World Superbike News

Aprilia Alitalia’s Max Biaggi won a race long battle with fellow Italian Marco Melandri racing for Yamaha World Superbike Team in race two at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic at the weekend in the latest round of the WSB 2011 Championship.

The current World Superbike leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) contniued to gain points for the championship as he finished in third position ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) and Eugene Laverty, while Alex Lowes and Leon Camier both crashed out of race two.

Others not to finish race two included Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team), Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing), Matteo Baiocco (Barni Racing Team) and Chris Vermeulen who was a non-starter.

WSB Brno Results:

1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) 40′21.646
2. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40′21.868
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′25.204
4. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 40′29.509
5. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40′30.180
6. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 40′39.731
7. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 40′43.296
8. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40′43.508
9. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′46.952
10. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40′49.012

Honda returned to the FIM Superbike World Championship this year with a  new Castrol Honda team, with team riders British born Jonathan Rea (currently sixth in the WSB 2011 standings) and the Barcelona born Ruben Xaus (16^th).

The Castrol Honda team are racing on Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblades, and managed by the Dutch-based Ten Kate Racing.

While Honda provide the bikes and use sponsorship deals in World Superbike racing they are known for their own sponsorship deals in both sport and media.  Viewers of Channel 4 may be aware of their on-going sponsorship deal with Channel 4 documentaries which began in 2010 with the now familiar strapline ‘Documentaries on 4, sponsored by Honda’.

They have recently renewed the sponsorship contract and commissioned four new mini-documentary films.

Each film will be shown during Channel 4 television documentaries such as Cutting Edge.  The films do not use professional actors but instead focus on telling a story of real-life Honda customers and how they use their Honda vehicles in very special ways. The first of four films tells how Philippa, an alpaca farmer uses her Honda ATV on her Oxfordshire farm.

Martin Moll, Head of Marketing at Honda (UK) said, ‘”I am very excited that our continued relationship sponsoring Channel 4 documentaries allows us to focus on our customers, highlighting their warm – sometimes quirky – personal experiences of Honda products either for fun or as a necessary part of their daily livelihood.  We hope that this campaign will unveil further examples from our customers, one of which will be nominated to be brought to life on TV for a final set of idents later on in the year”.

Chris Groom and Sam Heath, Creative Directors at Wieden + Kennedy (W+K) who created the films said, “We knew there were all sorts of people using all sorts of Honda products in extraordinary ways. A documentary format provided the perfect platform to celebrate them.”

To accompany the new Channel 4 campaign, Honda are using Facebook and Twitter and an online hub www.honda.co.uk/stories where the videos will be available in full along with articles and other interesting stories.  There is also a competition in the ‘Take Part’ section of the website, where Honda owners can upload their own amusing and interesting stories explaining how they use their own Honda.  The films’ creators, W+K will select their favourite story and make it into the final mini-documentary to be shown later in the year as part of the Channel 4 campaign.

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After his worst results of this years’ World Superbike Championship, Carlos Checa has being putting things right in a two-day private test session at Misano; and while doing so managed a best lap of 1min 34.8sec.

Checa’s time is faster than the official Misano WSBK Best Lap of 1min 35.001sec and only one second slower than the 2010 MotoGP pole time.

The Althea Ducati rider still leads the 2011 World Superbike Championship but had his lead cut to just 27 points after his 9th-10th Monza finishes.

Misano will host round six of this year’s WSBK championship on 12th June.

“We have worked well, concentrating on both chassis settings and electronics, as well as on the tyres of course,” said Checa. “We have found a good set-up for the Misano race and have also identified a few things that could be useful [next time] at Miller too.

“Let’s say I’m satisfied. I’ve got good sensation back again; after Monza, a really difficult round for me, I’m happy to have been able to come here and be competitive once again. I’m very pleased.”

Carlos Checa has won an amazing four of the eight races so far this season and managed top three finishes in every race before his disappointment at Monza.

Castrol Honda rider Jonathan Rea continued his good form at the Assen circuit in the Netherlands in race one on Sunday, claiming a victory over current World Superbike Champion Max Biaggi and 2011 Championship leader Carlos Checa.

It was Checa who who pulled away from the start putting some distance between himself and the chasing pack with another cracking ride.

But both Rea and Biaggi managed to catch the Spaniard and crucially pass him, putting fresh air between themselves and the Althea Ducati.

