2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

WSB Qatar: Makoto Tamada ruled out of races after big warm-up crash

14 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Factory Kawasaki rider Makoto Tamada will miss the two races in Qatar following a heavy high side in warm-up this morning on his Paul Bird prepared ZX-10R. The former WSB and MotoGP race winner...

WSB Qatar: Sykes targets podium

14 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Tom Sykes believes he has the pace to run with his dominant team-mate Ben Spies after an impressive practice and qualifying session in Qatar. The 23 year old will line up on the second row of the grid...

Why no Brands Hatch WSB this year?

13 March 2009 by Steve Edwards

Why is there no Brands Hatch WSB this year? It surely must still be one of the best events in Europe, for racing and atmosphere, and still drawing large crowds, and all the Brits racing this year? Seems crazy to me! We have Donnington, but sorry it’s not the same or as good, (should still have Moto GP) or Moto GP at Brands, why not. Then we get Moto GP to Silverston in 2010, a useless spectator...

Qatar WSS: Crutchlow and Laverty 1-2 on grid

13 March 2009 by Michael Guy

World Supersport men Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty are convinced they can fight for victory in Saturday’s 18 lap race after qualifying first and second on the grid. The two men have been on top...

Qatar WSB: Spies takes second successive pole

13 March 2009 by Liam Marsden

Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies has taken his second successive pole and smashed another lap record at the Qatar World Superbike round. Spies – who has run at the front in all sessions – posted a lap...

John Hopkins to Stiggy Honda rumours persist

13 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Rumours that exiled Kawasaki MotoGP rider John Hopkins could make his debut in WSB this year have resurfaced in Qatar. Hopkins has been linked to the new Stiggy Honda World Superbike team to ride...

Sofuoglu walks away from big crash

13 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Kenan Sofuoglu was left nursing a battered right elbow after crashing his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda during the opening free practice session this morning. Sofuoglu crashed at the fast turn two and...

Ten Kate Honda back on the pace in Qatar

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

After a nightmare in Phillip Island, the Ten Kate Honda squad have bounced back to form with all three riders in the top five at the end of first qualifying in Qatar. Britain’s Jonathan Rea leads the...

Qatar WSB: Ben Spies dialled into Qatar circuit

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Ben Spies continued to push the pace at the front of WSB by setting provisional pole position during the opening qualifying session at Qatar. The Yamaha World Superbike rider has acquainted himself...

Qatar WSB: Spies Attacks with Provisional Pole

12 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

American threat Ben Spies again pressured his WSB rivals when he claimed provisional pole position on a Yamaha R1 for Saturday’s second round of the series at Qatar. Spies ripped round the desert...

Qatar WSB: Rea fast with more to come

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea showed he will be a serious contender this weekend in Qatar by clocking the third fastest time during the opening free practice. Rea who struggled with tyre issues two weeks ago in...

Shakey upbeat after Free Practice

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Shane Byrne made a promising start to round two of the World Superbike Championship at Qatar by topping the time sheets at the start of the session. The British rider who crashed twice and scored no...

Qatar WSB: Track knowledge no problem for Spies

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

American Ben Spies stunned the WSB paddock during the opening free practice session in Qatar this morning by positing the second fastest time of the hour long session. Despite no previous track...

Laverty: “It feels slow compared to a 250”

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Parkalgar Honda man Eugene Laverty revealed that his Supersport machine feels slow in terms of corner speed compared to the Aprilia he rode in 250GP’s last year. Whilst his Honda CBR600RR may have...

Qatar WSB: Neukirchner, Spies and Rea Set Pace

12 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Germany’s Max Neukirchner, buoyed by his second-place ranking in the World Superbike Championship, gunned his Alstare Suzuki round the Losail circuit in 2m 0.486s to lead the first free practice...

Qatar WSB: Crutchlow fast but still learning

12 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow made a strong start to the second round of the World Supersport Championship at Qatar by posting the fourth fastest lap time in this morning opening free practice session. The factory...

WSS Qatar: ‘Laverty Can Be Top Brit’

11 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Ahead of the second round of the World Supersport Championship at Qatar on Saturday, Parkalgar Honda team manager Simon Buckmaster believes that Eugene Laverty represents the best chance for any Irish...

