No tread for

The Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, which has reached its thirty-third edition, the seventeenth consecutive with Pirelli as the Official Sole Supplier of tyres for all classes, again commences at Phillip Island, Australia. The season opens with the official tests of February 24th and 25th and subsequently with the race weekend scheduled from February 28th to March 1stthat involves the WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes.

For the first year ever, the WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 classes will also use slick tyres, with the WorldSSP class starting from Phillip Island while the WorldSSP300 class opens at the Jerez event.

The Phillip Island circuit has always been one of the most demanding circuits on the WorldSBK calendar because tyres are exposed to strong and constant thermo-mechanical work, especially on the left side.

In Phillip Island, we note a localised overheating on the tyre surface which at the same time also occurs on during maximum lean angle. This generates different forces with very strong torsional stresses. The peculiarity of the Australian track is that it generates both a mechanical and a thermal stress to which the tyres are constantly subjected.

The famous Southern Loop is the longest parabolic of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, which requires ‘full throttle’, with a fixed lean angle for an extended period. Under these conditions, the tyre is forced to work for some time with mechanical stresses located on a small tread surface and, in that area of continuous use, there is a rapid increase in temperature.

Also this year Pirelli has developed various solutions designed to counter the multiple pitfalls of the Australian circuit and which will be tested by both the WorldSBK and WorldSSP class during the two test days preceding the race.

Test solutions for the WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes

In the WorldSBK class, in addition to the intermediate and wet tyres that are always present in case of adverse weather, the riders will have four slick solutions, two front and two rear. The front options are the standard SC1 in soft compound and the standard SC2 in medium compound in the sizes 125/70, the only front size available this season.

As for the rear options, the riders will have two compounds available only in size 200/65: the development SC1 W1049, developed specifically for the Australian track and reference solution in previous years, and the development SC1 Y1093, which thanks to a reinforced structure allows better thrust during acceleration, allowing greater stability.

WorldSSP

In the WorldSSP class, the riders will test for the first time on Pirelli slick tyres and will have two front and one rear solutions available. For the front, there will be the standard SC1 and SC2 in sizes 120/70. At the rear the riders will try the development SC1 Y1006 in the increased size 190/60, the only rear size for the 600 class.

It is an evolution in the slick version of the development SC1 U1149: a treaded solution and reference in the past editions with a compound able to guarantee greater stability during high temperatures. Lastly, there will be the development SC1 Y1035,with a new profile and structure to improve the contact patch and stability under acceleration, as well as performance consistency.

Since Pirelli has never used the new slick tyres developed for the 600 class on this circuit, the Italian company will evaluate the best strategy to be put in place for the race, based on the results and data obtained during the tests.

Pirelli Test solutions for Phillip Island

Pirelli Test solutions for Phillip Island WorldSBK

Pirelli Test solutions for Phillip Island WorldSSP

WorldSBK Yamaha Finance Australian Round, Phillip Island

Source: MCNews.com.au

Rea leads BlazeAid bushfire auction

Ahead of the 2020 season-opening Yamaha Finance round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next weekend (February 28-March 1), the paddock has united to stage a charity auction to help out the victims of the recent Australian bushfires.

Five-time world champion Jonathan Rea has donated gloves and boots for the auction, with all funds raised going to BlazeAid, a volunteer-based organisation which works alongside rural families and individuals impacted by fires and floods.

Jonathan Rea in Melbourne today

Rea spoke about the bushfires at a media conference in Melbourne today, after the disaster struck a very personal note for the Kawasaki factory rider.

The family of Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia, owns a house just out of Bright in the heart of north-east Victoria, and for three weeks they watched from afar as the fires threatened their home, evacuations took place, and they saw farms and communities surrounding Bright ravaged.

Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia

“During the height of the fire, it got to within 5km of the house and Tatia’s parents were told to leave,” said Rea. “We were at home and keeping a constant eye on the emergency apps, and in the end we were very fortunate.

