Oli Bayliss crashed at Portimao’s turn five during his first day of testing for the 2022 World Supersport Championship overnight in Portugal. The tumble came only nine laps into his first session on the bike.
Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
Oli was transported to the hospital of Portimao, where medical scans reveal a fracture of lateral malleolus on the right ankle.
Oli will try to recover for the next test scheduled for the 16th-17th March at Misano World Circuit.
The Barni Racing Ducati Panigale V2 of Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
After the confirmation that the injury would have prevented Oliver to take part in the second day of test in Portimao, the team – in agreement with the Australian rider – decided to call Nicholas Spinelli to continue the development of the Panigale V2. Nicholas, who is already experienced with the bike having ridden the twin-cylinder of Borgo Panigale last year in National Trophy, will be on the saddle tomorrow in the second day of test at Portimao.
After an impressive debut season in Australian Superbike on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R, including a sensational race victory in Darwin, Oli Bayliss makes the move to Europe in 2022 to contest the new-look World Supersport Championship with Barni Ducati on a Panigale V2.
Oli Bayliss took a race victory in his debut season of Australian Superbike on the DesmoSport Ducati V4 R – Image RbMotoLens
Oli, along with his three-time World Superbike father Troy, will head to Europe in the New Year and set up their base for 2022 in the ancient city of Ravenna, just an hour up the road from the Ducati factory at Borgo Panigale.
Oli Bayliss with his dad, three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens
Oli swapped his V4 R for a standard looking Panigale V2 on Monday at The Bend, as his focus now switches from Australian Superbike competition to taking on the new look World Supersport Championship in 2022.
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday
The 18-year-old has a big task ahead of him with learning new circuits and joining a European competition for the first time, but his dad knows a thing or two, is dinkum Ducati royalty, and the pair have been training together for this next adventure for some years.
Oli rode the V2 Panigale at a public ride day at The Bend on Monday
Oli’s arrival in the WorldSSP Championship with the Ducati Panigale V2 comes exactly 20 years after Troy’s first World Championship title with another twin-cylinder Ducati in Superbike, the 996 R.
Troy is happy that Oli will get to race a Ducati Twin – Image RbMotoLens
Ducati is releasing a Panigale V2 Troy Bayliss 20th Anniversary Edition to commemorate that feat and celebrate their history with Troy, as they also usher in a new era of racing with this next generation of the Bayliss family.
Marco Barnabò’s successful Barni Racing Team will be involved in two championships for the first time in 2022 with 20-year-old Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi in WorldSBK with the Ducati Panigale V4 R, and Oli Bayliss in the new look World Supersport Championship on the Panigale V2.
Oli Bayliss rode the Panigale V2 for the first time at The Bend on Monday during a public track-day
The World Supersport Championship has its biggest shake up ever coming in 2022 with the 955 cc Ducati V-Twin going up against, triple-cylinder 800 MVs and 765 Triumphs alongside the regular 600 cc four-cylinder machines that have long been the staple of the category.
There will be two Aussies on the World Supersport grid in 2022, as Ben Currie has also signed for Kawasaki – Image RbMotoLens
Organisers will use a control ECU package to torque-map the individual bikes and then restrict their power and torque at certain revs to try and establish a level playing field. No doubt it will be a bit of a messy affair at first, but this is the new way forward for the category now that so few people buy 600cc four-cylinder Supersport motorcycles, that most manufacturers have now ceased their production. We believe the 600 fours might also be allowed more modifications than they were permitted previously in order to help try and achieve some level of base parity when the season gets underway at Aragon in April.
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLens
Oli Bayliss
“The race weekend wasn’t exactly what I had pictured for my last race weekend before heading to Europe, but it was great to finally go racing again. Congratulations to Wayne for taking the championship and especially to Broc (Pearson) for taking the SuperSport Championship. We train together a lot, so I’m really happy for him. It was great to have Jack alongside us this weekend, it really lifted the event to have him on track and I picked up a few things from him along the way which was great. This year I’ve learnt so much and so I’m excited to take the next step in my career, but before I go, I really want to thank some people. Obviously Mum and Dad, they’re always behind me and I couldn’t do what I’m doing without them and I really appreciate it. Bryan (Hands) and Byron (Draper), these guys have basically been there for every step of my career with advice, support and hard work. They make me more motivated every time I ride the bike. And Ben. He puts in so much time, effort work behind the scenes that no one ever see’s and I’m sure he sometimes thinks no one notices, but we all do Benny, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLensOli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday
Oli Bayliss broke through for his first Australian Superbike race and round win in Darwin back in June – Image Rb MotoLens
Oli recently turned 18 after breaking through for his maiden Superbike victory in the Australian Superbike Championship at Darwin earlier this year on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R.
A young Oli Bayliss on the podium with parents Troy and Kim at Portimao in 2008 – Image 2snap
Ducati recently released a 21st anniversary special edition V2 Panigale to commemorate the first of Troy’s three World Superbike Championship victories and it is on just such a machine that Oli will contest the new look World Supersport Championship with in 2022.
Oli Bayliss in action on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R at Hidden Valley earlier this year where he took his first Superbike victory – Image Half Light
The arrival in Europe of the youngest of the Bayliss clan will be eagerly watched, but Oli has his feet firmly on the ground, is very well liked amongst his peers here in Australia, and I am sure will prove just as popular as his dad was, and still is!
Oli will join Barni Racing’s new World Supersport effort as the long running Superbike team expands into the new look Supersport Championship. Oli’s team-mate will be 20-year-old Luca Bernardi.
Up until now the Supersport class has been bound by regulations to incorporate 600cc four-cylinder, 675cc three-cylinder and 750cc twin-cylinder machines. As the market has so significantly changed in recent years and moved away from the motorcycles that did make up the category, 2022 will see the Supersport class open up to include 955 cc twins and 765 cc triples.
Trev: So what year are you in at school now Oli and do you like school or are you counting the days until you leave”
Oli Bayliss: “I’m in year 12, but I’ve got about 19 days left. So I’m pretty keen to get out of there, but the school that I’m going to now I’m a lot happier in than the one I was in before.“
Oli much prefers this type of study – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: And after your breakthrough Superbike win in Darwin you said you were looking towards mum cooking you a nice celebratory dinner, what did you have?
Oli: “Good ole BBQ, just a nice BBQ at the house we had at Darwin, with the whole team.”
Oli in the DesmoSport Ducati put in Darwin – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: Kim, it must be like feeding an army when both Oli and Troy are training hard?
Kim: “Yeah, pretty much. Oli is not too bad now, but there has been times when it’s been like that. Troy tends to have about five breakfasts before we’ve even started our day.”
Kim and Oli in Darwin – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: I believe Abbey recently finished her studies and Mitch is going great guns with his fitness centre. Of course I should note that it was Mitch we would often see on the podium with you Troy back in those earlier days of World Superbike as Oli was still yet to be born.
Kim: “Mitch is doing good in the gym, Abbey has one month to go for Uni, so she’ll be finished around the end of August, and she’s gone really good. But they’ve been in lockdown for quite some time now. Her Uni has been online more than it’s been offline, in the last 18 months. She’s studying maths/statistics.”
Trev: She’ll be good to go into programming ECUs for Oli later on!
Kim: “She might be too, but I think she’d run in the opposite direction.”
Trev: It was Mitch we’d often see on the podium with you in those early days Troy, before Oli came along. When was the first time Oli went up there with you, can you remember?
Mitch Bayliss on the podium with Troy at Misano in 2001 – Ben Bostrom P2 and Gregorio Lavilla P3
Troy: “I am not sure, but I definitely remember the last time, it was the last race at Portimao in 2008, we had the whole crew up there. So that would be the one I remember the best.”
The whole Bayliss clan on the podium at Portimao in 2008, Troy, Kim, Mitch, Abbey and Oli – Image 2snap
Kim: “I don’t really remember Oli being up on the podium.”
Oli Bayliss on the podium with Kim and Troy at Portimao in 2008 – Image 2snap
Troy: “I’d see Abbey down the bottom, I’d always throw her the flowers, which she used to love, when she was little.”
