Tag: Kiko Giles

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McPhee – We’re Feeling Really Positive

John McPhee was in the British Superbike paddock on Monday, which meant that I had to go and speak to him. The Scotsman says he’s positive but we also discussed other topics. The British Talent Cup, Honda and tyres are all spoken about in this exclusive interview.

You’ve had a great start to the year, how are you feeling?

It’s been great to have such a good opportunity this year with a good bike and a good team around me, with a couple of podiums to start of the year in the perfect way too. In Texas we had a difficult weekend but we were still there in the podium challenge and in the points. We got some really important points on the table and now we are arriving back in Europe, we’re feeling really positive.

How does this Honda compare to the previous Honda you rode?

There’s a big difference because in 2015, we actually had the 2014 bike so there’s three years development on the engine and the chassis. Honda have made a massive improvement over the last few years, obviously I haven’t done a back to back comparison with last year’s bike but they (Honda) have made a big step forward now and the bike is working really good thanks to a really good job by Honda. Everything just feels like home for me.

How does the Honda compare to the Peugeot?

Chassis wise the Mahindra was actually really strong – it was actually one of the strongest bikes I’ve ever ridden for chassis set-up. The downfall of the Mahindra was the engine power, it didn’t quite have the power there, especially with acceleration. With Honda, they’ve got the whole package and they can compete with the Mahindra and they’ve got more power there as well.

How do you feel the Moto3 tyres have developed since you’ve been in the class?

The main compound is the mediums and they’ve remained pretty standard throughout the last few years, they’ve not changed much. What they have changed is the soft tyre and it’s not quite as soft and the hard tyre is not quite as hard so they’ve brought all the tyre compounds a lot closer which means people tend to use the soft or the hard tyre more throughout races than what they would’ve done a few years ago. Actual development of the tyre is pretty standard.

Is tyre wear an issue for Moto3?

As the lap times are getting closer and the bikes are getting closer, it is becoming more of a factor. People are starting to look into that a lot more. In Argentina, when I qualified on pole we had the hard rear tyre in rather than the medium because it provides a little bit more stability. It has made a difference a couple of times now and that’s good because it gives us another area to look at and to try and improve.

Brno last year and you won, then come October you was stranded in Australia – how are your injuries?

I think even before Brno we had a bike that was working but we just didn’t have the opportunity to show it. We lacked a bit of horsepower at some of the track we went to and it was difficult to hide that, however at the more flowing tracks – like Phillip Island – we was able to carry corner speed. After the accident, it took a very long time to recover. I wouldn’t say I’m back up at 100% yet, I’m more like 95% and there or there abouts. There’s no pain or anything which is good so hopefully we can get quicker.

Which track do you feel will be your strongest?

I think Phillip Island is going to be one I’m always going to be strong at, it’s more about the rider rather than the actual bike which I quite like.

If you was to choose one rider to go up against at Valencia for the title, who would it be?

Obviously it’s difficult to say, Joan Mir is riding well and leading the championship at the minute but it is a long year. I have a bit more experience than him but we will need to wait and see and it will come down to the last few races for sure. At the minute it’s a bit hard to put one name down.

Where do you see the British Talent Cup in the future? Can it be successful?

I think that the whole intention of this is to bring more British riders along because I think the talent is there but it’s just not being shown and there’s a couple of reasons for that. One of them is funding, the other being accessibility to tracks and teams, down to the lack of funding in the UK. The whole idea of the British Talent Cup is to fund young riders and give them the opportunity of getting the track time, the bike time and the correct people on bikes around them. I think that it will be similar to the Asia Talent Cup. If there is any talent there – which we believe there is – to bring it through and give them the opportunity. You see families re-mortgaging there house to try and fund it. We know there is talent there and this is the opportunity to try and make it shine through.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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MotoGP Americas GP Review – Captain America is an Understatement

The Americas Grand Prix – for the fifth consecutive season – went to Marc Marquez, as the Spaniard took his first victory of the season in scorching weather conditions on Sunday afternoon. The Repsol Honda team achieved their first podium of the season and their first double podium since the Catalan Grand Prix last season, with 1st and 3rd. Splitting the two Hondas was Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi, who not only took 2nd and his best ever result at COTA but also the lead of the championship for the first time since Malaysia 2015. 2017 is already looking like a season we will cherish.

As the lights went out, it was formation flying into turn one for Repsol Honda, with Dani Pedrosa leading Marc Marquez through the first few turns. Valentino Rossi was in 3rd with the likes of Jorge Lorenzo moving through from row two to challenge him, taking series leader Maverick Vinales for 4th.

Following all the squabbling, a shock was about to rock COTA. Coming through turn 18, Maverick Vinales crashed out in a shower of sparks, throwing his M1 Yamaha into the Texan dirt for his first DNF of the year. The Spaniard looked like he had been rattled all weekend, following a fallout with teammate Rossi in qualifying and a dual with Marquez for pole position. Either way, he cost me £15 after I backed him to break Marquez’ stranglehold on the circuit.

This promoted reigning double Moto2 champion Johann Zarco to fourth, immediately giving the Frenchman hope for a podium challenge. However, with 15 laps to go, Rossi and Zarco would have their first fallout of the season. After a slight mistake by the 9-time champion at turn one, Zarco got a better run through the fast turn two, before pouncing on Rossi at turn three. Valentino, maintaining the racing line through the turn two and three section, was forced to take evasive action as the Frenchman barged his way in. Not too long after, Rossi was handed a 0.3 time penalty which was to be added on to his time at the end of the session, having gained time on Pedrosa up ahead – although in the eyes of many, it was involuntary course cutting. The incident continued in the post-race press conference, with Valentino saying that “the problem is Zarco”. More on that as the season unwinds.

By this time, Marc Marquez had taken the lead away from Dani Pedrosa and had began to clear off into the distance. Pedrosa did take another stab at retaking the lead at turn 12, but ran wide on exit and allowed Marquez to hold on, which was how it remained to the end.

