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Makoto Tamada: Missing In Action
Whatever Happened To Honda's Next Big Thing?
by toby hirst
Thursday, October 26, 2006
From Rising 'Son', To The Forgotten Man....
....Whatever Happened To Makoto Tamada?
Makoto Tamada shot onto the world stage from the All-Japan road-racing series in 2001 when he took the WSBK regulars to the cleaners at Sugo, taking a double-race victory on the Cabin Honda VTR1000 SP 'special', Dunlop shod.
The young-gun then returned a year later, again as a wildcard in the WSBK series at a Sugo track he knew well, and almost completed another clean sweep, taking the win in race two and only losing out to Colin Edwards on the Castrol Honda by 0.161 seconds in race one. A second place alongside Tadayuki Okada in the Suzuka 8-hour race followed in the same season, Tamada was causing a stir.
HRC rewarded him with a full-time MotoGP ride in 2003, albeit on a satellite team, riding Pramac sponsored for Luca Montiron, and Tamada impressed the watching world with some gutsy performances. The Amiable Japanese got on the podium in Rio, finished well inside the top ten at Jerez and Catalunya, and finished fourth after a heroic performance at Mugello, beating out Nakano, Ukawa and Gibernau for the position by a little over a second.
In 2004 he became team-mate to one Max Biaggi at Camel Honda, the garage split with Mad Max on Michelins and Makoto san on Bridgestone rubber, the expectations were high. Tamada had a good year on developing race rubber with wins in Rio and at Motegi, a fighting second from pole behind Rossi at Estoril and four further top six finishes.
2005 appeared to be the year where Tamada fell from grace after signing to ride in a stand-alone customer team, Konica Minolta Honda, again under the eye of team principal Montiron. The team was a hybrid mix of Italian and Japanese, and the decision was to switch to Michelin tires, a move at the time many thought would promote Tamada to regular podiums and race wins. Unfortunately, that never happened.
Tamada fell heavily in practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix (round two) and broke bones in his hand and wrist which kept him out of the races at Estoril, Shanghai and Le Mans. He returned for the Italian GP but looked unsettled, and aside from a third place in Japan, his best results of the year were two seventh place finishes at Laguna Seca and Donington Park. Was it the bike, the switch to Michelins or had the fire been lost somewhere along the way?
It certainly wasn't the Tamada of old, the rising sun warrior who wasn't fazed by the reputations of others at Sugo, and in his first two years in MotoGP. Just where was the fun-loving, ever-grinning rider that was only too willing to ruffle feathers on track with his determination and guile?
2006 has effectively been a year in the wilderness, with a sixth in china his best result of the season before last weekend, when he managed fifth after several riders failed to finish -- Hayden and Pedrosa most notably. All that has led to Tamada parting company with Japan Italy Racing, Shinya Nakano the fresh talent about to take his seat, on his (Tamada's) beloved Bridgestone tires no less.
A few pundits were suggesting Tamada's options were limited to test rider for HRC, a late entry to WSBK for '07 or maybe even a return to the All-Japan series.
Thankfully, for MotoGP fans, Mr. Popular will be back next season after signing with Herve Poncharal's satellite Yamaha squad, on Dunlop tires, in an attempt to push himself once again into the limelight alongside the likes of Rossi, Hayden, Capirossi and Melandri.
It looks a tall order although Dunlop are promising increased funding for their MotoGP effort, with new technology and thinking in place to try and put a dent in the pride of Michelin and Bridgestone.
MotoGP needs racers like Makoto, someone with drive but without an arrogant, obtrusive attitude.
Let's hope the sun doesn't set just yet for Tamada.
ENDS
Shinya Nakano is expected to sign for JIR on Sunday, replacing Tamada on Luca Montiron's customer Honda team.
végre motor lesz super shinja alatt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Szerkesztve]...egy fecske nem csinál nyarat, viszont egy hülye százat csinál...
