Category: World Superbikes

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WSBK France Race 1: Game, Set, Championship

Jonathan Rea made World Superbike history on Saturday 30th September 2017, by becoming the first rider to win three back-to-back championships.

Qualifying: Pole – Jonathan Rea. P2 – Leandro Mercado. P3 – Tom Sykes

Track Conditions: Wet

Such is the technical nature of the Magny-Cours circuit that the best will shine whilst the others flounder. That could not have been more apt for Jonathan Rea, on board his factory Kawasaki, on Saturday. Starting from pole position, on a sodden track, Rea commanded control of the race in every aspect, from lights to flag. His launch was superb, by the time the field had made there way to the Adelaide hairpin at turn 5, Rea had already opened up a gap approaching 3 seconds. Whilst others battled with their machines for traction, every turn was a dream for the 30-year old, with rider and back at one mastering the conditions with a freakish ease. His speed in comparison to the field was astonishing, on average over a second per lap quicker than his main rivals. The personnel manning his pit board regularly displayed the message “Relax. Slow Down”, fearing his pace was unsustainable throughout the race and a crash was imminent. This was not Rea’s way. Not today. For the Northern Irishman there was only one way to win the title this season – with a win to blow all opposition out of the water, and boy did he do just that. A true champion’s ride from arguably the most dominant champion the World Superbike paddock has ever seen.

Whilst Rea was enjoying the perfect race, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Ducati) was falling foul of the perfect storm. Despite briefly climbing up into a podium position on the early laps, this was as good as it would get. His bike began to struggle with the conditions, especially through any sections which required hard braking and subsequent hard acceleration. The problem only worsened as the circuit began to dry out in the latter half of the race. It was a disastrous turn of events for the rider as he slipped back to tenth place, unable to resist any of his rivals. It later transpired after the race that the Welshman’s had been suffering an electronics malfunction.

It was, however, a much better story from the other side of the garage as teammate Marco Melandri produced a solid ride to finish the race in second place. The veteran Italian rider needed to call upon all his experience and tenacity to fend off stoic competition from Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) in third place. It was an inspiring effort from the KRT man who, just four weeks ago, was rushed to hospital following a crash during testing, with a badly broken leg. The pair regularly swapped positions on track, but the result was decided after a daring move by Melandri through the long sweeping right-hander of turn 3. Having found space on the inside, he forced Sykes to sit up mid corner, resulting in his rival losing momentum and conceding the place – swapping a fair amount of paint in the process. All is fair in love and war.

Leon Camier continued his stellar late season resurgence with MV Agusta, by finishing in fourth place, and the first of the single rider teams.  Having started in eighth place on the grid, the British rider avoided the early race shenanigans and found himself in fourth. Such was the rhythm and pace of Camier, he was able to pull clear of the Pata-Yamaha machine of Alex Lowes (P5). A fact which should not be understated, as the Yamaha is fully backed by the Japanese racing factory.  Lowes produced a solid display in the treacherous conditions, and would have been relieved to have ended a rather barren run at the circuit in previous years.

It was certainly a more eventful race for Lowes’ teammate, Michael Van der Mark. The Dutchman crashed in the middle of the track at the exit of the Nurburgring corner, on lap 4. Whilst he was able to rejoin the race, damage sustained to the rear of the bike limited his performance. Nevertheless he battled through the pack and was in the end content to finish in P9.  The same cannot be said for Xavi Fores (Barni-Racing Ducati) who was brought down by the fallen Yamaha. It was a cruel way for the Spaniard to bow out of the race, as the collision was unavoidable. The bike sadly was too badly damaged to continue the race. A severe penalty for no crime.

A word finally on Davide Giugliano’s peformance. It is only his second race weekend aboard the much maligned Red-Bull Honda machine. However, progress is clearly being made and now showing. Not only was the Italian able to qualify on the second row of the grid (P6), he also managed to secure a rare top ten finish for the team during the race. Eighth place under normal circumstances, is nothing to be excited about – but after everything Honda have been through this year, the result is a definite triumph for the team.

Race Result:

Winner: Jonathan Rea (KRT) – 40:06.523

P2: Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Ducati) – +16.316

P3: Tom Sykes (KRT) – +0.350

P4: Leon Camier (MV Agusta)

P5: Alex Lowes (Pata-Yamaha)

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Davies: The Track is Quite Good for our Package

Having done the double at Magny-Cours last season, Chaz Davies is in search of second place in the championship, especially now that he realistically can’t win it. The Aruba.IT Ducati rider scored just 20 points from Portimao, having gone into the Portuguese round off the back of a double victory at the Lausitzring, Germany.

