Team KR choose two-strokes for Germany.

Proton Team KR will again campaign last year's 500cc two-strokes this weekend in Germany. The Oxfordshire-based team are continuing to develop their V5 but feel the tried and tested KR3 will be much more competitive at the twisty Sachsenring circuit.

Indeed it could: Last year, Olivier Jacque put his 500cc Yamaha on pole position, and came close to winning the race before another two-stroke - the Honda NSR of Alex Barros - took him out whilst leading.

Team KR choose two-strokes for Germany.

Proton Team KR will again campaign last year's 500cc two-strokes this weekend in Germany. The Oxfordshire-based team are continuing to develop their V5 but feel the tried and tested KR3 will be much more competitive at the twisty Sachsenring circuit.

Indeed it could: Last year, Olivier Jacque put his 500cc Yamaha on pole position, and came close to winning the race before another two-stroke - the Honda NSR of Alex Barros - took him out whilst leading.

"I'm really looking forward to the race because I feel the two-stroke will be more competitive at the Sachsenring and we will have more time to set it up than we did for Donington," said Jeremy McWilliams, second in the 1998 German 250cc GP. "I made a mistake with chassis choice in Germany last year but I'm looking for a decent result on Sunday.

"We had a good test with the four-stroke in Brno last week. We learnt a great deal about the bike and we know which direction we are going in. I'm sure I will be back on the four-stroke within the next two races but on Sunday I'm sure I can do better than I have at the last few grands prix," he explained.

Last year, the Proton pair achieved their best double result of the season, both in the top ten, with McWilliams seventh and team-mate Nobuatsu Aoki right behind him.

Even so, the two-stroke was not the first choice. The British-based team is comminted to its V5 programme, but a shortage of the necessary upgraded engine parts has forced the decision to skip this race and to concentrate on readying the four-stroke for a racing return at Brno after the summer break.

"We never really meant to race the bikes we've seen out on the track so far," explained legendary team owner Kenny Roberts. "They were the first development prototypes, and even while we've been racing we're also doing initial shake-down tests."

The inevitable teething problems, usually dealt with behind closed doors, have included oil circulation and crankshaft weaknesses, the latter requiring a re-design.

The new crankshafts are expected to be ready after the summer break, and the threat to reliability of continuing to use the flawed first version was another factor in the decision.

"It's been hectic since we first ran the bike - one race meeting after another, with barely time to deal with the development programme in amongst all the travelling," said team manager Chuck Aksland.

"(The Brno test) was only the second time we'd had the bike at a track where we weren't actually racing," said Aksland. In spite of some problems, both riders turned a substantial number of laps of the Czech Republic circuit.

"Without the pressure of racing and the time restrictions, we were able to find out a lot more about the machines, and get some of the data we need to move the bike ahead. We also have an engine on the dyno that should give us more power," added Aksland. "We need to get it to the stage where it can go round and round reliably, and then keep on developing from there."

"I'm happy and sad to go back to last year's two-stroke," admitted Aoki. "It's a pity, because the whole team is committed to the new four-stroke. That is the future. But after all the problems at the last races it will be enjoyable just to work on setting up the bike for racing, and thinking about trying to get a good result."

Team KR will be joined by WCM in running two-strokes this weekend.

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