Kenny Roberts is looking for further progress with the Castrol-lubricated Modenas KR3 machines in the fifth round of the 500cc World Championship at the A1-Ring in Austria on Sunday.

In the previous round at Mugello in Italy, Frenchman Jean-Michel Bayle finished an impressive eighth in only the fourth Grand Prix for the new British-based team.

Team manager Roberts is looking for an even better result in the 4.31 km (2.67 miles) circuit on Sunday. ``I think we have made remarkable progress and Jean-Michel Bayle's eighth place in Mugello was proof that we are headed in the right direction,'' said Roberts.

``This was only our fourth race and I think we can expect better things in Austria. We now have a test bike running, which means we will not be trying out new things in practice for the races,'' he added.

World champion, Australian Michael Doohan will be the man to beat in Austria. He leads team-mate Alex Criville in the championship by 17 points after winning three of this year's Grand Prix.

The Spaniard, Criville, won the race last year, while another, Sete Gibernau, will be continuing his 500cc Grand Prix education in the Castrol-backed Yamaha Rainey team.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.