“Last year we were fast at Magny-Cours but most of all, we played two smart races. We gambled on intermediate tyres for race 1 and it paid off, then we simply looked after our tyres well in race 2. At the end of two very different races, we came out on top”, began the Welshman, who sits 15 points behind Tom Sykes in the standings.

“The track is quite good for our package but that also applies to our main rivals. In the last round we struggled a bit. However, we understood why and I expect us to be much closer in France and put up a fight”, continued Davies. Chaz needs to score 35 points more than Jonathan Rea to keep the championship alive for this season – a massive ask with just 150 points left on the board.

Davies’ previous results for Ducati at Magny-Cours consist of a double win last season, 6th and 4th in 2015 and a DNF and 9th in 2014. Prior to that, Chaz took a 5th and a 7th on the GoldBet BMW in 2013 and a DNF and 8th the year before on an Aprilia.

“The weather is always a point of contention at Magny Cours and it’s quite unpredictable: we had a bit of everything in the past, from summer days to freezing cold winter days, so there’s no real way to prepare for it. We’ll just do our homework and try get the job done on track.”

Ducati have won a total of 15 times at Magny-Cours, including the first ever World Superbike event at the circuit, back in 1991 – when Doug Polen won both races. Ducati’s last pole position at Magny Cours came in 2003, from James Toseland of the GSE Racing squad. The manufacturer’s last fastest lap came from Davide Giugliano in race two, 2012, on the Althea Ducati – teammate to Carlos Checa.

Image by: WorldSBK

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Laverty Searching for Podium at Magny-Cours

Eugene Laverty heads to Magny-Cours this weekend, in search of giving Shaun Muir’s Milwaukee Aprilia team their first podium of the season, having completed a successful Portimao round in Portugal two weeks ago.

The Irishman took his biggest points haul of the season last time out and finished closer to winning a race than all season long. The Aprilia is starting to come good towards the end of the season, setting the team up nicely for 2018 – especially as Laverty has already signed to remain with the team.

“Portimao was our best result of the year and the closest we have been to the race winner. We also had a good test on Monday, so we’re on the right tracks and looking to progress with three rounds left”, said Laverty, who is positive about his dry weather chances on Saturday and Sunday.

“Magny-Cours should be good for us because the rear tyre is usually consistent for the whole race. That could all change if it rains though and it looks set to rain all day on Saturday which will be a challenge”, he continued.

The 31-year-old ex GP rider has never won a race at Magny-Cours in the Superbike class and the last time he raced there, he didn’t score any points – riding for the Crescent Suzuki team in 2014. In 2013, he finished 2nd and 3rd in the races, whilst he also took a victory in 2010 on his way to 2nd in the World Supersport championship.

“The grip of the tarmac here will be a benefit though. We are still missing some traction out of the slow corners but it’s an area we are improving in. We’ll be working hard towards the podium which is the aim this weekend.”

Aprilia as a manufacturer have won three times at the circuit, with Sylvain Guintoli, Marco Melandri and Max Biaggi all tasting champagne from the top-step of the rostrum. Will Eugene Laverty add his name to that specific list?

Image credit; WorldSBK

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WSBK Preview: All Set For Manic Magny

The World Superbike circus rumbles into the heart of the idyllic French countryside this weekend at the Circuit de Magny-Cours.

The venue has garnered a reputation in recent seasons as being somewhat of a ‘Marmite’ venue with teams and fans. With the track featuring a multitude of high-speed chicanes, long medium-speed corners and a couple of hairpins for good measure, it is perhaps the most technically challenging circuit on the calendar. The layout also places a very high demand on a rider’s physicality. Get the bike setup right and you’re laughing all the way to the chequered flag; get it wrong however and you’re in for a very difficult weekend.

It is here where Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) has his first opportunity to seal the World Championship title, for the third consecutive year. The Northern Irishman arrives in France with a staggering 431 points, with his teammate, Tom Sykes, in second place, with a paltry haul – relatively speaking – of 311. In short, Rea needs to outscore the Yorkshireman by just five points in either race, to secure the series with two rounds to go. Sykes will not want to go down without a fight. Against the odds after a serious bout of illness early in the season, he remains the only other man who can mathematically win the championship. They may be teammates but there are no team orders. Sykes, being so far back, has nothing to lose and can go all out for the win and keep the series alive.

It is not expected to be an easy weekend for the Aruba.it Ducati outfit. The technical nature of the circuit, particularly the high speed chicanes, does not play to their bikes’ strengths. Nevertheless, this is a place where Chaz Davies has had success in the past. Last season he claimed victory in both races – the latter after fending off Rea during the closing laps. He will also be eager to return to the top step this weekend, having crashed last time out in Portimao. Although not in realistic contention for the championship, Ducati management has issued a challenge to their team to outscore Kawasaki over the remaining races this season. The performance gap between the two teams has been steadily decreasing over the course of 2017 and a strong finish to the season will send Ducati into the winter break confident of outperforming their rivals next year.