Further down, there was a big scrap between Iannone, Miller, Petrucci and Lorenzo. Iannone took his best result on the Suzuki thus far with 7th, ahead of Danilo Petrucci who beat Lorenzo and Miller – the Australian starting the year with three top 10 placings.

There was a high number of crashers in the race, with Loris Baz, Sam Lowes, Karel Abraham and Alvaro Bautista all hitting the floor, with Pol Espargaro retiring his KTM, as well as Aleix Espargaro having numerous problems with the Aprilia. Alvaro did remount to gain 1 point.

Cal Crutchlow caught and passed Johann Zarco to take 4th place and remain 5th in the championship after his podium in Argentina. Zarco finished 5th with his joint best finish in the premier class.

The battle for 2nd however was yet to be settled. Valentino Rossi was closing on Dani Pedrosa and in the closing laps, he took the 2nd place on the road. He eventually pulled clear by over two seconds to take second ahead of the former double 250cc champion.

In the end though, Marc prevailed and what a sensational way to kick-start his season too! He’s flying high but as Wayne Rainey once said, “It’s the start of the ground war” when we hit Europe. Jerez is the next round and you can be sure to tune in to see who will be our Spanish Grand Prix winner. Rossi won there last season and will be looking to repeat the feat.

The gap at the top of the championship tree is a mere six points, with Vinales slotting into 2nd. 12 points further back is Marc Marquez and then it’s the first Ducati, in Andrea Dovizioso – already 26 points down on Rossi.

The next race is Jerez and as ever, there will be unrivalled coverage across the weekend, with qualifying, warm-ups and race day commentary on Twitter as well as a shed load of content flying fresh off the press online!

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Halsall: I wasn’t enjoying BSB

Martin Halsall left the BSB class last season but is more than up for success on the roads and in British Supersport, with William Dunlop and Joe Farncis respectively. Again, a thoroughly entertaining interview with an owner who is without doubt one of the friendlies and most accessible in the paddock.

 

Well it was a bit of a long way around really, to come back to where we started. Obviously, we decided not to do BSB, which was fine in 2016. We built an R6 anyway, for William (Dunlop) doing the roads. So, we ended up with the bike being surplus to requirements. We’d made the decision to come away from Superbikes, enter Supersport with a bike, which was, like I say, surplus to requirements. Joe (Francis) used to work with one of our mechanics last year with TTC Yamaha. I’ve had my eye on Joe for 2 or 3 years as I know Roger Marshall. We chatted about Joe moving forwards and the conversation came up of running him in Supersport. The fact that we had a bike ready to go made perfect sense to do it here. We’re back in the paddock and the main reason I got into bike racing was to help young riders in Supersport and to enjoy it. We’ve chosen to go back to where we started; it’s a good move and this year I expect to be getting podiums and maybe a challenge at the championship. Joe is an extremely talented rider.

Did you offer Tommy Bridewell a ride in the Supersport class?

No. Obviously, from finishing in BSB, we had to let Tommy go. We had numerous conversations out of season about us doing something and we made the decision not to. The communication as far as Tommy riding our bike finished there really. We’re still in contact with him which is good, as it wasn’t a fall out.

Do you regret not holding out a bit longer for the new Suzuki having seen how competitive it is?

No. No, definitely not. The reason I came into BSB was to enjoy it and I was getting to a point in BSB where I wasn’t enjoying it. Last year, we were promised the bike on three occasions and we knew when the bike came, that it would be a good one. We’re not saying that potentially in the future, we wouldn’t run a Suzuki because if they’re a competitive bike then I’m keen to put riders on competitive bikes. As a privateer team, that’s what that gives you – the opportunity to be competitive against the factories. With the Suzuki last year, we put a lot of work and a lot of effort into 2015 and 2016 but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. We had good seasons and Tommy did well to get two podiums last year but I don’t regret waiting. I’m happy with where we are and let someone else have a stab with it.

Are you already planning on heading back into the BSB class, when you say, “in the future”?

The thing that I needed to do was get out of it, regroup and start fresh again. Fortunately, now we are in a good position in Supersport with Joe and I can see us doing something Superbike wise in the future, we’re just not sure when.

Yamaha are one of a few manufacturers producing new Supersport bikes but you’ve opted to stay with the old Yamaha 600cc machine. Why is that?

The reason for that is because Joe was consistent last year on the R6. He rode it very well last season. We know there’s a new R6 but we aren’t going to change, we are going to stick to what we’ve got. We know it’s strong enough. Whilst other teams may opt for a new bike and try and find their feet there, they’re taking a big risk. You could hit the ground running and be lucky or you could have a bike that’s difficult and be unlucky.

Who are your sponsors?

Movuno.com are an online estate agents. The way I see it is that estate agents are predominantly online anyway with Right Move and Zoopla. They offer the same package as a high-street estate agent but with a fixed price of £599 instead of paying a percentage fee on the price of your house when selling it. They’re fabulous to work with.

How is Joe to work with?

A complete idiot (Joe just came into the truck). No, he’s brilliant! Even over the weekend, he’s acknowledged that whilst being faster in sectors one and two, he has been a bit slack in sector four. This morning, he went fastest in sector four and that shows me something within a rider that he has the ability to adapt. He has the brains to focus on where he’s not so strong. He thinks ‘I won’t focus on one or two because I’ve done that, but I’ll focus on the sectors I’m not perhaps as good at’. So, if you look at that moving forward, then you’re there or there abouts. So yes, it’s all good.

At what point did you know that BSB wasn’t happening in 2017.

There’s obviously a high level of investment needed for a Superbike team. Bennetts had pretty much chosen that they were going to go and talk with Hawk Racing to follow the Suzuki brand. So, it left us without sponsors. I’m quite happy to fund some of the gap but I’m not prepared to fund all of the gap. We did have conversations with Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell but to put a structure together and be competitive at that level, I wasn’t prepared to fund it all myself.

