The season opener for DesmoSport Ducati at Phillip Island was disappointing for all concerned. The team, TB himself, along with everyone involved in ASBK and the spectators.
Troy Bayliss – Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition – TBG Image
Troy worked so hard in the off-season, training off and on the bike in pre-season testing. In the lead up to season 2019 it is fair to say they were better prepared than they were in 2018.
TB was quick out of the blocks at Phillip Island, topping first practice, but then a broken finger on his left hand, followed by a broken finger on his right hand in the opening race, made it difficult for him to operate the brakes properly, and the tough decision was made to park the bike for the weekend. Troy underwent surgery earlier this week in preparation for round two at Wakefield Park on the weekend of March 24.
A full season of racing under their belt, a year of set-up data with the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition and a fit and motivated Troy raring to go suggested that this would be their year. With no points from the three-race opening round though they definitely face an uphill battle from here.
Troy Bayliss – Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition – TBG Image
It was this set-up data and plenty of time on the bike that had seen the team make the decision to race the big L-Twin at the Phillip Island season opener. There were not enough spares and Troy had not enough time on the bike, suggesting that it was very much a different animal than the big twins that powered him to success on the world stage.
There is another hurdle before it can be raced in the ranks of ASBK though. It still needs to be officially homologated by Motorcycling Australia. To satisfy those requirements Ducati, or DesmoSport Ducati, need to supply M.A. with all the necessary documentation in regards to the official number of bikes coming into the country, and confirmation of its ADR compliance etc. As of now, that is yet to have happened.
The team are still not yet in a position to confirm when they will race the new Panigale V4 R at Wakefield Park, but they did uncover the delectable machine in front of fans during the World Superbike weekend. A gallery of images showcasing the new DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R can be found at the bottom of this page.
DesmoSport Ducati’s Ben Henry
“I’m really excited to unveil the V4R. There’s been a lot of demand from fans to see it, so I’m glad we were able to pull together as a team, get it done and show race fans what we’ve been working on. We’re not in a position to confirm when we’ll debut the bike on track, but we’re working hard to make it happen as soon as possible. This a special bike, and I’m as excited as everyone else to see it at full noise with Troy in the seat.”
DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R
At the bottom of the page find a gallery of images showcasing the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4R.
Western Australian shy of the podium at the first round.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Bryan Staring believes his qualifying performance at Phillip Island’s first round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) is what ultimately cost him in the overall classification.
The Kawasaki BCperformance talent, piloting the new ZX-10RR, qualified an uncharacteristic 10th, forcing him to navigate his way through the field in all three outings hosted over the duration of the weekend.
He charged to an impressive third in race one followed by fourth and eighth place finishes in races two and three, granting him fifth overall – just two points shy of the podium.
“The weekend wasn’t too bad at all,” Staring commented. “I’m quite frustrated with my qualifying performance, because overall that’s what cost us a better result this round. I managed to get away with it in the first race, which was good for the confidence to stand on the podium early on in the series.
“One podium was good, fourth in race two was also good, but today’s eighth place was a killer for us in points. Fortunately, I’ve come out of the first round with three decent finishes and we can now attack the championship from here. The team put in a big effort this weekend, so a big thanks to them.”
The round was won by Yamaha-mounted privateer Aiden Wagner followed by Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) and Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar Australia). The next stop on the ASBK calendar is scheduled for 22-24 March at Wakefield Park in New South Wales.
KTM pilot seventh on the timesheets in MotoGP testing.
Image: Supplied.
Pol Espargaro has departed the MotoGP World Championship test at Losail International Circuit in Qatar impressed by the potential of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
The Spaniard laid down the seventh fastest lap-time on day three of testing, marking a significant improvement over previous results in the pre-season tests.
Half a second off pace-setter Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Espargaro is optimistic the squad can ‘think big’ ahead of the season-opener, scheduled for 10 March at the Losail venue.
“I’m impressed by the potential of our bike and what we have done here,” said Espargaro. “This is normally a track where we have struggled the last two years but to see us just half a second away is great. We did a good job, a good lap and a good rhythm. The conditions can change for the race but we can take a positive feeling from this test and have a good target for the GP.
“We still need to work carefully and concentrate on what we are doing. The conditions at the end were tough with the humidity going up and the temperatures dropping. There were a lot of crashes. Anyway, I think we can think big, and we have to do the best we can in the race but also be safe to not lose those first points of the season.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing newcomer Johann Zarco is still facing difficulties in adapting to the Austrian machine, winding up 22nd on the timesheets after day three.
