2016 World Superbike Championship...

[gomick]

Entry list for this season...

Team	Rider	Bike
Kawasaki Racing Team	1 Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki
Kawasaki Racing Team	66 Tom Sykes	Kawasaki
MV Agusta Reparto Corse	2 Leon Camier	MV Augusta
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati	7 Chaz Davies	Ducati
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati	34 Davide Giugliano	Ducati
Grillini Racing Team	9 Dominic Schmitter	Kawasaki
Grillini Racing Team	16 Josh Hook	Kawasaki
Team Toth	10 Imre Toth	Yamaha
Team Toth	56 Peter Sebestyen	Yamaha
Pedercini Racing	11 Saeed Al Sulaiti	Kawasaki
Pedercini Racing	20 Sylvain Barrier	Kawasaki
Barni Racing Team	12 Javier Fores	Ducati
IodaRacing Team	15 Alex de Angelis	Aprilia
IodaRacing Team	32 Lorenzo Savadori	Aprilia
Milwaukee BMW	17 Karel Abraham	BMW
Milwaukee BMW	25 Josh Brookes	BMW
Althea BMW Racing Team	21 Markus Reiterberger	BMW
Althea BMW Racing Team	81 Jordi Torres	BMW
Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team	22 Alex Lowes	Yamaha
Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team	50 Sylvain Guintoli	Yamaha
Team Goeleven	40 Roman Ramos	Kawasaki
Honda World Superbike Team	60 Michael van der Mark	Honda
Honda World Superbike Team	69 Nicky Hayden	Honda
VFT Racing	61 Fabio Menghi	Ducati

[Dani Filth]

so .. we're one week away from the start of the season
I see two more teams with Kwakies .. Yamaha back with good riders
IMHO unlikely for Aprilia or BMW to make to much noise unless they put some money developing
anywhere to check testing progress? times for the tests?

[gomick]

Day 1 Times...

1. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 31.097s

2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 31.293s

3. Michael van der Mark NED Honda Racing CBR1000RR 1m 31.510s

4. Jordi Torres ESP Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 31.526s

5. Nicky Hayden USA Honda Racing CBR1000RR 1m 31.558s

6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Crescent Yamaha R1 1m 31.583s

7. Alex Lowes GBR PATA Crescent Yamaha R1 1m 31.620s

8. Xavi Fores ESP Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 31.661s

9. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 31.678s

10. Davide Giugliano ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 31.810s

11. Markus Reiterberger GER Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 31.928s

12. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 32.500s

13. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta RC F4 RR 1m 32.707s

14. Josh Brookes AUS Milwaukee BMW S1000RR 1m 32.714s

15. Lorenzo Savadori ITA IodaRacing Aprilia RSV4 1m 32.892s

16. Mike Jones AUS Desmo Sport Ducati 1199R 1m 33.051s

17. Sylvain Barrier FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 33.147s

18. Fabio Menghi ITA VFT Ducati 1199R 1m 33.251s

19. Josh Hook AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 33.792s

20. Alex de Angelis RSM IodaRacing Aprilia RSV4 1m 33.979s

21. Karel Abraham CZE Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 34.706s

22. Dominic Schmitter SUI Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 35.640s

23. Saeed al Sulaiti QAT Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 36.121s

24. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth Yamaha R1 1m 36.463s

25. Peter Sebesteyen HUN Team Toth Yamaha R1 1m 37.927s

Day 2 Times...

