The wait is over – Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Riders Academy is hosting their Master Camp from August 18th to the 22nd, and the talent is hungrier than ever.
It’s been a long year since the VR46 Riders Academy was allowed to open its doors to the up-and-coming of the racing world.
This year, participants from all four corners of the earth have attended the iconic VR46 Master Camp, held at Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Ranch in Italy.
According to a report from RoadRacingWorld, participants with YZ65 or YZ85 motorcycles inside their National 65cc or 85cc Championships can apply pre-season to be part of Yamaha’s ‘bLU cRU’ program, and the five participants of the Master Camp are no exception to this qualification.
Each and every one of the racers is currently either riding for Yamaha Motor Europe‘s 2021 WorldSSP300 teams or competing in Yamaha Motor Europe’s 2021 Yamaha R3 ‘bLU cRU’ European Cup.
Here’s a list of the attendees for the 2021 VR46 Master Camp:
Unai Orradre, 17, Spain (Yamaha MS Racing); WorldSSP300 Championship participant
Bahattin Sofuoglu, 17, Turkey (Yamaha MS Racing); WorldSSP300 Championship participant
Humberto “Torquinho” Maier, 15, Brazil; Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup rider
Fenton Harrison Seabright, 19, UK; Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup rider
Iker Garcia Abella, 17, Spain; Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup rider
A view of Rossi, Bezzecchi, Nico, Antonelli and Morbidelli turning into the twists
The camp will provide these furious five (hah) with new Yamaha VR46 Master Camp outfits, receiving top tutelage from track mastermind Marco Belli, three-time English Flat Track Champion, and two-time American and European Flat Track Champion.
Bikes used? YZ85s, and YZ250Fs, with soft-cross training on YZ125s and YZF-R3s, provided by Yamalube, Akrapovič, and Pirelli.
Waverunners supplied to the members of the VR46 Riders Academy Master Camp
Lorenzo Daretti (Yamaha MotoGP/Trastevere73) will also be there as a guest lecturer for MotoGP eSports classes to teach the kids tips and tricks of the book when refamiliarizing to the track.
Here’s a succinct list of a few of the things the young talents will be up to that week:
Track day at the Circuit di Pomposa
Track day at the mini Supermoto Jeepers Park
Fisio Gym workouts with Carlo Casabianca
Practise throttle control with Yamaha EX Deluxe and Yamaha GP1800 WaveRunners at the beach
Stay tuned for updates – all media will be updated to the dedicated media channels for the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp, and we’ll make sure to update here regularly.
Another hot weekend in Spain greets WorldSBK this weekend
Pirelli is ready to return to the track for the second round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship and the event will take place at the Spanish track of Jerez – Angel Nieto from this Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August 2020 and will see for the first time this year all classes of the production derived series in action.
Both WorldSBK and WorldSSP600 riders will be able to count on new development solutions which will have to contend with ambient temperatures that are forecast to approach 40-degrees Celsius which in similar conditions for the most recent MotoGP round saw track temperatures exceed 60-degrees.
The Jerez round is normally scheduled for September and October, except for 2019 when the event was ran in June. The Jerez circuit has long, fast straights, in fact for a length equal to 69 per cent of the entire track, alternating with slow, tight corners. The 600-metre long start-finish straight has a width of 12-metres, slightly wider than the rest of the track, where the width is 11-metres. As well as the aspect of the track, the radius of the curves is also variable, ranging from 30 to 116 metres, while the maximum gradient is 5 per cent exiting turn 5. The gradients are also different, with the maximum lateral gradient of 7.46 per cent out of turns 2, 6 and 13, while the minimum is 4.70 per cent at turns 4 and 12.
Alvaro Bautista – Jerez WorldSBK 2019 – The Spaniard set the fastest race lap of the weekend at 1’39.004
In the WorldSBK class, riders will have both standard and development solutions available, some of which have been already tested last year and others which are new.
There are three options for the front, two standard and one development solution. The standard SC1 represents the most successful front tyre during the last season of the Championship, while the standard SC2 is an evolution of the development SC2 X1071 used in 2019. The news is a new soft development solution SC1 Y1231, which has a new structure designed to increase lateral thrust when cornering.