While Biaggi and Rea would swap places a couple of times it was the British rider who came out on top of the tussle, claiming his third win in as many races at the Dutch circuit.

Checa continued his own incredible run in 2011 with another podium finish in third place, maintaining his lead in the 2011 championship.

Tyre wear appeared to be a crucial factor throughout the weekend and was costly for some of the Brit’s involved, particularly harsh on both Eugene Laverty and Tom Sykes who had been on a stonking pace early on in the race, scything their way through the pack.

Leon Haslam crashed his bike on lap three but was able to carry on running to finish the race in a disappointing 12th position, while Leon Camier promised much but was let down by his machinery.

2011 World Superbike result – Race one – Assen

1. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 35′46.486
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′47.225
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′50.058
4. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 35′55.994
5. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35′56.378
6. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 35′57.606
7. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 36′01.721
8. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 36′16.567
9. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′18.557
10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′21.486
11. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′29.773
12. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 36′31.775
13. Barry Veneman (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′31.784
14. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′37.250
RT. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 29′26.185
RT. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 29′26.621
RT. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 28′48.258
RT. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 16′56.882
RT. Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13′28.961
RT. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 10′50.393
RT. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 5′04.247

The first three riders over the finish line in race two were the same three guys who took the podium in race one, but with the order reversed.

Carlos Checa once again forced himself to the front of the pack and despite being passed by Haga, was able to regain his composure and position where he stayed for the majority of the race.

Biaggi remained in close company with the Spaniard for much of the race and as Checa’s softer tyres began to wear, the Italian sat comfortably waiting to pounce.

It seemed just a question of time before Biaggi would make the move on Checa and it finally happened with three laps remaining when the Italian got a good run out of the chicane with the Ducati struggling for grip.

With Biaggi pulling away it looked certain that he would be claiming his first victory of the season, but somehow Checa fought back and with a lap to go he not only passed the Aprilia with a stunning overtaking manoeuvres, but made sure the door was firmly shut behind him to take a well deserved win in race two.

Four British riders followed Checa and Biaggi home, with Rea finishing in third place followed by Leon Camier, Leon Haslam and Eugene Laverty. Tom Sykes finished race two in 11th position.

2011 World Superbike result – Race two – Assen

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′38.693
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′39.217
3. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 35′42.277
4. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′44.606
5. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 35′55.609
6. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 35′56.068
7. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35′56.433
8. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′57.022
9. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′57.071
10. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′57.097
11. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′04.977
12. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′05.746
13. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 36′17.307
14. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 36′19.517
15. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′19.646
16. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′19.675
17. Barry Veneman (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′24.116
18. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′45.657
RT. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 25′56.759
RT. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 11′29.069

It doesn’t seem so long ago when the BBC was home to all of the World’s greatest sporting tournaments, but their commitment to motorcycle racing in particular has diminished in recent times.

While they still show live coverage of  the MotoGP in full, even that is often tucked away on the red button if there is something that the corporation believes to be more popular broadcasting at the same time.

The World Superbike and British Superbike coverage is practically non existent and if it is being shown is seldom, if ever promoted by the channel.

Not every motorcycle fan has access to the excellent British Eurosport live coverage of such events, but it is worth remembering that these championships, particularly World Superbike are streamed live from the official websites of those sports.

From several years of personal experience watching sport or much else for that matter on a lap top is never quite the same as watching it on TV, particularly so if you have the latest HD flat panel variety.

Recently The Times reviewed a product called Veebeam, this is a box that transmits whatever you can see on a PC screen onto your home TV, the added benefit being that if it is being streamed or recorded in HD, that is how it will show on your TV.

The Times article suggests;

“This nifty device wirelessly transmits anything you can see on your computer screen onto your TV – no wires, no clutter, and takes only a few minutes to set up. The unit itself is sleek and unobtrusive and the signal is even effective through a wall. The new HD model streams up to 1080p for a crisp, clean and colourful picture and optical audio output allows you to enjoy your surround sound.”

With technology advances in digital broadcasting changing the way that we already watch TV, and streaming and video quality vastly improving all the time, perhaps the Veebeam represents the future of home entertainment.

Priced at just £139, the Veebeam appears to be a luxury that many of us cannot afford to ignore.

Buy it now

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