Pata-Yamaha will be confident of a good weekend at the French circuit. In complete contrast to Ducati, the lack of long straights significantly aids the performance of the bikes. Michael Van der Mark will be hoping to emulate the success he has achieved here, having secured third place on the podium with Honda, last year. In contrast, Magny-Cours has not been a happy hunting ground for Alex Lowes in recent times, having finished only eleventh and nineteenth respectively at the French track last season. There is an intriguing dynamic, nay, rivalry developing between the teammates as they are separated in the standings by just three points (Lowes 169, VdM 166). Both riders believe they have the ability to win the world championship and will want to sign off from 2017 as top Yamaha. Both are beginning to dig their heels in and fight to be no/1 with their team.

Further down the field, the stage is once again set for another duel between Xavi Fores (Barni-Racing Ducati) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta). Such has been the ferocity of their on-track battles, one could be forgiven for thinking they were contending for the championship. In a way, they are battling for an honorary title – being the best single-rider team in the field. In recent rounds both riders have secured strong points finishes, both inside the top ten, mixing it with the factory supported teams. A quite remarkable achievement considering Fores is on a privateer Ducati (with no factory support), and Camier is on an increasingly outdated machine.

WSBK Qualifying: 0930-1010

Race 1: Saturday 1200

Race 2: Sunday 1200

All times BST

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Pirelli to Remain Sole Tyre Supplier until 2020

Pirelli will remain the Sole Tyre Supplier in World Superbikes until 2020, after a contract extension for the 2019 and 2020 was penned. This announcement means Pirelli will be the longest running control tyre supplier in history, as the contract is extended for two more seasons.

First signing in 2004, after Michelin, Dunlop and Bridgestone had all been in the series , the technical partnership established by Pirelli with the World Superbike Championship is currently into its 14th consecutive season, and continues to impress. The single tyre formula proposed by Pirelli was initially designed to reduce the overall costs of running the Championship whilst at the same time, increase competitiveness. This is achieved through supplying teams and riders with identical tyre specifications, week in, week out – whilst also listening to feedback and making improvement where asked.

Right from the outset, Pirelli, realised that the production bike derived series was a great development platform for its tyres, therefore and decided to give the Championship production tyres. Undoubtedly, this choice proved to be one of the best: based on the motto “We sell what we race, we race what we sell”.

This confirmation in the role of Sole Tyre Supplier demonstrates the passion and dedication that Pirelli has always played in motorsport, confirming an important feature of the Italian company’s DNA.

Giorgio Barbier, Racing Activities Director of Pirelli’s Business Unit Moto, said: “We are historically a strong sporty DNA brand. This year we celebrated 110 years of Motorsports activity, and this renewal is a strong sign of our continued business strategy that has enabled our company to establish itself as a benchmark in racing. First of all in the segment of racing and Supersport tyres, and then with great success in both development and sales across the range. The bond between Pirelli and the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has always been solid, over the years we have strongly contributed to the growth of this Championship and, at the same time, thanks to our participation we have succeeded in developing successful products which we have made available to all motorcyclists. Now we are thinking about the future, we will work together with Dorna on the growth of the Championship and especially with the new World Supersport 300 class, because today’s young riders will be the future protagonists of tomorrow’s World Superbike Championship.”

Marc Saurina, WorldSBK Commercial and Marketing director adds: “To have Pirelli on board for another two seasons is fantastic news for the Championship, and to reach the milestone of the longest running sole tyre supplier really shows the strong relationship the two companies have. Providing all classes with such an important asset as tyres is something we take seriously, and we believe Pirelli are the perfect company to continue with.”

Image by worldsbk.com

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What Does The Future Hold for WSBK

The World Superbike paddock gets back underway this weekend as the circus heads to the Lausitzring in Germany to begin the second leg of their 13 round season. This season more than any other and the direction the World Superbike series has gone down, has come under plenty of scrutiny from people who follow it closely.

Looking at it from a fans point of view, you can see why people aren’t forking out the cash to go and see the racing. Having only two manufacturers at the front without any real threat from Aprilia, Yamaha, MV Agusta, Honda and BMW week in, week out, gets slightly repetitive and dare I say, boring.

I will never fall out of love with motorcycle racing, real racing fans will, I’m sure, agree with me on that. But, in the grand scheme of things, something has to change to allow the other manufacturers to be competitive on the world stage of production motorcycle racing.

