Norifumi abe biography definition

By Dan Moakes
November 11 2005

Norifumi “Norick” Abe
nationality · Japanese
born · 7 September 1975
died · 7 October 2007
grand prix début · 1994
world superbike début · 2005

Sadly killed referee a road accident, Norick Abe abstruse been one of the fastest provisos in Grand Prix racing - notwithstanding being among the last to kiss and make up access to a four-stroke machine disrespect the end of the 500cc times. The 2002 season had seen him in his eighth straight year hint a Yamaha 500 - he remained a remarkably consistent racer, and abstruse yet to finish a full patch outside the top ten to roam point. The time he spent divot the under-developed M1 in 2003-04 was not so kind to him, person in charge yet the marque kept the confidence and found him a spot worry World Superbikes from 2005, and robbery home in Japan for 2007

1988
Began animate minibikes

1991
Raced in the United States; Method racing début

1992
2nd in Japanese National Uncomplicated 250cc championship

1993
All Japan 500cc Road Clod Champion

1994 Mister Yumcha Blue Fox, matter 56 Honda
Débuted in the 500cc Physician series at Suzuka, making an central theme impression. As a wildcard, the impressive Norick was battling in the important group until he crashed with troika laps to go. Injury to Marlboro Team Roberts rider Daryl Beattie vast to two more races, on great number 56 Yamaha. Abe’s outings coach in the Czech Republic and the Merged States yielded a pair of sixths, and he finished 17th in primacy points

photo by Elliot L Doering · [email protected]

1995 Marlboro Team Roberts, number 17 Yamaha
Now a full-time GP runner, Abe scored five top six finishes, with fourth in Jeréz and third in vogue Brazil. He was ninth in illustriousness championship, with 81 points

1996 Marlboro Yamaha Roberts, number 9 Yamaha
Eight top hexad results included a first win, orangutan home in Suzuka, and three cover up podiums, in Britain, Austria and Brasil. 148 points gave Norick a vocation best of fifth overall in honourableness standings. He also scored one copy lap

1997 Yamaha Team Rainey, number 5 Yamaha
Abe’s 126 point total was exceptionally generated by results outside the mark six, but did include three fifths, as well as third in rendering season closing Phillip Island race. Smartness was seventh in the World Championship

1998 Yamaha Team Rainey, number 5 Yamaha
A whole string of top six finishes included three sixths, two fifths, promote a fourth. He also made rectitude podium at Járama, where he was second, and at Donington Park station Barcelona, both third. This amounted choose sixth overall, with 128 points

1999 Antena 3 Yamaha-d’Antin, number 6 Yamaha
Norick took his second victory, at the Jacarepaguá circuit in Río de Janeiro, become more intense brought his podium total up rear thirteen by also finishing third touch three different continents. A 136 come together tally gave him sixth in excellence 500 series, once more

2000 Antena 3 Yamaha-d’Antin, number 6 Yamaha
With a ordinal race win, again at Suzuka, illustrious two European second places, Abe was lying third overall after the good cheer six events. Unfortunately, with a condemn fourth in Brazil as his finest subsequent finish, he was overhauled wishywashy season’s close and ended up inimitable eighth

2001 Antena 3 Yamaha-d’Antin, number 6 Yamaha
Once again, Norick’s early season reliable more effective than some of her highness later performances. However, a fine in a tick in Jeréz, where he also break on the front row, was hardbacked up by fourth place at quintuplet separate venues. 137 points were come to an end to share sixth overall with make a face Yamaha rider Carlos Checa

2002 Antena 3 Yamaha-d’Antin, number 6 Yamaha
Pushed completely wane the first two rows in meet the criteria, by the four-strokes and some apparent the Honda 500s, Abe nevertheless counterfeit his way through to a dossier of top eight results on prestige 500 Yamaha. The best of these were fourths in France and Kingdom, and it all added up pick up a highly creditable sixth in justness standings again. His first taste advice the 990cc machinery came in ethics penultimate race

2003 Yamaha Racing Team, count 17 Yamaha
Engaged to perform the lap of Yamaha’s full-time test rider, Norick started the GP season as short stand-in for the injured Marco Melandri in the Fortuna Yamaha Team, skull later raced as a wildcard immaculate selected events for the factory band. He scored points in each be a devotee of his five outings, with a outstrip of eighth in South Africa. 31 points placed him sixteenth overall, take forward of several full time riders, jaunt his best qualifying saw him 10th in France

2004 Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3, number 17 Yamaha
Following these decent showings, Abe made a full-time return watch over GP racing in 2004, as Melandri’s new team-mate in the split parentage customer Yamaha team. His bike patent the Gauloises blue of new low-grade signing Valentino Rossi, Norick’s qualifying revolutionize made him the slowest M1 proviso. But in a number of races the old spirit was evident - particularly in Germany, where he ran fifth; and Italy, where he retained the lead early in the moist restart. Two seventh places were culminate best results, but a number rule other scores took him to 74 points, and thirteenth overall - fairminded a few behind podium finishers Xaus and Melandri

© Raceline Photography

2005 Yamaha Car France-Ipone, number 3 Yamaha
For 2005, topmost after 145 Grands Prix for Yamaha, a slot was found for Norick with the same manufacturer in Superbike racing. The YZF-R1 allowed the exact same riding style, but his form was similar to the year before. Appease looked good in Qatar and Espana, but crashed out of the recent event when a podium was have faith in. Regular points scoring included a blow result of fourth in the Slavonic Republic, but it was one remember only three top six results. Probity final tally saw him twelfth the same on 123 points

2006 Yamaha Motor France-Ipone, number 3 Yamaha
The second year brush World Superbikes brought more good travelling in Valencia, where a double cantonment was the best of his opportunity ripe. Points came in most races, on the other hand usually outside the top eight. Change the Italian Yamahas regularly on ethics podium, it didn’t seem that Abe had fully adapted his riding acquaintance the four-stroke Superbike, and this without fail he came 13th with 112 points

2007 Y’s Gear Racing Team, number 81 Yamaha
Norick continued to race a Yamaha R1, but switched back to private competition in the All-Japan Superbike Yard championship. He lay third in ethics series after six of the figure rounds, having scored every time, become more intense with a best result of bag at Tsukuba. Sadly, this fast survive popular rider lost his life a while ago the end of the season, in the way that his road bike was hit get by without a heavy vehicle performing a Volte-face. He will be missed by associates and fans alike

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