The whole Bayliss clan on the podium at Portimao in 2008 – Image 2snap
Trev: How is the recovery from the bicycle accident going Troy? I believe at one point you struggled to regain full feeling and control of your hands due to damage pressing on the nerves in your neck, that’s a bit scary.
Troy: “It’s definitely getting better, I said to Kim today at the park with the dogs, I’m the best on my feet that I’ve felt. I’ve been really unco, it’s been a weird thing, my whole body has pins and needles all over, not terrible, and when I put my head down, it was much worse in the shoulders and arms. So still trying to work out what’s going on there. I think it’s just – I’ve got to get some more MRIs – with my head in some weird positions to work out what’s going on. It could just be a long ongoing recovery, that’s just going to take a bit longer.“
Oli Bayliss with his dad, three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: It could just be a matter of time for things to settle down.
Troy: “Yeah, now I look at… I was really angry and just hating life… but now I think about it, I’m in no hurry and I’ll possibly be fine, so I’m pretty lucky.”
The Darwin ASBK round in mid June was the first time Troy had really spent a lot of time out and about on his feet since the bicycle accident a month earlier – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: I’m sure that makes it easier for Kim and Oli to live with you.
Troy: “The first six weeks were absolutely horrible, but it certainly adds a different perspective, when something like that happens to you. I’ve never had anything like that before. I wouldn’t have wanted to be racing and have had this injury. It would have been a changing moment in my life I reckon, but it doesn’t really matter so much now. But you don’t want that early on.”
Trev: The recent honour with Ducati revealing a special-edition Panigale V2 commemorating the first of your three Superbike World Championships two decades ago must have been really something to make you all feel proud.
Troy: “Definitely Trev, you sort of take it for granted a lot, especially back in the day when you’re riding. But now you appreciate it more and you look back and go, ‘Damn, that was really good for me,’ and the whole thing, it was a great job. And then when they come out and do the bike like that 20 years later, it means they are still thinking about you. That’s pretty good.”
Troy was on the European telecasts from the Assen WorldSBK round where the V2 Panigale Bayliss 20th Anniversary was on display
Trev: I think I can speak for most Aussie road racing enthusiasts, most of us that watched that presentation for the bike reveal with Claudio (Domenicali) and Davide (Tardozzi), many of us got a bit of a lump in our throats as well, there was some great memories to relive. It truly is great to see them commemorate those again, it’s awesome to be remember that time which really was perhaps the zenith of World Superbike competition.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi did some promotional demo laps at Assen on the weekend aboard the new Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship Anniversary Edition – If not for the combination of COVID and Troy’s recent bicycle accident it would have been Troy there on track at Assen last weekend
Troy: “It is really so good, I’ve got so many good memories of it all.“
Kim: “It’s surprising to think it was 20 years ago Trev.“
Bayliss and the team at Portimao in 2008 – Image 2snap
Trev: So guys, the house going up for sale, does this mean you are preparing to head to Europe next year with Oli?
Troy: “No, we’re going camping *laughs*. Well, we sort of put an offer in on a farm just over the border in NSW, but we’ve missed out on it. Now our house is going to auction on the fifth of August, so we’re sitting back and waiting to see what happens. Worst case scenario we’ll stay where we are, and if the place sells we’ll go find somewhere.”
Trev: You haven’t put an offer in on Mick’s palace have you, on the canals up there?
Kim: “We’re trying to go smaller in the house size.”
Troy: “Everyone has left and there’s only Oli left, and quite often it’s Kim and I by ourselves, and we don’t need this much space. But then of course, there’s designs for Oli next year. So there’s heaps of stuff going on, and putting it all in the right place and right direction.”
Oli and Troy at Hidden Valley – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: With regards to Oli, it’s been quite unusual for an Aussie youngster to stay on our shores for so long, and race superbikes here, it’s been fantastic. All our other young guys that have gone on the world stage, left before they had even reached senior road racing here, most never even raced a 600 in Australia, let alone a superbike before they headed to Europe.
Troy: “Some of the guys are going good too, but there’s all different ways you can go about it. I was hesitant there for a little while, because Davide (Tardozzi) was pushing a couple of years ago, saying if you’re serious you should be coming over now, but I wasn’t sure and was kinda going long with that. But now I’m 100 per cent behind what Kim’s idea was – he had to finish school, with plenty of other things going on here. If anything it has worked out better here, he’s only 17-years-old and he’s gone through school. He’ll be able to count the laps now.“
A lot of people have Oli’s back – Image RbMotoLens
Troy: “I was wondering, I didn’t know that people were talking about getting that in. I know from other ways that the bike was looking at being put in there, so we’re looking down that road, we’re looking at World Superbikes, looking at BSB, and looking at Moto2.“
Kim: “Basically we’re very confused.”
Troy: “It’s hard times at the moment, thinking about the right steps to take, but we’ve got a bit of an idea.”
Supersport rules are changing and being opened up for bikes such as the Ducati Panigale V2 to compete as the world shifts away from 600 cc four-cylinder machines
Trev: I guess just seeing which is the right opportunity that presents themselves, because as you well know, how your big break came, you need that little bit of luck at the right time, right place, right time…
Troy: “it’s interesting times, you know, it’s exciting times too. But stressful as well.”
Trev: Good luck getting another farm, or that one you’re looking at.
Kim: “Who knows where we will end up.“
Trev: I’m on 100 acres up here in the mountains and largely ignore the universe, and find that a pretty good way.
Troy: “Lucky you, we want to do that sometimes!”
Trev: Have a great week and thanks for your time.
Troy congratulates Oli on his win in Darwin – Image RbMotoLensTroy Bayliss Ducati WSBK 2001Troy Bayliss Ducati MotoGP 2004Troy Bayliss in his last race as a full-time official racer – Portimao 2008 – Image 2snapOli Bayliss recently broke through for his first Australian Superbike race and round win in Darwin – Image Rb MotoLens
At first it looked like a quite innocuous front end lose during final qualifying as Mike Jones pushed to try and further his place up the grid on Saturday morning but later investigations found injuries that would ultimately rule Mike Jones out of the remainder of proceedings at Hidden Valley. Jones had qualified third but missed Saturday’s race as he was examined in hospital where he remains today ahead of hand surgery.
What led to Jones’ crash that damaged his hand was an earlier kerb-strike earlier that broke and dislocated toes in his foot. Mike Jones is not the only rider to have copped a significant whack to the foot on the kerbs here this weekend, we know that Troy Herfoss, Yanni Shaw and Lachlan Epis are all smarting from similar impacts that resulted in varying degrees of injury. Mark Chiodo crashed yesterday and had not been cleared by medical staff to take part today.
Mike Jones missing from the grid today – Image RbMotoLens
The loss of three significant points scoring opportunities is a cruel blow for both Jones and the DesmoSport Ducati squad with this effectively ruining any chances that Jones might have had to fight for the championship. It is also a blow to the series as in the rounds staged so far this year it has only been Jones that looked even close to getting on terms with the dominance of Wayne Maxwell and Troy Herfoss. Jones’s team-mate Oli Bayliss had already stepped up a gear this weekend and will now be the sole focus of the team for the remainder of their time in Darwin.
In the opening race of the weekend Oli Bayliss looked very strong early on before a mistake a few laps into the race cost him a lot of time and positions. He worked his way back through to almost claim a podium and will be pumped off the back of that ahead of this morning’s encounter.
Oli will have the full focus of the whole DesmoSport Ducati Team today – Image RbMotoLens
At the front it was that pair we always expect to be battling for the win, Wayne Maxwell and Troy Herfoss. Maxwell had set the pace in every session and on qualifying form looked as though he would be almost impossible to beat. Herfoss didn’t read that script though and sat on that tail-pipes of the Boost Mobile Ducati for all but the last few corners of the race. Late on the final lap he slid the Penrite Honda under Maxwell on entry to a corner and then had the race line through the final couple of turns to take victory by the narrowest of margins.
