British Superbikes 2007

[patnicholls]

List as of Feb 2nd:

BSB 2007 outline list

HM Plant Honda - Kiyonari & Rea
Honda UK - Leon Camier

Airwaves Ducati (GSE) - Haslam & Lavilla

Rizla Suzuki - Walker & Cal Crutchlow

Virgin Yamaha - Hill & Haydon

Stobart Honda - Byrne & Tom Sykes

MSS Kawasaki - Rutter

NB Suzuki - Ollie Bridewell & Tommy Bridewell

Hydrex Honda - Harris & Guy Martin

Hardinge Honda - Tom Tunstall

PR Branson Honda - Sean Emmett

Trackstar MV - Brian McCormack

AIM Yamaha - Steve Plater (confirmed Feb 2nd)

plus...
Hawk Kawasaki (2) - Peter Hickman & ??

plus the privateers and anyone else who shows up before we start in April.
Riders (probably) looking for work: Neil Hodgson, Dean Thomas, Scott Smart, Ben Wilson, Chris Martin, James Buckingham, etc.

[Funks]

Riders (probably) looking for work: Neil Hodgson, Andrew Pitt, Karl Harris, Glen Richards, Dean Thomas, Craig Jones, Scott Smart, Ben Wilson, Ollie Bridewell, Gary Mason, Sean Emmett, Steve Plater (he won the Macau bike race recently!), etc.



Looks like ITV will be spoilt for choice with regards to guest commentators in 2007. That's a big 'likely to be unemployed' list.

[neninja]

Karl Harris has signed for Hydrex Honda as Honda UK didn't have the budget to run him.

Ben Wilson is rumoured to be Harris's team mate at Hydrex

Scott Smart was rumoured to be considering running his own team and bikes next year if he can find the funding

[patnicholls]

List updated above with today's news.

[GirlRacer]

Karl Harris has signed for Hydrex Honda as Honda UK didn't have the budget to run him.

Ben Wilson is rumoured to be Harris's team mate at Hydrex

Scott Smart was rumoured to be considering running his own team and bikes next year if he can find the funding

Scott is trying to secure the rest of his funding according to the Bennett's site!
Ben Wilson WAS supposed to be going to Hydrex but it fell through a couple of weeks ago!

[patnicholls]

Updated the list up top with recent accouncements.

Looking good!

[ATF]

It does look good, although I can see the championship being down to the same 3 as last year! I hope Rizla get their act together a bit, I would love to see Walker win the title. But I don't know whether putting Crutchlow in the 2nd seat will work if they want to win the title - what does anyone else reckon?

[patnicholls]

Well, most of the major stuff looks to be decided although there'll be the privateers and a few others to come before the season begins in two months time at Brands Hatch.

The title will probably be a fight between Airwaves Ducati and HM Plant Honda, with Stalker up there too I'd imagine. In a way I'm glad Kiyo and Greg have stayed as it shows what a quality championship we have to have them here, though part of me thinks they have proved their stuff in BSB and should be giving Troy B a challenge in WSB. To be honest Shakey had terrible luck last year (missed a round or two injured, was horrendously ill at one of the Oulton Park rounds but still got on the podium, the bikes got stolen by some idiots and buried in mud, etc). Without that he'd have been much closer in 2006, so all being normal I expect a better season for Rizla Suzuki this time. Although I think everyone would probably get a bit emotional if Chris actually won it - did anyone stay remotely calm at Assen last year?!?

And yes, I'm including Jonny Rea in the championship makeup - the boy has a big, big future imho.

Stobart Honda have a lot of answers to deliver this year and no excuses, with former champ Shakey Byrne. Boss Paul Bird - whose passion can't be faulted, and is never short of a soundbite :) - has apparently been trying to resign Shakey for a couple of years so has got his man again, although his other recent riders have hardly been slouches and not delivered either. Tom Sykes comes up from British Supersport with a good record there and needs to get on the pace pretty quickly too.

Rizla Suzuki have another top rookie with British Supersport Champ Cal Crutchlow taking one of the best opportunities out there and he should be a force this year. His team-mate from last year, Leon Camier, had a rough season since taking the BSS title but again has a chance to do well with a Honda UK-backed bike.

Several riders have found themselves elbowed out of top seats and down the pecking order in recent years in favour of new talent. For 2007 Michael Rutter rides a factory Kawasaki in what is probably a make-or-break year for him. He's had many chances to take the title and been close but not close enough, and might find things tricky on a Kawasaki. Sean Emmett - on his day a brilliant talent - won a race last year in British Supersport but also had more than his share of woes, often self-inflicted. This season he rides for PR Branson Honda who took the privateer title last year and are stepping up to the main class; let's hope we get to see the best of them. Steve Plater competes for AIM Yamaha who he took victory with at Macau last year. His 2006 BSB was very forgettable but we know he's still got the ability, as he showed on the streets.