This is nothing against the likes of Jonathan Rea, Chaz Davies and Tom Sykes. It’s amazing to have three genuine world class British riders fighting it out at the front every race weekend, we couldn’t ask for anymore as British racing fans. In my opinion, they could all be competitive in MotoGP, given they were on the right equipment at the right time.

The same can be said for several other World Superbike riders. Pata Yamaha teammates Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark could win races if their package could compete with Kawasaki and Ducati.

Stefan Bradl is a former Moto2 World Champion, yet struggling to get into the top 10 at each round. Through no fault of his own, the new Honda Fireblade simply hasn’t been able to be fast on the world stage. Their decision to go with Cosworth engines may prove to be a direction they’ll regret taking.

Eugene Laverty is a World Superbike race winner and has also proven he can be quick on an unfavourable Ducati GP14 MotoGP bike. Maybe it will take a year for the Irishman to understand a Superbike again, having been away on MotoGP duty since 2014.

Leon Camier has been hugely impressive on the MV Agusta, a former British Superbike champion who should be expecting to fight for victories week in week out with the talent he has. However, the MV itself is based on an old model bike and the results Leon is delivering for the team are incredible considering the age of the motorcycle.

The list could go on. My point here is, imagine all of these boys mixing it with Rea, Davies, Sykes and Melandri at the front every weekend. THAT would be worth its weight in gold for every motorcycle racing fan. Yes, for other countries it may get slightly boring seeing the Union Jack every weekend but real fans would watch the close racing regardless.

We only have to look at the competitiveness of British Superbikes to see what a level playing field can do. The popularity of the series is sky high and the racing it provides from virtually every manufacturer on the grid only enhances that. Stuart Higgs has got the balance absolutely right with privateer teams having just as much chance of success as the more factory backed outfits.

Lets travel back to the ‘Golden Age’ of World Superbikes. King Carl had 90,000 British fans flocking to Donington and over 120,000 to Brands Hatch each year and until his accident at Phillip Island, he was undoubtedly the man to beat. Not just on track but off track as well, his confidence bordering-on-arrogance persona was marmite but everyone ended up embracing him.

After Foggy’s retirement, the paddock was still treated to unbelievably close racing between every manufacturer in the paddock. In 2000, Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga went head-to-head whereas Neil Hodgson, Chris Walker and John Reynolds all created goose-bump moments with their fantastic wildcard performances. A year later, Edwards and Troy Bayliss went at it with Bayliss pipping the American, but through Ruben Xaus, Regis Laconi and Tadayuki Okada in the mix and you’ve got yourself a stacked field of closing racing, not to mention the annual trip to Sugo for the Japanese round – Tamada, Kitagawaw, Serizawa, Ryo and Takeda, the list goes on.

We all remember Edwards and Bayliss fight it out at Imola in 2002, one of the greatest battles I’ve ever seen on a race track in any series. Steve Parrish seemingly agreeing, it was one of the best races he ever commentated on. But when will these glory days come again? When will we see another vintage year of Superbike racing that captivates us all once more?

 

Elliott York

@journoyork

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Exclusive: Steve Parrish Q&A: 20 Minutes with Britain’s Fastest Prankster

I was lucky enough to know that Steve Parrish would be at Snetterton a few weeks back for the BSB meeting, so I decided that after giving him a remote control rat to play around with at home, to get an interview with one of Barry Sheene’s best friends. So, in this exclusive interview, Parrish reveals his racing career highlights, the best race he ever commentated on, the British Talent Cup, why he voted to Remain in the EU and what the easiest prank to play on someone is.

Main highlights of your motorcycle racing career?

Having lots of fun and causing chaos. I suppose you could say, ‘enjoying living the dream’. I guess however that I peaked early; 1977 was my best year in the Grand Prix paddock. I had a cracking bike, it was the old Sheene bike from the previous season and I ended up fifth in the World Championship on it. I had lots of races against the heroes that I used to have posters on my bedroom wall of, such as Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read.

I carried on in British Championship’s and just being involved after that was great. It’s a lovely sport we are in and I met a lot of good friends via the sport, whilst also losing quite a few friends via the sport, as it was probably a lot more dangerous back then. However, I look at it as the best part of my life really and had the best part of 10-12 years racing motorcycles, which were massively exhilarating to ride, although a little bit dangerous and painful at times! I will always look back on my career and I’m often asked, ‘what is your favourite form of racing?’ and it would be motorcycle racing. I have more admiration for motorcycle racers than anyone else.

Who was your fiercest competitor back then?

I have to say Barry Sheene. At the time, he was the guy to beat. He was on the same bikes as I was on and he was pretty special. He beat me a lot more times than I beat him, I grant you!

How about your media career highlights?