Final preps being made to the Boost Mobile Ducati this morning – Image RbMotoLens
Maxwell will be determined to not allow that to happen again but after Herfoss spent almost the entire 16 laps of race one studying the form of Maxwell and the Ducati nobody has a better understanding of the comparative strengths and weaknesses between the two bike-rider packages. I would imagine the intelligence gained from that reconnaissance mission would inform any changes the Penrite Honda might make to the Fireblade overnight. Similarly, Maxwell’s crew-chief in exile, Adrian Monti watching on from plague-town Melbourne and keeping in constant voice and data contact with the team throughout, would have studied the race footage and data overnight to try and tweak their package further for its long-run form.
Final fettling on the new NextGen BMW M 1000 RR this morning in Darwin – Image RbMotoLens
Glenn Allerton had also been very strong early on but a clutch-slip issue on the new M 1000 RR ultimately blunted his challenge. The NextGen BMW squad will have sorted that overnight and they will be hoping to hang onto the back of Herf’ and the Wayne-Train throughout the entire 16-laps today. Lachlan Epis had accidentally put his M 1000 RR into Rain Mode and thus he was riding a very blunted instrument on Saturday and will feel like it is ripping his arms off today.
Daniel Falzon will be out to make up for the disappointment of being taken out early on in race one – Image RbMotoLens
Daniel Falzon has been the strongest Yamaha runner so far this weekend but his challenge was cruelled at turn one on Saturday when he was punted from behind. Anthony West has managed to hone his race package further and is much closer to competitive pace this weekend.
The official Yamaha Racing Team are not having a great weekend but will be hopeful of turning around that form this morning.
BC Performance continue to tune the new ZX-10RR – Image RbMotoLens
Bryan Staring and BC Performance have already made significant progress this weekend and will be working hard to continue with that momentum as they get the new ZX-10RR up to speed. Staring finished fifth on Saturday but was a significant 12-seconds behind the top duo over the 16-lap race distance which indicates they still have significant gains that need to be made in order to be competitive. They are, however, the fastest Dunlop runners
ASBK Superbike Race Two
Race Two start, first time around… – Image RbMotoLens
Wayne Maxwell looked to get major wheelspin off the line and perhaps also suffered some clutch creep but still led the field around turn one ahead of Oli Bayliss and Troy Herfoss. Only a few corners later though Herfoss went down which saw the red flag brought out and the medical team sent to the scene.
Herfoss lost the front at turn four
The Penrite Honda looked to hit the air-fence first at Turn Four and took the fence with it which then led to a vastly reduced amount of air-fence protection from the wall by the time Troy made impact with the wall.
The bike took the air-fence with it
Early indications are that Troy’s femur is broken just below the ball. He has also suffered some shoulder injuries, but the extent of those is yet to be ascertained.
The issues of air-fences unable to be effectively secured to the ground raises its head yet again. It’s clear that they are not an adequate substitute for run-off areas. If you put posts in the ground to secure the air-fence then you are only putting another hard object that the rider may hit, thus the secure installation of them is always challenging. They essentially need to buried deep in the ground but when they are a temporary measure that is not really practicable.
We do know that on the start-line senior personnel in some teams had complained that officials were making them remove the tyre-warmers before track cleaning had been completed ahead of their race. Obviously that results in tyres losing temperature. Troy fell the first time he tilted to use the right side of the tyre.
Due to being a supporting act of the V8 Supercar program, Race Two was cancelled due to time constraints as it would be a lengthy undertaking to reinstall the air-fence to a satisfactory standard.
While of course we have the utmost concern and sympathy for Herfoss and Jones, the cancellation of that race certainly helps them in the championship as his competitors were then denied the extra opportunity to make gains against them. The cancellation reduces the disadvantage they were to be under in the championsip chase. Some might read those comments at heartless, but it’s just simple maths and facts and is what it is.
ASBK Superbike Race Three
Troy Herfoss and Mike Jones were missing from the grid on Sunday afternoon – Image RbMotoLens
Obviously Troy Herfoss and Mike Jones were missing from the grid on Sunday afternoon. A crash during qualifying for Jones, and a crash on Sunday morning for Herfoss, had both riders receiving treatment in Darwin Hospital. Mark Chiodo was also missing from the grid due to a crash earlier in the weekend.
DesmoSport Ducati personnel attend to the V4 R of Oli Bayliss on the grid – Image RbMotoLens
Sunday morning had been Darwin’s coldest of the year with the overnight temperature dropping to 18-degrees Celsius. Temperatures were much hotter when they formed up on the grid on Sunday afternoon for the third and final race of the weekend though with the track temp’ nudging towards 55-degrees and the ambient temperature 30-degrees.
Oli Bayliss scored the hole-shot and the teenager led the field through turn one from Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton. Lachlan Epis was up to third, Arthur Sissis fifth and Daniel Falzon sixth before being demoted to seventh by Bryan Staring.
Oli maintained the lead throughout the opening lap but Maxwell went up the inside on lap two. Glenn Allerton was right with that duo and Oli was trying to find an opportunity to retaliate on Maxwell. Both that pair in the 65s on lap three, a 65.792 to Maxwell and 65.959 to Bayliss. They then backed those up with 65.8s to start to pull away from Glenn Allerton.
Maxwell leading Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens
The red flag then came out after Matt Walters went down heavily at turn one. Corey Turner was also off the circuit after being collected by Matt but it was Walters that appeared to need some medical attention. Riders were then called back to the grid while moments later Walters managed to get up and walk away. The Cessnock Kawasaki rider had no brakes heading for turn one, after repeatedly pumping the lever he knew he had to just try and thread the needle between the riders in front of him and he did an amazing job not to centre-punch any of them. He took to the kerb at the last minute to try and evade Turner but could not avoid collecting the Queenslander, who was luckily unhurt. As for Walters he sustained a decent whack to his wrist and ankle but doesn’t think anything is broken.
Re-Start
The race was eventually re-started for a shortened eight-lap distance. This time around Maxwell got off the line well and held the line into turn one to maintain the race lead. Arthur Sissis again ridiculously awesome off the line to shoot up to third place ahead of Glenn Allerton, Bryan Staring and Daniel Falzon. The clutch control and reactions of Sissis must be other-worldly, years of high-level speedway competition has honed those reactions to perfection.
Wayne Maxwell through to the lead – Image RbMotoLens
Oli Bayliss was not letting Maxwell get away. A 65.625 bettering Maxwell’s 65.795 to stick right with the veteran. Maxwell responded with a 65.683 but could still not shake Bayliss. The DesmoSport Ducati looked quicker down the main straight but Maxwell had the wood on Bayliss under brakes.
A couple of seconds further back Glenn Allerton had moved into third place and stretched away from the rest of the field. Daniel Falzon was fourth with four-laps to run ahead of Bryan Staring, Aiden Wagner, Lachlan Epis and Anthony West.
Wayne Maxwell leading Oli Bayliss – Image Half Light
Both Maxwell and Bayliss then went under the race lap record set by Troy Herfoss yesterday, but it was Bayliss the quicker of the pair, 65.445 to Maxwell’s 65.513, but still it was Maxwell with his nose in front on track.
Two laps to run and Oli Bayliss took the lead into turn one, Maxwell gave him plenty of room and did not even attempt to come back at him, one eye firmly focussed on the championship no doubt. Bayliss maintained the lead throughout that penultimate lap and maintained that advantage into turn one for the final time.
Maxwell closed up on him in the latter half of that final lap but did not look ready to take any risks. He got on the gas hard a few corners before the end but a big slide put paid to any chance he had of getting on terms with Bayliss through the final corner. The victory belongs to Oli Bayliss and it was a hard-fought and well-deserved one at that. Oli Bayliss is also the round victor by a point over Maxwell.
Oli Bayliss gets a hug from DesmoSport Ducati Co-Owner Ben Henry in Parc Ferme – Image RbMotoLens
Has his performance in Darwin announced the emergence of Oli Bayliss amongst our own local group of Superbike ‘aliens’? He was strong all weekend and won that race fair and square, and even set a new race lap record in the process.
Wayne Maxwell congratulates Oli – Image RbMotoLens
Oli knows Morgan Park very well and if he can carry this form through to that Queensland venue, which will host the next round of the series on the weekend of August 22, he will be able to lock in his place amongst the best competitors still racing here in Australia. But at 17, he is 20 years younger than most of them….