As for the rear options, the standard soft SC0 is joined by two development solutions of the same compound but with different characteristics. The soft development solution X1351 was introduced the previous year in Jerez, well appreciated by the majority of the grid. The soft development solution Z0121 makes its debut here in Jerez and has important changes in the shoulder area to improve the footprint and increase the lateral thrust at maximum lean angles. In addition to these solutions, at the rear the riders will also be able to use the SCX tyre in super soft compound that can be used during the qualifying session in preparation for the use of the only Superpole tyre available to the riders, and possibly for the Tissot Superpole Race if the circuit allows it.
Fun Facts – MotoGP/WSBK Top Speeds
Fun #MotoGP fact. Last weekend the fastest top speed by a MotoGP bike at Jerez was 295 km/h set by Bagnaia.
Race winner Fabio Quartararo was the slowest through the speed trap over the entire weekend with a best of 286.4 km/h.
All four Yamaha MotoGP machines were the slowest bikes in the field yet finished 1-2-3 in the race….
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati V4 R) was fastest #WorldSBK during the race at Jerez last year at 283.6 km/h. Maximum race speed reached in the WorldSSP race was 249.2 km/h by Federico Caricasulo (Yamaha YZF R6).
Michael Ruben Rinaldi holds the WorldSBK top speed record at Jerez
The last rear option is the Superpole tyre that will allow riders to make a lap during the Superpole in search of the absolute best time to position themselves on the starting grid.
In the WorldSSP600 category, on the other hand, there will be four dry solutions available to riders, two front and as many rear options, which are all standard solutions. For the front there will be the standard SC1 soft compound, and the standard SC2 medium compound that allows more wear resistance than the first option.
As for the rear, for the first time the WorldSSP600 riders will have available the solutions of the Pirelli Diable Superbike slick range, in the larger size 190/60 introduced during the previous year. Riders will be able to choose between the standard SC0 soft compound, further improved to offer maximum performance, and the standard SC1 medium compound, designed to offer the right compromise between top, constant performance and limited wear.
As always, in case of bad weather, riders of all classes will have rain and intermediate tyres available.
The 2019 Pirelli statistics for Jerez
Total number of tyres brought by Pirelli: 3520
Number of solutions (including dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 5 front and 8 rear
Number of tyres available for each WorldSBK rider: 35 front and 38 rear
Number of solutions for the WorldSSP600 class (including dry, intermediate and wet): 4 front and 4 rear
Number of tyres available for each WorldSSP600 rider: 22 front and 23 rear
WorldSBK Best Lap Awards both won by: Álvaro Bautista (Ducati Panigale V4 R) in 1’39.305 (Race 1, 2nd lap) and a 1’39.004 (Superpole Race, 2nd lap)
WorldSSP Best Lap Award won by: Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6) with a 1’42.532 at the 19th lap
Temperature in Race 1: air 29° C, asphalt 48° C
Temperature in Race 2: air 14° C, asphalt 23° C
Maximum race speed reached in WorldSBK: 283,6 km/h, by Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati Panigale V4 R)
Maximum race speed reached in WorldSSP: 249,2 km/h, by Federico Caricasulo (Yamaha YZF R6)
Updated 2020 WorldSBK calendar
March 1 – Phillip Island, Australia
August 2 – Jerez, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
August 9 – Portimao, Portugal (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
August 30 – Aragon, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
September 6 – Aragon, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
September 20 – Catalunya, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
October 4 – Magny-Cours, France (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
October 11 – Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina (TBC) (WSBK-WSSP)
Pirelli announced the next generation of its sport-touring line of motorcycle tires with the new Angel GT II. A refined compound, new tread pattern, and revised carcass promise unparalleled performance for a wide range of riders. Considering how good the original Angel GT performed (it’s been a part of Pirelli’s motorcycle tire lineup for more than six years), its successor has some serious shoes to fill.
Sport-touring is a demanding segment for tires. A set needs to be capable of handling sporty rides, so be nimble with reliable grip throughout. But they also need to have longevity, and the ability to perform when the weather turns. Pirelli promises it all with the Angel GT II.
That’s owing to a variable cord end count carcass and high-silica compound. Combined with a new tread pattern which owes its roots to the intermediate race tires used in World Superbike, the Angel GT II aims to deliver confidence and competence in spades.
Pirelli highlights the new Angel GT II’s strength in straight-line stability and durability along with smooth transitions from side to side. That goes for both dry and wet conditions too. The Angel GT II is also touted as being ideal for riders on machines with sophisticated electronics, things like traction control or cornering ABS, where grip can be affected by changes beyond throttle control or road conditions.