One of the best races I have ever commentated on was Colin Edwards vs Troy Bayliss at Imola, for the 2002 World Superbike championship. Two guys, duking it out, whoever took the win, took the title, or near enough to that. It was very, very special and was probably one of the greatest motorcycle races we have ever seen.

Another one was Valentino Rossi beating Jorge Lorenzo on the final corner at Catalunya in 2009, which was very special. Generally, the highlights have been covering MotoGP for a number of years. Watching, admiring and meeting heroes of my world.

The 2017 North West 200 race was one of the greatest too, with Glenn Irwin beating Alistair Seeley. I really rate Seeley, he’s been Mr. North West 200 for a number of years now but for the fans and also for the media, it was nice to see someone else take a win there. I never realised how much Glenn actually expected to win that race. Personally, I didn’t think he had a chance because he had to relearn the circuit and he’d only ever ridden it on a 600cc machine. He came there on a bike that you wouldn’t necessarily say was the ultimate bike for the NW200 but he endured the weird conditions we had. It’s a shame he’s injured now because I think his success at the NW 200 would’ve propelled him to greater things at BSB.

Do you think the NW200 deserves more media coverage?

I don’t think you could say it “deserves” it because if it deserves it would generally get it. In Northern Ireland, it gets more media coverage than what the British Grand Prix gets here in mainland Britain. It is wall to wall coverage over there and I’d say that Seeley, Irwin and Michael Dunlop are all just as famous as any premier league footballer over in NI. You couldn’t consider saying the same for Shakey Byrne or James Ellison over here because not as many people know who they are. Over in NI, motorcycle racing is on the front page of all the major newspapers. It would be nice if it got more over here but then again, we see nothing but women’s rugby and women’s cricket and it annoys me quite frankly.

What would you say to the people who want road racing banned? 

I think they need to go first. They need to know someone who does it, who gets the sensation and the satisfaction they get from doing it, the amount of fun they have doing it and the adrenalin rush they get from doing it. Unless they’ve done it, they’re not qualified to say that it should be banned and I doubt that people who have done it would want it banned either!

What about your career in general, what was the hardest part?

I’d say that the hardest part of my career is the travel that you do. I don’t do as much now but at one point I’d be away between 6-8 months a year. It takes a tole on your family, on your marriage – which they all went out the window – it’s difficult to carry that through. I travelled a lot with my racing, then with my team ownership, then truck racing and then the media work. I had 40 years of going all around the world.

Sitting in hospital with broken legs and arms and not knowing who or where you are isn’t much fun either. But I think if it was easy then everyone would do it. Truthfully, compared to many people in this world, I haven’t had a lot of hard things to deal with. It’s been hard in my own little world but I’ve been lucky and I don’t think anything I’ve done has been mega, mega tough.

If you could choose one race circuit from your time (except the TT), which would you consider the most dangerous?

The Nordscheife Nurburgring circuit, when the German Grand Prix was held there. I found that very dangerous because it was difficult to learn, similar to TT for foreigners going there. I didn’t think it was right to have the GP at the Nurburgring because Barry Sheene was still battling for the title and it was wrong to try and get people to learn a circuit as long as that, as all the locals had been there before and knew it better than us. Imatra was pretty dangerous in Finland, as was the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix on the old street circuit at Brno. Spa’s old street circuit in Belgium was fierce too.

If you could go back to one race circuit to ride again, which would it be?

I’d probably choose somewhere nice and safe, like Mugello. You get to the stage where you’ve gone through a lot of accidents, so you don’t really want to continue doing the hard stuff. That’s why as you get older, you generally get slower. I’ve ridden a road bike around Mugello but I wouldn’t mind riding a race bike round there. I rode a 500cc two-stroke round there in the 70s but it has changed a bit since then! I wouldn’t mind a blast round on an RCV!

Your thoughts on the British Talent Cup?

I think it is great. I think any championship for youngsters to build up their talent in the kind of country we live in is good. It’s a bit like an academy. The Red Bull Rookies has been brilliant, so many riders of today have come through that, such as Zarco. There can never be enough cups, simply because we need to give chances to kids who don’t necessarily come from privileged families. It’s an expensive sport and if you come from a not – so – privileged family, then you’ll probably end up playing football or rugby or cricket, which you can do down on the village green. However, with motorcycle racing, you need a wealthy parent to get you a motorcycle. If you can get more riders then it’s good because the bigger championships will be choosing from a bigger pocket of people.

I am a believer in the fact that if you can ride a motorbike, you can ride a motorbike, whether that be on a GP bike or Superbike. Danny Kent may be an exception to that and going back to my era, then Angel Nieto never could ride a big bike. Jonny Rea, Ben Spies and Cal Crutchlow have all proved that they can win or do well on either prototypes or road-go bikes. I don’t think it will take away from riders coming to the British championship.

