Superbike
Roland Resch recovering from collarbone surgery
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Friday, 12th March 2010, 16:14 GMTAfter suffering a heavy crash in the opening round of the Superbike World Championship a couple of weeks ago, BMW Reitwagen team rider Roland Resch went through an operation to repair his broken right collarbone. He is currently making a steady recovery at the Dungl Medical-Vital Resort, just north of Vienna in his native Austria, keeping as physically fit as he can while the titanium plate and eight screws inserted during his surgery help his collarbone - broken in two places - knit back together again. Resch's doctor, Andrea Dungl-Zauner, currently doubts if he could race again as early as Portimao on March 28, but has not entirely ruled it out yet. She will make a final decision on his condition on 17 March. Said Roland, "Of course it hurts to hear that the doctor thinks I won't be on the bike in Portimao. But it doesn't make sense either to force an early comeback if I am not 100% fit. The collarbone is broken twice, with a titanium plate and eight screws inserted. That is a quite big deal for my body. This year the grid is too competitive to start too early with a handicap. I want to fully recover before jumping on a bike again. Believe me, it's not easy to pass on a race, but I am working hard to be back soon." Read article
Ducati experience 2010
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Friday, 12th March 2010, 12:47 GMTIf you have a real passion for all things Italian, then you might want to try The Ducati Riding Experience. For 2010 an agreement with the Federazione Motociclistica Italiana (FMI), means it will offer a more structured programme of riding courses aboard Ducati motorcycles, at top Italian circuits. The DRE offers an all-round experience with great courses, exciting tracks, a line-up of 30 top instructors, a fleet of 90 dedicated Ducati motorcycles and a support staff of more than 30 to ensure participants a valuable and enjoyable day to remember. The accent is on training right from the start. From taking a first step into motorcycling aboard a light, agile and user-friendly Monster 696 in the Basic course, to improving existing road skills aboard a Hypermotard 796, 1100 and Monster 1100 in the Intermediate course, Ducati will improve and perfect all riding techniques. Those riders who prefer to improve their talents on the track will have the opportunity to spend a day receiving detailed instruction aboard a Superbike 848, the mid-range Superbike. Track riders can progress from Racing 1 through to Racing 2 and, for advanced track riders, to the Master Racing course aboard the famous 1198 S with Ducati Traction Control. Do you want to know how fast you really are? As part of the Master racing course, participants will be able to compare their ‘performance data’ with that of their instructor’s. The system records throttle opening, engine rpm, vehicle speed, lap time, suspension travel, brake pressure, tyre temperatures and corner trajectories to give a full report. At the end of the test, the retrieved data forms a debrief session between each participant and their instructor and each participant is presented with a printed copy of their data. A list of prices and full calendar of 2010 events to be held at major Italian circuits are now online at Ducati.com. Email; dre2010@ducati.com Read article
Live chat with Ruben on Yahoo Eurosport!
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Friday, 12th March 2010, 7:57 GMTRemember this not to be missed engagement today! The Catalan rider Ruben Xaus will be live to chat with Superbike fans! Exclusive on YAHOO EUROSPORT today, March 12 at 15 CET! The Bmw Motorrad Motosport rider will be there live to answer all your questions! Connect with the chat at http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/altri-sport/diretta/. Read article
Silverstone improvements continue apace
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Wednesday, 10th March 2010, 11:53 GMTThe historic and evocative venue of Silverstone is the host circuit for the British round of the Superbike World Championship this year, between July 30 and August 1. A vast programme of modernization and upgrading is currently being carried out, with the majority of the work set for completion by the end of March. The final result will be a facility with many key improvements from the one last used by SBK racing in 2007, for spectators and participants alike. Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, said in a recent press release, "Work on the circuit and venue is on schedule. The team has been working around the clock, through some pretty terrible weather conditions, to make sure the circuit is ready on time. The track works at Brooklands and Woodcote are now complete, including the new run-off area for the fast entry into Pits Straight, while the major new development - the new section of circuit from Abbey, up to the Arena Complex and round to the National Straight - is also coming along nicely. There is still a considerable amount of work going on at Silverstone, including the new elevated banks and spectator viewing areas, which will continue beyond March. Conference and hospitality buildings are also being built on the new Stowe Complex." The whole SBK community is excited to be heading back to one of the great names in racing, particularly as the layout will feature some existing sections and some new parts which have been specifically designed to improve the spectacle for motorcycle events in general. Read article
SMT Honda Sign Christian Iddon For 2010
Source: British Superbike News - Tuesday, 9th March 2010, 14:55 GMTJason O'Halloran - SMT Honda 2009 The SMT Honda team, to be known as Sorrymate.com/SMT Honda for 2010, have signed the nine-times British Supermoto champion Christian Iddon to head their campaign for the coming season. The team suffered a dismal 2009 season after suffering problems amid the economic crisis towards the second half of the year. They began the opening rounds with the Australian rider Jason O’Halloran, and returned at the Mallory Park round with Michael Rutter aboard. Later with the backing of Sorrymate.com, they managed to complete the final two rounds with Karl Harris riding and have now agreed to back the team for the year ahead. Robin Croft said; “With regard to rider choice, we had spoke at length to a number of senior riders in the series but each of those had their own problems. Christian had ridden with us a few times before and considering his lack of experience he surpassed all expectations. With that in mind and with the blessing of Sorrymate.com we decided to take that route Certainly at the beginning of the season we know things might be difficult as Christian learns to ride a Superbike but later on in the season we really believe we can be in a great position to take some good results. With Christian on the bike we also get to develop younger, fresh talent which is something as a team we have always tried to do.” Read article