The Angel GT II is recommended for a diverse range of segments as a result, in Pirelli’s estimation. That includes large, luxury touring and adventure riders as well as urban-focused or more casual, weekend riders.
The size range backs up that assertion, with a large selection of sizes for an expansive array of machines. Below is the complete run as of the announcement.
Pirelli announced a new trackday-specific-compound Diablo Supercorsa tire, now available from authorized trackside vendors. This tire is DOT approved and will be available in seven sizes. Here’s the full size run as of the announcement:
110/70-17
120/70-17
140/70-17
160/60-17
180/55-17
180/60-17
200/55-17
The new rubber will feature a “TD” tire sticker, giving them an unmistakable look in the paddock.
“We’re proud to offer this Diablo Supercorsa special compound for trackday use as it’s designed to keep up with the performance and technology of today’s sportbikes,” said Oscar Solis, roadrace manager, Pirelli in a company press release. “The solution is incredibly versatile, giving riders the ability to cover both street and racetrack in a DOT-legal package. It provides riders the opportunity to competitively log laps at their local trackday and hop on the street to ride a scenic canyon route back home.”
Jake Zemke, former AMA Pro Superbike racer, adds ““I’m so excited for the new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa compound for trackdays. I started on this project with Pirelli last year to help bring a further DOT tire to the market that is stable, safe, and with extremely high grip levels for the track. It offers amazing grip and stability in a DOT-legal package. Whether on the street or racetrack, this new Pirelli Supercorsa special compound for trackday use is the new standard for a high-performance do-it-all tire.”
The new compound is now available in the US and Canada. If you’re at Chuckwalla or MSR-Houston March 29–31, you’ll have a chance to pick up a set. The tires will be at Carolina Motorsports Park April 12–14 and COTA during Aprilia Racer Days April 16 as well.
Alvaro Bautista is the new kid on the block of the WSBK and he is certain to get into some pretty heavy street fights as he establishes himself in the World Supers gang. He is definitely not adverse to a good old brawl after his days in the tiddlers of 125cc and 250cc GP racing ascertain, before his graduation to the cauldron of MotoGP.
Álvaro Bautista – Image by Geebee
Of those that have switched from GP to World Supers, Bautista, at 34 years old, has arguably the second best resume behind Max Biaggi: A 125cc World Championship in 2006, second in the 2008 250cc championship behind the late Marco Simoncelli and three podiums during his nine years in MotoGP.
Not too bloody shabby.
Last year he scored 12 top ten finishes in MotoGP. An impressive result on what was a second, or maybe third-tier Ducati, so it is somewhat of a surprise to see that he was squeezed out of the MotoGP paddock.
However, with such impressive stats, Ducati showed faith and offered the seat in the factory WSBK team, at the expense of Marco Melandri. After two days testing and topping the sheets on both days with consistent sub lap record performances Bautista was, naturally, upbeat.
Alvaro Bautista – TBG Image
His best lap of the two days (1:30.303) would have put him eighth on the grid of last years Oz GP (in front of Petrucci). In reality last year he qualified 12th, some two seconds slower with a 1:32 lap, although he progressed from Q1 to Q2 with a blistering time of 1:29.851.
Trivial statistics, yes, but remember what Carlos Checa did when he dropped back to the World Superbikes with no where near the record of Bautista?
Bracksy joined the media scrum to get the low down on his two days of testing.
Alvaro Bautista Interview
Alvaro Bautista: “It was a positive day for us, we worked in the morning to make another step forward with the setup, like we did yesterday, but we didn’t find what we expected, so at the end we came back in the afternoon to try and see how the bike works after the same laps. In the afternoon we tried to do a long run and we did it, but I had to stop after three laps because it’s starting some sprinkling.
“Then I restarted again with the same tyres, the same spec, and I’m quite happy because the feeling with the bike was good, the pace was quite fast and at the end I felt the drop off of the tyre, especially in the last four laps. The tyres went down a lot. But you know, normally in the race you try to always manage the tyre consumption and also your energies. Today it was not necessary to manage, so I tried to push hard from the beginner and I didn’t have a big big problem until the last four laps, specially at the tyre, when too much drop.