Will Brexit effect British motorcycle racing, or motorcycle racing on a whole?

I think it will effect the country. I voted to remain in the EU because I feel we are bigger and better and a lot easier together. I travel a lot and a lot of people do the same, so I don’t really see the point in Brexit. For me, we’ve gone the wrong way. I’ll get my shoulder behind it like everyone else however. It could, in theory, hinder international based British companies that want to trade with the EU, however I really don’t know. I come from a period where, when I wanted to drive to Italy, I had to get stamps in France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland etc. Open Europe has been a Godsend for everyone and lets hope it stays that way.

The state of other national championships. 

They lost their way a bit. We are sat here on a sunny day at Snetterton and the amount of teams, sponsors, motorhomes, personnel etc is huge. I’ve walked around just now with Matt Robert’s and I think it is as good as any WSBK event, if not bigger. I suspect their series’ aren’t as healthy as ours because half the good guys come here anyway. BSB is unquestionably the strongest domestic championship in the world.

What are your favourite pranks?

Oh God. There’s been so many of them! The easiest one to do and anyone can do this at home – it sounds like one of these Blue Peter programmes!  If you get they keys to someone’s car, then just wind the window down and put a brick and some shattered glass on the seat. You need some broken glass of course – I always keep a dustbin full of broken glass which I get from Autoglass. Then, when the person comes out, all you have to say is that they’ve had problems with the gypsies or the neighbours. Lend them some tape to try stick it together and then they generally drive down to a garage or Autoglass to get it replaced, when the actual window itself is just wound down! I got my daughter not long ago – she should know better!

Now, with this remote control rat, it looks like it could be quite good for ladies toilets. You have to get in there in the first place and whizz it under and then listen for the scrambling of feet and the screaming.  In a restaurant would probably be good too. I know you used yours in KFC. If you do it in the right restaurant then you might be able to get a discount with your meal but then again, I might end up in the shit!

I would like to say a massive thank you to Steve for his time, as I know he was pushed for time as his Plummet Airways flight back to South Cambridgeshire was departing very shortly. We wish Steve all the best and look forward to seeing or hearing him in his various forms across the TV.

Interview by Kiko Giles – @MotoGPKiko

 

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Misano WSBK: What We Learnt

World Superbikes soared back into life at Misano last weekend. With an attendance across the three days of 68,000, it would be fair to say that WSBK is slowly bringing fans back. The other Italian round saw attendance reach 75,000 across the three days and whilst it has a long way to go before the numbers of 10-15 years ago are met, we can only hope that this incline continues.

Marco Melandri was the rider who took Ducati to their first win at Misano since Carlos Checa in 2011. He became the first Italian rider to win on a Ducati at Misano since Frankie Chili, way back in 2004. Melandri proved to the doubters that despite being mired down in 4th in the standings, he can still, and will still, win races. Although teammate Chaz Davies didn’t start, there’s the well known phrase that starts like, “to finish first…”.

Michael van der Mark demonstrated that he has gelled with the Yamaha. Despite being caught by championship leader Jonathan Rea, his tyre delimitation cost him a podium at the very least. Keep your eyes on the Dutchman, who has found a bit of confidence with the Yamaha. Could he be the rider to take the manufacturer to their first win since Portimao 2011, with Marco Melandri.

Something else we learnt was that Jonny Rea is beatable. I can hear you all screaming at me saying, ‘well we know that’, but what I mean is, even when his main rival was out, he didn’t win. The two Italian rounds are the only circuits at which he has not won at this season, so Carluccio’s is definitely off the ‘date-night’ options for him.

We also learns that despite plans for a controlled ECU to make racing closer, Jordi Torres’ BMW was more than capable of sticking it to the leaders in the 2nd outing. The Spaniard led for part of the race and with just three laps to go, retired due to a technical problem. World Superbike fans can hope and pray that this wasn’t a flash in the pan and that actually, this could be a big turning point, where we see more than just Kawasaki and Ducati dominating. Yamaha are edging closer, BMW aren’t far behind and we’ve already seen MV Agusta and Aprilia make strides. Give Honda until next year to be competitive and we might have an almighty brawl at the top of the championship tree.

The final thing we learnt was that Misano would stay on the calendar until 2020. The circuit has been on the calendar ever since it’s introduction in 1994 and has seen some top notch races. 2001 race one with Troy Bayliss and Ben Bostrom going head to head and in 1998 when both Hondas went at it for a double victory.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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WSBK Misano Preview: Kawasaki Party… Again?

Gareth Davies of Full Factory Photography

 

World Superbikes stumble into Italy this weekend for the 2nd time this year. This time however, it is at the historic Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Rimini on the Adriatic Coast. Having his lead chopped down by 20 points at Donington Park, Jonathan Rea will be feeling the heat that former champion and teammate Tom Sykes is putting on him.