Oli Bayliss gets a hug from mum Kim in Parc Ferme – Image RbMotoLens
Darwin was certainly one hell of a rollercoaster for the DesmoSport Ducati squad but despite Mike’s pain and disappointment I am sure he will be celebrating with the Gold Coast based squad this evening.
A roller-coaster of a weekend ends on a high note for DesmoSport Ducati – Image RbMotoLens
Glenn Allerton crossed the stripe seven-seconds behind that duo to claim his spot on the podium ahead of Bryan Staring and Daniel Falzon. A very encouraging result for NextGen BMW with the new M 1000 RR they only put together at the track this week.
Hidden Valley Round Podium – Image RbMotoLens
ASBK Superbike Race Three Results
Pos
Rider
Bile
Gap
1
Oli BAYLISS
Ducati V4R
/
2
Wayne MAXWELL
Ducati V4R
+0.172
3
Glenn ALLERTON
BMW S RR
+6.937
4
Bryan STARING
Kawasaki ZX10R
+8.855
5
Daniel FALZON
Yamaha YZF-R1
+9.096
6
Aiden WAGNER
Yamaha YZF-R1
+11.407
7
Anthony WEST
Yamaha YZF-R1
+11.769
8
Josh WATERS
Kawasaki ZX10R
+13.579
9
Corey TURNER
Yamaha YZF-R1
/
9
Cru HALLIDAY
Yamaha YZF-R1
+13.703
10
Jed METCHER
Yamaha YZF-R1
+14.620
11
Arthur SISSIS
Yamaha YZF-R1
+20.856
12
Matthew WALTERS
Kawasaki ZX10R
/
12
Luke JHONSTON
Yamaha YZF-R1
+24.605
13
Yannis SHAW
Suzuki GSX-R
+34.221
14
Michael EDWARDS
Yamaha YZF-R1
+43.172
15
Lachlan EPIS
BMW S RR
+12.502
ASBK Championship
ASBK next reconvenes at Morgan Park on the weekend of August 22. That means Troy Herfoss and Mike Jones have two-months to try and recover from the injuries they sustained this weekend in Darwin.
Maxwell will take a 26-point lead over Herfoss to Morgan Park and Glenn Allerton has significantly strengthened his hold on third place in the championship.
Despite not having a race package that has proved competitive this year Cru Halliday continues to keep his nose clean to rack up points through consistency. Considering their lack of speed it is amazing that he has managed to get the YRT machine to fourth in the championship standings.
With that victory Oli Bayliss moves up to fifth in the championship chase, equal on points with Bryan Staring, 45-points behind series leader Maxwell.
Oli Bayliss
“Everything just felt really good this weekend to be honest. We tested really well, and I felt within myself that I could race at the front at Hidden Valley. The Panigale V4 R is such a fun bike to ride, and everyone in the team is working so well together to keep letting me ride it faster and faster. As soon as we got on track on Friday I knew we were in a good position and if it wasn’t for running wide in race one, I think I could have been battling for a win there too. Dad gave me some advice on the start line about my race plan, I got off the line a lot better which really helped with track position and I managed my race, picked my strong points and I’m so happy to finally get a win on a superbike! A huge thank you to Benny, Mum, Dad, Byron and the whole DesmoSport Ducati team, and also a quick shout-out to Mike (Jones) and especially Troy Herfoss after a pretty big crash. I hope you both heal up fast.”
DesmoSport Ducati Team co-owner – Troy Bayliss
“Oli did an incredible job this weekend and I couldn’t be prouder. Today I think he showed everyone a little of what he’s capable of on the Panigale V4 R. He rode smart, was patient, chose his opportunities and made them most of them not just in the race he won, but every time he was on track. It’s been a tough few weeks for me but to see Oli take the win… It was emotional for sure. The weekend obviously wasn’t so kind to Mike, he was ready this weekend to take it to the front, so to end up in hospital without even starting a race is tough, but he’ll bounce back for sure.”
Oli Bayliss with his dad, three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens
There are still more than 200-points up for grabs this season, if the plague remains subsided enough for us to run the full calendar.
ASBK Championship Points
Pos
Rider
Total
1
Wayne MAXWELL
132
2
Troy HERFOSS
106
3
Glenn ALLERTON
100
4
Cru HALLIDAY
88
5
Oli BAYLISS
87
6
Bryan STARING
87
7
Mike JONES
74
8
Arthur SISSIS
71
9
Jed METCHER
70
10
Josh WATERS
53
11
Anthony WEST
52
12
Matt WALTERS
2021 ASBK Championship Calendar (Updated)
Round 1 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC February 18-21 Cancelled
Round 2 Winton Motor Raceway, Benalla, VIC March 12-14
Round 3 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW April 16-18
Round 4 Hidden Valley Raceway, NT – Supercars 2+4 (Superbikes only) June 18-20
Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, QLD August 20-22
Round 6 The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend, SA September 23-26
Round 7 Wakefield Park Raceway, Goulburn, NSW October 15 – 17 *
Round 8 Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC November 5-7 *
Three-time World Superbike champion and current co-owner of ASBK team DesmoSport Ducati Troy Bayliss, needs little introduction, while his son Oli, only 16, is already rising through the ranks of racing. Last weekend Oli tried the DesmoSport Ducati V4R superbike for the first time, here’s Troy and Oli Bayliss’s take from after the Pirelli Southern Downs meet at Morgan Park, Australia.
Troy & Oli Bayliss Interview
Oli, you’re only 16, but this weekend you made your debut on the V4R superbike at the Pirelli Southern Downs series. How did the weekend go?
Oli Bayliss: “It was a really good weekend. We started off doing OK times and progressing every session. In the last race of the day we got the bike sorted. I had the best feeling on the bike over the weekend and everything turned out good.”
What was it like getting on a superbike for the first time? You’ve spent almost two years on the 600. Did it take a long time to get used to the power? And how did you feel afterwards?
Oli: “Coming from the 600, the V4 is a similar aspect. You come out of the corners and, off the bottom, it doesn’t have that much power, compared to what I’ve heard from the V2. But once it gets high up in the rev range it’s so fast. So fast.”
Troy, how did you feel seeing Oli riding the superbike? What advice did you give him?
Troy Bayliss: “It was a strange one. The plan was not to have Oli on a superbike this year. But Oli’s been giving Ben Henry (DesmoSport co-founder) a hard time because he said: ‘remember you said when I win a race on the 600 I could have a ride on the bigger bike?’ But the way it’s worked out this year, with the ASBK on hold, we’re stuck in Queensland. The Pirelli Southern Downs series, which was at Morgan Park, had a round at the weekend and we thought, with the way the world is at the moment, it’s a good opportunity to let Oli have a ride on the bike. Being parents, it’s difficult to watch. I’m so comfortable with him on the 600, and he seems so in control of it. So stepping up to a bigger bike is quite stressful. It was hard to watch for a while but seeing him progress over the weekend, he looked good on the bike. He knows Morgan Park very well. The only thing is, Morgan Park is probably the most difficult track to ride a Superbike on in Australia. It’s so physical. It was really good for Oli to ride alongside Mike Jones. Mike’s so smooth and fast and he’s great to have on our team.”
What advice did Mike give you through the weekend and during the day of testing prior to the weekend?
Oli: “Pretty much, we turned up on Thursday and everything was going well. Mike gave me a few laps and we both followed each other around for a bit. When it came to qualifying Mike told me to just be smooth and not to rush anything because we’ve got the whole weekend to be here. Once we started racing there were no nerves and no pressure. We just went out there to have a bit of fun. And the whole team really helped a lot.”
We know what Troy’s career and record has been like. But what are your plans for the future? And what’s the ultimate goal?
Oli: “Just to be one of the best in the world. We don’t really know what the next few years have to come, due to coronavirus. I’d like to be doing Australia Superbike or World Supersport. Or something along those lines. To keep progressing.”
Troy, seeing Oli jump on a red bike again and the Superbike class in particular, does it bring it all back, and does it make you feel like throwing your leg over a bike again?
