Wsbk 2018

[Mental Trousers]

So Kawasaki and Haslam have made their respective PR announcements. Reaction on social media is interesting, much of it is luke warm or actually hostile. Bautista, Redding, and others are mentioned as better choices. One unkind person picked Haslem to compete with Crutchlow for most crashes in a season. I too find the choice somewhat difficult to understand, but it's not my money so...

Rea probably had a big say in this. I think they're really good mates and Johnny probably wants a team mate he actually likes.

Hopefully he doesn't go and crash so he ends up injured all the time, again.

[roogazza]

SS and leg two of WSB were pretty good races with lots going on.

Won't give results as some might not have seen them yet.

[WALRUS]

If only the racing in WSBK was still this good

[roogazza]

So, not many people into WSB any more ??? 1st leg of WSB was a bit of a bore for sure but things looked up on Sunday for the second leg. (even if it was a handicap race ! )

[WALRUS]

I can't think why haha!

[Dadpole]

I watched the second race. A bit of excitement for a WSBK race. That pass by VDM was worth waiting for. I bet he was laughing like a drain afterward. WSS was an odd affair.

[BMWST?]

i used to watch wsbk more than the gps.But the way that Jonathan rae now is unbratable is boring.The only thing starting to show a glimmer is that the Yamahas seem to be coming good.Chaz nd Melandri are fast but perhas the ducs need a wee bit more help again vs the 4s.Mind you it was very one sided ducs vs the rest once before

[WALRUS]

i used to watch wsbk more than the gps.But the way that Jonathan rae now is unbratable is boring.The only thing starting to show a glimmer is that the Yamahas seem to be coming good.Chaz nd Melandri are fast but perhas the ducs need a wee bit more help again vs the 4s.Mind you it was very one sided ducs vs the rest once before

2003... Every fastest lap (except one) and every race won by a Ducati 999F03, 998F02 or 998RS.. Was known as The Ducati Cup for a while because of that haha

2004 was similar from memory until Vermeulen started to upset them on his Fireblade

[roogazza]

I watched the second race. A bit of excitement for a WSBK race. That pass by VDM was worth waiting for. I bet he was laughing like a drain afterward. WSS was an odd affair.

Marco's wife Manu, in a nice white T shirt, brightened up Parc Ferme. Marco must spend a lot of time motor boating ,not an unpleasant thought tho.

Sykes it seems ,needs more than a handicap or has he already left Kawa Inc, mentally?

[Dadpole]

Marco's wife Manu, in a nice white T shirt, brightened up Parc Ferme.

Damn. I missed that as I had shit to do. A few times I have waited/watched in vain hoping she would appear. Does that make me a stalker?

I wonder if the WSBK broadcast lot can put together a 'Manu Highlights' special? Just 3 of 4 hours of the best bits (and all done in the best possible taste).

[roogazza]

Haha, my daughter in law thought it was a bit creepy that I googled the Trivago girl hahahahaha

[Cosmik de Bris]

Haha, my daughter in law thought it was a bit creepy that I googled the Trivago girl hahahahaha

You mean Gabrielle? You're not the only one.

Cheers

[roogazza]

WorldSBK: Rea retains top spot, Laverty misses Q2 places

World Superbikes: Rea retains top spot, Laverty misses Q2 places
Full WorldSBK FP3 results at Magny-Cours

Jonathan Rea has held on to the fastest lap honour after Friday practice thanks to his FP1 effort as the fight for the top ten saw Portimao pole-sitter Eugene Laverty miss the cut to make the automatic Q2 spots.

In a repeat from Portimao’s Friday practice sessions, Rea set the standard to beat in the opening session with a fastest lap of 1m 37.202s which ended up unbeaten throughout the day as he turned his focus to long run pace.

The Northern Irish rider consistently lapped inside the 1m 37s bracket to produce an ominous warning to his WorldSBK rivals as he sets up his first shot at sealing an historic fourth consecutive world title.

With the key moments of FP3 action sparking in the final few minutes with the majority of the grid fighting for a top ten spot, aiming to secure the automatic Q2 places, it saw Laverty become the unlucky 11th-place rider on the Milwaukee Aprilia to miss out by just 0.004s to Althea BMW’s Loris Baz.

At the front, Sykes held on to second place for Kawasaki behind team-mate Jonathan Rea thanks to his best lap from FP2, while Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes jumped up to third place by setting the fastest lap in FP3 late on to push Lorenzo Savadori down to fourth place for Milwaukee Aprilia.

It was a positive day for both Pata Yamaha riders, at a circuit where it secured a double rostrum result 12 months ago, with Michael van der Mark taking fifth place on the combined times.

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CrashTV:
Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who continually fought for a top 10 spot with a number of personal lap time improvements in FP3, produced an identical lap time to fellow Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider Chaz Davies to see the pair sixth and seventh respectively with the third factory Ducati of Marco Melandri who fought back from a technical issue in FP1 to take eighth.

Xavi Fores edged into the top ten late on for Barni Ducati one-tenth of a second ahead of Baz who pushed out Laverty from the automatic Q2 spots.

Red Bull Honda’s Leon Camier continued to struggle to match the pace at the front in 12th place but comfortably ahead of Puccetti Kawasaki’s Toprak Razgatlioglu with Jordi Torres, fresh from his MotoGP debut with Avintia Ducati, in 14th for MV Agusta.

[Dadpole]

I will probably have a peek at race one. Tomorrow it is the 300 and 600 races I am keen on watching, followed by the STK1000. The big event race is the last on my watch list. It is sad when the super-duper race with the superstars is the least interesting (for me at least).

NB: This all changes if Manu makes an appearance. Being the sad pervert I am, I have continued watching a WSBK race simply because Melandri was going to podium and give me a leering opportunity.

[pritch]

Tomorrow it is the 300 and 600 races I am keen on watching, followed by the STK1000.

I've been following the 300s 'cause we could be watching history being made. Haven't been watching the STK1000, so other than that it is sad to lose a class, I won't miss them next year.