WSB and BSB 2020

[chrisb]

now, I know I am in the greater minority when it comes to motorbike racing but I will hopefully continue to post, mainly as I do get a real buzz when these two series start, which is this weekend, WSB in Australia and that magnificent Phillip Island circuit, 

there is a real excitement in WSB this year, in fact I cannot recollect this level of enthusiasm for this series since King Carl's days, Scott up against the master rider Johnny but complicated by the resurgence of Yamaha, with three very very good riders and they are already showing their teeth, Honda with it's new baby and with the diminutive Bautista leading the way, amongst so many others, in the WSS more refugees from MOTOGP and that is really shaping up very well, so looking forward to a cracking season in WSB 

[chrisb]

what an incredible race, or races, certainly WSB is living up to it's expectations , however this dreadful pandemic is going to have a drastic and deadly effect on the world, and motor sport will be a casualty

[charleselan]

Unfortunately I was away from home and missed the races, currently looking out for some recordings to download. I have seen the clip on YouTube that showed the final laps of race three which was pretty epic stuff. Hopefully Rea will have some competition this year although would seem that the Ducati's have been hobbled a bit, and yet again Scott's size is working against him. Jeez does all forms of motor sport have to be dominated by midgets.

One can now look back and see how Dan Gurney must have been handicapped in the 1.5 litre days, still didn't stop the great man winning a few though.

[chrisb]

terribly so, it was the 50's when size didn't matter in motor car racing, but subsequently in motor bikes - you know JC I am going to have to check that one out, as I cannot remember the size of the 500cc riders, I saw Fast Freddie one year at Race Retro and he seemed 'average size'

Dan must have felt awfully exposed in the Brabham and Porsche's no roll bar would have been big enough, but it says so much about him that I cannot recollect Dan ever making comment about it? did he?


but the races all 3 of them were spot on, can only see this getting bigger and more followed, and I wouldn't mind betting Dorna will keep a firm eye on its popularity and wonder, maybe if Scott goes onto win the championship perhaps we need to get him back into MGP

[charleselan]

I believe that most of the 500cc racers in the 1950/60's were reasonably sized guys Chris. Mike Hailwood and Phil Read were pretty normal sized men, as were many others. In fact I seem to remember that Bill Ivy was looked upon as quite unique in being small of stature.

You are right of course about the chaps racing the front engined GP cars in the 1950's, many were even somewhat portly in stature as well as big guys.

I did manage to watch the WSBK highlights program on Uk ITV4 last evening but it was very sketchy jumping from one part of the race to the next, one asks where was the continuity most of the time. The racing however was outstanding and if that carries on for the rest of the season then DORNA might try sabotaging the series once more. I have to say that Alec Lowes rode one of the most impressive rides I have seen from him, I hope he really challenges Rea in the same team this year, he looks up for it.

Scott was strong and consistent which seems to be his game plan this year. He says that the tyres are an issue for him as he is having to learn a completely new type yet again, but as with BSB last season he won't take long to understand their wear characteristics.

Interestingly i saw a comment on another site earlier this year where a chap suggested that Ducati could run Johan Zarco and Scott in the MotoGP team in 2021, nice idea but I do not see that happening. I think that Scott harbours thoughts of returning to MotoGP but it would have to be the correct package for him to even entertain that idea.

[chrisb]

Yea I guess Barry Sheene wasn't small nor was most of the Americans and Aussies, maybe when it became a Spanish/ Italian series their stature was reduced,

Lowes for me was the star of the weekend, he was quick and took it to Johnny, Scott was clever and bided his time, astute racing, 

I know either Dall'lgna or Ciabatti are supposed to be big Scott fans, so maybe given the support Zarco is getting this from the factory this may not be as fanceable as some may say, provided Scott wins the championship

[charleselan]

Yes, Baz was of normal size and what about Will Hartog he was a lanky chap from that era.

Of course Rossi isn't small either, so I wonder if that actually plays against him even in his dotage.

I was impressed with quite a few of those guys at Phillip Island as well as Alec Lowes, they all rode really well. Leon Haslam was going well on the new Fireblade which augers well for the rest of the season. I thought Rea was whining a bit too much after race three when he said everyone was following him, one would have thought that someone as good as him could have just dropped back and waited.