Troy: “Oh no, I’m so happy to be on the side lines. I really am. I’m actually in a really good head space. I’m fit and healthy. If I wanted to ride I could. One day I’ll have a ride with Oli and Mike to have a bit of fun. But it’s all about doing everything we can to make these guys as fast as they possibly can be. I love the team and working on the bikes and talking with the boys. It’s just a game. You go through the levels. And it’s trying to master the levels, that’s all it is.”
What’s it like having your dad as your coach?
Oli: “It’s really good. When I first started racing 300s, we used to ride around Morgan Park together. We did the same on the 600s for a bit. Once I got a bit faster than him , he stopped riding and I kept on improving. Definitely this year we’ll have another ride on the R6s together. He’s been dying for it. We’ll have a go and post the results.”
Troy: “I’m pretty keen to have a spin on the R6. But he’s definitely progressed a lot since the last time we rode together. At 16, he’s pretty young, but he’s nearly done the second year in the 600s and he’s really learned a lot. Especially in the last year. It was the perfect opportunity to put Oli on the bike. We have a great relationship with Ducati, and we love Motul. Motul’s been with us for a long time. It’s a great product and that’s all that goes in the bikes.”
You’ve both ridden Oli’s Cube Racing R6. Who’s faster?
Troy: ” Oli, by 1.2 seconds. That was over a year ago. We’ve progressed a bit with the bike. We’ve got the bike working really well, so I’m sure I could go quite a bit quicker than the last time I was on it. I’m sure outright speed he’ll be faster than me. We’ll soon find out next time we go to Morgan Park. Watch this space.”
You’ve both ridden the Desmo Sport Ducati V4R. Who’s faster?
Troy: “I’ve got him covered there by nearly a second. Especially at Morgan Park, because it’s a track where you have to physically attack the place. It’s that rough and hard work. And I’ve been round there a lot of times on a superbike. But for his first weekend, to be going as fast as he’s going is pretty good.”
Who’s had the biggest influence on your racing career so far?
Oli: “Dad. Or mum. Every time we go to the track, Dad and I are always chatting about how I can go faster or smoother.”
Troy: “It’s not just me either but with Ben at the workshop down at Cube Performance Centre. The whole team, the same as every team, is all about having a good relationship and making the boys faster.”
How do you like being a team owner with Ben compared to being a rider?
Troy: “Doing this in Australia is not too stressful. I wouldn’t want to be doing this worldwide. I have no interest in that at all. We’re having a great time here in the ASBK paddock. Ben and I get on well together. It’s been fun the last few years and we’re lucky to have Mike as the reigning champion. We hope to keep the winning ways going.”
How did you find the steps up between bikes?
Oli: “Going from the 300 to 600 was a bit of a change, but after a few days at Morgan Park I felt really at home on the bike, on the R6. Now coming from the R6 to the V4, it’s the same thing. After a few more days and races, I’ll really feel comfortable on that bike and push it to the extra step.”
Round two of the Southern Downs and Queensland Road Racing Series held at Morgan Park Raceway saw exciting racing over the weekend, as DesmoSport Ducati’s Mike Jones and YRT’s Aiden Wagner shared the race wins, with Oli Bayliss making his superbike debut racing on board the DesmoSport Ducati V4R Superbike, securing podiums and a personal best lap time.
Troy Bayliss – DesmoSport Ducati
“I’m glad we made the decision to put Oli on the V4R. The way he rode proved what we all thought, that he was ready to make the next step and I’m really proud of what he did this weekend, on both the Superbike and the 600. He had a few moments out there, but kept his head, made smart decisions, set quick lap times for the conditions and brought the bike back in one piece. For Mike, he put in another solid display that we’ve come to expect from him. Even starting from pitlane just proved to light a fire, and to be honest, I think he enjoyed the challenge. I think some of the club guys got a buzz from Jonesy coming through the field making 17 passes in 7 laps too.”
Troy Bayliss, Oli Bayliss and Ben Henry with the DesmoSport Ducati V4 R
Although not a part of the Australian Superbike Championship, the club-run round provided the perfect opportunity for teams to get back to business and go racing, with the Superbike field seeing Wagner up against the Ducati duo of Jones and Bayliss, with Cru Halliday unable to attend due to border restrictions.
Race 1 saw Oli Bayliss miss the start of the race, after not making it out of the pits on time, while Mike Jones had to start from pit lane. Aiden Wagner won the opening race from Corey Turner, with Mike Jones working his way to third.
Aiden Wagner claimed the Race 1 win
The second race saw Mike Jones claim the win from Aiden Wagner. Oli Bayliss completed the podium well ahead of fourth placed Corey Turner.
In a turn-around Wagner and Jones swapped finishing place the third stanza, Wagner claiming his second win of the weekend. Jones and Bayliss battled it out for the final podium positions with Mikes Jones taking P2 by a tenth.
Mike Jones clinched the final race win of the weekend, while Bayliss and Wagner fought over the final podium position after Wagner ran wide on the final lap. Bayliss claimed that P2 which prevented Wagner from taking the overall round win.
Mike Jones took the round win with his Race 4 victory clinching the win
In the four races contested over the weekend, Wagner finished with 1-2-1-3 results on 88-points, equal with Jones who compiled 3-1-2-1 finishes to get the round win by virtue of a better finish in the final race. Corey Turner was third overall, thanks to consistent finishes, while Kyle Mountney was fourth. Oli Bayliss was fifth overall after not starting the opening bout.
Mike Jones
“That was such a fun weekend! A big thank you to the club, volunteers and officials that made it possible for us to go racing, it just felt good to get back on the bike and actually go racing again. Although I would’ve loved to clean-sweep all the superbike races, it wasn’t to be this weekend, but we had a lot of positives to take from it. We were racing at a pace that I think we would be close to at ASBK with the track conditions, and I got plenty of opportunities to make solid, clean passes on my way through the field. I was able to lead from the front, defend my position and take some wins. I was impressed with Oli’s results over the weekend too, and I’m glad I could help him this weekend along with the rest of the team.”
Aiden Wagner
“Its been a long time between races but it’s awesome to be back on track and on my R1M. It might not be an ASBK round but it’s racing and we are fortunate enough to be able to compete, so thank you to The Sportsmen Club, MQ and also Yamaha for making this happen. It’s also the first time this year I have been able to race injury free. I had some hand and wrist issues at the beginning of the year but have recovered 100% and it feels good to be strong on the bike and back towards full race speed. The team had the bike in good shape and despite the windy and the cold conditions, we were able to generate some good lap times and for me the hit out was needed to get some race miles back into my mind and body. I enjoyed the weekend at Morgan Park and hopefully we can get some more racing done before the end of the year.”
Aiden Wagner had to settle for second, despite tying on points with Mike Jones
Oli Bayliss
“Once we got things setup for me, I felt really comfortable on the bike and I’m really happy to be on it. The way it handled and stopped, it didn’t feel too different to the 600 to be honest, but the power and speed of the V4R is incredible. I’m really grateful to Ben (Henry) and Dad for giving me the chance to ride the bike, and also to Chris (Jones) for helping set the bike up for me. Morgan Park is where I basically started my road racing career, and every bike I’ve ridden, I’ve ridden here first so it makes sense that I get to race a Superbike here first too. Mike (Jones) gave me some great advice over the weekend, and to race with guys like him and Aiden (Wagner) just gave me even more confidence. The V4R is definitely a challenge, and there’s a lot more to learn, but it was great to line up at a race again, and to put two DesmoSport Ducati V4R’s on the podium this weekend!”
An excited Oli Bayliss was upbeat after the strong performance
16-year-old Oli Bayliss, son of Superbike legend Troy, has been racing in the ranks of Australian Supersport since last year but with the pandemic induced break in ASBK the youngster has decided to try his hand on the big V4R Superbike at this weekend’s second round of Queensland’s Southern Downs Road Race Series at Morgan Park.