“It’s great the WorldSBK paddock is doing something, as it’d be easy to come here and then move on. Everyone has been sensational with their support.”

For full details on the auction and to make bids, visit https://www.charitystars.com/collection/bushfires-action.
The auction ends on March 3, 2020.

The statistics don’t lie

Rea is now the most successful WorldSBK rider of all time, topping all the key metrics: titles won (five), number of race wins (88), podiums (168) and fastest laps (67).

His dominance over the last five years has been profound, and the hard-nosed 33-year-old will now strive for six titles in a row against a manufacturer, machinery and rider base (both factory and privateer) that’s the strongest it has been during his reign at the top.

Jonathan Rea

Competition for Rea will come from all quarters, including Spaniard Alvaro Bautista (Honda) who won the first 11 races in 2019 before Rea came home with a wet sail; Briton’s former MotoGP rider Scott Redding making his debut in the production series on a factory Ducati; his new teammate Alex Lowes; his old teammate Leon Haslam (Honda); Yamaha guns Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark; Chaz Davies (Ducati) and BMW duo Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty.

Haslam, Bautista and Laverty are all past WorldSBK winners at Phillip Island (Bautista doing the double in 2019), so the anticipation ahead of round one is palpable.

“Phillip Island is the closest thing to a home round for me, so I always enjoy racing there,” said Rea. “There’s always expectation and nervous energy ahead of a new season, but I’m trying to take a more mature approach in 2020.

“Last year, I was super excited at the start of the season, but the wind was then knocked out of my sails a little bit in those first four races,” continued Rea, referring to Bautista’s early season dominance.

“Of course I’d love to leave Phillip Island with three race wins, but it’s a 39-race championship and it’s more important that I leave Australia healthy and with a platform for the rest of the year.

“More than ever, consistency is going to a vital asset in 2020. I’ll just continue to focus on myself, and after the first 4-5 rounds everyone will eventually find their place.

“I had to come from behind to win the 2019 championship, and that was a valuable lesson in just focussing on my own form and not worrying about everyone else.”

Rea showed them a clean pair of heels at the Jerez test in November

Final pre-season testing will be held at Phillip Island on February 24-25, and then the paddock reconvenes three days later for the real business of racing.

Rea heads into the test after strong testing form in Europe

“I’m going to focus on polishing the package during the test,” said Rea. “The last two years I haven’t nailed setup at Phillip Island, and the goal will be to finish up with a bike that turns naturally – which places less stress on the tyres.”

2020 Kawasaki Racing Team WSBK livery

There will be three WorldSBK races at Phillip Island: two 22-lappers at 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, and a 10-lap Sprint at midday on Sunday.

Add in World Supersport competition and round one of the 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship featuring four classes – Superbike, Supersport, Supersport 300 and the Oceania Junior Cup – and there will be a total of 15 races.

Buy your ticket and save

If you’re ready for fab adventure of the high-horsepower kind, book now for a weekend getaway at the World Superbikes next February 28-March 1 at Australia’s sensational Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the Yamaha Finance round. Book at https://tickets.worldsbk.com.au/

· Purchase a three-day General Admission ticket with Free Paddock Access just $125* Add on-circuit camping for $110* per adult for four-nights making a three day entry/four night camping ticket $235*

· Kids 15 and under, accompanied by a full-paying adult, are free for entry and to camp

· Want to upgrade to grandstand access and under-cover viewing? Opt for a Bar SBK ticket – three days for $265* giving access to three under-cover viewing areas at the circuit’s most thrilling corners – Doohan Corner, Siberia & Lukey Heights. Bar SBK ticket holders also get access to the exclusive grandstand at Doohan Corner, along with parking at Siberia & Lukey Heights and prime Superscreen viewing from each facility

*All ticket prices quoted are advance (more expensive at gate) and subject to Ticketek charges

** Kids 15 and under free to enter and camp, accompanied by a full-paying adult

Source: MCNews.com.au