Alvaro Bautista – Image by TBG Sport
“But in any case I’m happy because also, we get some data for the weekend, for the electronics to try to save a little bit more of the tyre, and to try to don’t feel last a big drop from the tyre. So we work with the electronics to help me to manage this situation.”
“The only question mark for me is, I mean to say something of the tyre, because the pace is I think good, but then when the tyre comes down/drop, but I think the problem is for everybody not just for me, no? Also you know at the beginning of the long run I was more than half race, I was doing 30s, faster than the lap record of the track, so I think when you are so fast, the tyre is more used and at the end you have more problem. But in normal race, maybe you can manage specially in the first half of the race, to push more at the end, or depends how you feel. So today nothing to manage, just tried to push the maximum as possible and I did, and I saw the results.”
Alvaro Bautista – TBG Image
“There was less strong wind than yesterday, but the track today was a bit cooler, and with this tyre if it’s too hot, the tyre is worse. Yesterday the track temperature was over 40 degrees, today it was in between 30-35 degrees, so the condition was better for the tyres. For that I think the other riders can improve. I didn’t try to improve my lap time from this morning, because our target is to do the long run.
“In the afternoon I did one exit before the long run, just to understand the front tyre, because in the morning, I had to use the soft compound in the front, but for me it’s not the best tyre for the race. In the afternoon I did one start, with the hard – to see that everything was good, and then the long run as we didn’t have enough from the hard tyre to try in the morning. So for this, I didn’t try to push in the afternoon to make a better lap time.”
Do you think 29s possible if you push?
Alvaro Bautista: “At the moment, no more riding and yesterday nobody can make a 29, but I think nothing is impossible, with tyres or with qualifying tyre, we’ll see.“
Alvaro Bautista – TBG Image
Is the feeling better here than at Jerez? With the heavy braking into turn four, with the tyre strength?
Alvaro Bautista: “In Jerez I don’t know if because it’s a new surface or what, but the feeling with the bike, was not really good. The most important was Imola was a new track for me. But also here we started to work here with the bike, just yesterday the bike was from Ducati and I ride the same bike. But with some data we decided to make some modifications, the geometry here, and for sure today we did nice step forward. Maybe with this tyre now I arrive at Jerez and can go faster. But when you don’t know the bike and you don’t the tyres, you have to adapt and start to work and understand, so for me, I think we don’t arrive today the maximum yet, so we are on the right way, but still much work to do.”
But it’s not impossible to win?
Alvaro Bautista: “We’ll see in the races, everything can happen no? At the moment I feel very comfortable and my target is try to give to the riders that in the past of the superbikes, to give them a bit more stress *laughs*.”
Alvaro Bautista – TBG Image
You’ve started already.
Alvaro Bautista: “Exactly that’s my target at the moment, win a race, we’ll see, that would be my first race in superbike and my first race for these bikes, so for sure we’ll try our maximum, at the moment, and the pace is quite good and the race is saturday or sunday, so not now.”
Mark Bracks: This might be a stupid question but the main different between this and the MotoGP bike.
Alvaro Bautista: “The power… you feel it especially in the track like this one, that are very fast, exit from the corner I remember with the MotoGP, just the bike push a lot. This bike seems like it seems like you are stop. So that’s the biggest difference.”
Giorgio Barbieri, Pirelli Head of Motorsport Operations Interview
With Mark Bracks
Mark Bracks catches up with Pirelli’s Head of Motorsport Operations, Giorgio Barbieri, to discuss the unique stresses that Phillip Island puts on tyres, tyre solutions for 2019 and how testing panned out this week.
Mark Bracks: Giorgio, so the solutions, what did you bring this year?
Giorgio Barbieri: “We didn’t forget Phillip Island! It is impossible to come here, to not make an interesting test. We are always looking what’s happening in the Aussie championship and we are quite happy because we had the majority agree the results are good.
Alvaro Bautista topped the official WorldSBK Test at Phillip Island
“The competitive national championship is growing, and I saw some riders participating in an international race out of Australia as well, which is good, including the Suzuka 8 Hour.
“When we come here for WorldSBK we always meet the same problems, usually in the first two day test session, things are OK. While yesterday (Monday) we started seeing something strange already as far as blistering, not a problem with temperature – I wouldn’t try to give you an excuse – but what I can consider is that this is the first race of the year for everyone, not all the teams work during the winter, so they are not so used to preparing certain bikes for the race.
