WSB and BSB 2020

[charleselan]

Unfortunately I was unable to get any stream at all for last weekends BSB meeting at Snetterton which is getting very annoying, not that I should feel that way as they are free .

I see that there were three different winners with Christian Iddon getting his first and long overdue victory; Josh Brooks and Glen Irwin winning the two other races. Glen now leads the championship and really does look like the old version of G. Irwin that was so impressive a few years ago. His brother continues to be a bit of an idiot and yet again was involved in another coming together with another rider, Brad Ray, this time. Another penalty handed out to Andrew on top of the Donington penalty, surely about time he had a race ban which might bring him to his senses.

[chrisb]

John, I use Eurosport which is about £6 a month, which I consider pretty good value,

I was really pleased for Christian who comes across very well, but as you say Glen is looking impressive as is the Honda, but Andrew I fear for either him or someone else, he is just too reckless, he was lucky last year that Scott didn't slap him he really is not a clever rider - Following the MacKenzie boys and Taylor was disappointed having to retire twice, and Tarron reckons they are getting closer

its WSB this weekend, and it should be marvellous, am away for a few days in the Welsh hills so will look forward to this when I get back

[charleselan]

WSB from Aragon this weekend. The Kawasaki's are looking strong today (Friday) but Scott is very close in FP2, just building up.

Should be a great weekends racing so hoping to be able to get some decent streams to view the action.

[chrisb]

thought both Chas and Scott looked good, Chas in the first and Scott in the second session, but Johnny looked impressive as did Alex, should be a good race, didn't realise Carmaleto owned the circuit though, that was interesting, some great banter with James and an ever improving Greg Haines, whittling on about stonewalling - literally building stone walls in the Yorkshire Dales, brilliant - thoroughly enjoyable and worth the money just for that

[charleselan]

Firstly thank you Chris for giving me the advice about joining Eurosport, after some frustration this afternoon I took the plunge and paid for a year subscription which was really excellent at £39.99. I even managed to catch the end of race one in HD quality, I am now set for some enjoyable viewing.

Brilliant ride by both Scott and Chas, both were hugely impressive, Scott doing the business in winning even though things were not perfect with the bike; and Chas rode exceptionally well to come through from 9th grid spot to finish right on Scott's tail.

Greg Haines is doing an excellent job as lead commentator and working very well with James Whitham, at last a decent younger commentator has emerged.

[charleselan]

Some excellent racing on Sunday with Johnny Rae taking both the short sprint race and the race three victories. Cannot understand Ducati's thinking in putting a hard front tyre on Scott's bike for race three, surely should have kept the same settings as Saturday. The bike had no front end grip at all and would not turn into the corners so forth was a good result in the end, but unsatisfactory.

The Eurosport team back in the studio were fulsome in their praise for Johnny who rode well, but they did make far too much of the Ducati's straight line speed, which was quick, however there was little doubt that the Kawasaki was way better in the twisty stuff especially in Rae's hands.

A good second place for Chas Davies in race three so hopefully he has finally turn d the corner with the V4, and that news Honda Fireblade looks ominously impressive already with Alvaro's third place in Race three. It also looks very quick on the straight as well, in fact it had the fastest terminal speed of any bike.

[chrisb]

haven't see the races as yet but we are in for a sense of deja vu, with their return this weekend, just been reading that Scott was not happy with his result in the 3rd race - finishing 4th was just not good enough, think he may well be in for a treple this weekend,

good to see Chas back up there - but Johnny seems to have raised his game again, not sure about the Yamaha's but the Honda's are starting to look mean and lean, 

[charleselan]

Over the past weekend we were treated to three major motorcycle race meetings; MotoGP; WSB & BSB. All of which were difficult to follow as some were timed to run at a similar hour of the day. I am fortunate in that I have two large screen computers running in my office, so therefore I can view two races at the same time.

All of the racing was good with BSB being outstanding, however the thing that really stood out for me was being able to compare all three race circuits. In fact there was no comparison as the meeting at Oulton Park for BSB just illustrated the difference between a truly outstanding historic track and the boring and bland glorified Kart Tracks that hosted both MotoGP and WSB.

With respect to the racing it was so good to see Aussie Jason O'Halloran finally win this year and not only once but twice, two beautifully ridden races. Also delighted to see Christian Iddon get three runner up places over the weekend with strong rides in all of the races. Finally Josh Brookes got it together and won the last race of the weekend with a faultless run from flag to flag, shadowed all the way by team mate Iddon.

WSB at one of my least favourite circuits, in fact I dislike the venue, and the results were mixed. Three different winners but so good to se Chas Davies finally win in a style that has not been seen from him for some time. Scott was not strong all weekend and it is hard now to see him challenge Johnny Rae for the championship.

One thing that has been made apparent in all three championships is the factor that tyre design is influencing the racing. The tyres being made available in all of the championships and although totally different for each series have major impact on how riders perform. The design and construction of the tyres suit some riders and in others they do not which really does give a false narrative; making some riders look like clowns when we know that they are most certainly not.

