Wsbk 2007

[chunder]

the feud was pretty much over a while ago actually much teh the weekly toilet rolls annoyance no doubt!

I think Whitham, Carl and Neil got together near to Magny Cours and sorted everything out really, it was just Carl playing to the press a bit really.

Same as he did when he was riding!

[Gerben24]

Hannspree, the main sponsor of Ten Kate, have become the official sponsor of the World superbike championship.

Maybe this means that instead of creating rules that favour Ducati, Flammini wil now create rules that favour Honda.

[jhansen]

A third race added to the UK...Donington. Two races in Italy. Only two fly away races. And no US round. World Superbike?

Well, one open date in July, so fingers crossed for a round close to home. I'd love to go to a WSBK round.

http://www.crash.net/news_View~t~Thr...~id~141854.htm

[chunder]

I am wondering why they have done this actually! I know there always used to be a round at Donington but quite why we now tneed three rounds is beyond me really!

I would rather get rid of Silverstone and the worlds worst corner!

But still, I reckon they must have been trying tog et somewhere else new and had DP as a last resort, they know they will get a crowd at least

[jhansen]

I'm hoping for a United States round for personal reasons. Miller Motorsports Park is a possibility, but July would be pretty warm there. So I'm not hopeful. Another thing that surprises me, why is there not a round in Japan?

[Gerben24]

I agree, this is a poor calendar. I've never understood why there have to be so many Italian and Spanish rounds. This year Vallelunga is also a new round. It can't be interesting for the sponsors, being in the same country all the time, allthough the weather is ussually pretty good in Italy and Spain (that can't be said of the UK).

The circuit choise is pretty poor as well as you ask me. There must be a better circuit than Eurospeedway Lausitz in Germany, same for Magny Cours and Valencia.

[BootsOntheSide]

The days of the series racing at Laguna, Sugo and the old Hockenheim seem like a long time ago. A World series shouldn't be racing more than once in 3 countries, especially at a time when MotoGP is striking out into so many developing economies. Perhaps they need to look at getting a race in China or Malaysia, for example?

Also, unless the TBA is filled we have an embarassing 5-week break mid-season, and it can't be attributed to giving teams time with their families in the summer holidays.

[Hazza]

THEY ABSOLOUTLY CANNOT GO TO DONNINGTON!
Because, they'll probably break Steve Hislop's lap record. *cries*

[chunder]

I think the response to the five week break thing is a little harsh really, Gp have had a break mid season for years and its a good time fo teams to test new ideas and for riders to get fit if they are injured.

I dont like the 3 rounds in the UK really, cant see why they couldnt go to say Estoril or Sachsenring instead of Lausitz which is an awful track.

As for Italy, well its an Italian series and we have three Spanish rounds of GP and that series is run by by the Spanish so why are you surprised!

[SALEEN S7R]

3 Rounds does sound like a awful lot of races for 1 country, still im not going to complain too much, might be able to get myself along to at least 1 of the events.

[jhansen]

Well I don't understand how they can call it a world championship with only two fly away races (Qatar and Philip Island). Why do the Japanese manufacturers not get a home race? Not sure China is the way to go, as Moto GP doesn't get much of a draw there. Maybe Sepang. Laguna isn't possible, as their schedule is full for 2007. There are other choices in the U.S. though.

But surely WSBK should be focussing on a broader schedule.

[SALEEN S7R]

Its a world Championship because the series visits 3 continents. At least that is what makes a "World Championship" in FIA regulations.

[Knowlesy]

They should go back to Sugo again! Watching the bikes fly over the crest on the main straight was cool.

I agree jhansen, it should be a bit more global. It's more like a Euroseries really at the moment.

[chunder]

OK then, you find the budgets to do races in Japan, Malaysia, USA, China, Indonesai, Brazil etc.

You ahve to be realistic in looking at championships, F1 MotoGP etc are largely Europe based for that reason.

I know that most of these kind of countries will offer great deals on air freight to go to races but the teams need to be based in Europe for sanity puposes if nothing else.

Its the same with Champ Car and NASCAR is so up its own it wont travel anywhere unless they sell Chevys and Fords!

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chunder

OK then, you find the budgets to do races in Japan, Malaysia, USA, China, Indonesai, Brazil etc.

