GSE HMPLANT to use Hondas!!

[Tobesterr1]

It is being reported in Europe especially in the U.K. that Chris Walker and James Toseland may be swapping their Ducati 998 Testastretta's for SP-2 Honda's.

The management at GSE Racing, Daryl Healey and Colin Wright are said to be close to acquiring this year's Colin Edwards bikes. The possibility has been there for a while but the contract with Ducati was thought to be non-negotiable. Apparently it is now possible for the team to lease the SP-2's and have factory support, technical anyway. This would of course be nice to see rather than a grid full of Ducati's.

It pleases me to have Honda on the grid and competitive as 2003 will be a baron year for manufacturers with Kawasaki pulling out and Honda not running a full works team and baron on the rider front with Bayliss and Edwards off to MOTO GP and Ben Bostrom going back to the states. It was always going to be a transitional year for WSBK with the new rules coming in as several factories will be developing 1000cc machines ready for a full season anyway in 2004. Yamaha and Kawasaki have projects underway as have Honda with the Fireblade and Suzuki with the GSXR-1000, that bike may even be on the grid in 2003 with Lavilla and possibly Izutsu. The Ten Kate Honda squad are said to be set to move up to WSBK from Supersport in 2004 as well with Vermeulen and Muggeridge, that would be awesome.

Can Walker adapt to the Honda and chase down Hodgson, shades of BSB in 2000, hope the racing is as good.

Comments???

[racer69]

This would be fantastic. It would have been such a pity if the Honda that was so good at the end of this year would have been effectively retired. GSE are a good team as well so the bikes won't be wasted.

The future looks good for Superbikes, next year may be a bit tough but by 2004 everything should be back on track.

[ghinzani]

Tobesterr1 - where u hear this? Do you personally think the Hondas will maintain their end of season advantage over the Ducatis? Wouldnt a repeat of Hodgson v Walker be fantastic again !! Cant wait for them to visit the UK.

[Tobesterr1]

Ghinzani,

It's hard to tell what sort of performance the GSE team and riders will extract from the Honda. You have to remember that consistency of care was a major part of the Edwards success. By that I mean the same team of mechanics worked on that bike, knew it inside out and were on hand for all research and development meetings, data meetings and had feedback from Colin, one of the best set-up riders in the business. The tyres were also a big factor with Edwards being the main test guy for the Michelins. If you add all of that together you get the result Edwards got from the machine towards the end of the season especially after the Suzuka SPW engine was put in the bike from the Oschersleben round.

Will GSE get the use of that specific engine or a further developed spec or was that engine only available to the full works Castrol team because Colin won the 8 hour race with it. The earlier engine was not up to that performance but Colin did consistently well behind Bayliss with it??

Can Walker and Toseland get the same 'feel' from the bike, it's a delicate situation but I hope it turns out favourable for Walker especially, that guy needs this break in his career, has deserved better over the last 2 seasons and performed miracles on that 10 year old Kawasaki.

Hopefully GSE will get factory support, technically talking to produce the results needed to stay up with and challenge the Ducati 999. Honda Europe won't be spending the $5 million dollars it takes to run a full works team next year so I hope they put something into the project.

Just one thing to remember it hasn't been 'officially' announced yet and it could all go pear shaped and they may have to stay with as a Ducati sattelite squad, fingers crossed for them though.

[asha]

I just still really surprised that Honda are pulling out of SBK. I mean they are so strong in motogp you can't tell me that the motogp team need more money, talent, expertise, etc.
Surely its easier to keep a fast bike fast rather then, a year or two down the track, having to play catch up and start from scratch.

[f1manoz]

I was also surprised that Honda have said they were pulling out, considering that at the end of this year the bike had really developed into a potent weapon, and was certainly near the performance of Ducati (though Edwards was also a critical factor.)

But I'll wait for conformation from both Ducati/Honda and GSE because from what I know the deal with GSE is rock solid Ducati.

[Tobesterr1]

It's been announced today by Daryl Healey that the GSE team will be now sticking with Ducati's for 2003. The Honda situation was looked at but the Ducati deal remains firm.