[chrisb]

Yes John, I was trying to juggle all that was happening, I have a Lenovo lap top that microsoft updates and causes me no end of problems with resetting the wi fi adaptor, whatever the hell that is, in my terms it means it keeps not working, whereas my Imac works great, Eurosport have improved their access a great deal and so I can watch earlier races, but it was a juggling act,

I thought it interesting that Scott, Tommy and Josh last year seemed to have a distinct advantage over the field whereas this year it seems much more open and competitive. Jason's wins were good , shame about Tarron, thought he would be higher up, but BSB is still brilliant and the commentary is simply so good and the gentle banter is worth a ticket alone. 

WSB has for me seen Jonathon ride even better than previously, it is looking likely he will be champion again, but I have just read Scotts appraisal of the situation and he will keep trying until it is impossible.

MotoGP, has seen some brilliant stuff, some indifferent and some awful, Marquez is getting close to returning and that will be interesting,

I do think the single tyre suppliers has brought its own problems, and having your season dictated to by tyre manufacturers choices is a bit rich,

[chrisb]

WSB is back at Magny Course - should be interesting, with Jonathon poised for his 6th world championship and Scott ready to go for it and the weather forecast is not a good

[charleselan]

Hopefully the weather will not be too bad this weekend for both WSB & BSB. It was pretty wild here last night in northern France but has calmed down a bit now, so it may be OK.

Can't see Jonathan loosing now to be honest, he is strong at Magny Cours and Scott hasn't been there before either.

BSB is going to be right old scrap I feel, but should be really good and on the GP circuit as well.

[chrisb]

Just watching the 2nd practice at Magny, wow that is extremely wet and yup JR is the man, although at the stage I am watching Scott with 20 odd minutes to go get up to 3rd, but given Scotts abilities in the wet why would anyone be surprised? especially with the very quick Chaz down in 13th, but they are earning their money this weekend,

BSB, sees Brooks quickest ahead of the Irwin's, with the MacKenzie's way down, very disappointed - it is on Quest this weekend and given the weekend forecast I don't think I will either be playing golf or going out on the bike which may dictate my weekend

[charleselan]

Early Saturday afternoon and both WSB & BSB meetings are having very wet weather, the BSB race looks as though it is being deferred until Sunday as the track conditions are terrible. They currently sit on the grid at Magny Cours but it is pouring down. We sit somewhere in between and it is very cool but dry, strange.

[charleselan]

Well that was one very wet and miserable weekend at both racing venues, that long hot summer seems a long way off now.

Johnny Rae is now all set to wrap up his 6th World Championship but at least with an excellent race three victory Scott has made him have to wait until Estoril in two weeks time. It was obviously great to see Scott win race three in style after a difficult weekend when he could not get a handle on the unfamiliar Pirelli wet tyres, that is until that last race.

It is obvious that Johnny is a great superbike rider and champion but he has a great team around him with a bike tailored to his needs. There were a huge amount of eulogies being handed out by the Eurosport team all weekend to Johnny but standing back we are not comparing apples with apples when they say he is the greatest of all time in this category. The bikes are very different now, as are the circuits many of which in past decades were infinitely more challenging and I would say that the competition in some eras past were stronger.

Over the Sunday afternoon it was also noticeable that the "studio team" at Eurosport were getting very carried away with how Scott was coming up short, until someone said hang on a minute this guy is new to the championship and everything in it and in fact he has been Rae's strongest challenger in all his championship years.

To me it is obvious that the Ducati is along with the Honda the fastest bike on the straights but it is nowhere near as well balanced as the Kawasaki, or Yamaha's come to that. The Kawasaki's electronics are also way better and this is where that bike excels. The Ducati is not the bike it was at the beginning of 2019 and it needs a lot of work to make it a season long challenger.

One final thing, I have mentioned this before but it irritates me more and more and that it Matt Roberts continual failure to pronounce Scott's name correctly, it ain't Reddin, it is Redding. How the hell would you like your surname to be spoken as Robert, Matt! Learn to sound the "G" son.

[chrisb]

och wasn't the weather dreadful? I was supposed to be playing golf Saturday and out on the bike Sunday, needless to say Eurosport was heaving involved in my weekend instead.

WSB- Johnny is an incredible rider and would have been a winner in MotoGP of that I have no doubt, and totally agree John he had built up a great team and Kawasaki have responded very well, I am also liking how Alex is riding, I think he has done a very good job in his first season with this team, now, Scott and thankfully Chas as well - and isn't that a brilliant photo of Scott hugging Chas at the end of the third race in the paddock - that is just brilliant, Johnny has done a great job and is rightly praised, compared with Foggy? or Troy not so sure, I don't think Johnny compares himself with these great champions but he has recognised he has real competition this year, although Bautista was pretty impressive to begin with last year I just felt Johnny knew he would beat him, I don't get that same sense against Scott, he is definetly wary of Scott and rightly so, it is his first year on this beast and I for one think he really has taken the game to Johnny and it is not liked and in all fairness to Johnny he has raised his game, roll on next year

BSB- oh gosh I so wanted to be there, that ached, great racing, some impressive overtaking and some less than impressive riding, driver of the day, Gino Rea - brilliant - so pleased for him

John, I can totally resonate, my surname is with an 'e' and no 's' and the number of times people cannot get there heads around that is shall we say 'irritating' however they do tend to remember when told that after 60 odd year I know how to spell my bleep bleep name, that seems to stop that