You ahve to be realistic in looking at championships, F1 MotoGP etc are largely Europe based for that reason.

I know that most of these kind of countries will offer great deals on air freight to go to races but the teams need to be based in Europe for sanity puposes if nothing else.

Its the same with Champ Car and NASCAR is so up its own it wont travel anywhere unless they sell Chevys and Fords!

Moto GP manages a few more fly away races despite being a european based championship. I'm not saying that 50% of the events need to be overseas, but a visit to Japan and North America would be doable.

[chunder]

I just dont think the Flammini need to got there, their campaing in the past few years has been driven by Corona Extra as they ahve backed the series. Because of that, I imagine Corona will have smoe part to play in where the championship visits. Corona are already massive in the US, and teh WSBK hates going to Laguna universally pretty much! And as for Sugo, what team wants to fly half way round the world to get beat by a load of blokes who can ride round Sugo blindfolded! Mind you I cant imagine any of the Jap teasm being keen on running Pirellis!

It all about marketing I am afraid my man and the US and Japan dont figure at all!

[Gerben24]

I dont think Corona is sponsoring the World Superbike anymore, it is Hannspree now. As they are a young company, I wouldn't be surprised if they want to set foot on the US market. Still, the sponsor might have some influence in the calendar, it is still Flamini making the decision of where to race.

As for Sugo, I don't think Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki would mind to race there, to beat Ducati. Trouble is that none of the above have an official factory team in WSBK. The above teams get parts from the factory, but I dont think the factories pay the transport bills.

A couple of years ago the BSB riders beat the WSB riders fair and square. So if more BSB teams would ride on Bridgestones and they would enter as wildcards, they would still mix it with the frontrunners in WSB. Still there are 3 rounds in England, so that cant be a reason not to go to Japan.

I dont know what kind of budgets we're talking about in WSBK and how feasible it is to have races in other continents, still in my opinion Flamini should be helping out with transport bills.

It's all about marketing, but this marketing plan doesn't make a lot of sense.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by chunder

I just dont think the Flammini need to got there, their campaing in the past few years has been driven by Corona Extra as they ahve backed the series. Because of that, I imagine Corona will have smoe part to play in where the championship visits. Corona are already massive in the US, and teh WSBK hates going to Laguna universally pretty much! And as for Sugo, what team wants to fly half way round the world to get beat by a load of blokes who can ride round Sugo blindfolded! Mind you I cant imagine any of the Jap teasm being keen on running Pirellis!

It all about marketing I am afraid my man and the US and Japan dont figure at all!

Fair couple of points. But keep in mind, Laguna is not an option anyway. To be more clear, even if WSBK wanted to they couldn't race at Laguna this year. Laguna is only allowed five unrestricted noise dates per year. They already have that booked for 2007. Not to mention, the Laguna promoter and the WSBK people aren't exactly friendly. But there are a couple of options elsewhere.

As the calender stands now, the first two races are fly away races that are paired together to ease travel costs. A U.S. date and a Japan date could be similarly paired together at another point in the championship.

I find it interesting that some are so against the series expanding.

[gomick]

they could go to japan the week before or after the phillip island round if they wanted....

[chunder]

As I keep saying, the wont go to Japan coz the wildcards cant ride on Pirellis!

Thats maybe why they dont wanna race in the US aswell, the wild cards swell the entry reemmeber and must pay to race so must be good to go there.

[gomick]

and how many wild cards race at phillip island....

[Hazza]

Originally Posted by gomick

and how many wild cards race at phillip island....

That doesn't count, we have races on at the same time, remember? And because any rider worth his salt is doing "The Double" you'd have to "Do the triple".

Anyway, Joshifumi Brooks won a SS race a few years back as a wildcard iirc...

[GtiMagic]

WSBK2007 to be a battle of the Troy's and me thinks Corser will get the better of the new Champ in the ensuing mind games. Bring it on....

Oh, and Biaggi to occasionally shine but will mean little when he is dull for the remainder!

[racer69]

Regarding races in America & Japan, a timely article from Dennis Noyes?

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto...perbike/34774/

[gordonp]

And I am sure another matter is possible gate recipts, all these guys do this for the money and not the glory.
Donnington in April would not have been my choice but I am sure they would like to have a go at Silverstone and have the option of the UK's second circuit for this series.
Lets hope we will have mild weather at that time of the year