German contender maintains second in championship standings.
Image: Supplied.
Battling the flu in the lead up to Detroit’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Triple Crown last weekend, Ken Roczen says the key was to minimise damage in the three-race format.
Relinquishing the points lead one week prior, the Team Honda HRC rider pushed through illness to record a 5-6-5 scorecard, positioning him fourth overall – just one point just shy of third’s Chad Reed (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing).
“I’m glad tonight is over,” Roczen declared. “We were just one point away from another podium, so that sucks but overall I’m still happy. I’ve been fighting the flu all week, so my body didn’t feel up to par tonight. My focus the entire night just wasn’t there, and I was uncomfortable.
“I just wanted to minimise the damage, and I think we did that with a fourth. We’re still second in the championship and only six points out of the lead. I’m looking forward to having a good week and heading to Atlanta strong.”
Roczen maintains second position in the championship standings behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb. The overall win last Saturday night was captured by Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac.
World champion’s recovery duration still to be determined.
Image: Supplied.
Reigning champion Jeffrey Herlings has officially confirmed his withdrawal from this weekend’s opening round of the 2019 MXGP World Championship at Neuquen in Argentina.
The Austrian manufacturer has stated the Dutchman is due for further medical consultation on 11 March, where he’s anticipated to change from a full cast to a lighter support, and ultimately determine the full length of his recovery time.
“I cannot really feel too much with my foot because of the cast but it seems to be progressing well after the operation and I’m looking forward to having some of the pins removed in a couple of weeks when I can also change the cast,” Herlings explained.
“It’s a pity to miss Argentina. I think last year was one of the best races of the season. It’s also one of my favourite tracks: wide, fast and sandy. It’s a big shame that we won’t be there but it is what it is.”
KTM motocross sport director Joel Smets added: “Jeffrey’s injury is not as ‘simple’ as a collarbone or another part of the body. It’s quite tricky actually and it is something that we will have to monitor and look at the rehabilitation. Obviously a rider’s foot comes under a lot of punishment in motocross with the many jumps and bumps.
“So we are being careful and will hopefully have a better idea in the coming weeks of how his recovery is going. Of course we will miss him in Argentina but the rest of the crew with Tony, Jorge and Tom means Red Bull KTM will still be ready to go for the kind of results Jeffrey would be shooting for.”
Spaniard earns three victories aboard all-new Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Image: Supplied.
A perfect results sheet at Phillip Island’s opening round of the 2019 FIM Motul Superbike World Championship has taken Alvaro Bautista by surprise.
The Spaniard was not only making his debut in the championship, but it was also Ducati’s first competitive outing on the world stage with the all-new Panigale V4 R.
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati talent claimed pole position before going onto the win races one and two by extended margins, along with the newly-introduced Superpole race, making for an incredible start to the 2019 series.
“It has been a perfect weekend and my Superbike debut couldn’t have been better,” Bautista stated. “We made a clean sweep of everything by winning race one, the Superpole race and race two. If people had said to me before that I would have won three races, I wouldn’t have believed them, but we worked hard during the tests to prepare a fantastic bike.
“In this morning’s Superpole race I had a lot of fun fighting with Rea, I knew that he was very strong and that he was always pushing. The pace was incredible and I had to concentrate so hard, but in the end I got the better of him. In race two the track conditions were more difficult than in the morning, and it was important to save the tyres because of the higher track temperature, so I pushed hard in the early laps to try and manage the situation at the end.
“I’m so happy with the results, today is a day I will never forget! A big thanks to the Aruba team, to Ducati and to my crew for making this all possible! Now we have to continue to work hard, we’re only at the beginning and I think it’s going to be a very top-level championship.”
Bautista now leads the championship by 13 markers over four-time defending champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) as the series heads to Thailand on 15-17 March for round two.
Norton Motorcycles is expected to improve reliability and spare parts availability as well as delivering important new models this year after two major cash injections.
One of the meanest helmet designs just got even meaner.
Begin press release:
It’s back… and it’s twisted.
In 2016, HJC released the RPHA 11 Spider-Man and RPHA 11 Venom helmets, allowing riders to choose between your friendly, neighborhood hero, or the chilling antihero.
Although Spider-Man is one of the most popular comic characters of all time, it was the RPHA 11 Venom that become one of the most popular helmet graphics to ever hit the motorcycle industry. HJC dealers could not keep this item in stock.
