Anthony West aims to continue his points scoring form this weekend at Valencia

Anthony West aims to continue his points scoring form this weekend at Valencia

Australia's Anthony West has set himself a target of continuing his 500cc motorcycle world championship points-scoring results in all five remaining rounds of the 2001 series, which resumes at Valencia in Spain this Sunday.

The 20-year-old has scored championship points in six of the nine grand prix races he has contested in his first 500cc season, despite his Dee Cee Racing Honda V-Twin producing 60-horsepower less than the 16 four-cylinder machines raced by series leader Valentino Rossi and other works riders.

West, who was sixth in the 250cc world championship in 2000, believes he can secure 500cc points at Valencia, and in the following races at Motegi in Japan on October 7, Phillip Island in Australia a week later, Sepang in Malaysia on October 21, and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on November 4.

"I think it's possible to keep finishing in the points because our consistency is pretty good, and the baseline settings we have with the 'Twin' seem to suit most types of tracks," said West.

"Realistically we can't win, unless it's wet, because we don't have the horsepower of the four-cylinder bikes, but we're beating some of them from time to time by riding the wheels off what we've got."

"My goal now is to finish the season with 10 of 11 races in the points, and I'd be happy with that."

West said that braking and acceleration out of the medium-speed and slow corners were crucial to success on the 4km Valencia circuit.

"It's hard braking, with a lot of second and third-gear corners leading into more corners, and that will be okay for the 'Twin," he said.

"The hard part for me will be the 'stop-go' turn coming onto the main straight because the V4s just power away under acceleration."

"I won't complain if it rains because in those conditions we can get on the power quicker than the V4 because the rear doesn't spin up as much, and we can brake later because the 'Twins' are lighter."

West, who finished 12th in the previous round at Estoril in Portugal on September 9, said he was relishing the challenge of close races with Japan's dual 125cc world champion Haruchika Aoki in the battle to be the leading two-cylinder rider in each 500cc race.

"In the races we've both finished we've beaten each other three times and it's always close," said West.

"It's good having someone like Aoki to race against on another 'Twin' because you need a target to see how you're going relative to the type of bike you're racing."

West is one of three Australians racing in the 500cc grand prix at Valencia, along with Garry McCoy on a Red Bull Yamaha, and teenager Brendan Clarke on a Shell Advance Honda V-Twin.

Rossi leads the championship with 220 points on a Nastro Azzuro Honda, followed by fellow-Italian Max Biaggi on 177 on a Marlboro Yamaha.

West has raced at Valencia twice before in 250cc grand prix events, finishing ninth in 1999 and seventh the following year.