Oli Bayliss
“I’m super excited to announce at this weekend’s Pirelli Southern Downs Road Race Series, that I will make my debut outing on the DesmoSport Ducati V4R at Morgan Park Raceway. This is a huge moment in my racing career, and something which I am very, very grateful for. I honestly cannot thank Ben (Henry) and Dad enough for giving me this opportunity. I’m just really excited to see what the team and I can do this weekend. Being my first outing on a Superbike, I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself. I’m simply just going to go out there and have some fun and get comfortable on the bike. I’m very lucky that I’ll have Ben, Mike and Dad in my corner ‘coaching’ me through my first weekend of racing on the Italian machine, so I’m in very good hands. Once again, massive thanks to the DesmoSport Ducati team, our sponsors, and everyone who supports the team and I. I can’t wait for the weekend, that’s for sure!”
Oli Bayliss will ride the DesmoSport Ducati V4 R at Morgan Park this weekend
Team Co-Owner – Troy Bayliss
“I’m pretty excited to see Oli make the step to a superbike and I’m glad we’re in a position to be able to make that debut on a Ducati. It’s crazy to think that I was over 10 years older than Oli when I first raced a Superbike, but the reality is that he’s ready for it. He’s grown up a lot over the last 18 months, both mentally and physically and both Ben and I are looking forward to helping him make the step from Supersport to Superbike successful“.
Troy and Oli Bayliss at Phillip Island earlier this year
DesmoSport Ducati team-mate Mike Jones will also race this weekend and young Oli is not expected to match his more experienced senior but will instead just use the event to gain some experience on a more powerful Superbike after cutting endless laps on a 600 around the busy three-kilometre Morgan Park circuit. The race opens the door for Bayliss to line up alongside Jones aboard the V4R, despite only riding a handful of laps on Jones’ race bike prior to the weekend.
Mike Jones
“The year has just been so unpredictable, and it’s unfortunate that we haven’t been able to race ASBK, but we’re all in the same boat. We’ve been lucky to an extent that we’ve been able to ride, test, and even race this weekend coming, to stay sharp, so I’m excited to get back on track. I’m actually looking forward to seeing Oli on track this weekend too to be honest. Riding a Superbike like the V4R, with so much more power and weight, means the way you ride the track changes quite a lot compared to Supersport, but if anyone can adapt quickly, it will be Oli. It’s great to see young riders stepping up and I’m looking forward to showing Oli how to win on a V4R (laughs)!”
DesmoSport Ducati V4 R at 2020 Round One
Team Co-Owner – Ben Henry
“Oli has been doing a great job on the R6, but as Troy has said, he’s been reaching the limits of the bike as he continues to learn, and now it’s time to step up to a new challenge to keep that learning curve going. He’s a good kid, and already a great rider, so to be able to put him on track alongside experienced riders like Mike will be beneficial to him. For Mike, the weekend is another opportunity for us to keep developing the V4R and staying sharp, in case we can get this season back underway. He’s a motivated racer and I know he can’t wait to get back in a race situation“.
It was a Ducati 1-2 at the top of the charts after the two-day ASBK Test at Phillip Island last week. Wayne Maxwell led the way from DesmoSport Ducati’s defending champion Mike Jones. As the test sessions drew to a close we sat down with DesmoSport Ducati Team Owner Ben Henry for an in-depth discussion about ASBK, and his experience with the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Originally from Western Australia, where he first started racing and preparing motorcycles, the 38-year-old is now a long-time Queensland resident and runs Cube Performance Centre out of the Gold Coast suburb of Burleigh.
Ben hung up his competitive leathers a few years ago while still able to run a top ten pace in Australian Superbike, all the while managing and running his own team and riders. He then turned his focus to concentrating on his Cube Performance workshop along with expanding Cube Racing. He then went on to develop the DesmoSport Ducati Team in conjunction with Troy Bayliss and the team won the Australian Superbike Championship with Mike Jones in 2019.
Always forthcoming with insightful observations, that are for the most part refreshingly non-partisan, Ben was generous with his time and candid with his thoughts.
Ben Henry at work on the DesmoSport Ducati at the front, Troy Bayliss at the rear – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor Hedge: What were the most extreme of the challenges you faced in getting the V4 up to the speed of the 1299 V-Twin that Mike raced to great success last year?
Ben Henry: “The biggest challenge is the chassis, getting it to work as well as we had the twin dialled in, the motor – obviously they aren’t the same, but the power isn’t too far different, it’s just dialling in the chassis and probably electronics, that’s currently our patch.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: That’s a time consuming process isn’t it?
BH: “Yes it is, it is time consuming. The electronics aren’t that bad, we’re going pretty fast, and Wayne is going pretty quick on his, and that’s all on standard stuff, so it’s clearly not too bad.”
Trevor: Wayne said his team are waiting on an ECU and a few bits and pieces, are you waiting for anything before the start of the season as well?
BH: “In ASBK they’ve homologated the MoTeC ECU for our bike, so we need to get that and make it work. That’s definitely the road they (Wayne Maxwell and his team), are going to go down, and we probably will. We just need to see if it’s better than what we already run.
“I mean it’s hard to argue with what we’ve got when we are running low 32s on it, and Wayne’s just done a 31.7, I mean that’s the fastest lap ever on a domestic superbike around here.
“So it’s hard to say that putting something else on there will be markedly better. We will wait and see what happens.”
Mike Jones – TBG Image
Trevor: Do you get much help from Ducati Australia at all?
BH: “They are in a funny spot, NF Importers are theoretically finishing up, Ducati AU/NZ, which is essentially Ducati Italy coming into Australia to run the show, but yes they are helping us.
“It’s basically going to be a better situation once they get here, but while they are not here I’m dealing through Italy, everything has to come through Italy and it’s a little bit slower. But once they get here and have stock here, and a warehouse, it will be much better.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: How difficult is it to get the budget for the season and what’s the ballpark figure, without giving too much away, to run Mike in Superbikes and Oli in Supersport.
BH: “It’s really difficult, it’s a strange time, with winning the championship last year you would think things would be easier, but it just didn’t pan out that way. Our major sponsor QBE left straight away – the next day – and our support from within the industry isn’t as strong, because they just don’t have the money. They are not trying to bullshit me, it’s just a different time now for the importers, it’s definitely difficult.
“How much… for a cash figure on top of everything else… you wouldn’t get away with anything less than 350k in cash, that you can spend on whatever you need. But then on top of that the tyres, everything else that goes into it is probably another… bike and parts and all that… it must be another couple of hundred, and then with the stuff we are getting given. It would have to be half a million bucks, it really would.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: And that’s with you having your own premises, and not really adding up your time…
BH: “Yea, exactly, I mean I’m not making money out of it, obviously people come to my shop, but it’s a trade-off that’s for sure.”
Even winning the championship does not translate to less budgetary worries…. – Mike Jones – 2019 ASBK Superbike Champion – TBG Image
Trevor: You raced and worked on various models of ZX-10R Kawasaki when you yourself were racing, and the riders on your team through those years were Kawasaki riders, including Mike himself when he won the title in 2015, the year the series was at perhaps its lowest ebb. What’s the main difference working with the Italian bike, on the Ducati, compared to the then more street bike focused Kawasaki and other Japanese machines?
BH: “They are much more basic – the Kawasaki – in short I always said this, if you can see a bolt on a Japanese bike, you can undo it. It’s not like that on a Ducati. Just because you can see a bolt does not mean you’ll be able to undo it.
“But the good thing about Ducati is that they are very, very focused on racing, and if you understand the way they build things, they are quite fast to work on. You pull big sections of the bike off in one hit, and things like that once you understand and think a bit more laterally about how you approach them.
“They are probably faster to work on once you get the hang of them. And notice the little bits here and little bits there, and you basically pull the bike apart in sections.”
Mike Jones will defend his #1 plate with Ducati but has switched from V-Twin to V-Four power for season 2020
Trevor: I’ve heard it’s about a 12 hour operation to fit a full exhaust on the V4…?
BH: “If you didn’t know what you’re doing, then yes, and honestly my toolbox has quadrupled since I started working on Ducati motorcycles, and it’s the tricky little tools, and the odd little thing you’ll make to help you. It has got to the point now where through my shop I am putting exhausts on in about five hours, something like that.”
Ducati Panigale V4 R – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: So if a punter turned up at your shop in Queensland, they’d expect to pay five to six hours to get one fitted?
