Mick Doohan - Top Year in Marlboro Country (1988)

In short, it was no mean achievement for Doohan to outpoint these three riders in his first year of superbike racing. Doohan retains the utmost respect for Dowson, Phillis, and Campbell.

"Those guys have always been the ones to beat in Australia," said Doohan. "They're all very good. They've been winning races for years. When I started racing superbikes they were the ones I looked up to and respected the most."

Going into 1988 Doohan aimed to be competitive with his more experienced rivals. He said his confidence for the year ahead had been boosted by his third on the Super Angel Racing Yamaha in the Japanese round of the Formula One TT World Championship at Sugo in August, 1987.

"When I finished third in Japan in '87 I surprised myself a bit," said Doohan. "I thought maybe if I got on the right sort of bike I might be able to compete with these guys on a one-to-one basis. In '88 I had an equal bike."

The Marlboro Yamaha Dealer Team was the perfect environment for Doohan's talent to emerge to 1988. The team was well managed by former Australian international racer Warren Willing. He had guided Kevin Magee from the Australian superbike circuit up into the 500cc world championship level, and would in fact attend several grand prix races in 1988 with the Horsham rider.

Willing had the respect of Yamaha Motor Company in Japan, and had established a solid Japanese racing programme for his Australian riders. Put simply, once Doohan began his charge in Australia in 1988, Willing had the contacts with the Yamaha factory to provide riding opportunities in Japan.

When Doohan joined the Marlboro Yamaha Dealer Team, no one was more pleased than team-mate Mike Dowson. After all, Dowson had recommended Doohan as a future prospect to the Team Camo operators when they were looking for a rider back in 1985.

"When we started racing together for the Yamaha team I had already known Mick for a number of years," said Dowson. "I knew he rode hard, and I felt he was a guy who deserved a break. He had a big involvement with motorcycling with his family. Not only did he have the talent, he also had the background to follow it through. Mick was keen to get ahead and he was enthusiastic about his racing. We've always been good friends."

Doohan's first assignment in 1988 with his new team was to take part in a Yamaha test session at Oran Park with Dowson. The machines they tested included Yamaha's YZF750 factory four-stroke Formula One racer. It was the Japanese manufacturer's principal weapon for the Suzuka Eight-Hour event and the All-Japan Formula One Championship.

Dowson fractured a wrist during the testing, which ruled him out of the opening round of the Australian Endurance Superbike Championship at Melbourne's Sandown circuit on February 21. It meant rookie Mick Doohan would carry the Marlboro Yamaha Dealer Team's banner alone in the opening race of the year.

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Doohan OK - The Mick Doohan Story is published by The Michael Doohan Story.
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