Karl Harris has also been pushed aside after a season of fast but inconsistent riding on the HM Plant bike, too often finding himself lying down with a destroyed bike around him. In 2007 he takes a seat at Hydrex Honda who struggled in 2006 with Glen Richards and Gary Mason, and for selected races may be partnered by road racing specialist Guy Martin, who has some impressive sideburns!

Elsewhere, Virgin Yamaha keep Tommy Hill and resign James Haydon again, 4th time there now for JH, but have not been troubling the very front of the grid regularly in recent times.

NB Suzuki - formerly Vivaldi - have opted for an all-ginger lineup with brothers Ollie and Tommy Bridewell.

Tom Tunstall and his Hardinge Honda team return from an underwhelming time in World Supersport to compete in BSB, and others signed up include young talent Peter Hickman for Hawk Kawasaki, and Brian McCormack for Trackstar Racing - who are funded by some West Ham United footballers and run an MV Augusta Superbike.

Some seats remain undecided, and some riders still on the sidelines, but it's shaping up to be another good season in BSB :D

[ATF]

What about Scott Smart, Dean Thomas and Glen Richards?

[NinjaMaster]

What about Scott Smart, Dean Thomas and Glen Richards?
Glen Richards is going World Endurance racing I believe. Not sure about the other 2 but there was talk of Dean Thomas running his own team.

[ATF]

Is there usually a media day, I can't remember?! If so, when and where is it and when will we have a definitive entry list?

[neninja]

I understand that all the entry lists should be finalised and announced on 12th March

The official test is 23-25 March at Snetterton which will no doubt have the media in full attendance

[ATF]

There's a provisional entry list here:

http://www.britishsuperbike.com/2007superbike_entry_list.pdf

The date at the bottom is 03/02/07, although it does have all the main players.

[neninja]

Superstock entry list
http://www.mcrcb-events.co.uk/gallery/Superstock%20Ch.pdf

Superstock looks ultra competitive with a dozen people capable of winning races. Probably make for better racing than the Superbikes.

Supersport entry list
http://www.mcrcb-events.co.uk/gallery/Supersport.pdf

[patnicholls]

Surprised no-one's mentioned the start of BSB that was this weekend.

The strength in depth is stunning, with a couple of IoM TT winners well down the grid (in fact, Ryan Farquar didn't even qualify), and big names like Sean Emmett, Scott Smart, Steve Plater and James Haydon were also well back and scrabbling for the last couple of points.

Gregorio Lavilla took both wins very impressively, with the podium spots going to Jonny Rea (who set the fastest ever lap of Brands Hatch in qualifying, faster than WSB) and an absolutely superb debut from Leon Camier with a second and a third each.

Elsewhere there was the return to Britain of the Stalker who just slipped back to 5th in race one after looking good for a podium all race, a surprising struggle for reigning champ Kiyo who looked off-form, and some more young guns coming through to impress ahead of better-known names (Tom Sykes, Simon Andrews, Peter Hickman, Cal Crutchlow although he had some tyre woes in the end).

It really does look tough to win for this year, but is going to be a great season!

[Mach24]

Surprised no-one's mentioned the start of BSB that was this weekend.

The strength in depth is stunning, with a couple of IoM TT winners well down the grid (in fact, Ryan Farquar didn't even qualify), and big names like Sean Emmett, Scott Smart, Steve Plater and James Haydon were also well back and scrabbling for the last couple of points.

Gregorio Lavilla took both wins very impressively, with the podium spots going to Jonny Rea (who set the fastest ever lap of Brands Hatch in qualifying, faster than WSB) and an absolutely superb debut from Leon Camier with a second and a third each.

Elsewhere there was the return to Britain of the Stalker who just slipped back to 5th in race one after looking good for a podium all race, a surprising struggle for reigning champ Kiyo who looked off-form, and some more young guns coming through to impress ahead of better-known names (Tom Sykes, Simon Andrews, Peter Hickman, Cal Crutchlow although he had some tyre woes in the end).

It really does look tough to win for this year, but is going to be a great season!

I am currently downloading the races and when they finish I will see my first ever BSB races. I can't wait! There appears to be a great deal of depth in the feild, I am more excited about this than WSB this year.

[The Phantom]

when they finish I will see my first ever BSB races

BSB will knock your socks off, best racing series I've ever seen.

