World Superbikes and supports - 2023 season

[Cheeveer]

Season starts this weekend at Phillip Island. For the first time I have the TV package to follow this more closely, so I'll keep an eye on it.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Season starts this weekend at Phillip Island. For the first time I have the TV package to follow this more closely, so I'll keep an eye on it.

I was just writing the same news, albeit in the existing thread from last year. Was just putting a note in to say Mods please update the 2021 in the title, but new season new thread works for me.

Weather is set to be a scorcher.... here in Melbourne was well into the 30's today and seems set for the weekend with it cooling down on Monday..... but even though its only 150k's to the Island it has its own weather 'micro climate' there.

Lol to prove my point I just looked at the PI forecast .... Tomorrow its talking 30C but with 70% chance of rain and possibly a thunderstorm in the late afternoon.

On Sunday:

Partly cloudy. Slight (30%) chance of a shower. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending south to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the late morning and afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to between 10 and 14 with daytime temperatures reaching towards the mid 20s.

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/phillipisland.shtml

Local interest I guess will focus on the move to WSBK from MotoGP of Remy Gardner.

I know after P1 it was all pretty close with just a second covering first to last! Bautista was fastest from Andea Locatelli and Lecuona who dropped it on a lap at the end. Havent checked since P1 though.


Probably a good place to put the 2023 season calendar. 11 confirmed and 1 more TBA

[Vassago]

Eurosport continues with the SBK coverage for years so it's business as usual here. Thankfully the last two seasons were much more exciting than the previous Kawasaki walk in the park. Bautista pulled off what he couldn't do in 2019 and obviously Toprak is the 2021 champion. He was probably too distracted by the MotoGP talk in the second half of last season.

In 2023 the field looks really strong on paper, many ex-Moto2 or MotoGP veterans. Just hoping BMW becomes more competitive though.

[Everso Biggyballies]

There has been a bit of rain although Superpole stayed dry.....Toprak Razgatlioglu went top with two minutes left on the clock and no one beat him. Alvaro Bautista started his 2023 title defence in solid style and will launch from the middle of the front row in second, whilst the biggest surprise was that reigning World Supersport Champion Dominique Aegerter got an outstanding front row slot with third. It was also a historic front row in WorldSBK for a Swiss rider. On the second row of the grid and lining up in fourth, Jonathan Rea is off the front row in a season-opener for the first time since 2018. Remy Gardner will start his first WorldSBK race from seventh

Full Superpole results


In Supersport a bit of moisture on the track by race start saw them have 3 attempts to start as riders went out on a mix of slicks and wets or inters . Riders dropping bikes on the warmup, but eventually got the race underway. Bulega passed half a dozen or more on the opening lap with the track drying and took the lead opening up a good lead. Presumably on wets. He was saved the worry of wets falling apart by further drizzle in the race. Plenty of action behind him and a number of fallers. By the last lap it was wet enough to see spray off the tyres, Bulega was lapping bikes and had a lead large enough to take it easy and he crossed the line by a second from Spinelli and McPhee further back in 3rd.

Superbikes race 1 up next and at best its very damp..... and delayed by the Supersport delays getting underway..
There wont be the same confusion for the Superbike race over tyres. No one will start on anything without a tread. Cant see if it is actually raining, and the track can dry quick, probably not in the course of the race though. For sure it will be full wets at the start for all.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Start will be I think in under 10 minutes. National Anthem done.

In fact 5 minute siren has just sounded

[Everso Biggyballies]

Van der Mark was going well.... a bit too well as he was the first to throw it down the road on lap 2. Toprak seems to not be liking the wet and has gone backwards from the start now 4th. The leader. atm? Rea. **Yawns** Bautista 2nd and Alex Lowes 3rd

[Everso Biggyballies]

Race review and results in spoiler

Bautista closed on Rea and then got past, made a bit of a break, but Rea closed him down and they diced for while but then Bautista gradually pulled away again with Rea not having an answer, Bautista won by 3.4 seconds from Rea with Toprak getting back to 3rd on the still wet track with Locatelli 4th, Bassani 5th and Leukona 6th. Gardner finished up 12th. Bautista's 6th win at PI. I think he likes the place.

