1.
CU Riders push to go
0.08

2.
SV Bike underway
0.18

3.
SV Bike at speed
0.29

4.
SV TRACKING SHOT Bike at speed
0.34

5.
SV Side view of bike at speed
0.45

6.
SV Riding through bends
1.00

7.
CU Riders
1.02

8.
SV Riders
1.04

9.
FROM REAR, SV TRACKING
1.30

10.
SV Riders coming head on
1.34

11.
SV Riders to pits
1.44



Initials BB/1700


SPORT: MOTOR CYCLE RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Switzerland hopes to strike the big time in motorcycle sidecar championships this year with two relative newcomers to the sport. Riding a brand new outfit the crack Swiss team seems determined to take all the big prizes in Europe...and the World Series.

SYNOPSIS: Expensive though the machine may be, there's no self starter and it's got to be push-started. But once underway, the team of Jean Francois Monin and his passenger Edward Weber show off the style they hope will take them to the top of their sport.

The redesigned motorcycle and sidecar, plus the combined skills of the rider and passenger, is Switzerland's big hope to better their track record this new season. In past internationals they've had to be content with runner-up titles and minor prizes.

Here at Paul Ricard circuit in Southern France, Monin and Weber reached speeds of well over a hundred miles an hour in the straights, slowing to a cool 60 miles an hour through the bends.

Now that wide tyres and aerodynamics play a greater part in the machine safely negotiating corners, the risky leaning out by the passenger isn't necessary. While the Swiss are confident this team and their motorcycle, powered by a two-stroke engine, will do well they think there's still room for improvement and after a fast work-out return to the pits for further modifications.