WSBK silly season 2008 thread

[Gerben24]

2007 season isn't finished yet, but there are already so many question that need answering for the 2008 season.

• Who's going to replace James Toseland at Ten Kate Honda?

• Who will the new sponsor for Alstare Suzuki? (Corona will leave after 2007)

• Who will be Foggy's sponsor?

• Who will ride on the MV Agusta's?

• How many US rounds will there be?

• Do they deserve more than one round in the US?

[chunder]

Sofuoglu will replace Toseland, its obvious Rolfo will say as he is Mr Hannspree

I reckon if Max stays they might get a fag sponsor, Camel perhaps?

Or Monster, but they tend to prefer Kawasaki coz of teh GREEN

No idea if Foggy will even run a team, its been very quiet and I dont think he is really all that bothered, he never was with teh Petronas thing so ahy change!

Dont care about US rounds, they ahve their own series, why does WSBK need to go there when half teh rider in AMA earn more!!

Dont deserve any rounds in US, we should be going to places like China and Turkey where WSBK has never been before, new markets might attract new sponsors for the series and the teams. Sorry J!!

I think the riders if it comes off will be Hodge and one of teh lads from the Superstock series from the Union team.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chunder

Dont care about US rounds, they ahve their own series, why does WSBK need to go there when half teh rider in AMA earn more!!

Dont deserve any rounds in US, we should be going to places like China and Turkey where WSBK has never been before, new markets might attract new sponsors for the series and the teams. Sorry J!!

That's quite alright. But we should continue that line of logic. The UK certainly doesn't need a WSBK round either, much less three. It's a total waste on you lot. Besides, you already have BSB to entertain you.

[jhansen]

I have to agree regarding Foggy and MV. I'm not holding my breath.

[jhansen]

Corona is out...

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5~id~152321.htm

[racer69]

Isn't there a rumour doing the rounds of 4 Hanspree bikes in WSBK next season, along with them taking over as naming rights sponsors to the series?

Will Airwaves Ducati move to WSB (or basically how many 1098s will be on the grid?)


Give the USA a round definatly, give them a round in place of UK, and lose one of the Italian rounds too....... wouldn't the

Any chance of an Imola return?


I say this every year, but such a pity we don't have proper wildcards anymore

[Hazza]

I prefer no wild cards over Ben Bostrom winning a billion rounds because of the tyres he was on.

[racer69]

Bostrom only ever won 1 race as a wildcard

[Hazza]

No i'm talking about him winning a billion on the duke with his meechelens!

[chunder]

We get more rounds coz we get big crowds, its a as simple as that mate! You dont get big crowds in teh US coz no one is interested in bikes, only NASCAR.

And historically WSB will always be in the UK considering the first year had a round there and the UK is where most of the champions come from!!

[Hazza]

And plus who wouldn't wanna race at Donnington, Brans Hatch and Silverstone (GP)

[Gerben24]

I wouldn't mind if we'd lose Silverstone!

[Airhead]

I wouldn't mind an MV 312.

But then, that's another story.

[chunder]

Silverstone is shocking actually, that chincane is a corner not even suited to a mini moto or kart track.
Its an insult to modern riders and stuff to incluce a corner like that in any track.

If they are bothered about safety at Woodcote then put in a doubl air fence oir something, dont deprive the riders or teams of a simply awesome circuit coz you cant be bothered to invest.

SIlverstone all over really, why botehr investing when 30 thou turn up anyway!!

[Gerben24]

According to MCN, BMW are preparing a bike to enter WSBK in 2009.

It will be a 1000cc 4 cilinder, NOT a 1200cc twin!

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...torsportplans/

I hope this rumour is true. The more manufacturers the better. Aprilia will join, KTM probably as well.

[juicy sushi]

i hope that the barber round comes off in the US, and miller motorsports park would be a good race (although i'm not sure what kind of crowd they'd draw).

hopefully there will be plenty of (competitive) ducatis, hopefully the kawasakis somehow become competitive, and hopefully haga finally wins the title (i've been waiting too damn long)!

gerben24, where'd you get that haga picture in your avatar? it is available in larger sizes? if so, i need to get my hands on that, it looks ripe for wallpaper conversion...

