Do you consider BSB a 'feeder' series?

[Corny]

OK, so that means the BSB level was higher at that year I guess.. Don't know how it is today

[racer69]

OK, so that means the BSB level was higher at that year I guess.. Don't know how it is today

It depends how you look at it. BSB had already raced there in '03, and all of Friday was lost due to wet weather of that meeting, so that helped the locals abit.

Wildcards had regularly done very well (and in many cases dominated) WSB rounds over the years in Britain, USA, Japan and the early days in Australia. In 2000, of the 6 WSB races run in GB that year, BSB wildcards won 3 of the races (Hodgson two, Reynolds one, Walker got a few podiums too)

I love BSB, never miss a round when its on TV here, but the fact that HM Plant Honda were nowhere at Silverstone at the WSB round i think showed the level of it this year.

[patnicholls]

I think technically BSB isn't at *quite* as high a level as WSB these days as we saw from HM Plant at Silverstone.

BSB is going its own way with cost-cutting which means the privateers cup has gone to the Evo class with some spec ECU components, and there's the potential that the main class will go that way too (it was discussed for this year). Whether other national champs (and indeed, WSB) eventually follow suit remains to be seen, but it's benefitted the grid this year which is still above 30 bikes. In addition to the Evo stuff there's some grandfathering of chassis in there (old bikes, like Tommy Bridewell's which is a 2008 ex-Stobart WSB Honda) which again saves on the costs. This has meant that, for now, wildcards aren't as competitive as they used to be - hard to say whether that's down to BSB going too spec or WSB currently being too hi-tech (touched on in the other thread).

Talent-wise in a sense it's a feeder series for some younger riders coming through (see: current WSB grid) but the older guys like Michael Rutter and Chris Walker will now stay where they are, which is no bad thing as they're a useful talent yardstick.

[NinjaMaster]

I raced in the same class as Gareth in Australia, around 2003/4, the only difference was.... He was up front, I was waaaaay down back!

Haha, gold!

I consider BSB more as 'just' an excellent national series. It is a feeder, like all national series, in the sense that successful riders from there can move on to world championship rides but it is first and foremost a national championship. The likes of 125, Moto2, superstock and supersport are more feeder classes to the premier classes above them.