Do you therefore feel let down by Bennetts?

No, not really – business is business at the end of the day. They’ll go with whatever brand they want to. The way I run a team I would hope is very professional, well presented and we do things properly. We’ve always built good bikes. There’s not a lot more we can do on our side.

Can you win the Supersport championship and be successful on the roads this season?

Yes, we can. I think that there’s a main combination to win championships. The rider has to be right, the bike has to be right and the team have to be right with the right structure and I do think we have that. Joe is an extremely talented rider who will go a long, long way. From what I’ve already seen, he has an amazing attitude towards racing and an amazing attitude to growing within racing. The rider is the right rider. The bike is competitive and proven. The team is a great team and we all work very hard. Within all that as well, you put all that effort in and hopefully get a little bit of luck too. I think the roads will be a little bit different. It’s the same combination as on the short circuits. William is an extremely talented rider, whether he will be there winning at the TT, I’m not so sure. That’s not me not having belief in my rider – I do have belief in my rider but I’m also realistic. I know who else is out there in the competition. My choice with William was ‘potentially he isn’t going to win it but he’s a great brand to have on board’ and that’s the choice we made.

Do you miss Tommy Bridewell?

We miss Tommy massively. He’s a very close personal friend and he’s been up to the house and spent the day with us, with his wife Stacey. We are extremely close to Tommy and Movuno are still sponsoring him personally. He is an extremely talented rider. Last season, we were on an old bike and he proved what he could do. Back to the three combinations, the thing that was missing was the bike because it was an old bike. No problems with the team or the rider, the problem primarily was the bike. If Tommy has the full package then I think he could really show what Tommy Bridewell is made of.

Did you have an idea about coming down to Supersport with two riders?

Originally, it was only going to be the Road Racing with William but through circumstances with the R6, we had a conversation with Joe. I didn’t think to do Supersport, it was just we had a bike that was surplus to requirements and that we may as well give Joe a chance. There was a chance to look at putting William on the short circuits but we haven’t followed that up and he will be remaining on the roads.

Photo credit to Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Gladwin: Everyday is a School Day

On Friday afternoon, I caught up with Sheffield’s finest Brent Gladwin, the owner of GR Motorsport Team WD40 in the British Superbike paddock. We discuss the team, their choice of rider in 2017 and also their future.

Regarding the Superbike class, you’ve been quite unlucky. Why is that and can it change in 2017?

With the Superbike, it’s just a big learning curve. Every day is a school day. We’ve tried hard in the past to develop young riders and that hasn’t worked. We’ve taken riders from other classes and that hasn’t worked. So, we decided for 2017 we would add Moto3 and Superstock 1000 to Superbike trying to bring riders on that way. In Moto3 we have started a new project with Reynolds Engineering of Milton Keynes to manufacture a chassis for that class which is quite exciting and have 16-year-old Liam Delves riding that. In the National Superstock 1000, we have Mason Law on the all new Kawasaki ZX10RR. In Superbike, as everyone knows, we’ve gone for Tommy Bridewell because for the last five years, he has been in the top 10 in the championship and three times in the showdown. We know we have a great crew and we know we have a great bike we needed to add the right rider and then sometimes, you just need a little bit of luck on your side.

How have you found the adaptation to the new Kawasaki easy or more difficult?

I think that any new motorcycle is a learning curve but the ZX10-RR is just an evolution of the one before. It’s got some fantastic new systems to it that we must learn, like the flyby wire. People have been playing with this system everywhere on all the new bikes and it’s not easy with the MOTEC we all have to use in BSB. The guys we have on electronics help, but it is still learning and it’s also about rider feel. Tommy hasn’t used flyby wire before so he’s having to understand the difference between cable and electronics. Leon (Haslam) had the same issue last year, and Rea and Sykes had the same problems. It’s our first round and we can only do what we can do on a day-by-day basis.

How has as reducing the team down to one rider affected you?

Everything is about sponsorship. As a team, we deliver fantastic advertising value and reach out across social media. However, things affect you – such as Brexit. What we’ve decided to do is focus, and with Tommy, we’ve found something that is a good way of focussing. We decided to go for three classes. I think that focussing on one is not a bad thing, as we focussed on Tarran last season and won the British Supersport championship; we focussed on Joe Francis and won the title in the past and on Karl Harris in the European Stock 1000 series where we also won the championship. So, with Tommy, we like what we have and we like the team and hopefully, by the end of a long season, we will be in the showdown and see what we can do.

How come you have pulled out of the British Supersport category after Tarran won it for the team last season?

It’s a purely commercial decision really for us and the rest of the world. The 600cc is finishing, they don’t sell road bikes anymore, for example if you want a brand new ZX6R then there are non-available. We won the title for Kawasaki for the first time in 26 years so our decision was to come out of that class early and go back to the 1000s. Also, with the manufacturers in the 1000s bringing out new models, the class becomes a win on Sunday, sell on Monday class again, making it more important for the manufacturers.

Do you think Tommy’s experience will see you nearer the top of the time sheets?

I think that Tommy is absolutely not a one trick pony. Some riders are, because for example, if it’s not a Yamaha, then they can’t win. With Tommy, he’s rode five bikes in five seasons, with the Honda, BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha and now he’s back to Kawasaki and each time he’s been successful. For me, if you have a rider with an open-minded approach like his, then you can try something different. I believe that last year, having spoken to his team, Tommy doesn’t give up. He didn’t give up on the Suzuki when other riders wouldn’t ride it. Far too many other riders want to cry in the caravan about all sorts of things. That’s not Tommy he wants to do his best always.

Do you see yourself going into Road Racing?