Reigning champion Rea crashed out for the first time this season in race one at Donington Park, the first time he’s been outside the top 2, too. The Kawasaki rider has 55 points over teammate Sykes although that may well change this weekend. It was a confident double win last year for Rea at Misano, fending off pressure from Sykes in race one before dominating on Sunday. A repeat performance perhaps, or will it be an in form Tom Sykes to spoil a Northern Irish party?

Sykes’ victory at Donington Park was his first of the year, astonishingly. The Huddersfielder has only finished off the podium three times this season but too many third place finishes explain the gargantuan gap between him and his teammate. Last year, Sykes came away from Misano with two second places but he knows this year he has to beat teammate Rea. It all depends on how many bikes can get in between the two all conquering Kawasakis.

Chaz Davies made another mistake at Donington Park. Crashing out of the lead at Goddard’s in the first race, Davies sits a massive 75 points behind Jonny Rea. Two retirements have put Davies’ title surge on the back foot for now but if anyone can overturn, the Welshman can. We are coming to the circuits at which he dominated last year and it only takes a mistake from the Kawasaki pairing and Davies will be there to pick up the scraps. His best result at Misano remains a third place but he has crashed out three times from ten races.

Marco Melandri hasn’t looked like a serious championship threat all season and he completes the leading four in the championship, some 123 points behind Rea. Barring miracles, Melandri doesn’t look like a challenger for the top three however, stranger things have happened. The former MotoGP race winner hasn’t had a podium since race one at Imola and is yet to win a race on his WSBK return. The last time he visited Misano, he came away with two third-place finishes but like Davies, he has never won there. The new Panigale is yet to win there too, with the last Ducati victory at Misano coming from a Carlos Checa double in 2011.

Britain’s Alex Lowes put in a stirling effort to take his first podium in over two years at Donington Park. It was also Yamaha’s first of the year. Just one DNF all season, the former British Superbike champion is starting to surge forward and now with the pressure of his home round out the way, he can focus on trying to catch Melandri for 4th (he is only 16 points behind). Alex has had a best finish 8th at Misano, which he matched last year but nothing less than a top five will suffice for the Lincolnshire rider.

Teammate Michael van der Mark is in 6th place as he continue to work through his schedule of adapting to his new Yamaha. The Dutchman is yet to take a podium this year but you get the feeling it isn’t far away. Having been usurped out of 3rd in the closing stages of race two at Donington Park, he will come to Misano – like his teammate – with a bundle of confidence. He took a podium in the first race last year at the track on a dog-slow Honda but hasn’t won there – even in his Supersport days. Could Michael be an upset? Nothing will spur him on more than being just 19 points away from his teammate.

Keep your eyes open on other movers and shakers, such as Xavi Fores and Leon Camier, but also on Stefan Bradl, who recently completed a test at the track as the team continue to gain valuable data. Jordi Torres will always be in the top 10 but could spring a surprise in the races whilst the Aprilia pairing of Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori will be desperate to make up for an apocalyptically disastrous Donington Park.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Raw Emotion

Prosperity. Positivity. Hope. Many things were bought to the MotoGP and World Superbike paddocks but it was Nicky Hayden who did it better than anyone else. From long hair to man-buns, hardcore riding to effortless speed, Nicky Hayden brought a breath of fresh air with him wherever he ended up. From his first MotoGP race at Suzuka in 2003, to his last WSBK race at Imola in 2017, the effervescent American was a charmer in every sense of the word. The world of sport warmed to him and now the world of sport mourns him.

The first time Nicky Hayden was a name amongst the racing world was in 2001, after a stellar season in the AMA Superbike championship. Finishing 3rd behind the likes of championship victor Mat Mladin and runner-up Eric Bostrom was by no means something to be ashamed of – and of course, Nicky being Nicky, he wasn’t. The 20 year old Kentucky rider was starting to become a bit of a pest within the AMA hierarchy. But it was welcome. His warm personality and constant smile was something that disguised his fierce, tenacious nature on circuit. The reason for the number 69 was because he crashed so much as a kid, he needed a number that he could read upside down. If that wasn’t a personality, then seriously, what was?

In 2002, Hayden became AMA Superbike champion, beating Mat Mladin to take his first big championship victory. Not only did he win the championship, but he won the Daytona 200, the motorcycle racing world’s answer to the Indy 500 or the Monaco Grand Prix. His efforts were rewarded with an outing in World Superbikes, at his home round at Laguna Seca, California. Finishing a strong 4th in race one before a collision in race two saw him finish in 13th, us as motorcycle fans knew we were witnessing something special. This young rider was sending shockwaves in all championships, rocketing through every paddock he welcomely stepped foot in.

