
5. Akira Ryo, 20 points
6. Abe, 20 points
7. Katoh, 19 points
8. Shinichi Itoh, 13 points
9. Barros, 10 points
10. Jacque, 10 points
11. Aoki, 9 points
12. Laconi, 9 points
13. Harada, 9 points
14. Nakano, 8 points
15. Biaggi, 7 points
16. McCoy, 6 points
17. Hopkins, 6 points
18. V.d. Goorbergh, 5 points
19. Riba, 3 points.

More from an Aprilia press release:

MS Aprilia Racing Press Information
2002 MotoGP World Championship
Welkom (RSA) 19/20/21 April 2002
MotoGP – Sunday 21 April
Laconi and the RS Cube again in the points race. New data acquired for project development.
The Aprilia RS Cube ends the second race in its young life. Laconi brings it under the flag in 15th position. He thus earns one precious, encouraging point, despite taking it for two off-track rides. The team programme for a project like this also provides for development work during the Sunday competition, up against the others in the heat of a race. What is encouraging is the fact that the RS Cube was placed just 1.5 seconds from the sensational Valentino Rossi in yesterday’s test sessions, and fell behind today partly because it twice took an off-track excursion. Régis Laconi rode an aggressive race and, after twice going wide due to lack of grip at the front while braking, he got back onto the track and raced ahead with the same determination. Development work will be continuing at “home” : some test sessions are to be held before the next meeting in Jerez.

Laconi is 12th in the World Championship ratings with 9 points (8 in Suzuka) (1 in Welkom)
# 55 Régis Laconi – (MS APRILIA RACING) – 15th – 46’12.192
“Twice off track: the first on the penultimate corner, and then again on turn 2. I lost grip at the front when braking, got the bike under control with my arms and went straight. After a short trip off-track, I got back into the race on both occasions. What I wanted to do was to finish the race and be able to attack. I pushed as hard as I could, giving the tyres a rough time, and by the end I didn’t have much leeway. Even before the green light came on, we knew we might have some problems of grip at the front: this was caused by the tyre/fork setting, but I tried just to ride over the problem. I’m pleased I got through to the end: we got plenty of data for the development programme.”



And from a Red Bull Yamaha press release:


GRAND PRIX OF AFRICA SUNDAY 21st APRIL


GARRY McCOY ­ 10th place
World championship classification ­ 16th ­ Six points
“I made a good start and felt comfortable running in fifth place early in the race but going with the Hondas was not an option. About halfway through the race I had a couple of really big slides with the front tyre and it was hard work to hold on. With about 10 laps to go I started to get some pain from my right leg. From then on I decided what I needed to do was just get to the finish. Getting some points in the process was a real bonus. I haven¹t really done much for the last couple of months since I broke my leg in testing and I don¹t think my leg liked it out there too much.”


JOHN HOPKINS ­ 14th place
World championship classification – 17th ­ Six points
“I got a bit of a slow start but I got into the race and started to make a couple of passes. But on the fourth lap I thought I started to smell some oil from one of the four-strokes. I had just passed Tetsuya Harada when I went into the right-hander at the end of the back straight when I saw a shiny spot that you are always looking for when you think there is oil on the track. It must have just been a piece of rubber but I¹d already picked up the bike. By the time I tried to make the corner I was heading full blast into the grass. I lost around 10 seconds but started to push again. I saw Regis Laconi had also been off the track and we had a good battle. I went to pass him on the last lap but just as I got beside him I think he must have had a problem with his bike because he lifted his hand up and started to slow down. This track is one of the toughest of the season so to come away with some more points is pleasing.”


PETER CLIFFORD ­ TEAM MANAGER
“That was a heroic ride from Garry. He was obviously in a lot of pain at the end of the race judging by the expression on his face. He ran a superb pace in the early stages and just to bring the bike home at all and get some points in those circumstances is a fantastic achievement. It was great to see John in the points again. He had a bit of a moment in the early part of the race but he fought back and passed Regis Laconi superbly on the last lap.”



And now a Suzuki press release:

Team Suzuki News Service

SUZUKI MEN OUT OF THE POINTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Phakisa Freeway, Welkom – April 21, 2002.

TEAM Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki riders Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts left South Africa with no points today, after the second race of the new MotoGP season.

Strong in practice on the all-new 990cc four-stroke GSV-R machines, both had their hopes of reproducing the bold baritone machine’s podium success in the first race dashed when they had to call into the pits. In a 45-minute grand prix in such a competitive season, a pit stop spells disaster in terms of final results.

Kenny retired without finishing. Sete had been running as high as fourth, before running wide onto the trackside grass, rejoining further
down the field. He later pitted to change the rear tyre. He finished 16th, one place out of the points.

The race was won by Japanese rider Tohru Ukawa, after defending champion Valentino Rossi made an error and almost crashed on the final lap. It
was the second of 16 rounds in this year’s MotoGP championship.

SETE GIBERNAU – 16th
“I have no words. I can only say that I did my best. I was taught not to quit, and that’s what I did. Finishing at the back is not what I want.”

KENNY ROBERTS – Did Not Finish
“We knew there would be days like this, but after Suzuki’s great result at Suzuka in the rain, our expectations were a lot higher than today’s results.”

GARRY TAYLOR – Team Manager
“A big disappointment after Suzuka. We were ready for a lot of eventualities, and also to make the most of our possibilities. Kenny retired when he rode into the garage. As for Sete, I have no words either. He persisted and kept trying even after changing his tyre. You can’t ask for more. Keeping going under these circumstances shows the determination of our riders.”