I personally have a great history of road racing. For me, going racing on the roads is a personal challenge for the rider. It’s your choice. I like the organisers of the Isle of Man TT and the NW200 but right now it isn’t for us. We want to concentrate on this side of things. Adding the Roads to BSB makes for an incredibly busy season and there’s enough of a work load on for us right now. After three rounds, we will evaluate where we are and whether we can go and watch the boys at the TT – which is a great holiday – or if we need to work through that period in preparation for round four. It has benefitted us in the past.

Does Assen cost you more and is it an inconvenience financially?

Not really, but the issue is the cost of travel and the time needed with a couple of days extra each side of the meeting. For a lot of the guys in the paddock, who take time off work, it’s the added time off-work that puts the pressure on the teams. The ferry is good and a lot of fun goes on but it’s a round trip of 1000 miles so it is longer than Knockhill, I sometimes question these things but after a think about it, with races at Knockhill, Thruxton which have rubbish facilities etc., we may as well go to Assen. Having said that, there are some great positives: – The British sports fans and BSB aficionados are some of the best in the world and those guys will get on their bikes or in their cars or take a plane and come and watch us at Assen! MSV have bought a circuit in France. Are we going to be going to Europe more often in the BSB series, difficult to call – we’ve had Brexit. Do we need to add costs to go to these tracks? No, we don’t however, a bit of spice never hurts anyone.

Would you like to see a return to BSB of some of the older circuits, e.g. Croft or Mallory Park?

I like those circuits. The trouble is they don’t have the infrastructure or safety any more. They can’t cope with the size of BSB Paddock and most importantly, if a rider falls and is seriously hurt, are you going to be happy? The thrills of motorcycle sport are very important – When a rider crashes we all want to see them get back up and not with an ambulance parked next to him. I know Mallory are doing a good job, trying to bring it into the 21st century but it still won’t be able to cater for the whole BSB paddock. It is a huge paddock. I don’t know how it would work at all. You can’t just take one or two classes. If you get rid of the support classes for a round, who is going to turn up and just watch a couple of races?

Will you be in the showdown with Tommy this year?

I really hope so! Getting in the showdown would be great for our sponsors, however big or small; they will all get fantastic value from his successes. Nobody is shy of success and I am expecting to pay Tommy quite a lot in bonusses and one of them is for him to get in the showdown.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Double Delight for Pocket Rocket Haslam at Donington

Photo Credit to Gareth Davies, of Full Factory Media. You can find him here

British Superbikes

April 5, 2017

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Leon Haslam stormed to a double win on Sunday at Donington Park, giving the JG Speedfit Bournemouth Kawasaki Team their first ever wins as he strolled into the lead of the championship by 19 points over Luke Mossey, his teammate.

Haslam dominated the first race, wasting no time at all in muscling his way past early race leader James Ellison, who rides the McAms Yamaha in 2017. Luke Mossey also closed in after an aggressive move on the first lap to get ahead of returning champion Josh Brookes, with the front three running very close together. Further back in the pack it was Christian Iddon on the Tyco BMW who was leading Peter Hickman, Michael Laverty, Josh Brookes – who dropped back after Mossey’s aggressive pass – and the sole remaining PBM Ducati of Glenn Irwin, after Shane Byrne crashed heavily at Craner Curves in warm up and was unable to race due to concussion.

After Haslam had negotiated his way passed James Ellison, Cambridgeshire rider Luke Mossey quickly followed suit, easing through and although initially staying with Leon, Mossey faded and finished and a distant 2nd. For third, the battle was on between Iddon and Hickman, with Christian putting an aggressive move on Hicky to take the 3rd place – starting the season just as he started 2016. Hickman was 4th but annoyed with Iddon’s move. James Ellison completed the top five with Glenn Irwin finishing ahead of Brookes, Laverty, Dixon and Jason O’Halloran completing the top 10.

Notable non-finishers in race one included Sylvain Guintoli and Taylor Mackenzie; the Suzuki pairing crashing out early on. John Hopkins and Billy McConnell both crashed too, with Aaron Zanotti, Martin Jessopp and Bradley Ray also failing to finish (or in Ray’s case, failing to start).

Race two was slightly different, with Josh Brookes coming off pole position and leading the race from the start. Haslam hurried through into 2nd with James Ellison 3rd. Glenn Irwin made a poor start and was as low as 10th early on in the race, with work to do.

Taylor Mackenzie crashed again in his comeback season to BSB but was in good company, as Billy McConnell again went down at Goddard’s. Michael Laverty’s McAms Yamaha broke down and he retired at the Foggy Esses after a strong showing in the top five.

Brookes was leading Haslam but with Haslam opting for a harder front tyre, the gap was being reduced. Mossey however was not replicating his first race showing, as he was enthralled in a battle for the podium positions with Iddon, Ellison, Hickman and Irwin.

Haslam hit the lead with five to go and despite Brookes trying to remain near him, Haslam pulled the pin and used the harder tyre compound to his advantage, as Josh struggled for grip, particularly out of the Esses. Meanwhile, Irwin was now in third place, a heroic Valentino Rossi-style comeback for the Ulsterman gave Paul Bird something to cheer about after a bad start to the day.

Haslam was victorious as he cruised to his first double at Donington Park since 2007 on the Airwaves Ducati – the home of doubles lived up to its name. Josh Brookes took his first podium since 2015 and gave the Anvil Hire Tag Racing Team their first ever podium with Yamaha equipment, proving that any team can do well in BSB if they have the right riders. Glenn Irwin took 3rd place ahead of Christian Iddon and Luke Mossey, who completed the top five. James Ellison ended up 6th ahead of Guintoli, Hickman, newcomer Giugliano and Jason O’Halloran who finished 10th.

A double victory got the crowd on their feet for local rider Leon Haslam, as he leads the championship by a distant 19 points over teammate Luke Mossey and Derbyshire’s Christian Iddon in 3rd. Josh Brookes is straight in with 4th in the series, ahead of Glenn Irwin and Peter Hickman.