“Probably if you came at the end of the season the bike riders and teams are perfect and the work is easier. The first race of the season is very difficult so you can see some very different performance from the teams, not only in lap time – as yesterday the lap times were already too fast. But also to run the tyres under a lot of pressure, so they’ll run longer, so we can see what we can do for the race weekend.
Tyres have historically been an issue at Phillip Island… including last year
“To be frank, I was so excited about the flag by flag race last year, it was a very big show. We tried to put this formula into the WorldSBK [the pit stop] as it’s very interesting, but the teams are not all agreed on this form. I don’t know what we’ll do for the weekend, I wouldn’t like to arrive at the decision at the last moment because someone has problems and someone does not. So it’s a matter of preparation. But if the field is not ready… We’ll discuss after two days of evidence, and the conditions may change, the track may improve. It’s not just a case of 15 to 20 laps, it’s all about everyone using the same formula.
“We take all of the last season, in order to have a bigger campaign to study for the race tyres, we analysed all the tyres from every single race, to understand the level of fatigue and stress after the race, so we have some numbers now in mind. That’s why we prefer to prepare the special solutions for when we come here, considering what spares we got.
“But as usual when we come here, everything is changed around.
Mark Bracks: How many tyres did you bring for the test and the weekend?
Giorgio Barbieri: “We brought for the teams two rear Superbike and two rear Supersport, in reference to the last year’s race, and one new one. Nothing asymmetrical. This is part of the reason why the approach to this race is always difficult for us. We would like to make this race just like everywhere else around the world. But this is not the place so common.
Jonathan Rea – Image by Geebee
“Our philosophy is this one, we would like to give your riders here a different type of tyre for Phillip island and another tyre for the rest of the races in the national championship. They need a range that works over the national championship. So if I have to improve my range in my work on WSBK, I can’t consider the race different to all the other fields, this is one point of strength, and one point from the other side.
“Pirelli has to decide, like MotoGP has different tyres every race, playing with the compound, or with WSBK the tyres have to work here, the United States, Africa, and this is the problem.
“For the race, it’s just a matter to see what happens here today. We have other specification already for the race, Superbike and Supersport, but before we put something different it creates more confusion with the team’s work.”
Mark Bracks: The latest spec’ we have for the Aussie Superbikes were bigger.
Giorgio Barbieri: “We developed the new sizes in Imola and Misano, and then we tested here. Last year we brought a new size, a 265, slightly bigger than the standard 260 for Phillip Island. The teams said, it seems fine, seems interesting, so after the race, they use 50/50 old and new ones, SC0/SC1, so it seemed like it was something more than just a tyre for Phillip Island. So we brought it to Imola, then from Imola to all the races.
Alex Lowes – Image by Geebee
“So all the teams moved from the old size to the new one. From Misano we improved the front as well to balance, and by the end of the season everyone used the big one. So for Phillip Island from this point of view, I had to ask to develop new tyres from the range, and as soon as the result were so fine, so far, we put it into production, the new sizes as a SC1 and SC0, and given to all the markets. Now we make our development in the World Superbike Championship, but we would like the markets to test the new sizes to understand how much they prefer this to the standard ones.
“So now we have all the standard range [260] and the new ones [265]. This year we’ll work to create the whole range of compounds in the new sizes, and at the end of the season we can decide whether to keep the old one or the new one. Australia was the first country all over the world to tell me that they would like to have this as the range of tyres and homologate for the championship and I trust my riders.
“So it’s interesting to me that the country with just three choices of sizes decided to homologate and take the new one.”
Mark: In the ASBK test, the feedback was that it would want to fall into the corner quicker.
Giorgio Barbieri: “After Imola the riders asked for a different front, as the rear was pushing more the front, so we needed a bigger front, and stiffer front, so now all the WSBK are using the bigger front. Why are people using the little one? Because they aren’t confident yet. So I asked Gary [Crilly] when the other guys arrive, like Bayliss, Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki they will have the chance to ask the WSBK technician what to do to the bike to prepare for the new sizes, and they will immediately make upgrade to their performance. If they start from nothing it will take time, if they take the experience gained in WSBK, they’ll gain time.”
Troy Bayliss testing the new Pirelli tyres in the earlier ASBK test- Image by TBG
Mark Bracks: The Australian Superbike tyre is the same as the WSBK then?
Giorgio Barbieri: “Absolutely.”