BH: “Yea they would, I always quote eight as that’s what Ducati quote, in case we get into trouble, but generally the punters go home a bit happier.”
Trevor: It’s good you bought up the nuts and bolts, the rear wheel on that Ducati….I see your boys swing off some pretty big bars putting that big wheel nut on, there’s 230 nm of torque or something put on that nut..?
BH: “That’s right, I don’t even tighten it up as much as you’re meant to, as we take it on and off all the time, and it gets too much.”
Ducati Panigale rear wheel nut – TBG Image
Trevor: It’s almost horrifying to watch, how much force gets put through the big bar, to put that nut on.
BH: “I can’t remember what it’s called, there’s a basic engineering thing, but if you have a threaded pipe and put a nut on the top of it, and torque that nut, it strengthens the pipe like ten-fold, and that’s why they do it. I can’t remember, it was so long ago that I learnt it.”
Trevor: So it effects the rigidity of the bike?
BH: “Absolutely, when you look at the axle, it’s so thin, the bit the wheel is hanging off is just so thin, and you would think not strong enough, it’s no special metal, there’s no magic there, but it’s the engineering that goes into it. When you do something like that and torque it that tight, the structural strength it gives the axle is incredible.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: What are the power and torque figures of the V4 in ASBK race trim, compared to the 1299?
BH: “The 1299 was a little bit stronger…”
Trevor: You’d expect that with a bit more torque..?
BH: “The 1299 was stronger up top, maybe five horsepower up top, just over 220-ish. The V4 is making peak power at 15,800rpm.”
Trevor: Overall, I guess this goes for everyone in Aussie Superbike, that race winners seem to be decided by who can make their back tyre last a race distance. Just how exacting is the suspension set-up required to give your rider the tyre longevity to race for the win in ASBK?
BH: “One mm, a click, half a turn of preload, it’s so so close, but I sometimes think that’s half in the rider’s mind. Put half a turn of preload and is it any different? You’d be doing well to tell. Tyre life is a combination of so many things, if I could put a percentage on it, I think its 70 per cent suspension, 30 per cent electronics, or say 20 per cent electronics, and 10 per cent good tyre management by the rider.
“You could vary those figures sometimes, different riders, some guys just roast the tyre out of it, no matter what you do. Some make tyres last longer, they just have a different technique.”
Pirelli runners were fastest at P.I. – Image TH
Trevor: In what specific ways does the machine setup vary between Mike and TB. I would imagine it would be a big difference between the two?
BH: “Honestly, not really, like when Mike rode our bike for the first time – on Troy’s set up – he was immediately fast on it, and there was just little stuff to tweak. Even this one (V4 R), Troy rode this one first, and did his thing, and pretty much from what Troy had to say from all the notes, is very similar to what Mike had to say.
“They do a few little things differently, like gearing, Troy really lets the bike do a lot of work, letting the bike go down and lug from low, but Mike revs them a lot more. If I could pick one thing that’s markedly different, Jones likes it stiffer in the front. They are actually pretty similar, yet they ride nothing like each other.
“They ride different, Troy can use a tyre, Jones is really good at looking after a tyre, everything is so different, but I really believe if Troy rode Jonesy’s set up, he’d be happy. And Jonesy, even when he’s not completely happy has the same thing to say about the bike as Troy.”
Mike Jones – TBG Image
Trevor: What’s your expectations for Oli in Supersport this year?
BH: “I think he needs to knuckle down and he could win it. He certainly has the resources around him, and he’s a pretty talented fella when everything clicks for him, then he’s unreal. I’ve seen it happen for him a few times and it’s a bit special, which is nice for him. I reckon he could win it for sure, he has some really good people around him now this year, that should see him in the right direction more often, last year he was just learning, and there was nothing wrong with the team from last year, they were perfectly fine, but he is just trying to learn at 15, and have a crack at it.”
Oli Bayliss – TBG Image
Trevor: What ASBK rules would you change if you could?
BH: **Long pause**
“To be honest, I like it just how it is. It’s quite good, and the proof is in the pudding, as there’s a lot of good riders on all different brands going fast. Really any brand can potentially win here.
“What would I change, currently not much. What I can see happening moving forward in ASBK, I can see a change is coming and I think it will be bad for the sport.
“For instance, the way the electronics side of things is moving forward, if they don’t make an effort to reign that in, we are probably two seasons away from privateers not being able to afford to race to win anything. And currently as it stands, it’s already hard enough for them, like I’ve been there but if they (M.A.) are not careful – and they are not careful – because sometimes *pauses*…. they have the right people, just not quite *pauses*…. it’s hard to say without sounding rough, but they perhaps don’t have enough resources, and they maybe don’t have quite the experience on the latest machinery. People like this, someone like me can manipulate very simply, and they don’t understand what I’m doing to them. And I don’t do it, but I know I can for sure.”
Ducati V4 R instrumentation – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: So what would you suggest is the answer, going down the line of a control ECU like BSB use or something along those lines?
BH: “It’s nice for everyone to have a race, and you know you have a race in all aspects, I like the tyre war that maybe is going to happen. It’s going to happen, I don’t know who’s going to be best or what yet. I like all the different things that go down, and it is a race.
“It’s nice to race in all aspects of the term, but for sure if they are not careful, very soon I think they will find some of the manufacturers are not going to be that interested in racing in a race that then they can’t win. It just doesn’t make good sense. It’s not good for their brand, doesn’t make good economic sense and that’s why you see people ending up pissing off to do their own thing, that suits them, and that’s just business.
“So that’s a strange way to answer your question. But as it was last year it was much better but what I see happening rolling into this year will open a can of worms.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
Trevor: What is different this year?
BH: *long pause*
“Sort of the progress the electronics are making, in short, and I would say there will be a change as new models roll out, if M.A. aren’t careful, then I think they’ll find people will struggle to continue to compete fairly. At least not throughout a whole year.
“A privateer is not going to be able to turn up and win. Looking at Jonesy at the beginning of last year, as a privateer busting their ass like usual, and he turned up and banged the thing on the box and did the fastest lap here. That’s good, it’s great to see that. We already knew what he was capable of, but that gave us another opportunity to see it again, and then for him to ride our bike. If things move forward the way they eventually will, then you won’t see that again. It’ll be more like a handful of guys, always the same…. that’s what I think.”
Mike Jones – Image by Rob Mott
The 2020 Mi-Bike ASBK Championship season gets underway in conjunction with the WorldSBK season opener at Phillip Island over the March 1 weekend.
The YRT pairing of Daniel Falzon and Cru Halliday topped FP1 at Wakefield Park in dry and warming conditions under a cloudy sky. A gnat’s whisker separated the pair at the top, a 58.075 to Falzon and 58.093 for Halliday. Next best in the opening session was Mike Jones on the DesmoSport Ducati, standing in for the injured Troy Bayliss. Maxwell and Herfoss were P4 and P5 respectively.
YRT had tested here privately in the lead up to this round, electing not to join the rest of the field during the official ASBK Test here earlier this month. At that test it was Wayne Maxwell atop the timesheets with a 57.659, heading Herfoss’ 57.728. But talk was that Mike Jones had actually gone a couple of tenths quicker again, but did not have a transponder fitted to net an official time.
Aiden Wagner suffered a hefty tumble in FP1 here this morning, knocking himself and his machine around quite heavily. Wagner was P6 in the opening session ahead of Bryan Staring, Glenn Allerton and Josh Waters while Matt Walters rounded out the FP1 Top Ten.
Aiden Wagner – TBG Image
FP2 got underway at 1340 this afternoon and just as riders were really start to get down to business, a red flag put a temporary halt to proceedings. Sash Savin had gone down at turn two on his BMW and needed to be moved to safer ground.
Sash Savin – Image Rob Mott
Cru Halliday was the first rider to dip into the 57s when the action got underway again just before 1400. A 57.916 to Halliday, who this year makes his return to Superbike after dominating the 600 Supersport category last year for YRT. Shortly after his team-mate joined him in that bracket, a 57.919 to Falzon, making it a YRT 1-2 at the top with 14-minutes remaining in the 30-minute Superbike FP2 session.
