6th Place ... Christian Sarron

6TH Place ... Christian Sarron

Trying his best but taking no chances

AFTER FINISHING FOURTH IN the world championship standings last year, Christian Sarron has two simple goals for this racing season: improve his overall standing and win at least one grand prix.

But that win wouldn’t come at Laguna Seca. Sarron, at 34 a sophisticated, urbane, 12-year GP veteran, predicted, “The American riders will be at the top of their form; this is their home GP and they want to win this one more than the others. I’ll try my best, but I’m not ready to take any chances.”

Trying his best meant a sixth-place finish for the Frenchman, who ran much of the event in fifth place aboard his Yamaha YZR500 before being passed by Mackenzie.

But now the GP circus moves on to Europe, where Sarron believes the riders will be on more-equal footing, important to him because his remaining time in the GP wars is short. “I still enjoy racing,” he said, “but if I don’t have good results I will stop. This year, maybe next year, will be my last. It depends upon the results. I just want to win one more GP. Or a few.”

Jon F.Thompson