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Pierpaolo Bianchi on the flying 125cc Minarelli twin ....................- the creation of Jörg Möller
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1978 - There are few people in Europe who know more about two-stroke engines than Jörg Möller. The West German engineer was the man who did much to make the Van Veen Kreidlers the force they are in the 50cc racing world and then later moved to Italy where he waved his magic wand over the Morbidellis.
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Now, though, Jörg is working for the Minarellis factory in north of Italy, near Bologna, and from nothing has produced a 125cc racer which is capable of destroying the opposition. Why did Jörg leave Morbidelli and move to the rival factory.
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" Mainly for financial reasons. I am paid a little more now, but more important, I have more cash available for racing, and without cash you can build nothing ! ". He says.
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Cash to Minarelli is no problem. They are the biggest 50cc engine manufacturers in Europe, selling more than 250,000 moped engines each year. And, as with most italians, road racing means something special to the entire work-staff at Minarelli. Unlike Morbidelli, the Minarelli directors let Jörg get on with the job. There was too much interference from the enthusiastic Giancarlo Morbidelli , for Möller's liking.
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" Everything I need in the way of equipment and facilities are supplied at Minarelli, and they leave me to get on with the job", says Jörg.
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After leaving the woodworking machine factory at Pesaro, Jörg certainly got on with the job. It took just six months from blue print stage to finished article !. With him on the move came little Pierpaolo Bianchi, the reigning 125cc world champion. His faith and confidence in Möller was enough for him to make the switch without even trying the bike.
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From its first outing, though, it was obvious that Bianchi had made the right move. The bike is a masterpiece, and though now it seems to have the legs on all its rivals, turning out 44 bhp , Jörg Möller says that another two or three hp are possible without a great deal of work.
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Even so it's going to be tough for little Pierpaolo to win the crown again. The bike stopped, for no apparent reason soon after the start of the race at the Salzburgring in the Austrian Grand Prix, losing him valuable points, while in Italy, Bianchi was forced to stop when the gearchange lever broke.
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His main rival, the diminutive Eugenio Lazzarini, went into a comfortable lead, and with all points to count again this year, Bianchi cannot afford to make any mistakes in the remaining rounds. Möller refuses to accept that the Minarelli's superiority is based purely on engine power, though the motor is better than the opposition. He feels that the frame on the bike is very good from both design and suspension point of view.
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But little bikes are just a stepping stone in the Möller plan. At Morbidelli he worked on 250, 350 and 500cc machines in either design or material form, and he is trying hard to persuade his new employers that their best interests would be served by venturing into the 500cc racing.
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Minarelli's management are not convinced, though, and for the time being Jörg has to concentrate his work on the 125cc, and winning the world title. His rider, Pierpaolo Bianchi, used to work at the Morbidelli factory as a mechanic, now he's a full-time professional racer. Small, wiry and a far better rider than many enthusiasts in countries where 125cc racing is popular would believe, he stays in physical shape by gymnastics.
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But, when he can, he likes to slip off to the lakes and rivers for a spot of fishing. " It's a good way to relax the mind and forget about the pressures of racing" says Pierpaolo Bianchi.
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Möller too is well aware of the pressures on him. Sadly money cannot buy him the things he needs most of all at Minarelli, experienced race mechanics. With just a few reliable people to help him, including Bianchi's father, Jörg has to work a seven day week and many, many hours.
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"It is hard work, and I shall only carry on like this for a few years more. What I'll do then, I don't know, but there are other teams in racing, aren't there? Perhaps a Japanese factory? But one thing is certain I won't switch to cars" says Jörg.
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Möller was approached recently by the Ferrari factory to build a two stroke engine for their Formula 1 cars. "Too many chiefs at Ferrari, I'm afraid. And who is interested in car racing?" asks Jörg. "I'll stick to racing motorcycles".
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