Going back to MotoGP I feel in hindsight that Ducati made a big mistake in promoting Petrucci over Scott. I have no dislike of Petrucci he is a decent guy but his talent has plateaued whereas Scott has more potential. Now Scott has gelled with a quality race engineer that believes in him which will transform him as a rider, every rider has to have that kind of relationship to be a success.

[chrisb]

we have racing! go Scott go, back at Jerez for the 3rd weekend in a row brings the WSB, dominated by the Brits, strange but true, really looking forward to this series, although apparently they have cancelled the UK round, which is a major disappointment as I was poised to purchase a ticket, but ce la vie I have my BSB ticket and a very good hotel deal for Donington in August

In WSB there are so many in with a chance - this could be the best year for many a period, Johnny, Scott, Alex, the Honda's the Kawa's all really looking competitive,

[chrisb]

great practice so far, and not far off MotoGP times at Jerez, Scott is looking good, the Kawa's, the Yams and the Honda's also look good, shaping up to be one very competitive season,

gutted, disappointed but sanguine, ce la vie Donington has made BSB spectator free which means a refund for my ticket and cancelled hotel, gutted

[charleselan]

Brilliant Super Pole this morning; Scott on pole with a blistering lap and eight tenths quicker than his team mate Chaz Davies and the other Ducati's even further back. Top three mere thousands of a second apart with Scott; Johnny and Tom so close and the diversity of machine heartening.

Very hot at Jerez yet again, where the blazes is this heat coming from, of course there is no global warming!

[charleselan]

Right now I am not in a good mood thanks to the inaccurate WSBK web site and the timetable for this weekends racing, After watching Super Pole I checked to see if there was a race today and there was nothing on the timetable only WSS. I was under the illusion that there are races on a Saturday but thought OK current circumstances maybe they have changed.

Just found out there was and Scott has brilliantly beaten Johnny Rea in yet another ride so reminiscent of the great Barry Sheene. Playing a tactical waiting game and then making his move, majestic . Mr Rea now has his hands full I think. Good recovery ride by Chas Davies to finish fourth.

[chrisb]

JC, share that sentiment re website, I had to go through Eursport to find the times and spotted the race in amongst it, it was a great race, Scott was very impressive, his overtake on the fromg two was described as 'rude' but not nasty or ruthless and he rode brilliantly, as did Chas, so what is this nonsence Ducati's don't go well at Jerez?

Alex wasn't impressive and Leon was ok to begin with then dropped back, today is going to be mighty,

[charleselan]

A great weekend for Scott with two wins and a second place. The main race on Sunday afternoon was a dominant affair where he swept past Johnny Rae early on and then controlled from the front. Great to see Chaz get a really good ride under his belt again with a  strong second to Scott in main race three.

I firmly believe that Scott would have won the short Sunday morning race but he was held up badly by a somewhat difficult Toprak whose defence was questionable, but no complaints from Scott just placed in the memory banks for next time.

Somewhat annoying again that my supplier of streaming only provided the Fox transmission whose commentators are seriously irritating, I believe that they do the Eurosport commentary when Jack & James are doing BSB. Very angry to find that J & J were actually doing the UK Eurosport commentary which I came across later on YouTube.

I really am sick to death of these adolescent sounding lead commentators that media companies are employing these days, where the blazes are the real men?

[chrisb]

t'was a great weekend, James really likes this circuit and his inter-action with Jack is head and shoulders above anyone else, they really do make everyone look so amateurish it is quite embarrassing. I made the mistake of annoying James once by saying the same as you JC on twitter with led James to defend the adolescent screaming nasal ones, I don't know JC why they use these excitable people, the racing is sufficiently exciting - it doesn't need further encouragement

[Carl]

Aug 3, 2020 21:03:48 GMT chrisb said:

t'was a great weekend, James really likes this circuit and his inter-action with Jack is head and shoulders above anyone else, they really do make everyone look so amateurish it is quite embarrassing. I made the mistake of annoying James once by saying the same as you JC on twitter with led James to defend the adolescent screaming nasal ones, I don't know JC why they use these excitable people, the racing is sufficiently exciting - it doesn't need further encouragement

I believe networks see race fans as idiots who'd drift into a stupor unless yelled at and so stupid we wouldn't know real drama from ballyhoo.