Anthony West aims for more points at Phillip Island
| V-Twin 500cc rider Ant West
goes into this Sunday's Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island
having scored points in 79.54-percent of the world championship races he
has contested in the past three years. The 20-year-old from Australia's Gold Coast has scored points in 35 of his 44 starts in the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc world championships since 1998. A remarkable aspect of West's high percentage of points-scoring results is that he has raced on production-based machinery throughout his world championship career apart from 2000 when he rode a works Honda NSR250. This year West has scored championship points in eight of his 11 starts in the 500cc series, despite the fact his Dee Cee Racing Honda V-Twin has approximately 60-horsepower less than the 16 four-cylinder works machines raced by Italian Valentino Rossi and other frontrunners at each grand prix. West, fresh from finishing 14th in the Pacific Grand Prix at Motegi on October 7, said he hoped to continue his points-scoring exploits at Phillip Island and added that a top 10 result was possible, especially if the race was held in wet weather. "Phillip Island should be quite good for the 'Twins' because it's a flowing track where we can carry more corner speed," said West. "If we can get a good bike set-up and ride the wheels off the thing then I think we'll go okay, and maybe top 10 is possible." West said his confidence of being more competitive in the event of a wet race at Phillip Island had been boosted by his performance in the rain-affected opening practice session at Motegi on October 5 when he finished eighth fastest after being second at one stage. "The rain cancels out the horsepower advantage of the V4s, and you can brake later on a 'Twin' because it's lighter," said West. "We can also get the power down better with the two-cylinder bike in the wet because it doesn't wheelspin as much. I started my racing in dirt-track so I don't mind the bike sliding around under me." West said he had not been disheartened by having to race against the powerful four cylinder factory Hondas, Yamahas, and Suzukis this year. "I go into every race trying to do the best I can with what I've got and Phillip Island will be no different," said West. "There's always a race to be the first 'Twin' to finish and I've been beating some of the V4s which is satisfying." "I knew this was going to be a tough season, but it was important for my career to get on a 500 and I'm grateful the Dee Cee Racing team gave me this opportunity." "Our team is quite small, compared to some others, but everyone works hard at giving me the best possible bike. I've been learning all the time and it's given me a good grounding for the future." West said he did not feel any additional pressure from competing in Australia, and he said his pre-race routine would remain unchanged from other grand prix events. "I'll be getting there mid-week, as usual, and either walking or riding a push-bike around the track to refresh myself with the racing lines and where the corners go," he said. West made his grand prix debut in 1998 in the 125cc race at Phillip Island in Australia on a locally-prepared Honda RS125. He crashed in what was his only world championship start that year. The following two years he raced for the Shell Advance Honda team in the 250cc world championship and scored points in 27 of the 32 races he started. In 1999 he rode a production-based Honda TSR250 and finished 12th in the championship, and he was sixth in the series in 2000 on the works NSR250. West's best grand prix results to date were finishing fourth in the Dutch and Portugal rounds of the 250cc world championship in 2000. Assessing the future, West said his aim was to secure a ride with a works team for 2002 on a V4 or one of the new four-stroke machines which will be eligible to race in the premier category next year. "I'd like to get onto something more competitive next season, and a good result at Phillip Island would help ," he said. ANT WEST CAREER SUMMARY – THE FIRST 44 GRAND PRIX
|
MCNEWS.COM.AU