The racing resumes on the 16th and 17th of April, which is Bank Holiday Monday. Brands Hatch Indy is the circuit and you can be guaranteed of some fierce action around one of the shortest and scrappiest tracks on the calendar. Expect fireworks from Shane Byrne as he looks to kick-start his championship in two weeks’ time. Whatever the weather, there will be an enormous crowd so prepare for one of the best rounds of the season and make your bank holiday weekend count.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Brookes: Expect What You Know I’m Capable Of

Photo credit to Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media. Find his other images hereJosh Brookes returns to the BSB paddock this season and has took the time to do a short interview, where we talk about WSBK, his BSB return, whether or not he will be as competitive as before amongst other things. Be sure to keep an eye on Brookes as he showcases his talents and flexes his muscles once more, this time with the Anvil Hire Yamaha team, alongside Shaun Winfield.


What can we expect from you in 2017?

You can expect what you know I’m capable of. When the bike is right and it’s all working well then, I can win a championship; as you saw in WSBK, when things aren’t organised or prepared well then I can only get mediocre results in comparison to what you’ve experienced before.

How is this team compared to the SMR Team?

I was with the Milwaukee team for three seasons so I know them very well, with how they operate and they have a very professional presence in the paddock, whereas the Tag Racing team are a more family based team, with a very family atmosphere. We are only at the first round so I can’t predict how they will be as the weeks and months go on but so far, they’re doing everything they can to give me a bike in the most professional way possible. So far it is all good.


At what point did you know that you were going for BSB and not staying in WSBK?

I was sort of holding off in the off season. I didn’t sign until very late because I didn’t want to sign to something I wasn’t happy or comfortable with. I didn’t want to come back to BSB just for the sake of coming back – I wanted to come back and win again. I wanted to hold off and see if I could pick up a ride as a replacement to someone who got injured and roll the dice. I was looking to do other things; I’d already done the British before and I hadn’t secured a ride with the world scene but I didn’t want to commit to something. Now I’m with Anvil Yamaha, I have committed. It wouldn’t matter if Valentino Rossi’s ride became available, I can’t take it. I was open to the idea of not signing up and just doing round by round, getting enough money together to get me by, However, when this deal came along it was stupid not to take it. It’s a good bike in a good team with a good salary so it is all that I needed to be able to come back and best strong.

Do you think you will be as dominant as 2015 with the line-up this year?

I think it will hard to be as dominant as I was at the end 2015. I hope to still be able to win races and fight for the championship for sure, but absolutely I agree that the championship looks to be a thicker field now and that makes it harder to win races. In 2015, I came from the back of the grid and finished 4th, whereas now when you’ve got so many competitive riders, you’ll never be able to achieve such a comeback. The battle for 7th to 9th are just as hard to win as the battle for the win itself. It makes dominating an event or series a lot harder than before with such competition.


With big names coming into BSB, do you feel that you’re occupying a seat that could be for someone who’s trying to come through the paddock?

I think when I was a young kid coming through in Australia, the grid was full of the best superbike riders in the Australian period. They were the guys that I aspired to and had to beat if I wanted to become champion. You should look to try and beat the best that’s there and not in a year when there’s less quality there. Look at MotoGP. Rookies coming up and beating the MotoGP regulars. I think it is a better example of the rider and how they will be in the future to come and beat the best riders on the grid. That’s what they need to be focused on instead of thinking they’re being missed out. I think also with the British series is that it’s a good platform for any rider. For example, me coming over to the Tag Team. A lot of people were sceptical of me doing well because of previous seasons and their results. If you have the calibre of rider then any team can do well. They stand a chance because the rules are so fair and equal, it gives the family run teams a chance to compete against the more factory teams.

If you won the championship this year, would it be better than the first?

I have to agree with you that because it is so stacked, it is going to be more difficult to win. I certainly thought the 2015 series was difficult with the new machine – I was on the podium every round but it took me a long time to win. Once we got a bike in a range that was suitable for my style and riding and the team were comfortable with working at the bike, we were able to dominate. I think it will be more difficult to dominate this time round, so to answer your question I’d be more thrilled this time than the first time.

Can you win the title?

I believe so. We are only at round one so it’s very difficult to predict what will happen. I’ve been good so far so I think we can definitely be in the hunt and up for the fight.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

 

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MotoGP Argentina Preview: Land of the GOAT

 

South America. Argentina. Termas De Rio Hondo. MotoGP. It’s time for the Argentine Grand Prix and after one round, Maverick Vinales sits pretty on top of the world championship standings ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi. The Argentine Grand Prix made a welcome return to the series in 2014, although at a different venue to previous years gone by. Ever since returning to the country, the premier class has enjoyed some fantastic racing, with Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez doing battle. Will it be the same in 2017?

Maverick Vinales topped every pre-season test and to prove that he was fast in the race too, he went and won, in Qatar two weeks ago. He comes to Argentina full of confidence but has admitted that he is under a bit of pressure coming into the meeting. The former Moto3 champion has reason to be worried coming into Argentina, as he has never had more than a top 10 at the circuit. A retirement in 2014, a 10th in 2015 and a crash whilst in the running for the podium last year means Maverick has work to do but his seamless adaptation to the Yamaha could throw all previous form out the window. Vinales will be out for nothing less than a win.

Andrea Dovizioso was 2nd in Qatar for the 3rd consecutive season and comes into Argentina with confidence that he, for now at least, is still top Ducati. Dovi’s form around the Termas De Rio Hondo circuit is slightly mixed, with a best result of 2nd in 2015 – although that could’ve been matched had teammate Andrea Iannone not wiped him out at the final corner. Andrea has shown that the Ducati has pace in 2017 and will be settling for nothing less than a podium come race day. The massive back straight at the track will certainly favour the Ducati and Dovi, so keep an eye on the #4 as it works its way through the traffic.

