Racing Silly Season - Who is going where in 2014?
Discussion
Anyone got any gossip, rumours or indeed truth about who is going where / doing what for next year?
I don't follow Twitter too frequently but did I hear Josh Brookes going to Milwaukee Yamaha?
Interesting to see who signs up for World Superbike next year apart from Tom Sykes, Johnny Rea and Leon Haslam. The organisers haven't even released a calaendar yet - will Britain host a round?
I don't follow Twitter too frequently but did I hear Josh Brookes going to Milwaukee Yamaha?
Interesting to see who signs up for World Superbike next year apart from Tom Sykes, Johnny Rea and Leon Haslam. The organisers haven't even released a calaendar yet - will Britain host a round?
Silverstone is off the wsbk calender, no surprise as it made a massive loss on the event.
I asked about Donnington, but no word yet.
Brookes is 90% to stay on the Suzuki, in bsb and the road events.
I just cant see why Rae and Haslem have signed to do another year on that bike, its garbage, at best 20bhp down on the others.
I have yet to see a press release that doesn't blame the electronics, the speed trap doesn't lie.
I asked about Donnington, but no word yet.
Brookes is 90% to stay on the Suzuki, in bsb and the road events.
I just cant see why Rae and Haslem have signed to do another year on that bike, its garbage, at best 20bhp down on the others.
I have yet to see a press release that doesn't blame the electronics, the speed trap doesn't lie.
Shadow R1 said:
I just cant see why Rae and Haslem have signed to do another year on that bike, its garbage, at best 20bhp down on the others.
I
I was convinced Honda were going to launch a new FireBlade but I'm guessing they have pulled the plug on it or delayed it for another year. I
Same goes for their V4 roadbike, unless they are being very clever and doing a Spring launch of it and making enough to race it in WSB instead.
Dorna are going to have sell it very cheap / give it away to Donington for then to pick up on it, I think they lost money on this year's event. Brands doesn't have an International FIM licence anymore so might be we don't get WSB next year which would be a shame - it might have thin grids at the moment but the actual racing makes MotoGP look a bit too much like F1.
Yep, i thought they would do a year on the old bike, then move to the new one, be it the v4 or new blade, but the press releases suggest they are using the same bike again.
Unless Hrc step in with some parts, Haslem did win the 8hr for them.
Im sure Brands holds the top Fim license, just that Palmer wouldn't pay what wsbk wanted, so it went to Silverstone.
Donnington only got just over 20,000 punters through the door, with 10,000 of that being team personal and from the support events, i think your right.
Unless Hrc step in with some parts, Haslem did win the 8hr for them.
Im sure Brands holds the top Fim license, just that Palmer wouldn't pay what wsbk wanted, so it went to Silverstone.
Donnington only got just over 20,000 punters through the door, with 10,000 of that being team personal and from the support events, i think your right.
Shadow R1 said:
Silverstone is off the wsbk calender, no surprise as it made a massive loss on the event.
I asked about Donnington, but no word yet.
Brookes is 90% to stay on the Suzuki, in bsb and the road events.
I just cant see why Rae and Haslem have signed to do another year on that bike, its garbage, at best 20bhp down on the others.
I have yet to see a press release that doesn't blame the electronics, the speed trap doesn't lie.
The only hope is that the new Evo rules in WSB help to level out the playing field a little bit for those bikes which are longer in the tooth, especially when they're run by teams with less resources than BMW, Aprilia and Kawasaki.I asked about Donnington, but no word yet.
Brookes is 90% to stay on the Suzuki, in bsb and the road events.
I just cant see why Rae and Haslem have signed to do another year on that bike, its garbage, at best 20bhp down on the others.
I have yet to see a press release that doesn't blame the electronics, the speed trap doesn't lie.
I'm particulalry considering the imapcts for the Blade and the GSXR. Both of which have been shown to be competitive in the British series Under the Evo rules. Whilst the rule sets aren't exactly the same, it is the last hope i have for the Blade in particular.
I can't see Dorna not wanting a British roun given the numbers o fBrits on the grid, whilst they will want to dumb down the series in favour of MGP they also know there is a reasonably strong following in the UK and whilst the series is not dominated in terms of factory support by the biggest 3, then I hope they are flexible in finding a soultion that work for a UK round.
The challenge is always going to be that money talks and there are governments who are happy to support the racing by funding circuits and putting investment into circuits which helps them to pay the fees.
