GSE Ducati

[CallumC]

Having just watched coverage of last weekends British Superbike race I noticed the GSE Ducati's are apparently able to hold their own better with the big bikes than works xerox ones in WSB or does the 999 just suit the Dunlops better than Pirellis??

Will be interesting to see if they get a wild card for the Brit WSB rounds !!

What a ride by Haslam in both races (Especially from pit lane in race one!!) though!! WOW!!

Callum

[BootsOntheSide]

Haslam and Lavilla are two of the best riders in BSB, whereas I'd say Toseland and Laconi aren't among WSBK's best. Also, some of the British circuits are tighter and more technical than those in WSBK, thus helping a well-handling but relatively underpowered bike.

But all the same, the tyres may well be a factor. The factory Ducati WSBK team didn't adjust to control Pirellis as quickly as some of their customer teams.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Haslam and Lavilla are two of the best riders in BSB, whereas I'd say Toseland and Laconi aren't among WSBK's best. .

*Splutter*

Your having a laugh, right?

[SALEEN S7R]

Im with u Ghinzani, sure Toseland and Laconi arent dominting WSBK this year but they are 4th and 6th places in the championship respectivly. Both riders have proven pedigree's, particulary in Superbikes. To suggest that Toseland and Laconi arent in the top 6 talent wise in WSBK is ludicrous! IMO.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by CallumC

Will be interesting to see if they get a wild card for the Brit WSB rounds !!

Unlikely considering the tyre rules in World Superbikes, would the GSE bikes run on Pirelli's when they've been set-up around Dunlop's all year....and of course whether their tyre contract would allow them to run another brand......

A pity no wildcards will probably be there.

[SALEEN S7R]

Its a shame that the WSBK series cant change their rules to allow Wildcard entries to run whatever brand they run in the domestic series they normally run with be it BSB or AMA and simply make the wild card riders results non points scoring, so that they are classifed just they dont score any points. Ah well, maybe one day.

[ghinzani]

Scared of getting beat I reckon. Shame tho, would be good to see Hodgson, Miladin and Kiyonari out there.

[racer69]

When your getting 30 bike grids already, you can't expect them to change the rules just for the sake of 6 or so wildcards, and the Dunlop and Michelin tyres are seemingly better than the control Pirelli's, so it would make the whole thing pointless for the wildcards....

I'd prefer if the tyre rules were open slather and the likes of HM Plant Honda, Rizla Suzuki and GSE Ducati could be up against the top WSB contenders, but you can't have rules for one and not the other, so if they compete this year it must be under Pirelli tyres.

Hawk Kawasaki were going to race last year, but felt it was unfair them having to pay and entry and pay for the tyres as well.........

[SALEEN S7R]

Personally I still feel that WSBK changing to a single tyre rule was a mistake. Sure it might have made the racing a little closer, but it has stopped wild card entries entering the series and spicing things up a little. Yes I know the wild card entries might only be racing with the WSBK boys for 1 or 2 weekends a year but at least they added some variety.

[N I Tram]

Ther's plenty of variety at the front anyway Saleen. In 6 races so far this season we've seen 5 different bikes on the podium, from a variety of riders and teams.

I'd say the most talented guys in WSBK would have to include Corser, Kagayama, Haga, Vermeulen, Neukirchner and Pitt. Toseland would probably fit among that group, although not on 2005 form, while Regis has a big advantage against his rivals in experience in the bike/team stakes, so I'm not sure he's acheived anything beyond what the bike can do.

[chunder]

I have to say I think the control tyre has been nothing but good to be honest!
In my eyes it takes the mickey that Shane Byre could win two WSB races on a year old bike for instance. He is no way a better rider reall than Hodgson,Xaus or Chili etc and it is onl coz the team had two years of previous setup knowledge that they were able to win.
Same as the Japs in Sugo, they used to flood the field and the WSB runners would be scraping the top ten.
In my eyes it takes the focus off the main men. These wild cars already ave their focus, and to take points away is even more annoying.
You can sa that to be the best you should be able to beat anyone but asking a guy with a new team and no set up data to beat a well funded private team with ood riders,tyres and equpiment is always gonna be hard.

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd be inclined to rate Byrne above Hodgson myself, but I lrgely agree with what you're saying. The loss of wildcards is a shame, but not a major deal in my view, especially as there are so may potentially competitive entries full-time.

I stand by what I said about Toseland and Laconi not being spectacular. Regis was always blown out of the water by Troy, but found himself on a private Ducati in 2003 and was hired by a factory team looking to run the season cheaply with no manufacturer rivals otehr than Foggy. Toseland is theoretically the better of the two, improving well with GSE to the point of beating Walker before being taken under Ducati's wing. McCoy and Martin challenged for wins on private Ducatis last year, and they're nowhere with Foggy this year, whcih seems like an injustice.

[chunder]

I am still not sure about McCoy you know, he was gifted the win at PI, and never really looked like winning elsewhere from wat i remember. As for Martin, I founf out recentlthat the DFX bikes were run on a shoestring and a lot of his failures were mech failures werent they so I do rate him, and that can be proved b the fact he has been consistently quicker than Garry so far.
I do agree about Regis though, he is quick and I think has rasied his game, but you do feel that if Bayliss or Edwards were still there or eve Hodge and Xaus, he and JT wouldnt get a look in.