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 31.249s

2. Davide Giugliano ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 31.400s

3. Michael van der Mark NED Honda Racing CBR1000RR 1m 31.458s

4. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Crescent Yamaha R1 1m 31.473s

5. Nicky Hayden USA Honda Racing CBR1000RR 1m 31.585s

6. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 31.885s

7. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 31.938s

8. Alex Lowes GBR PATA Crescent Yamaha R1 1m 31.958s

9. Xavi Fores ESP Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 32.109s

10. Jordi Torres ESP Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 32.202s

11. Markus Reiterberger GER Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 32.272s

12. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 32.478s

13. Lorenzo Savadori ITA IodaRacing Aprilia RSV4 1m 32.587s

14. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta RC F4 RR 1m 32.702s

15. Josh Brookes AUS Milwaukee BMW S1000RR 1m 32.903s

16. Mike Jones AUS Desmo Sport Ducati 1199R 1m 33.420s

17. Sylvain Barrier FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 33.314s

18. Alex de Angelis RSM IodaRacing Aprilia RSV4 1m 33.882s

19. Fabio Menghi ITA VFT Ducati 1199R 1m 33.622s

20. Josh Hook AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 33.850s

21. Karel Abraham CZE Althea BMW S1000RR 1m 34.062s

22. Dominic Schmitter SUI Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 35.038s

23. Saeed al Sulaiti QAT Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 34.942s

24. Peter Sebesteyen HUN Team Toth Yamaha R1 1m 35.541s

25. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth Yamaha R1 1m 36.150s

A lot hotter on Day 2 (Tuesday), 40 degrees in Melbourne. Day 1 (Monday) was 28 degrees & showers...
Josh Hook broke a collarbone on Day 2 & will probably miss the opening round...

[canamman]

Finally someone for the USA to cheer on!
Hope Hayden continues throwing down some good times
in the front group. Its been gut wrenching watching
him buried in MotoGP past couple of years.

I have not heard about Spies lately. Guess I will
see what google has to offer.

[Stahler]

And so it begins... I can't wait! The depth of talent seems much greater than in the last year, although the green bikes are still favorites.

Concerning the BMWs... I say watch out for Reiterberger!

Originally Posted by canamman

I have not heard about Spies lately. Guess I will
see what google has to offer.

Spies retired after his disappointing MotoGP stint, alhough he managed to win a race (or two?).

[justracing]

Just caught up with race 1 from Philip Island, van der Mark is a force to be reckoned with - no holds barred racing. Great riding from Chas Davis, bit of a clumsy attempt for the lead but it was worth a try, great opening race for the season but what of Josh Brookes? Is the BMW underdeveloped being a newcomer and what happened to Alex Lowes? did he fall off?

[gomick]

Both Superbike & Supersport races where entertaining with numerous manufacturers running towards the front. Hope it is a great season in WSBK

[merak1974]

ARGH! Great to see Chaz putting up a good fight, but his final lap move in race 2 was just a bit too desperate...

[chunder]

Typical PI action really, you dont get many bad races there.

Not sure the rest of the season will be as good, it rarely is, especially now Monza is gone aswell

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by chunder

Typical PI action really, you dont get many bad races there...

Sums it up really, I really should head over one day. Some really impressive riding from van der Mark and Davies and Camier as well.

[Dani Filth]

must confess .. i wasn't expecting the Ducati so competitive and Honda too
Sykes .. as usual 2015 again
Yamaha close to the top
Aprilia/BMW ... a bit too far

@WSS wasnt expecting both Sofuoglu and Cluzel not to score points was nice for Krummenacher to win on debut

is it official that Monza is out for this season? . i thought they are still discussing.

[justracing]

Just caught up with race 2, great racing from all concerned, Chaz tried just a little too hard, I don't know at this stage of the season whether that do or die attempt was absolutely necessary but you criticise the guy for bravery! Good showing from Hayden, shows promise - there's life in the old dog!

[chunder]

I feel a little for Camier, same team as Biaggi, but his years there reminded me of Mladin on the Cagiva, riding some bitza while his team mates were on better machines with the same fairing, then Suzuki and rode his heart out and now on a quick but horribly fragile MV, kinda like Gobert on the Bimota, you know a podium is there one time, but the rest of the time he is trying to stop hurting himself

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by chunder

I feel a little for Camier...

Likewise, I hope his career doesn't turn into one where he looks back and thinks what could have been.

