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Post by Carl on Jun 14, 2021 17:31:23 GMT
It would be good see Dominic on the Honda next year as surely they can’t keep faith with their existing lineup What a brilliant win for Maria so pleased for her so annoyed for Tom Some real concerns about Donington as have tickets booked and a hotel arranged and the following weekend at knockhill for the bsb so really will be gutted Chris I do hope that things improve in the UK and you get to Donington for the WSB round and then on up to Knockhill for BSB, that is something you have been looking forward to so much. I think Domi would be an excellent choice for Honda next year, but it is just my own speculation, but who knows. You mentioned earlier about the lack of British riders in WSS, and it is worrying that there are none this year. Danny Webb was there last year with James Toseland running the team but nothing this year. Personally I think that young Rory Skinner should have gone, in fact he should have ben snapped up by a top team as hew as incredible last year in British Supersport. However Rory seems to have stepped up to BSB instead, maybe they see a career path from there to WSB. I hope motorcycle racing in general stays in good shape for you two great enthusiasts. I don't really understand how it ebbed and then disappeared in America, but currently motorcycle road racing barely exists beyond the poorly organized and shambolic. |
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Post by Carl on Jun 14, 2021 17:56:04 GMT
It would be good see Dominic on the Honda next year as surely they can’t keep faith with their existing lineup What a brilliant win for Maria so pleased for her so annoyed for Tom Some real concerns about Donington as have tickets booked and a hotel arranged and the following weekend at knockhill for the bsb so really will be gutted Chris, I hope your plans for Donington and Knockhill occur as smoothly as John Surtees in the saddle and you have a great time at both events!
-Carl
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Post by chrisb on Jun 15, 2021 6:50:01 GMT
thanks Carl - we await further announcements, I also wanted to go to a local car race meeting at Croft, and wonder if that is going to happen, it's a nice little circuit in the NE of England about 3/4 hour from Durham in a car and 15 minutes when I am on the bike, traffic reasons of course....account for the difference in speed, oops time
That is a really good point Carl, why did it disappear in countries like the UK, Australia and the USA?, and then get a bit more attention, the Aussies are looking good with two riders in MotoGP at the sharp end as well, and the Americans are showing good signs in a number of categories and have potential winners in most categories, however, I am not sure that they will ever climb the same mountains as the previous stars - in the UK I am not convinced that in MotoGP we will ever see another Baza or Mike the Bike winning championships and I can see our future in WSB diminishing as well, with no riders in WSS - however we still have the top 2 riders in WSB so that isn't going to happen for a time.
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Post by charleselan on Jul 4, 2021 12:42:20 GMT
This weekend sees the British round from Donington Park and Chris is one of a lucky 4000 to be allowed in to watch the meeting. Very difficult weather conditions all weekend with dramatically changing conditions.
Saturday's race one produced a win for Toprak which some are likening to Ayrton Senna's legendary European GP drive all those years ago. He came from 17th on the grid to second on the first lap and then took multiple world champion Johnny Rea for the lead on the second lap and was never challenged again.
The short sprint Pole Race earlier on Sunday was another win for Rea in drying conditions when all but Scott Redding ran in Intermediate tyres, Scott choosing full wets. The Ducati's have been truly awful all weekend and it is a shame that the guys on Eurosport UK have not really explained this when making a great deal of others who are on much better suited machinery. It doesn't matter how good a rider is if the machinery is not performing then what can they do against others on much better packages.
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Post by Carl on Jul 5, 2021 4:36:17 GMT
This weekend sees the British round from Donington Park and Chris is one of a lucky 4000 to be allowed in to watch the meeting. Very difficult weather conditions all weekend with dramatically changing conditions. Saturday's race one produced a win for Toprack which some are likening to Ayrton Senna's legendary European GP drive all those years ago. He came from 17th on the grid to second on the first lap and then took multiple world champion Johnny Rea for the lead on the second lap and was never challenged again. The short sprint Pole Race earlier on Sunday was another win for Rea in drying conditions when all but Scott Redding ran in Intermediate tyres, Scott choosing full wets. The Ducati's have been truly awful all weekend and it is a shame that the guys on Eurosport UK have not really explained this when making a great deal of others who are on much better suited machinery. It doesn't matter how good a rider is if the machinery is not performing then what can they do against others on much better packages. John, I hope Chris enjoyed ideal gaps in the weather with most of the drama either very early or late while he slept and relaxed in his hotel.