Valentino Rossi has accumulated more points in Argentina over the last three seasons than anyone else in the paddock. The Doctor’s recent form around the Termas track suggests he could have an ace or two up his sleeve. The track suits styles which are natural in direction changes as well as riders who like to get the bike sideways – possibly why Rossi and Marquez do battle. Rossi’s victory in 2015 eradicated any thoughts that the 9-time champion couldn’t adapt to new circuits like the younger blood in the field. Valentino Rossi has actually been around so long that he will be able to remember winning the 1998 250cc GP race in Argentina, although at a different venue. The Doctor has said the problems of pre-season testing and Qatar are fixed and that he has found a breakthrough, so is a win in Argentina possible? After all, it is the land of the goat.

Marc Marquez has more wins in the premier class than anyone in Argentina, with two. In 2014, he came from behind to beat Jorge Lorenzo and in last season, a pit stop in the middle of the race aided him, after a battle with Valentino Rossi on track. Some may say that 2015 also showed Marc’s speed around the track but a tangle with Rossi resulted in him being on the floor with just one and a half laps to go. His 4th place in Qatar won’t be too much of a concern for the reigning champion, having started his season with 3rd last year. The Spaniard may be more concerned with how close he was to being sixth, having nearly been caught by Dani Pedrosa and Aleix Espargaro. Will he make it three in Argentina and remind the likes of Maverick Vinales that he is not going to allow an ill-handling Honda to slow him down?

Talking of ill-handling Hondas, Dani Pedrosa finished 5th at Losail, his best result since winning the San Marinese Grand Prix last season. The 31-year-old has two podiums at the Termas circuit from two attempts, having missed the 2015 race through injury. His 2014 2nd place was a reminder that Dani Pedrosa could be a lethal weapon on race day, hunting down Jorge Lorenzo before snatching it away from his compatriot. In 2016, luck was on his and Valentino Rossi’s side, after the two factory Ducatis tangled on the penultimate corner. Pedrosa is still a top-six rider but whether a podium can be made may be left to be desired. Don’t rule him out just yet though.

Aleix Espargaro put in a splendid effort in Qatar to finish 6th on the Now TV Gresini Aprilia. The Spaniard took the Noale manufacturer to the best result they’ve ever had in MotoGP and will be looking to capitalise on a circuit he has a best result of 7th at, back in 2015. The start of the season marks his best since 2014 but this time, he may feel like he has a package to cause a few more upsets. The Termas circuit is one that over the last few seasons, has seen numerous accidents. Last season, Eugene Laverty finished 4th after qualifying 17th, so anything is possible. Aleix might be a good bet for a podium should conditions be mixed too.

Other mentions obviously include Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone. Both riders have reasonably good form at Termas, although Jorge crashed last year along with Andrea. Jorge’s podium in 2014 is his only to date at the track, whereas Iannone is still out for his first points on the Suzuki.

Johann Zarco and Alvaro Bautista will be looking to make amends after both crashed out of great positions in Qatar. Zarco has won twice around the track so, like in Qatar, could be a front runner, just this time until the chequered flag. Bautista on the other hand has only had one point scoring ride at the track, which came last season with 10th. Will the Aspar Ducati man improve on that in 2017?

What we can be sure of is the Argentine Grand Prix is going to be incredible, like it has been since it’s addition to the calendar. Wet weather looms large on Friday and Saturday but Sunday looks to be OK so far. Will we see another rain-affected weekend in MotoGP and could that mean another upside-down grid? Could it see surprises in Moto2 and Moto3 with wet weather specialists such as Pawi and McPhee? So many questions with an array of answers, it all depends which one is chosen come Sunday.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Bridewell: There’s a lot of Primadonnas

British Superbikes

April 1, 2017

Image courtesy of Pete Boocock at Full Throttle Images

 

After FP2 at Donington Park, I caught up with British Superbike star Tommy Bridewell as he moves to the GR Motorsport Team WD40 outfit for the 2017 season. We discussed electrical glitches, his adaptation to the new Kawasaki and other riders and rivalries. Tommy hopes to be in the fight for a top six position come the end of the season and who’d bet against the Wiltshireman doing it, as he is one of the most flexible and versatile riders in the paddock.

How is the initial feeling with the Kawasaki, having been riding other bikes for the past few seasons?

The feeling with the bike is OK. We’ve just unfortunately come across a little electrical glitch, which has held us back massively today. We still have work to do; it’s all about understanding the way the electronics work on the bike. I have no issues with the chassis, it’s just trying to get our heads on top of the electronics and then we’ll be alright.

Do you find it difficult to adapt to new teams?

I’m quite a flexible person. I’ve rode for quite a lot of teams, it doesn’t really bother me. As long as the bike is built to the standard I expect then I know I can do well on it. It’s about learning how the team work and going from there.

How has it been fitting into the team?

It’s been very good. They’re very welcoming and very friendly. Everyone has the same target and the same end goal so we are all driven in working towards that point.

Can you match or beat the two podiums last year on the Suzuki?

Christ yes. If I finish the season with only having two podiums then I should be very disappointed for definite. We have a few glitches to get on top of but once they’re sorted then we should be able to progress to the next level and be stronger.

Has not making the showdown last season motivated you to come back stronger in 2017?

Yes, definitely. That is the goal as always. It is disappointing when you don’t make it but like you say, you focus on this season coming and fight harder than ever. I feel we got the best out of the Suzuki last season. We excelled on lap times and in results, going better than it had gone for a long time. I was happy with the way it went but with a new challenge and a new bike, we hit the reset button and move on.

Where do you see yourself at the end of the year?

I 100% see myself in the top six but as I sit here now, we have got work to do to find our feet to understand the electronics and understand the bike a bit better. Once we have got on top of that then we will be day-and-night different. It won’t be the same bike. It’s about understanding the finer details to get the best out of the whole package. We have an issue that we would have easily ironed out in testing but that was a washout here. It’s just been a lack of testing which has made it hard for us.