[S griffin]

I agree, great racing in every race. Let's see if half the remaining races are as good

[chunder]

He has just amde some silly choices, perhaps out of his hands.

Won BSB at a canter and looked good before that too, but in Superbike has not done much.

A lot of injuries, riding with Biaggi which was probably a bike several steps behind Max's, Suzuki was a disaster on their way down and MV even more so!

[justracing]

Great racing weekend again. Sykes fought tooth and nail for a much deserved win definitely putting Rea's nose out of joint but for me it was the Welsh wizard who stole the show riding the wheels of that Ducati for a podium place in race 2, brilliant job Chaz Davis, roll on the tighter circuits of Europe where we're really guaranteed some fireworks at the front!

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by justracing

Great racing weekend again. Sykes fought tooth and nail for a much deserved win definitely putting Rea's nose out of joint but for me it was the Welsh wizard who stole the show riding the wheels of that Ducati for a podium place in race 2, brilliant job Chaz Davis, roll on the tighter circuits of Europe where we're really guaranteed some fireworks at the front!

Couldn't agree more! Brilliant stuff

[wnut]

Originally Posted by justracing

Great racing weekend again. Sykes fought tooth and nail for a much deserved win definitely putting Rea's nose out of joint but for me it was the Welsh wizard who stole the show riding the wheels of that Ducati for a podium place in race 2, brilliant job Chaz Davis, roll on the tighter circuits of Europe where we're really guaranteed some fireworks at the front!

Good summary, Great race!

Should be a good season!

[jodi]

It's been a great couple of races!
It's so, so nice to see Nicky Hayden back on a competitive bike. It was heartbreaking to see the guy with so much talent being on a rubbish bike in GP.

Here's to a good season, I got a feeling it's gonna be great!

[The Fat Clerk]

Both weekends have been brilliant, puts Moto GP to shame.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by jodi

It's been a great couple of races!
It's so, so nice to see Nicky Hayden back on a competitive bike. It was heartbreaking to see the guy with so much talent being on a rubbish bike in GP.

Same goes Camier unfortunately

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by justracing

Great racing weekend again. Sykes fought tooth and nail for a much deserved win definitely putting Rea's nose out of joint but for me it was the Welsh wizard who stole the show riding the wheels of that Ducati for a podium place in race 2, brilliant job Chaz Davis, roll on the tighter circuits of Europe where we're really guaranteed some fireworks at the front!

Well, that was a bit of a cracker! Superbike race 2 more than made up for race one where there was a certain inevitability about Rea passing Sykes. You could see from the on-boards (much better quality this season) with 5 or 6 laps to go that, Rea was carrying stupendous mid-corner speed AND keep the line whereas Sykes was drifting wide and wide. It all adds up on the clock.

Still, whatever Sykes had for lunch on race day must have been potent. He was extremely dogged, good to see but I suspect Rea is going to recalibrate how much room he will give next time. Some of Tom's blocking moves were brutal! The pre-podium body language was interesting viewing.

Incidentally, in the post-race one interviews, van der Mark mentioned something about his bike getting lost on the track. I was wondering if the bikes rely on GPS for corner to corner engine mapping and maybe it lost some position info. I would have thought they would use a self-contained system which knew where it was relative to a known datum (kinda like inertial navigation).

I'll get me coat.

PS: Supersport was cracking too, very pleased to see PJ battle so hard. I really hope he can challenge all year long.

PPS: The bikes sound glorious this season, somebody has turned up the trackside effects bike too.

[merak1974]

Wow! Great double wins for Chaz Davies at the Aragon round this weekend. Such dominant wins too!

[justracing]

Originally Posted by merak1974

Wow! Great double wins for Chaz Davies at the Aragon round this weekend. Such dominant wins too!

Much deserved wins as well, Davies sure rides the wheels off that bike I'm sure the Kwackers won't take that double defeat lying down, bodes well for a good season.