Mark Bracks: What about Supersport? In the last couple of years we’ve seen, delaminating, more-so in the race and more critical.
Giorgio Barbieri: “Supersport is more so difficult, because of the size rims. We can’t make a bigger tyre due to the rim sizes being too narrow, so we make it bigger but then it stretch on the rim. We don’t have so many tester, Superbike has many testers more than Supersport.
Aussie Tom Toparis is wild carding in Supersport – Image by TBG Sport
“So we agreed with Dorna to do one test in Portugal in August for Supersport as well, and we’ll concentrate the test on Australian tyres. In order to have more experience in Supersport about this. In Supersport they lean more, less electronics, and higher temperature on the tyres than the Superbikes sometimes, which is why they cook the tyre more.”
Mark Bracks: So in Portimao in August, you’ll be testing there because it’s a little bit similar to Australia?
Giorgio Barbieri: “Portimao we know is very hot and the long corner, brings you down in the lane, is where we see the next highest temperature to Phillip Island, but 20-30C less, but more than all the other circuit in Europe, so this is something, not enough but something. If you come here [Phillip Island] in December and you make a test, you might not have any problem, but come in February and *click*…
World Superbikes will head to Portimao for a test later in the year, including for Supersport
“Several years ago we brought the Ducati’s from Europe, and we brought Troy Bayliss to test, we made a test here in December, the test were perfect, we tried to race and… I don’t really know what to do in this place.
“It’s almost impossible to find the right condition to test. Or we have to convince ourselves to make something completely different than what we normally like to make to suit these conditions for the laps we need.”
Mark Bracks: How different are the Supersport tyres, do they have a stiffer sidewall?
Giorgio Barbieri: “Yes and some of them do and are testing now. In Superbike as well they have a carcass stiffer than the usual one, and it’s a little heavier than the usual one as we make some reinforcement inside. But the thing is, is this the point or not?”
Mark Bracks: I was going to say with the extra weight, more inertia, more heat…
Giorgio Barbieri: “That might be why it’s not working. I hope to see some long run testing in the afternoon session.
Mark Bracks: Have you seen the difference in temperature between today and Sunday?
Giorgio Barbieri: “Yes, I saw the forecast but I’m not worried about this. It’s the heat generated into the tyre, it’s a matter of operative temperature, during the use. If the bike is loading the rear tyre in order to reach a certain level of temp, and overclimb this level and keep this higher level, you destroy the compound.
“So which way to keep this temperature down, is more in the team’s behaviour and the riders, and race administration. I know quite well how the MotoGP riders are used to managing the tyres, in the last lap they use it. But if they use this lap time in the beginning…
“In this championship they aren’t used to administrating the tyres, and in this place, this causes the problem. But yesterday we saw Bautista use an intelligent way to run very fast but keeping within the range and average temperature.
“This is the right attitude, I remember several years ago we tried with Troy Bayliss, he had the best Ducati, he was the man in this place, and he won the Race 1 with 12s advantage, and we saw some blister on the tyres. I said Troy, if we make like this in the second race, when the temp is higher, you will meet problems at the end of the race, try not to take 12s, but just the right amount, which was foolish to say to the rider. But he did, he came first on the second race, it was by 3s and the tyre was perfect. But it’s not my job to ask the riders and teams to administrate.”
Mark Bracks: So with the Supersport tyre, have you gone harder compound all over?
Giorgio Barbieri: “No, it’s always the same compound as used in Superbike, the mother of SC1, I don’t trust giving another compound will save us from the problem, because the more slip you’ve got the more temperature you’ve got. Here it’s always a combination of mechanical and chemical stress, one of the two creates the problem. So you have to keep the right amount of grip, and at the same time, not too much. More grip is the compound and more heating from the tread, but if you don’t give enough tread you get heating because of wheel spin.”
Alvaro Bautista – Image by Geebee
Mark Bracks: It’s the never ending chasing of the tail as they say… Is there any plan B for the tyres for the weekend?
Giorgio Barbieri: “We will discuss on Thursday in order to make a decision on the morning, rather than waiting for anything to happen on Friday. We will decide what kind of race we’ll have then!”
The count down is on for this weekend’s (Feb 22-24) season opener of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, Yamaha Finance round at Australia’s spectacular Phillip Island. Racing looks set to be hot; and the weather is forecast to be perfect for fans and for on-circuit camping with 25-28 degree days predicted.
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