Round 1 – Assen Holland 500km

Monday 28 March 2005
Warm Up
With the Team’s excellent starting position of 10th safe, the orders to the riders with less than three hours to go before the race, from Team Principal, Miles Hutchins were simple, “Please lads, no last minute rebuilding for Diablo 666’s mechanics, Geoff and Doug Randall”.

Following the pace car practice during the WEC warm up session is always really enjoyed by the riders – not!

All three riders were happy with the bikes set up and the ZX-10 was returned to the pit garage in pristine condition.

The Race
The weather was again typical for the Assen season opener, unpredictable, as was to be case during the race. The forecasters had said it would be fine with no chance of rain, we always believe them of course, right!

Expectations were very high within the teams, with Steve Mizera starting and riding the first leg. Partner Team Bolliger Kawasaki would be starting from 8th with David Morillon.

Easter Bank Holiday Monday in a cold windy Holland at the world famous TT circuit in Assen. 1:45 pm and the first practice race grid formed. Steve Mizera got an excellent start and at the end of the first lap came round in 13th place.

The real race start proper, the lights went green and the WEC season was go!!!!!!! Steve blasted away the grid.

Disaster! Within less than 50 metres, the 111 Pajic Kawasaki was punted off. Steve fortunately just missed the melee.

The end of the first lap, and Steve came round in 9th position. Time to settle down, get into a rhythm and push as hard as possible. Over the next few laps Steve did lose ground and after 13 laps was lying in 13th position. On this lap the pace car was called out and this once again bunched all the riders up.

After 6 laps the pace car came in and it was back to racing again. Steve immediately went up to 9th Steve’s rhythm soon led to lap times of around the 1:28-29.

During this first stint Steve rode the wheels off the ZX –10 to come in after 30 laps in 9th position. The Bolliger Pit crew went into action and 20 seconds later James was out. These guys are amazing. The game plan was on each planned stop, Bolliger would pit, followed by Diablo 666 one lap later. A lesson mega rich F1 teams have still yet to learn.

Steve commented “the bike is too slow, I was being blown off in a straight line by the new K5 Suzuki’s. I can’t wait until we get our new tricked up engine!

James Hutchins was up next and after 41 laps of the scheduled 130, James had put the stock engined ZX-10 up into 4th. Lap 45 he was in 3rd behind the Bolliger Kawasaki in 2nd! Could this be Bolliger’s first podium for some years in WEC and Diablo’s first ever. Cross those fingers! A worrying development, it had started to rain. James was out on slicks. The Team members in the pits crossed their fingers even harder. It began to rain buckets.

Lap 58, Kevin Falcke was ready! It was now raining very, very hard! Full wets were being readied. Bolliger No. 8 with Marcel Kellenberger came in, Patrick Muff went out. Seconds later James was in, Kevin blasted out of pit lane at regulation speed very, very carefully, not knowing how good or bad the circuit really was.

Again on lap 93 both team bikes were in on the same pit stop strategy. First Patrick Muff, in and out in 20 seconds, 15 seconds later in came Kevin, 20 seconds later out went Steve Mizera, 37 laps to go. Would the Kawasaki’s run to the flag without any incidents.

Everyone’s nerves in the Bolliger / Diablo garage were frayed, nails were being chewed, fingers being crossed. “What if? No don’t say anything!” was being muttered around the garage. On one dared talk about this possible result.

With all three Diablo riders being interviewed by Clive McNeil, of British Eurosport, this was the most TV exposure Diablo had ever had in its short existence!

All three riders were again doing what they love to do, ride racing motorcycles very, very, fast. Diablo’s Kawasaki ZX-10 was once again proving to be an excellent choice by the Team and working closely with Bolliger Kawasaki was proving to be a formidable piece of kit. The Phase 1 Senior Team was running about 1 minute behind in 4th. If we needed to stop for a possible splash and dash, we had the time to do so. The decision would be made by Steve who was now watching for that low fuel warning light.

As Steve sped over the line after 130 laps to take the chequered flag the whole Team went ballistic. Bolliger were 2nd, Diablo 666 3rd.

To put it simply, Diablo 666 and Bolliger had done the business!

An amazing sight, six riders from the Bolliger/ Diablo garage climbing up to the podium to collect their trophies, flowers and cheques!

Quotes from various members of the teams:

Miles Hutchins, Team Principal, “The whole Team has worked so hard and well together this weekend, culminating in this excellent result. Our riders were amazing! I am in a daze, now where did I put that champagne! Our luck held and more this time”

Bob Copare, Team Sponsor and PR, ”What a result! It’s fantastic, fast riders, experienced race mechanics, knowledgeable management and an incredibly reliable race machine all adds up to a truly excellent Team result. Miles has already been inundated with messages of congratulations and so he should be. He is the driving force behind this team. The whole Team deserved to be up on that podium not just the riders. It really is a pleasure to be part of such a friendly team and now such a successful team. This is only Diablo’s 8th race in WEC. All we need now is a major sponsor to come on board, to fund development of our bikes, we now know we could really shake up this series!”
Hanspeter Bolliger was overcome with emotion.

James Hutchins, “ That was awesome, it was so slippery out there on slicks in the wet!”.
Kevin Falcke, “ I never believed I would be standing here on the podium, on the same podium as Kitigawa, wow! I even out braked him at the end of my stint going into turn 1!”

Steve Mizera, “What a result, I wouldn’t be riding for Diablo 666 if I did not think this result was possible”. The Team is one of the best I have ridden for”.

Geoff Randall, “That was just incredible, such a result just makes all the hard work so worthwhile. The bike ran without fault and the Pirelli wet tyres still look like new!”

With yet another 16 points in the bag, Diablo 666 go into the next round at Albacete in May with a renewed belief that the Team can show the big boys how to go Endurance Racing and more importantly, have fun doing so.

Please note, two Kawasaki’s on the podium, how about some financial support you guys back at HQ, there is another series apart from MotoGP! Plough some millions into our Teams like Suzuki!

Stay tuned for the next thrilling instalment of World Endurance racing from Albacete in Spain on May 21st!

Final Race Result

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