Will you perform well in the races even with these issues?

As the bike is now, then no. I’m riding at a level where I’m about to crash and I’m not fast so once we fix the problem that we have then I can see myself being a totally different rider tomorrow. Get on top of it overnight, start again Saturday.

Are there any riders you particularly dislike or have issues with, having seen in the past you’ve had fallouts with riders?

If I’m honest, I don’t have time of day for any other riders in the paddock. There’s not many I’m really fond of; I’m just here to do a job, not to gel my hair or try and look pretty and talk the usual bollocks like the others, so we will keep our head down and do our own thing and be there come race day.

Will you win a race in 2017?

Without a shadow of a doubt – 100%.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

 

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Bridewell Optimistic of Good Weekend Despite Electronics Glitch

Tommy Bridewell has said that he is struggling at Donington Park with the new Kawasaki, having encountered an electrical glitch that could have been “ironed out” in testing, had it not been wet. The former Halsall Bennetts Suzuki man was 20th at the end of FP2 yesterday, over a second and a half off top rider and fellow Kawasaki man, Leon Haslam. Tommy does however remain optimistic that he can be at the sharp end come race day.

“The feeling with the bike is OK. We’ve just unfortunately come across a little electrical glitch, which has held us back massively today”, said the 28-year-old Wiltshireman, looking to return to the showdown this season.

Tommy continued, saying, “It’s all about understanding the way the electronics work on the bike. I have no issues with the chassis, it’s just trying to get our heads on top of the electronics and then we’ll be alright”.

He is one of a few riders to have ridden five makes of machinery on the grid, making him one of the most versatile riders on the grid and with this talent, he remains hopeful of a decent result on Sunday, should they get the electrical issue sorted.

I’m riding at a level where I’m about to crash and I’m not fast so once we fix the problem that we have then I can see myself being a totally different rider tomorrow. Get on top of it overnight, start again Saturday. We will keep our head down and do our own thing and be there come race day”.

Team WD40 will be looking to Tommy to bring them their first ever British Superbike podium, having dominated British Supersport last season with Tarran Mackenzie.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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British Superbikes 2017 – A Guide to the Year Ahead

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British Superbikes returns to our screens this coming weekend and it has all the credentials to be yet another scintillating championship which will go all the way to the final round at Brands Hatch in October. With Shane Byrne staying in the championship and runner-up Leon Haslam promising to challenge him all the way, we could see the most explosive season ever. However, there are other riders who will be desperate to rock in the best domestic superbike championship in the world.

Shane Byrne stays in BSB and remains in the Paul Bird Motorsport Ducati outfit. The 40-year-old Londoner took a record-shattering 5th title last season, his third for Ducati. ‘Shakey’ is more determined than ever before but he has a young teammate out to relegate him in the rankings. Enter Glenn Irwin. The 27-year-old comes into the BSB paddock for a 2nd season with PBM Ducati, having had a successful 2016 campaign. Podiums last season and 12th overall in the championship, Irwin could be a dark horse for success in 2017 as he looks to confirm his place in the top six.

Leon Haslam spearheads Pete Extance’s JG Speedfit Bournemouth Kawasaki team. After Mark Smith-Halvorsen pulled the plug on his GB Moto efforts last season, the former WSBK ace was left without a ride, having finished 2nd in the series on his comeback last year. As he and JG Speedfit move to the Bournemouth Kawasaki team, they’ll be looking for victories from the word go and to challenge for the championship. Cambridgeshire rider Luke Mossey remains in the team for a third consecutive season. Taking podiums throughout last year, Mossey has potential to once again upset the pecking order. Don’t expect him to consider himself number two for very long.

Tyco BMW retain Christian Iddon for 2017, after the Derbyshireman did such a fine job last season. Despite finishing on the podium six times last season, it was all too late as he recovered from a nasty injury mid-season. Iddon started the season strongly last year and will definitely be out to take his first victory in the class. Alongside him is one of a flurry of new/returning riders in 2017. Davide Giugliano was unceremoniously dumped out of Ducati’s Factory WSBK effort at the end of last season and found himself out of a ride come the end of the year. However, the Italian superstar has been thrown into the BSB mix, having joined the Tyco BMW team. He will be exciting to watch on British tracks, especially Cadwell Park. He knows Donington Park and Silverstone well, so expect strong performances at these venues.

Suzuki return with a full factory effort for 2017. The new GXR is run by the Hawk Racing Team, switching from BMW, a bike they’ve run for the past five seasons. Sylvain Guintoli is another big name coming back into the championship, after he was left out of Crescent Yamaha’s revised line-up for the 2017 WSBK season. The Frenchman’s BSB career was cut short after a terrifying accident at Donington Park in 2009, which involved Josh Brookes. Having won one race in the series and finishing on the podium on four occasions, he has unfinished business to deal with. Teaming up with him is reigning National Superstock 1000 champion Taylor Mackenzie. It’s great to see the Mackenzie name back in the BSB championship, although Taylor did compete in WD40 colours back in 2015 but he never scored points. Taylor promises to be exciting to watch, although for us journos and fans, his rivalry with Ian Hutchinson from the Stock 1000 championship last year will be put on hold for now.

Keith Flint’s successes in the British Supersport class have seen the outfit move to the premier class of British motorcycle racing. He remains on Yamaha equipment and takes on the experience of James Ellison and Michael Laverty. Ellison took victory in the final race of last season in an epic four-way scrap whilst Michael Laverty started last year with a win for Tyco BMW. Neither rider has ridden the new R1, although Ellison has Yamaha experience from 2013. The McAms Yamaha pairing will be wanting to hit the ground running with a bike that has won the title but as Tommy Hill’s EPayMe Yamaha team proved last year, it might not be love at first site. Ellison believes the bike has the potential to fight for the championship and who’d bet against that?