However, after a few years of review, the designers at HJC thought that maybe, after all, the RPHA 11 Venom looked a little too nice. So, HJC worked with Starline, the original Venom helmet designer and an Italian designer that paints for a number of top MotoGP racers, to come up with something that was even more dark and twisted.
Now, HJC brings you the RPHA 11 Venom 2. With sharper teeth and a wider scream, this graphic is fueled by rage. By Spring 2019, every rider will be able to host this powerful alien symbiote.
The new Venom design will continue to be featured on the RPHA 11 (Pro), HJC’s premium sport helmet. The RPHA 11 is designed for the race track with an aerodynamic shell structure composed of HJC’s Premium Integrated Matrix (P.I.M. Plus) shell material for enhanced shock-resistance in a lightweight helmet.
MV Agusta has launched its fourth limited-edition model, the Brutale 800 RR LH44, in collaboration with five-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
Only 144 bikes will be made, each with Hamilton’s race number “44”.
They will cost $A38,880 ride away, which is about $14,00 more than the RR version and $10,000 more than the RR America.
Lewis Hamilton collaboration
The Brutale 800 RR LH44 is distinguished by a blacked-out ceramic exhaust, LH44 rim design, pearl shock red lever sets, and carbonfibre highlighted side covers, fuel tank trim, front and rear fenders and dashboard cover.
It also has a compact and lightweight two-channel ABS 9 Plus that features Rear Wheel Lift-up Mitigation to control the pressure on the front brake and avoid rear wheel lift-up.
MV Agusta says the Euro 4 inline-three cylinder engine has “undergone extensive technical updating”.
However, they don’t say what that is, but horsepower remains at 140hp with a top speed of 244km/h.
Limited editions
MV Agusta has launched a host of limited edition models in the past few years as they have struggled under financial constraints to produce new models.
While we’ve lost count of the number of “limited-edition models” they have released in recent years, we do know this is the fourth in collaboration with Lewis Hamilton.
It sort of makes a mockery of the term “limited edition” when they produce so many.
Top of the range of limited-edition models was last year’s $A125,012 Claudio F4 which pays homage to former company president Claudio Castiglioni.
Claudio F4
Meanwhile, MV Agusta have produced only a couple of new models since 2013 and suffered from a frustratingly slow supply chain. We know of one rider who waited six months for a sump plug!
Instead of fixing supply, updating their bikes or launching new models, MV continued to churn out limited-edition models with a lick of paint, some extra farkle and a hefty price tag.
During the week leading up to the opening round of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, it was noticeable on first sight of the 2013 Superbike World Champion, Tom Sykes, that there is a renewed vigour and spring in his step. A beaming smile with a “heeey-oop” heavy in a Yorkshire twang, rather than the more sullen demeanour we witnessed last season.
The last couple of years have been especially challenging for the 33-year-old, not only having to contend with a dominant team mate in his business life, but the real challenges had come in his personal life. That is now behind him and Tom has now come full circle after the break down of his marriage, with a new lease on life.
The “old” Tom Sykes has returned
Tom Sykes
Signing with the new look BMW Motorrad WSBK Team, led by the vastly experienced Shaun Muir, and complete with factory support from Germany.
The head of BMW Motorrad, Markus Schramm, stated on the weekend that BMW is in the WSBK field for the long haul, and won’t be happy until they have at least one World Championship trophy in the Bavarian locker.
2019 marks Sykes’ 11th full season in the WSBK paddock, a period that has yielded one championship (in 2013), and five top-three championship positions since 2012, including 34 race wins on the green beasts, as well as being Mr Superpole over the last six years.
Tom Sykes – Image by Rob Mott
Also for the first time in a number of years, the second fiddle is no long his as he is the lead in the BMW orchestra. Last year was Sykes’ worst season since 2011, with only one win (at Assen), but with consistency he still managed to wind up fourth overall, behind his teammate Jonathan Rea, Chaz Davies and Michael van der Mark.
The BMW project to join the 2019 title was only finalised back in May last year, so there is still a lot of forward progress expected and demanded by all concerned in the team.
Additionally, off-track happenings in his private life did not make for a happy person in recent seasons. The combination of the two pressures, in business and at home, had taken their toll on a guy that used to be the joker in the paddock.
Tom Sykes – Image by TBG Sport
Tom Sykes, will be joined by BMW faithful Markus Reiterberger, and is ecstatic with the new uniform and the S 1000 RR. Last week gave plenty of indications that the old Tom is the new Tom.
