2005 World Superbike Champion?

[x_dt]

2005 WSBK entry list now published:
http://www.superbike.it/news.asp?p_M...&p_newsId=9496

Undeniably it looks like the best season in a few years. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are all potential title contenders, as should Ducati be (but will they be up against it with strong V4 competition?)

[SALEEN S7R]

Yukio Kagayama.

[gomick]

troy corser - needs to be a 2-time world champ - or andrew pitt. or chris vermuelen

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd say Vermuelen's the obvious favourite, considering the progress Ten Kate made in their first season. I'd expect to see Haga, Toseland, Chili and Corser finish among the top 5 in some order.

[D.R.T.]

Corser, I'll even go as far to say he is Championship favourite.

Big Call, I know but sometimes they have to be made

[asha]

i voted Haga just because.. although Corser is semtimental fav in my book

Any news on weather channel 10 australia is picking superbikes up again this year?

[Airhead]

Corser is the setimental favourite I agree. Also agree that Vermuelen on the Ten Kate Honda is the obvious favourite results wise,

[luke]

I voted James Toseland.

[racer69]

World Supersport Championship entry is out as well:
(courtesy of http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=5&nid=104444)

#3 Jürgen Van Den Goorbergh NED Team Ducati Selmat
#11 Kevin Curtain AUS Yamaha Motor Germany
#12 Javier Fores ESP Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra
#14 Andrea Berta ITA Team Ducati Selmat
#15 Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Lightspeed Kawasaki
#16 Sébastien Charpentier FRA Winston Ten Kate Honda
#21 Katsuaki Fujiwara JPN Winston Ten Kate Honda
#23 Broc Parkes AUS Yamaha Motor Germany
#24 tba MOTO1 - Suzuki
#25 Tatu Lauslehto FIN Team Klaffi Honda
#tba Jarno Jansen NED Jarno Jansen Racing Suzuki
#tba Barry Veneman NED Jarno Jansen RacingSuzuki
#30 Alessandro Antonello ITA Team Kawasaki Bertocchi
#tba tba MOTO1 - Suzuki
#45 Sébastien LeGrelle BEL Team le Grelle DHOLDA in Action Honda
#48 David Garcia ESP Team Lightspeed Kawasaki
#tba Julien Enjolras FRA Tati Team Beaujolais Racing Yamaha
#58 Tomas Miksovsky CZE Intermoto Czech Rep. Honda
#59 Pawel Szkopek CZE Intermoto Czech Rep. Honda
#69 Gianluca Nannelli ITA Team Caracchi Ducati
#72 Stefan Folkesson SWE Stiggy Motorsports Honda
#84 Michel Fabrizio GER Team Italia Megabike Honda
#95 Eli Chen ISR IRT Honda Israel
#96 tba IRT Honda Israel
#99 Fabien Foret FRA Team Megabike Honda
#116 Johan Stigefelt SWE Stiggy Motorsports Honda

[gomick]

seems thin that supersport list - i expect the Ten Kate Honda's, Yamaha Motor Germany's & jurgen vdg to fight it out...

[gomick]

take that back - add in the Team Megabike Honda's too

[Hazza]

Where's Gary on the poll?!? That FP1 has just been sandbagging!

Jokes aside - Corser. But if Gary wins, I told you so.

[Dani Filth]

Laconi ..

[Knowlesy]

I'd say Vermeulen. The dark horses for me will be Haga and Corser.

If laconi wins it, I'll buy you his winning Ducati, Dani!

[N I Tram]

Dani, I trust yu've bookmarked this page just in case!

My tip would be either Vermuelen or Corser. Toseland's facing a tough challenge to defend the title, and to be hoenst I'm surprised Ducati didn't try to bring in a bigger name to help them.

[Pitbabe]

Heart says Toseland, head says Vermuelen, so that's who I voted for. Never let it be said I was a sucker for a pretty face!

[BootsOntheSide]

Interesting point about Toseland and Laconi staying at Ducati - in theory Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha all have at least 2 riders above the standard of the Ducati duo, whereas Hodgson is doing a lonely and potentially-fruitless job in the US. It doesn't seem to make sense.

[racer69]

Ducati were between a rock and a hard place when it came to Superbikes this year, on the one hand they said they wanted established riders rather, but in the same breath said they wanted continuity and not chopping and changing............

If Eric Bostrom gets his stuff together on Dunlop's he'll be up there with Hodgson this year, but in America, and running the 999s on Dunlop's (when the factory only has data from running Michelin's and Pirelli's), they're almost wasting their time.

If the 2005 Suzuki is as good as i keep hearing, it's quite possible that they may end up with the 3 major SBK championships this year, the World Series, Britain and America.

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

I'd say Vermeulen. The dark horses for me will be Haga and Corser.

If laconi wins it, I'll buy you his winning Ducati, Dani!

we'll see about that .

[Alan]

I've voted Toseland but I have a feeling about Kagayama doing well.

[chunder]

Think Corser is going to be the man, he knws the racks superbly, has plenty of pirelli experience now and is gonna be on a really good bike, not sure about Kag, he ahs a lot to learn with the tyres and tracks but he proved that he could win in his first year in BSB so who knows.
Gonna also be interesting to see if Ducati get there arse in gear and develop that bike as it was the best all rounder but perhaps not the quickest in a rather weak field last year.
Poor old Foggy by the way, no hope!

[DavidStHubbins]

I voted Vermeulen, he is a class act and very cool in his manner like Rossi. I remember him racing in the UK when he was but a sprig of a bab. Next stop MotoGP I reckon.

[the man]

I believe it will be a close battle throughout the year. I would like haga to win just because he likes to hang the bike out. But i reckon that it will be Corser, Vermuelen or the ducati pair fighting it out for the championship.

[N I Tram]

Chris does have a certain manner about him, similarly to Rossi. He's extremely self-assured and very hard-working and likable. I can see him getting to MotoGP within a couple of years and perhaps pushing for that title within a few years.

[x_dt]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Yukio Kagayama.

Somehow I overlooked him...

Based on what we've seen so far he has to be considered a leading championship contender.