Just put a fiver on Sykes at 9/4. Would be ace to see Kawa win a race straight up no rain assist like last year.
Joined Jan 2011
3K Posts | 152+
The North!
It's a lot cooler today, only 11 degrees celcius.
That may shake things up a bit, lets hope for some good racing.
That may shake things up a bit, lets hope for some good racing.
The time sheets don't show it, but the racing was solid at Imola. Second race made it appear that Checa is going to sandbag his way through the season. Checa pulled about .5 seconds in one lap on Biaggi and Haslam when the racing got a bit dicey. He maintained that pace until he caught Sykes, and then rode on to victory. Tire longevity is the Ducati's strength; therefore, Checa should use the strength for all its worth. However, Checa does appear to have a lot of pace in reserve.
I'm beginning to wonder if Suzuki is some kind of experiment. I can't tell. Crescent Suzuki are not slack, and neither is Yoshimura; yet Fixi Crescent Suzuki seems to be farther off the pace than ever before. Camier says it's down to the engine, not the chassis/tires. I know Hopper is injured and perennially unlucky, but he was running at the pointy end on a Samsung Crescent in BSB and during his wild card rides at Silverstone.
We know that the SBK Commission are looking for some way to reduce the costs and inflate the grid to 750cc participation. Yoshimura are a parts supplier, and I have a strange feeling they are using privately engineered parts, rather than the Suzuki factory kit, to see what happens (perhaps a precursor to the 2013 rules?). Furthermore, the 1199R (foundation of Ducati WSBK racers) has yet to be released so it is difficult to determine how the WSBK rules will change regarding twins and fours. We know Ducati are not happy with the air-restrictor, and they've have kept their new SBK out of WSBK competition. Plus we have rumors that Aprilia will withdraw the RSV4, presumably due to the rules changes that are in the pipeline, hence Biaggi's somewhat strange allusion to competing in MotoGP again.
I think some interesting stuff is going to happen in WSBK, and I think we are seeing the precursor this season.
I'm beginning to wonder if Suzuki is some kind of experiment. I can't tell. Crescent Suzuki are not slack, and neither is Yoshimura; yet Fixi Crescent Suzuki seems to be farther off the pace than ever before. Camier says it's down to the engine, not the chassis/tires. I know Hopper is injured and perennially unlucky, but he was running at the pointy end on a Samsung Crescent in BSB and during his wild card rides at Silverstone.
We know that the SBK Commission are looking for some way to reduce the costs and inflate the grid to 750cc participation. Yoshimura are a parts supplier, and I have a strange feeling they are using privately engineered parts, rather than the Suzuki factory kit, to see what happens (perhaps a precursor to the 2013 rules?). Furthermore, the 1199R (foundation of Ducati WSBK racers) has yet to be released so it is difficult to determine how the WSBK rules will change regarding twins and fours. We know Ducati are not happy with the air-restrictor, and they've have kept their new SBK out of WSBK competition. Plus we have rumors that Aprilia will withdraw the RSV4, presumably due to the rules changes that are in the pipeline, hence Biaggi's somewhat strange allusion to competing in MotoGP again.
I think some interesting stuff is going to happen in WSBK, and I think we are seeing the precursor this season.
Joined Apr 2008
7K Posts | 3K+
Out of Nowhere
Joined Jan 2011
3K Posts | 152+
The North!
Lex
Hopper is not race bike fit,
The guys from eurosport said after superpole he was laid in his trailer aching from head to toe.
This weekend was the first time on any bike since he rebust the hand at PI.
He'll be back at the pointy end soon, hopefully.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Im 100% convinced Haslam is the best in Wsbk.
Congrats to Checa....
No disrespect to the quality riders, but im not buying the parity out of Duc/Aprillia. When i watch this year, i will ignore what comes out of those two bikes. And assume the next finisher was the best of the race. Checa appeared to toy with positions, as did Biaggi at PI.
Yes, im a fanboy, yes, im bias, yes, im cynical. Flame on. I can take it.
Oh, btw, Hopper, just commit suicide now and get over it. God knows ur gonna attempt killing urself at some point this season. My advice, suicide or walk away from Suzuki.
Congrats to Checa....
No disrespect to the quality riders, but im not buying the parity out of Duc/Aprillia. When i watch this year, i will ignore what comes out of those two bikes. And assume the next finisher was the best of the race. Checa appeared to toy with positions, as did Biaggi at PI.
Yes, im a fanboy, yes, im bias, yes, im cynical. Flame on. I can take it.
Oh, btw, Hopper, just commit suicide now and get over it. God knows ur gonna attempt killing urself at some point this season. My advice, suicide or walk away from Suzuki.
Im 100% convinced Haslam is the best in Wsbk.
Congrats to Checa....
No disrespect to the quality riders, but im not buying the parity out of Duc/Aprillia. When i watch this year, i will ignore what comes out of those two bikes. And assume the next finisher was the best of the race. Checa appeared to toy with positions, as did Biaggi at PI.
Yes, im a fanboy, yes, im bias, yes, im cynical. Flame on. I can take it.
Oh, btw, Hopper, just commit suicide now and get over it. God knows ur gonna attempt killing urself at some point this season. My advice, suicide or walk away from Suzuki.