I'd considered Brookes back to Honda, but I don't see him going to Yamaha, as that bike looks even less competitive than the Suzuki and is largely unproven on the roads, where as the Suzuki has pedigree. However, for the roads they are still ruled by the Blade and depending on Brookes ambitions it would seem a HM Plant/Padgetts blade is the missile to be.
Johno said:
However, for the roads they are still ruled by the Blade and depending on Brookes ambitions it would seem a HM Plant/Padgetts blade is the missile to be.
And the source of rumour I heard was that JMcG would be doing the roads (i.e. mainly IOM etc)only on a Padgett Honda. So I think unlikely Padgetts would also have Brookes alongside him.McG said to be sticking with his "TT Legends" Honda squad for a proper attempt at the World Endurance series with no road racing as a team.
Shadow R1 said:
Keep in mind the evo class is separate to the full spec superbikes, like it was in bsb, so wont affect the blade anyway.
Sorry, poorly worded by me, putting all rules changes in the envelope of 'EVO'.There are further rules changes in addition to the EVO category, limiting engine numbers (8 per rider/season), limited number of gear ratios, capped pricing for suspension and brakes.
Given that both Kawasaki and Aprilia have allegedly been throwing engines in their bikes whenever they felt they needed to, I hope this may provide some benefit as it 'may' reduce performance as engine life becomes more important.
It'll be a debate whether capping suspension and brake pricing has an impact, however it potentially ensures that the latest Ohlins are availabel to all or none, depending on the pricing advised by Ohlins etc . . Ohlins is just an example, I recognise there are a few others out there.
These rule changes do potentially assist the teams with less resources, typically again Crescent and Ten Kate, when compared to the factory supported efforts.
http://www.worldsbk.com/images/stories/documents/F...
Edited by Johno on Tuesday 22 October 13:21
sprinter1050 said:
And the source of rumour I heard was that JMcG would be doing the roads (i.e. mainly IOM etc)only on a Padgett Honda. So I think unlikely Padgetts would also have Brookes alongside him.
McG said to be sticking with his "TT Legends" Honda squad for a proper attempt at the World Endurance series with no road racing as a team.
Don't necessarilly disagree, however the HM Plant/Padgetts teams seem almost interchangeable during a week on the Island and normally Padgetts run a second bike, or HUK do. Steve Plater is a good example as McG's team mate after a stunning debut at the Island....McG said to be sticking with his "TT Legends" Honda squad for a proper attempt at the World Endurance series with no road racing as a team.
However, I probably agree it's most likely Brookes will stay with Suzuki. Honda have been bitten and the Yamaha isn't the favoured package currently I don't think.
moto_traxport said:
I was convinced Honda were going to launch a new FireBlade but I'm guessing they have pulled the plug on it or delayed it for another year.
Same goes for their V4 roadbike, unless they are being very clever and doing a Spring launch of it and making enough to race it in WSB instead.
Dorna are going to have sell it very cheap / give it away to Donington for then to pick up on it, I think they lost money on this year's event. Brands doesn't have an International FIM licence anymore so might be we don't get WSB next year which would be a shame - it might have thin grids at the moment but the actual racing makes MotoGP look a bit too much like F1.
You say having no wsbk in the UK but the fact is nobody went to watch it.Same goes for their V4 roadbike, unless they are being very clever and doing a Spring launch of it and making enough to race it in WSB instead.
Dorna are going to have sell it very cheap / give it away to Donington for then to pick up on it, I think they lost money on this year's event. Brands doesn't have an International FIM licence anymore so might be we don't get WSB next year which would be a shame - it might have thin grids at the moment but the actual racing makes MotoGP look a bit too much like F1.
Rea is far too loyal to Honda, his talent far outweighs the quality of the package that he has, likewise Haslam.
Will be interesting to see what happens to most of the Britpack in WSBK next year, is Sykes staying put? Camier still on the GSXR?
For BSB, could be the best year yet to come. Extended Eurosport coverage and full grids again.
Will be interesting to see what happens to most of the Britpack in WSBK next year, is Sykes staying put? Camier still on the GSXR?
For BSB, could be the best year yet to come. Extended Eurosport coverage and full grids again.
According to the official blurb it was a mutual split for Alstare & Ducati, which is believable considering neither side was coming out of the deal particularly well. Plus it now allows Feel Racing to takeover the running of the Panigales now they won't be involved with BMW anymore; the team that always ran the factory squad during Ducati's WSB glory years.
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