Brit Fans Follow Our Super Seven in Qatar

11 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Thousands of loyal enthusiasts are expected to tune into Eurosport on Friday and Saturday to follow the adventures of Britain’s Super Seven in the second round of the World Superbike and Supersport...

Shane Byrne Fights Back

11 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

British Superbike champion Shane Byrne approaches Saturday’s second round of the World Superbike Championship in Qatar in a confident mood on his Sterilgarda Ducati despite crashing twice in the...

Biaggi convinced of podium potential

11 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Max Biaggi remains adamant that he can fight for podiums and race wins in 2009. Despite riding the all-new Aprilia RSV4 the Italian showed his and the bikes potential in Australia two weeks ago by...

Me at Philip Island WSB

06 March 2009 by Mike Guymer

Me at Phillip Island WSB. Nice track but not a patch on Brands for atmosphere. I am an ex TT rider and would love to be able add this to my favorite list of tracks: 1. IOM 2. Spa 3. Donington

Max's Phillip Island crash

06 March 2009 by Jim Cottee

WorldSuperBikes – Phillip Island, Race 2, Lap 14, Siberia corner. Max had to take evasive action in a tight bunch of riders & ended up in the kitty litter on his new Aprilia. Luckily he bounced off...

Cal Crutchlow: "I could have won it"

02 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty confirmed they will be title contenders in the World Supersport championship after finishing fourth and fifth, separated by 1/1000th of a second and just one second...

Phillip Island WSB gossip

02 March 2009 by Michael Guy

41 riders fined for speeding A total of 41 riders were fined for breaking the 60kph pit lane speed limit during the Phillip Island meeting. Pit lane speed is usually controlled by a marshal sitting at...

WSB Blog: Phillip Island Race

02 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Well it’s fair to say that the opening round of the World Superbike championship lived up to all the hype. Ben Spies proved beyond doubt that he is the real deal by setting pole and winning race two...

Reading MCN at Phillip Island

01 March 2009 by Paul Saint

Here’s a couple of pictures that were taken of us reading MCN at turn 1, WSB Phillip Island.

Phillip Island WSB: Haga and Spies share spoils

01 March 2009 by Liam Marsden

Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga and WSB rookie Ben Spies took a win each at the opening round of the season at Phillip Island. Race one Haga made his intentions for the season clear by taking the win in...

Rea delighted with Superpole front row

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea showed his undoubted potential with an accomplished performance in Superpole to secure his place on the front row for Sunday’s two WSB races at Phillip Island. Rea secured the third...

Haslam secures impressive sixth in qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam was the surprise package of Saturday Superpole by securing sixth position for Sunday’s two 22 lap WSB races. The 25 year old Brit was consistently one of the fastest riders on track after...

Crutchlow baulked by Pitt in final qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow secured a place on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s opening World Supersport race at Phillip Island despite being baulked by Andrew Pitt on his fastest lap of qualifying. Crutchlow...

Foret in doubt for Phillip Island Supersport race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Yamaha Supersport rider Fabien Foret could miss the opening round of the World Supersport championship at Phillip Island tomorrow following a crash in final qualifying. The Frenchman crashed within...

Phillip Island WSB: Ben Spies takes pole on debut

28 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Yamaha rider Ben Spies smashed the lap record to take pole position on his WSB debut at Phillip Island. Spies broke the lap record – held by Troy Bayliss – by four tenths of a second with his best...

Phillip Island WSB: Superpole explained

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The all new World Superbike Superpole kicked off at Phillip Island today. After ten years of running the one lap Superpole shootout where the fastest 16 riders after regulation qualifying entered the...

Laverty confident for opening race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Eugene Laverty will start tomorrows 21 lap race World Supersport race from fifth position after an impressive performance during final qualifying. The Parkalgar Honda rider arrived at Phillip Island...

Andrew Pitt: ‘We don’t have a tyre to do the race”

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

World Champion Andrew Pitt set the fastest time in qualifying today but declared that he doesn’t have a rear tyre that will last full race distance. The Ten Kate Honda rider who won last years...

Phillip Island WSB: Smrz surprise package in WSB first qualifying

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jacob Smrz stole the limelight on the opening day of round one of the World Superbike championship to take provisional pole position. In scorching 33 degree ambient temperatures and 51 degree track...