WorldSBK 2022

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by justracing

Difficult to practice that manoeuvre!

Agreed, but most of the top riders do motocross to keep fit and I know that riding/driving on a loose and sometimes wet surface hones your skills. It did for me on four wheels as well as two. Living in the sticks we had access to fields/motorbikes/old banger cars from an early age

[merak1974]

I am happy to see that the season may not be a simple walk over for Mr. Rea... Great racing!

[Dani Filth]

he's still favorite as he's always there or there about .. when he's getting beaten is usually not the same guy in front.

[S griffin]

Even when he's not winning, he's usually on the podium, so he'll keep on banging in the results. Still what a save in R1. Nice to see Rinaldi get the wins and Toprak is at least keeping Rea honest

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by merak1974

I am happy to see that the season may not be a simple walk over for Mr. Rea... Great racing!

If Donington was anything to go by, the season could get very interesting indeed. Toprak for the 2021 riders championship or is he too inexperienced to put together a full season campaign like Rea can?

[cg7aa]

There's still live in this championship! Superbikes race 1 from Most is well worth watching.

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by cg7aa

There's still live in this championship! Superbikes race 1 from Most is well worth watching.

All three races in Most were great!... and the championship has regained some must needed excitement

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by merak1974

All three races in Most were great!... and the championship has regained some must needed excitement

I couldn't agree more! Fabulous racing all round. They should go to new circuits more often.

[justracing]

Scott didn't like being eased to one side in the 2nd race! Good racing from all, so surprised to see that double off by Rea. Another change of circuit coming up in 2 weeks at Navarra.

[S griffin]

Nice to see a proper old school circuit on the calendar. Really weird seeing Rea making quite a few mistakes, it’s meant Rags has regained some ground he lost at Assen after being taken out by his team mate at the start. And Redding isn’t quite out of it at this stage either

[Mike E]

I don't really follow bike racing but this seems... surprising.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/new...-40766630.html

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I don't really follow bike racing but this seems... surprising.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/new...-40766630.html

He probably already has a driving licence though

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I don't really follow bike racing but this seems... surprising.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/new...-40766630.html

Yes he is not alone as several bike racers have been like that for years, also I remember that there used to be a riders age cut off point on a licence for racing motorcycles in the UK and the applicants used to take a few years off their birth year when applying initially.
I don't know if there is still an age limit ?

[justracing]

The rumour mill keeps turning, following a double win at Navarra along with 2nd in the third race, Scott Redding has officially announced his departure for the BMW squad for next year leaving Tom Sykes without a ride although there is a strong suspicion that he and Chas Davies will be heading up the Honda team next year. The points table has Toprak and J Rea level and Scott R just 38 points adfrift, if Redding's run of form continues we could have 3 way battle at the top.

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by justracing

The rumour mill keeps turning, following a double win at Navarra along with 2nd in the third race, Scott Redding has officially announced his departure for the BMW squad for next year leaving Tom Sykes without a ride although there is a strong suspicion that he and Chas Davies will be heading up the Honda team next year. The points table has Toprak and J Rea level and Scott R just 38 points adfrift, if Redding's run of form continues we could have 3 way battle at the top.

I thought Scott rode fantastically well at Navarra, talk about digging deep. Overall, the racing has been really good this year but I'm beginning to wonder if the works Kawasaki in the hands of Rea at least is now at its limit. Time for a review of this perhaps:

https://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/202...eason+unveiled

It's interesting to hear the criticism of the performance of the second riders at the Kawasaki and Ducati works teams but maybe their performances (compared to their leading team mates) are a truer reflection of where the bikes actually are i.e. they are difficult to ride and stay on for mere mortals. If you want to extract a Rea or Redding speed out, you need to be a bit special and even then it goes wrong sometimes. Safer to collect the points for the manufacturers title than push and fall trying to keep up with the top trio and fall off.

[hoffman66]

Bautusta has been embarrassingly garbage since getting on the Honda, he took a big pay cheque to go there and has been pathetic in my eyes, and is now cap in hand back to where he came, damn shame as I liked him in his GP career, but in typical ex GP rider fashion he thinks he is something special, which he was for about half a season, then the money came and he became rubbish.

Shows a lot about his personality sadly.

[S griffin]

Alvaro has lost the plot. A couple of years ago he looked like he was on the way to the title, then mid season he threw away a nice healthy lead and Rea was able to cruise to another title

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Alvaro has lost the plot. A couple of years ago he looked like he was on the way to the title, then mid season he threw away a nice healthy lead and Rea was able to cruise to another title

Well, I'm not sure about Rea cruising to another title that year, I would say he and his team worked hard to reclaim the title from a seemingly impossible position. If they had just given up, I daresay the gap Alvaro built up may have been insurmountable despite his mid-season woes.

[S griffin]

Was a great weekend of racing between Toprak and Johnny, what a shame Kawasaki had to make a protest against Toprak for what was a very minor infringement. Left a sour taste in the mouth

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Was a great weekend of racing between Toprak and Johnny, what a shame Kawasaki had to make a protest against Toprak for what was a very minor infringement. Left a sour taste in the mouth

Superbike race 2 is a must watch! As you say, shame about the politics post-race. Not at all classy. Why do some teams management resort to this sort of tactic, it diminishes them but then I guess they don't care.

[Dani Filth]

if one point wins them the championship .. they'll do it
anyway .. i'm off at Barcelona this weekend for the WSBK races
the weather at the moment looks a bit "humid" but not cold
hope for some good racing

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by cg7aa

Superbike race 2 is a must watch! As you say, shame about the politics post-race. Not at all classy. Why do some teams management resort to this sort of tactic, it diminishes them but then I guess they don't care.

I thought Denning's response to the protest and penalty was quite well done and shows he is prepared to give as good as he gets

[merak1974]

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

if one point wins them the championship .. they'll do it
anyway .. i'm off at Barcelona this weekend for the WSBK races
the weather at the moment looks a bit "humid" but not cold
hope for some good racing

Well, you could not have asked for more action and suspension, could you?

[Dani Filth]

it was quite nice racing . in all classes

[justracing]

Incredibly close racing in Barcelona, Toprak easing away from Rea in one of the most competitive championships. Several Brits coming away from the weekend feeling pretty secondhand and Kawasaki scratching their heads.