[ChrisS]

I totally forgot there was a race on Monday, did ITV show the races? they were advertising the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix and boat race but I dont think they even mentioned there was a BSB round

Also for the Thruxton Round ITV only has an 1h30min slot will they be showing both races?

Mach24 were do you download the races from? can you please PM me the links

[ArmchairBikeFan]

They showed the races on ITV4.
If Thruxton's a 1:30 timeslot they'll show highlights of the first one then the full second one, or something like that. That's what they did last year anyway.

[patnicholls]

Yeah it was on ITV4 for two hours for the opener with the second race live, bizarrely at 5pm. There was a fair bit of chit-chat though, they could squeeze both races in full into an hour-and-a-half with a bit less build-up.

[ArmchairBikeFan]

That's true, there was quite a lot of yapping.
I have to admit, I was laughing my head off at ITV's choice of James Cracknell as the presenter. He's about a foot taller than most of the bike racers he was talking to!

[Mach24]

BSB is right up there for racing!

Camier and Rae show a hell of a lot of promise.

Stalker and Shakey still have the fight to add some mongrel.

Lavilla surely can not run away with the championship.

Tommy Hill is a real chance.

Bring on Thruxton

[ChrisS]

They showed the races on ITV4.
If Thruxton's a 1:30 timeslot they'll show highlights of the first one then the full second one, or something like that. That's what they did last year anyway.

They only showed highlights of race one last year? How is it that I was able to watch both races from each round last year then?

[ChrisS]

never mind, I just realized I had sky sports last year and I used to watch the races on sky sports, they showed all races delayed

[Mach24]

Seems Tommy Hill has found that missing ingredient from round 1.

Can not wait for the races.

[ChrisS]

I didnt see the race 1 or highlights since it was on at the same time as WSBK race 2

Race 2 was a nice race, Lavilla was walking away with it until the safety car brought everyone together again. I was a little disappointed with Rea's restart he just let Lavilla get away

Then for the last few laps it looked like a lonely Ducati chased be a screaming pack of Hondas but he kept his cool and took win #4 of the season

[Allyc85]

is it me or is James Cracknell rubbish at BSB?! He tries to sound excited but dosnt pull it off and half the time he dosnt know what hes talking about. Money pinching ITV? ;)

[Allyc85]

ah yea and heres a link to my pictures of friday practise :D

http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/allyc85/BSB%20Thruxton%2007/

[Mach24]

WOW! BSB at Thruxton was something else.

I have never seen the circuit before, but am very impressed by the layout if a little surprised by the safety standard.

The racing again was second to none, Johnny Rae in race 1 was simply awsome.

I hope to make it to the UK sometime in the future to see BSB at Thruxton.

Thanx for the great photos astraracer20.

[Allyc85]

:) thanks

Yea Thruxton is nuts! 200 mph into that last chicane, with very little run off.... no thanks lol

[ChrisS]

I hope to make it to the UK sometime in the future to see BSB at Thruxton.

This is my personal opinion but if you could only see one BSB race make it Cadwell find a spot with a view of the Mountain and enjoy

there are many great tracks in BSB, Oulton,Thruxton ... but Cadwell is probably the only place in the world you can see a superbike do thishttp://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/620/images/WebCadwellPicDaleFordham.jpg

[ArmchairBikeFan]

And Cadwell might not have 200mph straights, but it has no run off anywhere. Very exciting track to fall off.

[Allyc85]

even better, take a year out and see the whole championship :D

[fatman]

wow, that picture is insane !

[DrEvil]

Harris & Rea showing how it's done at Cadwell Park

http://pix.crash.net/large/258586.jpg

http://pix.crash.net/large/258137.jpg

http://pix.crash.net/large/258121.jpg

[ArmchairBikeFan]

Anybody have a pic of Shakey Byrne on the Rizla Suzuki, nearly going into orbit on that jump last year? I've no idea how he hung onto that thing.

[NinjaMaster]

Welcome DrEvil. :wave:

I get nervous when I feel the front wheel come up on me. To have both wheels that far in the air is insane! Looks fantastic though. :up:

[ATF]

Yeah it was on ITV4 for two hours for the opener with the second race live, bizarrely at 5pm. There was a fair bit of chit-chat though, they could squeeze both races in full into an hour-and-a-half with a bit less build-up.

Don't complain about too much coverage, ITV did the BTCC highlights in an hour and a half and it was extremely rushed! Maybe with BSB only having 2 races would mean that 1.5 hours would be enough, but I think 2 seems about right.

[ChrisS]

There are a lot of pics from Cadwell including Shakey Byrne here http://londonbikers.com/galleries/gallery/40c00ec0-449d-41a2-8bdd-f8c64e5ce931

[fatman]

Thanks for the extra pics. I now have a new desktop background.