As we discussed earlier, I'm just not buying the Ducati "cheater" theory. Absent Carlos, Ducati isn't remarkable at all thus far. We're seeing exactly what we should see. Four different manufacturers batting for three podium positions. I like what SBK has shown so far. Carlos is doing what he did last year. He's patient, consistent and set-up continues to be spot on every single weekend.
In the post race 2 presser, Carlos mentioned that his team works well together and that they have simply hit their stride. His bike always works, his tires are typically in great shape and he makes few if any errors. Max and Rea are the two most likely to commit unforced errors and the BMW just isn't quite ready for prime time. Once it is, I don't think you'll be so convinced that the Ducati (slowest machine on the grid) is all that stout.
I'll tell you what is remarkable......this place is a ghost town!
I am generally surprised by how many self identified "motorcycle racing fans" on this site know nothing of SBK. I think it's essentially the Rossi effect. Absent Rossi, the hangers on will abandon the sport and this board for other front-running opportunities.
Our American contingent is no better either. When Spies was winning SBK, threads on this section routinely went several pages, now, those folks are also gone.
It's unfortunate. SBK has quite a bit to offer.
I am generally surprised by how many self identified "motorcycle racing fans" on this site know nothing of SBK. I think it's essentially the Rossi effect. Absent Rossi, the hangers on will abandon the sport and this board for other front-running opportunities.
Our American contingent is no better either. When Spies was winning SBK, threads on this section routinely went several pages, now, those folks are also gone.
It's unfortunate. SBK has quite a bit to offer.
Joined Aug 2008
6K Posts | 748+
Thailand
Spies championship was one of the best title battles in history, and he was up against Nitro Nori, a guy who doesn't hurt ratings, does he?
Checa has already won 75% of the races, and the season has already been a comedy of errors. Yamaha is gone, taking with them one of the most competitive bikes (with an uneven firing order). BMW are not on the pace so Haslam and Melandri are inconsistent. Honda is off the pace so Rea is struggling, and Aoyama looks like he has no business on a Superbike. Guintoli has had awful luck. Hopkins has had worse luck. Davies isn't fit. Laverty is underachieving a bit.
The bright spot is Sykes and Kawasaki, but he doesn't have the superstar pull, not yet anyway. Biaggi's ride in Race 2 at PI was also masterclass. Fun racing, but no compelling story line. Repeat of 2011, with a spectacular highside at Philip Island.
I loved the fact that there was some racing on.
One thing that really bothered me about all the races at Imola is the very last chicane.
This part of the track is a death trap just waiting to claim someone. I saw several riders lose the front there & start to slide back on to the racing surface.
They literally were on their stomachs right in the racing line. If anyone had been in their slipstream they would have been in big trouble.
There was not sufficient gravel to stop them, but the corner is not fast enough to carry them all the way across the track to safety.
Very dangerous corner for motorcycles. Get rid of it. Other than that I enjoyed cheering on Haslam & hope he can grab a win or two on the Beamer this year.
Sykes will get one sooner or later. Unfortunately the Kawasaki uses up it's tyres a little too early, but then again besides Checa's Ducati they all do.
One thing that really bothered me about all the races at Imola is the very last chicane.
This part of the track is a death trap just waiting to claim someone. I saw several riders lose the front there & start to slide back on to the racing surface.
They literally were on their stomachs right in the racing line. If anyone had been in their slipstream they would have been in big trouble.
There was not sufficient gravel to stop them, but the corner is not fast enough to carry them all the way across the track to safety.
Very dangerous corner for motorcycles. Get rid of it. Other than that I enjoyed cheering on Haslam & hope he can grab a win or two on the Beamer this year.
Sykes will get one sooner or later. Unfortunately the Kawasaki uses up it's tyres a little too early, but then again besides Checa's Ducati they all do.
One more thing. What's with the ride through's in supersport?
Sofoglu missed the corner for sure, but he came back on several places behind where he was.
Why did he get a ride through? Then he either ignored it or didn't see the board & ended up with a black flag.
Sofoglu missed the corner for sure, but he came back on several places behind where he was.
Why did he get a ride through? Then he either ignored it or didn't see the board & ended up with a black flag.
My first season watching WSBK. Both rounds have been entertaining/interesting. Max looked to toy with everbody at PI and Carlos the same at Imola today. Two horse race with the victor being decided by the track? RSV4 wins at the fast tracks (PI) and the Duc at the tighter ones? Good racing today but as Lex already mentioned, I couldn't help but wonder how much Cheka was coasting along? Watching Max come back in the second race at PI may prove to be one of the more interesting races this year and the seaon has just begun. I'm also excited to see how Hopper is doing in a few rounds when he's used to having a couple of wheels under him.
Joined Oct 2006
3K Posts | 34+
Tar Heel State
Wow, Sykes and the Kawi made the show interesting. Checa just sat back, let'm eat up the tires, then turned it on...but this was expected no? Ducati and Imola are like peas and carrots. I expect the Aprilla to rebound and give us some exciting battles in the rounds to come.
It's too bad for Rea that Honda is .... this year, he's always fun to watch. What happened to Hopkins in the 2nd race?
It's too bad for Rea that Honda is .... this year, he's always fun to watch. What happened to Hopkins in the 2nd race?