Wow! What an astonishing ride by Toprak Razgatlioglu!!
-Carl
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Post by chrisb on Jul 5, 2021 12:23:00 GMT
Chris thoroughly enjoyed the weekend thanks Carl it was just so good to see live motor bike racing again and my word was it exciting and entertaining albeit with a lot of disappointment, however, I was going to go on the bike but after deliberation and discussion took the car, a very wise decision as I drove home in what can only be described as monsoon conditions, aquaplaning several times and having other adventures, a footnote to this was the discovery of a slow puncture this morning and the psi was about 1.5 instead of 2.5, oh how I smiled
Donington, my 2nd favourite UK circuit, undulating and testing and the weather was so changeable and everything was so up in the air, it could be raining whilst I was topping up the suntan, the racing was superb,
Saturday was awful, I was standing about halfway down the craner curves, based on the recommendations of my favourite co-commentator James Whitham and what a brilliant spot it was, anyway you just forget how fast these things are, and the Saturday race was marred by 3 accidents that happened right in front of me when Scott went down and then followed by 2 Yamaha’s one of which was nasty. No doubt this influenced Scott for the second real race, the next bit was an astonishing and brilliant save by Johnny Rae, the grass was soaking as he rode it downhill and regained the track amazing
Sunday was better with the superpole race was good and exciting and then the 3rd race was brilliant and the first one with no questions about tyre choice, Scott was flying at the end and catching Tom handover fist but ran out of laps and it was so good to experience that again oh and the noise
Such a wonderful experience and adventure gosh it reminded me just how much I love motor racing and how much I have missed watching it live
On the downside was donington, msv have done a great job saving and updating the circuit and it looks brilliant however gone was the good value and the warmth of welcome, something I really do lament, it was one of the best things about donington and the indifference that really soured things for me at silverstone looks like happening at donington now, hopefully not
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Post by charleselan on Aug 7, 2021 18:32:04 GMT
This weekend we are racing WSB at the Most Circuit in the Czech Republic a venue chosen to fill in for the absent Phillip Island of Australia due to the Covid Pandemic.
Although a very neat track it has raised quite some criticism as it doesn't not really meet the safety standards expected of any World Championship motor sport venue. Scott has mentioned that it doesn't even come up to the standards of many national championship tracks, however it is a great little circuit in a very pleasing setting.
During qualifying this morning Scott was very annoyed that his final run was ruined by a Yellow Flag towards the end of his lap and rightly so as he was on course to claim pole, he did salvage third on the grid by defying predictions and making his tyre last for a second lap.
In Race One this afternoon (Saturday) we had the greta spectacle of the three best riders in WSB all together at the front with Scott leading Johnny Rae and Toprak Razgatlioglu and then the unthinkable of Johnny dropping his Kawasaki at the tight first chicane. He picked the bike up and restarted but later had an even bigger crash putting him out for good.
Scott lead all the way until the final corner where Razgatlioglu made what I consider to be an overambitious move with the bike sideways inside of Scott. If Scott had not seen him and picked the bike up it would have brought them both down and out. According to James Toseland in commentary it was a brilliant but hard move, which I completely disagree with and it was unacceptable considering the dangerous nature of the track, or more to the point its limited run off on such a quick corner.
In fact that was the second time that Toseland has been critical of Scott today as he ranted about Scott getting upset about the yellow ruining his qualifying lap. Mind you Mr Toseland has previous in his negative comments about riders in the past. Interestingly neither of the McKenzie boys in the studio were as critical, Taylor in particular being very balanced in his feelings. OK I am naturally biased for obvious reasons but i would have been the same if that move had been pulled on Johnny Rae, it was out of order.
Toseland even made a meal of Scott saying that if Razgatlioglu wants to race like that then he can give out the same, which is exactly as one would expect from a rider, not some sensationalist gobble de gook from a commentator.
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Post by chrisb on Aug 9, 2021 11:11:57 GMT
again missed the races live, but managed to watch them later on, well, of all the people to try and push around on the racetrack I would never select one rider, Scott, I thought the move - politely put 'ambitious' impolitely bloody stupid, thought he was lucky to get away with that one, and I am sure he won't next time, mind you Scott's old team mate may well be heading in this direction so maybe we can these two scrapping again - Petrucci will be a good addition to the ranks I reckon.