2003 would see Nicky Hayden make the big time. Not only had he joined the MotoGP family but he joined the Repsol Honda Team and Valentino Rossi in a season that would be remembered for a variety of reasons. Finishing the season in 5th position meant that not only had he become Rookie of the Year, but he had beaten proven talent such as former WSBK champion Troy Bayliss, reigning WSBK champion and fellow countryman Colin Edwards, WSBK superstar Noriyuki Haga, Alex Barros, reigning 250cc champion Marco Melandri and fellow American John Hopkins. Hayden was ruffling feathers in the biggest possible way. Taking his first podium at Motegi and following it up two races later at Phillip Island, the talent had been showcased in great quantity.

Despite another two podiums in 2004, Hayden slipped down the leaderboard to 8th. But, it would be 2005 when The Kentucky Kid earned his corn. A return to Laguna Seca for the American Grand Prix would see Nicky Hayden dominate. Having not had a podium all season, times were looking hard. Pole position followed up by a classy, exuberant race win gave him America’s first win in the MotoGP era and Honda’s first ever at Laguna Seca. It was this race where a zest of Kevin Schwantz would come in, with the wild celebrations at the crowd’s demand. He was a hero. Hayden would go on and take five more podiums that season, finishing in the bronze medallist position at just his third attempt.

2006 was always going to be special. Hayden started the season with four podiums and never dropped below 5th before his first race win of a truly unforgettable campaign. A last lap dual with Colin Edwards will go down as the day that America conquered The Netherlands. Taking his 2nd ever win after a rare Colin Edwards crash on the last lap at the chicane, we once more saw that emotion which Nicky emitted every single time he achieved his goal. Three races later and he did it again, his third and final MotoGP win at home again. 2006 was turning into a Nicky Hayden year but in Portugal, we saw emotion that Nicky had never shown before.

Rookie teammate Dani Pedrosa wanted good results and needed them to stay in the fight for a top three placing. A pass on Nicky Hayden at the parabolica interior would send Repsol Honda spiralling to the ground, both on track and off. Management watched on in disbelief. All the effort of 2006. All the graft of the team. Every droplet of sweat and molecule of tear shed. It had all come to seemingly nothing. Dani Pedrosa wiped out his teammate with just one race left after Portugal. The swearing erupted from championship challenger Hayden. Fingers pointing and feet stomping. Tears streaming. Hayden wished he was only dreaming. A little boys dream to reign supreme was lying amongst the bits Repsol Honda in the gravel. Would this be his last chance?

“Valencia 2006” – a sentence that every MotoGP fan gets goosebumps thinking about. All Valentino Rossi had to do was beat Hayden, or make sure Hayden did not finish in a position that was worth nine points more than him. But even five time champions make mistakes. Rossi crashed in the race, all but gifting Nicky Hayden the title. Whilst the Ducatis of Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi took first and second, Nicky Hayden finished third, enough for him to take the crown and the crowd by storm. Screaming his name they were, in awe at what they just witnessed. One of MotoGP’s finest 45 minutes. As former commentator Charlie Cox would say, “the only thing predictable about MotoGP is that it is completely, unpredictable!”.

Defying the odds after despondently marching through the gravel across the border in tears of dejection two weeks previous, Nicky Hayden now celebrated in front of the longest continuous grandstand in the world, basking in the Spanish sun as the burnouts came surplus to requirement. And instead of tears of dejection, it was tears of joy. From the dirt tracks of Owensboro to the Grand Prix circus on the world stage, The Kentucky Kid had accomplished his childhood dream and ambition in becoming MotoGP world champion.

Never once did he give up or question his ability. He never once was put off by Valentino Rossi’s hoards of fans or by the status of the man he was battling with. Nicky displayed one of MotoGP’s most determined rides ever, with his natural charismatic style blending with his on track resilience to conquer the world and reign the two-wheeled King.

And that is how I want to remember Nicky Hayden. Not as someone who would only go on to achieve a handful more podiums. Not as a rider who was struggling on uncompetitive machinery in World Superbike. But as the champion of our hearts. The champion who was as common as the rest of us, just with that flamboyancy and individualism only Nicky could make work. A people’s racer with just one desire, he leaves us with some fantastic, irreplaceable and unforgettable memories. His ‘happy-go-lucky’ aura captivated millions of fans from across the planet as we watched one rider chase a dream before watching the same rider realise his dream had become a reality. Living on in our hearts and riding on above with some other stern opposition, you can be sure that Nicky Hayden will be remembered as a true legend, both on track and off it. The Kentucky Kid will never be forgotten, even if his visor has come down for the final time.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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