Honda Racing UK have retained their line-up from the past two seasons, minus the efforts of Jennie Tinmouth. Dan Linfoot leads Jason O’Halloran as the team prepare to race the new Honda Fireblade, which has seen its difficulties in the WSBK championship. Linfoot is yet to win a race in BSB but always goes well at Donington Park, whereas Jason O’Halloran has won a race and will be hoping to build on that success to propel him into a title challenging spot. It won’t be easy for the team but with experienced riders and crew members, it may not be as bad as they think.

Another Yamaha team this season is Tag Racing. The Anvil Yamaha squad have Josh Brookes who makes a shock return to BSB after an unsuccessful season in WSBK with Milwaukee BMW. The Australian took the BSB crown in 2015 and will want it back in 2017 to give Anvil Tag Racing their first win and their first title. Brookes says that he “has to win” and I have a feeling that he will be taking no prisoners on his way back to British success. Joining him in the team is Shaun Winfield. The Brit had a best result of 16th in 2016 and will be wanting to secure points in 2017.

Moto Rapido Ducati return once more in 2017, with their 2015 rider John Hopkins. The American was left without a ride when Tommy Hill’s team folded at the end of 2016 but was quickly snapped up by Steve Moore. After a tricky 2016 with numerous riders (starting the year with Danny Buchan, then enduring Alessandro Polita before finishing with Stuart Easton) the team will want to remain consistently quick throughout the season to challenge the more ‘factory’ PBM team. And if anyone can do it, 2011 runner-up John Hopkins most certainly can, as he comes into the year in fine form following a brace of podiums at Brands Hatch in the final round of last season.

Quattro FS-3 Kawasaki remain on the grid for a 2nd season, after a rather successful 2016. Based in Coventry under the watchful eye of businessman Nigel Snook, the team are hoping to run a two-bike team with their National Superstock 1000 rider James Rispoli towards the end of the season but it will be Billy McConnell who once again shines for them in BSB full-time. The Australian was a podium finisher in 2015 and scored a best of 4th in 2016 at Snetterton. On the brand-new Kawasaki for the first time, we could see some surprises from the relatively new team.

Lloyd and Jones (PR Racing) return to the championship in 2017, after a tricky few seasons. Jakub Smrz is their man in the saddle in 2017, having finished 18th in the championship last year with two top-10 results. The Czech rider will be looking to repeat his efforts from last year and return to the higher positions with BMW. A hard-working rider and a hard-working team could see them, like FS-3, cause a few upsets.

The RAF Reserves team, run by Lee Hardy Racing, switch manufacturers this year from BMW to Kawasaki, whilst retaining Jake Dixon as their sole rider. Snapped up almost immediately after his BSB debut last year, Dixon had some great rides with a best result of 6th in race one at Snetterton. However, two massive accidents – the first at Knockhill before a high-speed crash at Oulton Park – showed us that even the protégé of Shane Byrne will get it wrong. Having fully recovered from terrible hip injuries, Dixon promises to be a firework coming through the BSB ranks. 16th in the championship competing in half of the races last season is no fluke.

Smith’s Racing BMW made the step up to BSB two seasons ago, with the then-champion in British Supersport, Billy McConnell. Whilst the team has evolved, their results dropped somewhat last season. However, Ryuichi Kiyonari joined the team for the final few rounds and was as high as 2nd in the final outing of the season at Brands Hatch, so it wasn’t all negative. Lee Jackson and Peter Hickman join the team for 2017, with the hopes of podiums being not too far away. Hickman took victory in the first round of last season and I’m sure that Rebecca Smith wouldn’t mind a repeat performance, should ‘Hicky’ be able to do it for her at Donington Park.

Team WD40 are still on the grid in 2017, fielding former race winner Tommy Bridewell. Martin Halsall’s team didn’t stay in the BSB class for 2017 so Tommy needed a ride. It was a last-minute deal that saw the #46 sign for Brent Gladwin’s outfit at GR Motorsport. Having had a tricky few seasons in the championship, Team WD40 deserve some luck and deserve some real success. Bridewell could be the rider to do it. He made the Suzuki look amazing last season (despite it being seven years old) and could do the exact same this year. The team have an all new Kawasaki ZX10 to play with, so keep your eyes open for the blue and yellow machine making headway through the field.

Riders Motorcycles BMW once again has Martin Jessopp on board. Phil Jessopp runs the outfit and his ambition is a repeat of 2016, just with more top 10 finishes. It could be a tricky year for the team but with Martin’s experience and success, who would bet against another relatively decent campaign.

Aaron Zanotti again lines up on the BSB grid this season. 16th place was his best result last season and will be looking to return to the points in 2017. He is about as privateer as they come, being both the rider and owner of the Platform Hire Yamaha team. The Loughborough based rider is eager to get on with 2017.

Gearlink Kawasaki are once again in the series for 2017, with James Westmoreland returning to the championship after having a title challenging season in British Supersport last year with Keith Flint’s Traction Control Yamaha team. A podium in 2015 is Westy’s best success in the British Superbike class and will be looking to put Gearlink Kawasaki in a regular point-scoring position for 2017.

There’s a new team in the championship for 2017, with Buildbase Suzuki giving British Supersport sensation Bradley Ray an opportunity at the big time. Bronze medallist in last year’s British Supersport championship, this year will be the first time he has raced a 1000cc superbike. Brad will take time to adapt but believe me, the lad has some incredibly scintillating pace.

So that is the incredibly strong line-up for 2017 and we will be bringing you all the action, news and interviews this season. Who will win the opening race of the season and which lucky six will make it into the showdown? Never has BSB had so many fast riders and never has it been so competitive. What a year we are in for.

A big thank you to our wonderful British Superbike photographer, Gareth Davies. Not only does he supply this image but he supplies us with thousands of images from all over BSB. He is very high up with certain teams and riders and even Tommy Hill has one of Gareth’s images framed. Find him on Facebook here.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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