MCNews.com.au caught up with him for a chat over the weekend.
Tom Sykes Interview
Mark Bracks: Tom Sykes, first up, sum up round one for us.
Tom Sykes: “Yea, quite good. I’m really happy with where things are progressing, the whole of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team is working really quite flawlessly, so I’m really just enjoying riding the S 1000 RR. We’re certainly making progress. In a lot of areas, wow, working on the chassis, electronics, suspension, there’s a lot of stuff. So we’re just slowly working through it.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Mark Bracks: Have you worked with Shaun before?
Tom Sykes: “No this is the first time.”
Mark Bracks: What’s the biggest – I know they are both in-line fours,– what’s the biggest difference between the BMW and the Kawasaki?
Tom Sykes: “Well, you know I could really go into detail, but it might give the game away, let’s just say that the engine characters are quite different, but certainly something which I’ve been looking for, and like I said it is proven. I enjoy riding the BMW, so we’ll just work around what we’ve got and keep improving.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK – TBG Image
Mark Bracks: What stage is the engine development at? Full race pack engines?
Tom Sykes: “I’m the wrong person to answer that, I like to think there’s plenty more in the tank, and I think when you take into account, that when the green light was given on this project, the time to start doing a lot of research into the tuning aspect was obviously quite limited.
“It’s probably not the place to say too much, but what I will say on the other hand is that [considering] when the green light was given, where we are at now is absolutely incredible. Given my experience I’d probably say that no one else could have done any better, the work the guys have done to turn up here at Phillip Island with all the parts and the spares, and get on the grid and to be as competitive as we are, is a credit to all them boys involved.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Mark Bracks: Where’s your best and worst corners here?
Tom Sykes: “The main sector when you need big melons would do it pretty well, through the hayshed and through that area. I’m not shy when it comes to there, our worst area is the straights really, a couple of the guys in the box were thinking the last sector is probably not as sharp as it should be.
“I said don’t worry we’re missing a little bit down the straight, which is obviously most of the last sector, but you know I’ve got some experience behind me, and like I said to the boys, on the quiet, I really feel we’re doing our job through the corners, so the rest will come naturally as we develop the engine on the S 1000 RR.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Mark Bracks: This really has invigorated your passion and penchant for racing, hasn’t it?
Tom Sykes: “The last few years have been difficult on and off the track, obviously I just enjoy racing motorcycles and I just want the opportunity to show my potential again. Personally, now things are getting a lot clearer after my recent private life dramas, and I’m now putting that behind me. That clarity is also influencing my on-track action, and like I said really really enjoying it all. You know the S 1000 RR is a bike which I’ve probably been looking for, for a couple of years anyway, like I said it’s so early in the development stages that to be where we are is really impressive and I’m grateful for this opportunity from SMR, and BMW.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Mark Bracks: So your personal life and professional life is in the best spot for a while?
Tom Sykes: “For at least probably three years at least, so you know it’s now where I can hopefully start to work again and make things happen. You know what, it’s one of those ‘on the business side of things’, it is what it is. I don’t think it’s a big problem swapping the teams, but on the personal side, I really feel like I’m getting rid of a black cloud that’s been following me around, so that’s certainly going to help on the business end of the equation.
“I think what’s good is that it is a clean slate, a real clean slate and I’m just grateful that I’ve got so much experience to not get lost in the early stages of development, because it’s very easy to do. I think with my experience and the quality of the team and the manufacturer around me, we’ve been able to work together very efficiently, in this respect.”
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Sykes claimed seventh in Race 1 at the 2019 opening round at Phillip Island, before taking 11th in the Sunday Superpole Sprint Race, with a strong start marred by running wide on the opening lap and losing a number of positions. The final race of the weekend saw Tom Sykes claim 13th place, with a total haul of 12 points to kick off the season.
Tom Sykes – 2019 Phillip Island WSBK
Shaun Muir – BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Principal
“We’ve got to be realistic and we have probably reached our goals for the first time we have raced the BMW S 1000 RR. So we are very happy. We have had no major incidents and I think that we have proved that the bike is going to be competitive very soon. We clearly have our limitations at the moment and we will work hard on sorting them out in the break until the next races. Both riders rode very well and both have been very patient to understand that we need to work for the development parts to come through. So from my side the overall summary is that we can look forward to a very competitive bike over the course of the season. We just need to be patient and wait for that to arrive.”
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