Falzon then upped the game further, the young South Australian dropping in a 57.757 to top the charts.
Herfoss then put in a 57.846 to go P2, splitting the YRT men. A couple of minutes later Herfoss then shot to the top with a 57.455. Maxwell then went P2 with a 57.754, pushing the YRT duo back to P3 and P4.
A red flag then came out just as the session was coming to a close. Ted Collins crashed coming out of the last turn and pitched his BMW over the pit wall! The young Queenslander walked away fine, but it was one very spectacular and unprecedented accident…
Wayne Hepburn – NextGen BMW
“Ted was on a really good lap. We had our own sector splits, which he was about to drop a second and a half off his previous lap time. He simply asked too much of the bike on the exit of the last turn, which he admitted to. This resulted in Ted having a big highside. The Maxima BMW S 1000RR went over the fence, which was pretty spectacular. Thankfully, Ted was able to walk away from it uninjured which is the main thing. Unfortunately, this is motorcycle racing and these things happen. As I said, Ted is fine. The team has a bit of work to do to get him going again. I don’t believe we will get him going for the final session this afternoon, but we’ll have him right for tomorrow. Ted was doing everything which he was asked to do. However, he just got a little bit enthusiastic.”
Ted Collins machine ended up over the wall and in pit-lane! – Image Russ Colvin
The fastest recorded motorcycle lap time around Wakefield Park was a 57.182 set by Maxwell last year, will we see that beaten later this afternoon…? We thought that might be eclipsed later this afternoon in FP3 but then came the thunder and lightning! A massive downpour soaked the circuit shortly after 1500, and we would see no further quick times set today.
Teams scrambled to get the gear away from the cavalcade of water, and their power cables etc. to dry ground as the drains at the circuit failed to cope with the downpour
ASBK Superbike Friday Combined Times
Troy Herfoss – Honda 57.455
Wayne Maxwell – Suzuki 57.754
Daniel Falzon – Yamaha 57.757
Cru Halliday – Yamaha 57.916
Mike Jones – Ducati 58.116
Josh Waters – Suzuki 58.193
Alex Phillis – Suzuki 58.676
Aiden Wagner – Yamaha 58.677 (FP1)
Bryan Staring – Kawasaki 58.699
Damon Rees – Honda 58.760
Matt Walters – Kawasaki 58.839
Glenn Scott – Kawasaki 58.889
Glenn Allerton – BMW 58.916
Ted Collins – BMW 59.417
Sloan Frost – Suzuki 59.425
Lachlan Epis – Kawasaki 59.432
Mark Chiodo – Honda 59.435
Arthur Sissis – Suzuki 59.807
Brendan McIntyre – Suzuki 60.455
Phil Czaj – Aprilia 61.079
Will Davidson – Yamaha 61.509
Michael Edwards – Yamaha 61.734
Hamish McMurray – Kawasaki 62.640
Paul Van der Heiden – BMW 63.360
Sash Savin – BMW 63.752
Supersport 600
Local Goulburn lad Tom Toparis dominated the season opener at Phillip Island, and was obviously be out to do the same this weekend in front of his home crowd.
There were a few young fellas out to try and stop that happening though. Oli Bayliss and Nic Liminton both on the early pace, a 61.238 to Toparis versus a 61.529 to Bayliss. Those times were expected to tumble in FP2 though, and that they did. Only a few minutes into FP2 though Nic Liminton stopped on track with a mechanical failure and the session was red flagged to check for any oil on the track. Oil was duly found and we had quite a delay while the track was cleaned. Liminton took no further part in FP2.
When action recommenced it was Oli Bayliss setting the pace. At 15-years-old, Oli is making fast progress and the team have been working very hard in the lead-up to this first year in Supersport to give him the opportunity to shine, and it is a chance he is grabbing with both hands. His level of commitment, as can be seen in this great shot by Rob Mott, can certainly never be questioned.
Oli Bayliss using all the track this morning at Wakefield Park – Image by Rob Mott
Times quickly started to drop further, Toparis the first man to dip under the magic minute mark, a 59.507 with ten minutes to go, a clear declaration of his intentions to dominate on home turf. And, it must be said, he does look in almost untouchable form. For the best of the rest to challenge him, they either need to make a significant step up, or Toparis needs to put a foot wrong.
The Supersport lap record was set here last year by Cru Halliday at 59.050s, will Toparis best it this weekend…?
Supersport 600 Friday Combined Times
Tom Toparis – Yamaha 59.507
Oli Bayliss – Yamaha 60.471
Broc Pearson – Yamaha 60.565
Reid Battye – Suzuyki 60.635
Ty Lynch – Yamaha 61.060
Nic Liminton – Yamaha 61.666 (FP1)
Aidan Hayes – Yamaha 61.675
Rhys Belling – Yamaha 61.736
Chris Quinn – Yamaha 62.039 (FP1)
Dallas Skeer – Suzuki 62.157
Sam Lambert – MV Agusta 62.184
Andrew Edser – Kawasaki 62.756
Jack Passfield – Yamaha 62.848
John Quinn – Triumph 64.501
Supersport 300
In the Supersport 300 ranks it was Max Stauffer setting the pace from Harry Khouri, both riders under the existing lap record.
Brandon Demmery returns to racing this weekend after that horrifying crash in the MotoGP support events at Phillip Island in 2017. Those injuries included a double compound fracture of the Tibia and Fibia, a compound fracture of the Femur, numerous break in his Pelvis, a broken right wrist, a torn bladder and an incredible amount of bruising. He was ninth in FP2 this morning at Wakefield Park and ended the day 11th on combined times.
Supersport 300 – Friday Combined Times
Max Stauffer – Yamaha 66.306
Harry Khouri – Yamaha 66.478
Ben Baker – Yamaha 66.572
Zac Levy – Yamaha 66.677
Travis Hall – Yamaha 66.828
Hunter Ford – Yamaha 66.834
Locky Taylor – Yamaha 66.844
John Lytras – Yamaha 66.916
Laura Brown – Yamaha 67.021
Senna Agius – Kawasaki 400 67.110
Brandon Demmery – Yamaha 67.313
Yanni Shaw – Kawasaki 400 67.460
Seth Crump – KTM 67.602
Kyle O’Connell – Yamaha 67.626
Luke Johnston – Yamaha 67.684
Mitch Kuhne – Yamaha 67.746
Zylas Bunting – Yamaha 67.887
Tristan Adamson – Yamaha 68.090
Callum O’Brien – Kawasaki 68.345
Bronson Pickett – Yamaha 68.927
Sidecars
Three-wheelers join the ASBK action this weekend in Goulburn with the Horsell Consulting backed sidecar category making their first appearance for the year.
The LCR outfit of Steven Bayliss and Aaron Wilson were the pacesetters today with a 67.243. The lap record for the category here at Wakefield Park is 65.309, and is expected to fall this weekend.
Sidecar Friday Combined Times
Bayliss/Wilson 67.243
Ford/Menzies 68.211
Joyce/Blackman 68.431
Collins/DeAngelis 68.831
Alton/Clancy 69.346
Clancy/Bonney 69.655
Edis/Schluter 71.766
Clancy/Dawson 72.035
Underwood/Ford 72.313
Turner/Turner 73.920
Judd/Spanknebel 74.932
YMF R3 Cup Friday Combined Practice Times
Stauffer 66.208
Lytras 66.368
Baker 66.762
Hall 66.829
Taylor 66.932
Brown 67.212
Khouri 67.263
O’Connell 67.338
Ford 67.339
Johnston 67.832
Demmery 67.849
Kuhne 68.042
Levy 68.098
Bunting 68.111
Adamson 68.305
Pickett 68.723
Oughtred 68.754
Roulstone 69.726
Smith 69.996
Agostini 70.217
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
The 2019 bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup roared into life for the first time ever at Wakefield Park today for the opening round of the new junior Road Race academy.
The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup features a field of ambitious young riders looking to become the first to claim an Oceania Junior Cup round, and make an initial claim for one of the five positions in the 2019 Asia Talent Cup Selection Event, and a potential place in the 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Selection Event.
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