Two up two down for Triumph riders
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Tuesday, 9th March 2010, 8:13 GMTIt was a busy period in the winter for the BE1 Triumph effort in the Supersport World Championship. First of all it was split into two distinct team efforts and then expanded to include four riders of proven ability - 2009 recruit Chaz Davies and Sebastien Charpentier in the ParkinGO Triumph BE1 team and Jason Di Salvo and David Salom in the ParkinGO BE1 Triumph side of the garage. The logistics involved in bringing eight machines and enough personnel to look after four riders - and still go for podium finishes - proved to be a big challenge, but one with a positive outcome for Salom. The Spanish rider was a fine fourth in a race that was stopped and then restarted, making his return to the class a pleasing one after spending a tough year in the Superbike World Championship in 2009. But being a racer, Salom always wants more, as his post-race comments attested. "I knew I could score a good result but, given the race outcome, a podium result would've been possible," said the 25-year-old Spaniard. "However, I'm sure there'll be other opportunities but the important thing is that we kicked off the season with a good result, which puts me fourth in the standings. I'm sorry I couldn't get a better start in the re-run. I'm sure I could've battled with Lascorz and Sofuoglu for the podium." Salom actually missed the first day of practice after a mix-up with his racing licence prevented him from starting with the rest of his peer group. The American interest in Supersport racing at this level resides in Jason Di Salvo, who was eighth in his first ever race in this class. "I started the race pretty far in the back, but I improved a lot," said Di Salvo. "I battled with riders who went faster than me in practice and I had a really nice duel with Miguel Praia in the end." For Briton Chaz Davies (who had an oil line let go in race one and was relegated to his spare bike) and returnee Supersport World Championship legend Sebastien Charpentier, the race was less kind. Davies could only post 12th after finding some electronics issues, while Charpentier was 13th. Having retired from this level of racing for two years, Seb still has to get more track time in before he can get back to his very best. Sebastien has 13 career wins, making him the second most successful rider of all time. Read article
Sylvain arrives as a real contender
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Monday, 8th March 2010, 13:30 GMTSuzuki Alstare rider Sylvain Guintoli had a fabulous welcome to the 2010 season in Australia, coming so close to a podium in race two and winning the Pirelli award for the fastest lap in the process. The lap that gave Sylvain the new ‘Pirelli Best Lap' prize was a 132.236, while his team-mate Leon Haslam won the equivalent award in race one, with a 1'32.193. The leader for eight laps in the second PI race, Sylvain was only 0.837 seconds from victory in his fourth career WSB race. A new star has arrived under French colours and Sylvain is a welcome one from a country with a high degree of form in Superbike racing. Guintoli has had a very long international career for a rider of 27, but he is a relative newcomer to Superbike racing, having spent most of his career in GPs. He was a BSB force immediately in his first season in 2009, but a serious injury early in the year, after a collision with another rider, prevented him from adding to his amazing starting statistics - one win and three other podiums from his first four races. Sylvain, who lives in the UK, feels right at home in WSB racing now that the season has started for real. "I knew I was going to be loads faster in race weekend than in testing," said Sylvain. "This winter I concentrated on doing the best job in the set-up and I think we did a good job. I felt comfortable with the pace and when you ride like that it is such a great buzz." Read article
Over 60’s club
Source: WORLDSBK.COM | NEWS - Friday, 5th March 2010, 12:39 GMTAfter a new name, Leon Haslam, was added to the Superbike World Championship race winners' roll of honour last Sunday, the total number of riders who have now taken at least one race win in this class rose to an impressive 63. Not bad at the very beginning of WSBK's 23rd season, and considering how many riders have multiple race wins to their credit. Giants of the class such as Carl Fogarty (59) and Troy Bayliss (52) are the class leaders in this field, but no fewer than 20 riders have at least ten wins to their credit. With Haslam joining the winners' club, there are 15 full time 2010 WSBK riders who have won at least one race, from 'new boy' Haslam to Haga. The 'active' winners are, Noriyuki Haga (41), Troy Corser (33), James Toseland (16), Ruben Xaus (11), Chris Vermeulen (10), Max Biaggi (4), Makoto Tamada (3), Lorenzo Lanzi (3), Michel Fabrizio (3), Carlos Checa (3), Shane Byrne (2), Max Neukirchner (2), Jonathan Rea (2), Andrew Pitt (1), and Leon Haslam (1). Read article
Suzuki Race Report: Team Suzuki Wins Australian Supersport Opener
Source: Motourage - Monday, 1st March 2010, 23:48 GMTTeam Suzuki rider Troy Herfoss kicked off his 2010 season with the overall win in the opening round of the Australian Supersport Championship, run in conjunction with the Superbike World Championship first round at Victoria’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at the weekend. In only his second full season of Supersport racing, Herfoss had a near-perfect [...] Read article
Suzuki Alstare Race Report: Round 1, Phillip Island
Source: Motourage - Monday, 1st March 2010, 15:02 GMTTeam Suzuki Alstare rider Leon Haslam recorded his first ever World Superbike win in the first race of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island today. He led the race from start to finish and took the flag, just .004 ahead of Michel Fabrizio’s Factory Ducati. He and his Suzuki Alstare team mate Sylvain Guintoli then [...] Read article