Good battle on the last lap between Petrucci and Vierge over 7th and 8th ended in a bit of rub and shove, almost ending in tears with Petrucci getting the flag first, but immediately announced as under investigation. I think the results might have been reversed after as Vierge is now showing as 7th and Petrucci 8th..

Full Results for Race 1

[Vassago]

Alex Bassani seems to be doing much better in SBK. He had a terrible Moto2 half-season few years ago and was canned after a few rounds (I believe he was with Italtrans back then).

[Everso Biggyballies]

Sun is shining at PI today, albeit a bit cludy. No rain anyway.

The Supersports managed to complete there warm up lap first time and got away cleanly first time. Truelove got as far as turn 3 before he slid off and out. Bulega hits the lead taking Oncu and Manzi with him in a mini breakaway

[Everso Biggyballies]

Mantovani is a bit out of tune and he throws it down the road at the start of lap 6

[Everso Biggyballies]

Half way and we have a genuine battle for the lead with Manzi taking a turn at the front, with Bulega and Oncu in very close attendance. Daylight behind them but a good battle for 4th 5th and 6th, Schroetter leading that one

As I type Bulega goes back in front but there is plenty more fight yet

It made his move just in time because next lap we hasv a red flag and the race has been called. Over 2/3 race distance completed so no restart

So Bulega wins again with Manzi and Oncu joining him for some afternoon champagne.


Seems to have been red flagged because of a flock of Cape Barren Geese on the track.
Its a natural hazard at PI, and I have seen them indeed raced at PI with them sitting on a corner apex playing chicken with whoever on 2 or 4 wheels wants to play. The problem is they are big birds and when they do decide to fly off they dont necessarily fly out of the way.

I know of riders who have been taken out and received broken bones from impacts and many where the geese have won, so its aa good call.

Dont believe me? Video of a previous crash caused by a goosey moment in this news clip.
https://thewest.com.au/news/offbeat/goo ... 881010435z

[Everso Biggyballies]

Pit lane is about to open for the WSBK race 2..... Sun is shining so different conditions to yesterday.

In the superpole race today:

Bautista leads Ducati 1-2 with Superpole Race victory, Rea seventh as GRT Yamaha teammates collide

Bautista was able to hold on to take his 34th WSBK win, and his 60th podium. He finished ahead of Rinaldi in second who passed Razgatlioglu on Lap 4 at Turn 1, with Razgatlioglu taking third spot.

Further back Remy Gardner attacked teammate Dominique Aegerter on Lap 6 at Turn 4. The pair made contact and both riders retired from the race. It means Aegerter will start Race 2 from 10th place and Gardner in 11th when they were running in the top six in the Superpole Race.
It was placed under investigation by the Stewards w with Gardner given a Long Lap Penalty for Race 2 for irresponsible riding.

The first 3 rows for today....

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.462s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +3.060s

4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +3.833s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +3.893s
6. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) +4.215s

7. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.952s
8. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +7.140s
9. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +11.295s

Fastest lap: Dominique Aegerter, Yamaha – 1’30.374s

[Everso Biggyballies]

Warm up lap underway.... can Bautista take the the full house and win all three races this weekend. I think if he does it will be a repeat of 2019 for him.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Toprak had another slow start at finished lap 1 5th, then dropped to 6th. Some frantic riding at the start has to be said. but the two Ducatis in front Bautista keeping the lead. Locatelli 3rd Bassani a good start to get to 4th and Rea up to 5th

[Everso Biggyballies]

Rea now up to 4th and Toprak up to 5th with Bassini down to 6th. The first three have made a small break of about a second from the pack which in itself is forming little sub groups of 3s and 4s.