[racer69]

Originally Posted by chunder

Silverstone is shocking actually, that chincane is a corner not even suited to a mini moto or kart track.
Its an insult to modern riders and stuff to incluce a corner like that in any track.

If they are bothered about safety at Woodcote then put in a doubl air fence oir something, dont deprive the riders or teams of a simply awesome circuit coz you cant be bothered to invest.

SIlverstone all over really, why botehr investing when 30 thou turn up anyway!!

Agree about the carpark at the end of the lap, at worst couldn't they have just rebuilt the old 70s/80s Woodcote chicane?

I've been watching the 500cc British Grand Prix's from the early 80s that were shown recently on ESPN Classic in England, wonderful, especially watching them wrestle the machines around the proper Woodcote sweeper.

The Superbikes should go back to running the GP circuit as. After the great duel Haga and Vermuelen had in 2004 in both races, it was a shame they ditched it for the International circuit in 2005.

Be nice if the Portugal round comes off as rumoured (just without those silly hairpins like we saw in 1993 )

[Gerben24]

The article below contains lots of points to discuss, a good read:

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5...2511~pid~0.htm

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chunder

We get more rounds coz we get big crowds, its a as simple as that mate! You dont get big crowds in teh US coz no one is interested in bikes, only NASCAR.

And historically WSB will always be in the UK considering the first year had a round there and the UK is where most of the champions come from!!

"Does FG Sport think we're all stupid? They claimed that 126,000 spectators attended the three-day Brands Superbike fest. FG have a history of issuing mad figures for claimed attendances, and they're clearly not about to drop that tradition.

Knowledgeable sources at Brands claim the real figure may have been around 50,000. When Jonathan Palmer bought Brands in 2004 he openly dismissed the claims of 100,000 attendances made by FG and suggested that 40,000 was a more accurate figure. Sadly, some naïve media people who should know better continue to publish the FG claims."

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5...2511~pid~2.htm



Btw, Laguna had 143,000 for the weekend.

[chunder]

Oh well that changes everything then!!

Sorry mate, first ever world superbike race was in UK, its the sports spiritual home and let me think about champions again, Foggy X4, Hodgson x1 Toseland X1.5

You guys Merkel x2 Polen x 2 Edwards x 2 Russell x 1

Bout even really

Just think our tracks are far far safer which is why FG dont wanna go to the US to be honest

Its as simple as that.

And as far crowds, well maybe comparing like for like isnt quite fair, we have far more travel and acces troubles than Yanks!

[jhansen]

In all seriousness, both countries deserve a WSBK event. At least in my opinion. I'm not sure how big of a crowd WSBK would get at Laguna, but I'm sure it would be good. However, I'm quite sure the turn out at Miller Motorsports Park (Utah) will be dismal. Hope I'm wrong though. And by the way chunder, Miller Motorsports Park is brand new, wide open, and very safe. As for Barber, it has received a lot of attention and should be safe as well. Don't lump all of our circuits in the same category. If either circuit get's FIM certified, that should be good enough for you.

[Gerben24]

English tracks far far safer???? I doubt it. It's a miracle that they still race at Brands, cause safe it is not. How many deaths have there been in the British Superbike championship (incl. support classes) this year alone? I know of 3!!!

Donington is the only safe circuit I can think of.

PS, the layouts of the circuits in England are great!

[Hazza]

Sooo...

Neil for Ten Kate eh? Crazy stuff.

[chunder]

And you forget to mention we still race at the Island over here too, now that is crazy!

Our tracks in fairness dont have anywhere near the reputation of the US tracks though, you ask any rider and they will tell you where they would rather race safety wise, yes Brands and Cadwell in particular are a bit brave, but on the whole it beats racing round wall lined banking at 180 mph!!

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by Hazza

Sooo...

Neil for Ten Kate eh? Crazy stuff.

Where does he stand in the line of riders who are queing to get into the Ten Kate hospitality?

On a serious note, I think he makes a very good chance to become Toselands succesor at Ten Kate, as they will have to develop a new Fireblade for 2008! I think Neil is very capable of doing that.