The results have brought the championship closer together I do feel Johnny has been much more on the edge than previous years and totally agree John these three are the pick of the racers, I do feel Alex is struggling with Johnny's pace and the other rider who is impressing every time he races is Locatelli, wonder when MotoGP takes an interest in him, for his first season he is going very well,
the circuit sort of reminded me of a go-kart circuit and given the great Czech circuits of the past seems a shame but the scenery was magnificent, I do like this country and must visit again,
I enjoyed the Mac's input especially Taylor and can see a future career being built here, once of course he has won a few more championships that is
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Post by charleselan on Aug 9, 2021 14:56:39 GMT
Agreed Chris, Scott rode brilliantly in Race Two and there was no way he was going to loose. He had two motivating factors, one being a win for his great friend Brad Jones and the other so he could actually propose to his young lady on the podium, that as quite an event in itself.
I think Johnny was not at his best at Most and some of it down to the fact it was a new venue for all and the reams of data that his team have for most circuits wasn't available in the Czech republic. He looks a bit ragged all weekend and not so much in command as usual.
James Toseland was at his absolute best (sarc/) on Sunday when he began banging on about Scott not signing a contract with Ducati as yet, and that he should desperate to get it complete. The question one has to ask is why, for Scott is the Ducati super bike teams biggest asset, just look where the other Ducati riders were. Anyway should there be no opportunity elsewhere in WSB he could easily slip back into Birdies BSB team next season as he was very happy racing in the UK a thing that Taz Mac pointed out in the studio.
I would also point out that Scott is a very big asset to the WSB paddock anyway and he would not go without a sizeable offer from most teams. Interestingly Mr Toseland was heaping praise on the Ducati management as well saying how wonderful they are, a stark contrast with Casey Stoner's words a few weeks ago.
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Post by charleselan on Aug 12, 2021 11:52:44 GMT
Just read elsewhere this morning that Scott has said that there is no sign of any contract talks moving forward with Ducati. It appears that this company wish to carry on with their ridiculous and counter productive management style. As Scott has mentioned himself who is the guy driving the results this year, and where are the other Ducati riders in the results sheets other than Rinaldi's one off at Misano.
It would seem that they are primarily interested in having an all Italian line up, or worse still thinking of getting Bautista back from Honda. That worked out well last time didn't it and I take it they are upping the spare parts provision if so.
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Post by chrisb on Aug 13, 2021 16:34:51 GMT
It is yet another example of Ducati being unprofessional, I do wonder where they are coming from, the other Italian in the hat is of course Petrucci, who has now lost his seat at KTM , so will we see Scott on a Honda next year? or back at BSB?
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Post by charleselan on Aug 13, 2021 18:09:03 GMT
I don't think Danilo has any intention of doing WSB Chris as he has said his size is even more against him there than in MotoGP, which makes one realise just how well Scott has done all things considered. Apparently KTM have offered Danilo a full Dakar Rally contract with a learning year in 2022 so he is not thrown into the deep end on this arduous event.
Bautista is apparently saying that he could stay at Honda but is also in contact with another team, Ha! obviously Ducati. Can't see Scott risking his career on the Honda right now, they can't even build a decent MotoGP bike currently and WSB will come below that in the pecking order of development.
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Post by charleselan on Aug 24, 2021 13:52:30 GMT
A great deal has happened over the past week in WSB; firstly the news that Scott Redding has signed for BMW in 2022 and today its as announced (as predicted over the weekend) that Bautista has been brought back onboard at Ducati. During the Navarra round this weekend there was much speculation as to whether Scott had made the decision to leave Ducati by himself or the team had decided not to re-employ him, someone on the grid for Race One had suggested they had sacked him.
Whatever the situation it beggars belief that a team would get rid, or allow their main asset to leave, especially when Scott showed such outstanding form over the weekend with two race wins and a second place finish. The other Ducati riders were not even on the same page all weekend and that highlights the stupidity of Ducati team management.
James Toseland in British Eurosport commentary tried to initially sell the proposal that Scott's term of office had been comparable with Bautista's first term at Ducati in 2019, that is until someone highlighted the difference on Twitter during mid Race One. The fact that Bautista won a raft of races at the beginning of the season in 2019 being down to the huge advantage the Ducati had in its first season and that combined with Bautista's light weight, all of which he squandered after mid season with a crash festival unbecoming of a supposed top line rider. Scott on the other hand had to contend with an under developed motorcycle and one that had its power advantage reduced as well as his own larger physique limiting the speed advantage experienced by Bautista in 2019.