I did have my doubts as it was a rumour and experience has taught me that these things are never quite what they seem but it is a bit of a shame as I can't see any team on the grid that would take the SP-2 for next year. The series needs that bike and it's a solid package but I understand GSE's position, they have stability and that counts for a lot.


I did warn in another post that we should wait for an official announcement and there we have it. I was the first one to wish the scenario true but that's the rumour mill for you.

[ghinzani]

Damn - altho my heart is always with the Italian bikes or the Kawasakis its not a series without the Hondas. Is'nt there some team out there that can step into the breach? Give it to Chilli or Gobert....

[racer69]

What about Mark Heckle's team?

Also what about Tamada and the Cabin Honda team, surley they could be used in WSB, i don't think they even compete in the Japanese series do they?

[pink69]

Edwards hasn't left yet. Rumour has it Honda want him in the Motogp but for now he's signed for Ducati, unless you've heard differently?

[Tobesterr1]

Pink69,

Edwards has 4 offers on the table at Honda, Aprilia, Yamaha and Kawasaki and the rumours are different everyday so I'll just wait for the official announcement as it's getting silly trying to keep up with it all, personally I can see him going to Yamaha with the Castrol team going with him on Michelins but who knows. The Ducati WSBK deal was dissolved last week, he also cannot stay in WSBK as part of the Ducati letter of intent that he signed stated that if he pulled out of riding for Ducati that he was not allowed to ride for any other WSBK team so it's definately GP.

Racer69,

As for Tamada, he will probably be coming to WSBK in 2004 when the factories have got their 1000cc machines up and running, fully tested and a solid development programme in place. Kawasaki and Suzuki and a works Honda team will all be back in 2004 and Tamada would be my favourite to join possibly Ben Bostrom on a return to WSBK depending on his results in the AMA championship as Ben has world level options built into his contract. Either that or a GP ride on an RCV but I believe Ben wants back to WSBK and said as much to me in the paddock at Imola so watch this space.

The only stumbling block with Honda Europe running a 2 man squad is apparently money but it would be a marketing and business disaster if Honda were absent when WSBK roars back into life under the new rules in 2004.

Mark Heckles team may well get an Edwards spec SP-2 for next year but there has been no news as yet, I would give him one his test times at Brands Hatch on Colin's bike were impressive and Honda Europe could offer factory support, technically anyway if not in money.

Also don't be surprised to see Anthony Gobert on a Ducati 999 in 2004 with Hodgson also again depending on AMA results next year, personally I think he'll win the AMA title.

Next season in WSBK will not be a classic but transitional years rarely are special, riders departing, factories waiting to develop new machines and younger talent bedding in and Supersport teams such as Ten Kate Honda waiting to step up but fear not the rules are finally being changed and that is a good start on the road to recovery for WSBK. Flammini can still go further and sort out the restrictor problems that exist and make the series even closer to the Supersport ideal as that was the original genesis idea for WSBK when it started back in 1988.

The future is bright, the future is motorcycle racing.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Tobesterr1


The future is bright, the future is motorcycle racing.

The more I see a Bike GP on the same weekend as a Car GP procession the more I agree with you. Sepang was a great race, Suzuka was pathetic.... I nearly went to Thruxton yesterday to rekindle my faith in cars, but the unfortunate fatality there kept me away - maybe I'l go to the Formula Ford Festival and try and remmber what its all about. In the meantime heres to waiting for bike racing in 03 at Thruxton!

[KayBee]

Ghinzani why not save your money and go to Brands the following weekend, 26/7, for the Bemsse/MRO meeting where you will see great racing and the best run meeting in the country.

No parade of the course cars and even with incidents/stoppages a programme that would tax most car clubs will be completed.

[racer69]

I don't think next years WSB won't be too bad. At the moment we have factory teams from Ducati, Aprilia, Suzuki? plus the Foggy Petronas team, then you have GSE etc....

[DavidStHubbins]

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[formulastudent]

I think, that GSE are staying with Dukes for next year running this seasons factory bikes. Also GSE will be a semi-works outfit with parts made available factory style... could be wrong but that is the latest that i've heard.

Actually check out: http://www.hmplantducati.com/news/021011confirms.htm