In my opinion he has made the correct choice in leaving this team who appear to have a poor man management outlook that has for years been somewhat similar to the Ferrari team of old under Enzo where the machine is more import than the man piloting it. Scott has said that initially it was BMW that wanted him in WSB after his successful one off season in BSB during 2019 but he chose Ducati. Hopefully BMW will really get to grips with their new model and he will give the company the success they are so desperate to achieve.
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Post by charleselan on Sept 6, 2021 13:13:34 GMT
This past weekend we had both WSB and BSB race meetings, the world series in mid France at Magny-Cours and in the Uk at Norfolk's finest in Snetterton on the old former USAF base.
In WSB we had a truly outstanding performance by Toprak winning all three races on his Yamaha after some intense duels with the six time champion Johnny Rae. All sadly undone by Kawasaki's protest that Toprak had transgressed track limits in the Sprint Race which the organisers upheld and demoted him one place.
The transgression was minuscule and in a place where there should not have been a track limit anyway. Some on the internet are saying that it was Johnny Rae who brought the slight (we are talking millimetres) clipping of the green painted area to the teams attention. there is no proof that this is the case but no matter it leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth and both of the James' at Eurosport UK were aghast at this action. Both said that if they had been the rider in Rae's position they would have told the team not to protest.
Ducati had a another shambolic display, which they were fortunate in having Scott Redding pull off an outstanding third place in Race Two. Scott gave his all in manhandling the reluctant machine around the circuit and was visibly shattered after the effort, sadly little recognition of the fact from either commentary or Ducati. The latter have let their biggest asset go to BMW next year, just a shame they could not have given him a bike as good as they gave Foggy and Troy Bayliss, the story might have been very different had they done so. Also very impressed with a much fitter Chaz Davies who rode very well all weekend and completely overshadowed the guy Ducati replaced him with in the factory team.
Ducati's first error was in splitting up the Scott & Chaz partnership, they got along very well as team mates and were of similar stature which aided the bikes development and set up, shame the management could not have seen this more clearly.
In BSB we had some outstanding racing yet again (when do we not see this). The top three all weekend were Taz McKenzie and Jason O'Halleron on the Yamaha machines and the impressive Tommy Bridewell on the Oxford Products Ducati. Taz ended up winning two of the three races and the word now is that he may be moving to WSB next year with Honda, which could be interesting.
Good to see that Josh Brooks is returning to form with some good solid rides again at Snetterton, although he still doesn't come across as fully convinced himself when interviewed.
There were also some seriously worrying moments in the races over the weekend. In race one the very impressive Gino Rea was forced to crash his machine when Andy Irwin's bike lost power dramatically in front of a group and Gino was unsighted and had no alternative in crashing. Then in Race Two we had poor Danny Buchan suffer a engine blow up at the end of the 190mph straight with the oil on his rear tyre pitching him off in the braking area at high speed. He was very lucky to escape injury indeed and this after he had just come back after sustaining concussion two races ago. Two others crashed on his dropped oil and Gino Rea made an amazing avoidance of the crashing Danny Buchan.
We then also had young Rory Skinner save the most amazing "Tank Slapper" coming out of the final corner, had he not saved it the accident could have been very nasty indeed. Rory is a hugely talented young lad and there is also talk of him either going to WSS or even WSB, maybe a little too soon if the latter in my opinion but his talent is profound.
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Post by chrisb on Sept 6, 2021 19:24:16 GMT
I watched the racing live on Saturday and felt my hopes drop as I saw Scott struggling to get around a certain corner and just drop down the order, Toprak is riding much better than ever before and I am convinced that Johnny is fearful of not being champion this year hence protest
Sadly I think Scott is now too far behind the other two to be champion but you never know stranger things have happened
BSB was excellent but a bit scary as John mentioned above I really thought Danny Buchan was going to get seriously hurt and how Gino avoided him is testament to his skills and luck so was mightily relieved when he walked away from that horrendous moment
the other thing about how well Taz rode was of course this was the first race since his nasty at Cadwell
Silverstone this coming weekend the national course which may suit Taz
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