SBK - Donington Park 2008

[Wim_Impreza]

This weekend is the summer break over for the World Superbikes, Supersports and the other classes. It is interesting to see what the Britain wildcard riders can do: Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda), Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki), Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda), James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) and Gary Johnson (Robinson Concrete).

I think Bayliss could do again very well, just as Corser, probably Checa (he has much circuit experience here from his MotoGP period), off course Kyonari and hopefully Neukirchner, Biaggi and so on. I am looking forward to all the races.

[ChrisS]

FP1

1 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'45.583
2 23 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.455
3 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.463
4 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 k 1'46.906
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.273
6 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.465
7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'47.618
8 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'47.885
9 80 Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.889
10 9 Walker C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.071
11 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.165
12 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.223
13 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'48.483
14 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'48.615
15 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.793
16 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'49.137
17 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'49.471
18 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'49.654
19 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'49.772
20 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'50.162
21 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'50.243
22 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'50.536
23 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'50.930
24 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'51.220
25 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'51.255
26 22 Morelli L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.845
27 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'52.952
28 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'53.392
29 13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'53.629
30 88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'55.384
31 73 Zaiser C. (AUT) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'55.459
32 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'55.945
33 50 Lynn M. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'56.782

Bayliss way faster than the rest, with the wildcard riders looking very good.

[ChrisS]

oops, started another thread. please merge :)

[ChrisS]

Qualifying 1 once again in the wet

1 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'44.377
2 23 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.528
3 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.627
4 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 k 1'44.682
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.813
6 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'45.384
7 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'45.725
8 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.936
9 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.044
10 80 Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.392
11 9 Walker C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.553
12 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'46.803
13 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.912
14 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'46.924
15 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'47.114
16 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'47.344
17 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'47.624
18 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.778
19 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'47.834
20 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.031
21 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'48.092
22 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'48.463
23 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'48.724
24 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'48.841
25 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'48.915
26 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'50.349
27 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'50.454
13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'51.703
100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'52.710
73 Zaiser C. (AUT) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'53.923
22 Morelli L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'54.032
50 Lynn M. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'54.910
88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'56.132

[patnicholls]

Surprisingly little chatter about some rather entertaining races (sadly I didn't make it along this year, the fear of being swept away in a mudslide put us off going).

How did you all enjoy your glimpse of Tom Skyes, Cal Crutchlow, Leon Haslam and James Ellison? :)

The races finished about 3.30am here and there was so much action that I'm going to watch them again at a more reasonable hour. What was going on with Nori? very strange and out of character. I think any rider being hunted down by Tom Sykes shouldn't looked behind, the guy looks huge and menacing. I look forward to reading everyones comments.

[Wim_Impreza]

It were fantastic races. Nice to see the British wild-card riders so strong, hopefully one of them can ride a full World Superbike season next year.

I am also happy about the win from Xavier Siméon in Superstock 1000 and the 4th and 8th place for Barry Veneman and Didier Van Keymeulen in WSS.

The standings in Superstock 1000 are even more interesting now:
1 Brendan Roberts (AUS, Ducati) 122
2 Xavier Siméon (B, Suzuki) 120
3 Maxime Berger (F, Honda) 119
4 Alessandro Polita (I, Ducati) 114

[tha_jackal]

Surprisingly little chatter about some rather entertaining races (sadly I didn't make it along this year, the fear of being swept away in a mudslide put us off going).

How did you all enjoy your glimpse of Tom Skyes, Cal Crutchlow, Leon Haslam and James Ellison? :)

Sykes = Super Impressive.. Will be in WSBK next year, im sure of it.. Clean cut and totally calm and collected

Crutchlow = Raw, lots of crashes.. Needs to calm down and win a BSB crown before making the switch..

Haslam = Unfortunate in Race 1, blew a good chance in race 2.. Will probably be in WSBK next year IF HM Plant move up..

Ellison = Same old James, really buggered Race1 in a frighteningly BAD attempt at a race start, amateur stuff IMO..

Race two, should of had a podium only to run off and manage to scrape home fourth or fifth.. Im sure he would have LOVED passing Biaggi though.. ;)

All in all, it's what you would have expected from some fired up POMMY wildcards, spesh in trecherous conditions.. Congrats to the lot of them for giving it a red-hot go!

Shame the Aussie SBK guys couldnt do the same at P.I..

[NinjaMaster]

It certainly was an eventful race meeting! All of the superbike and supersport races were exciting in very trying conditions. All the race winners and podium getters were brilliant.
Corser had what is probably the most eventful racing weekend of his life! He would be pushed to crash 6 times in a year normally but in one weekend is unbelievable. Then to come back in race 2 in obvious pain and clinch a 3rd was remarkable. It's a tight race for second in the title.

[buddie]

James was on a wet line in on the grid and Tom sykes has Launch control on his bike unlike the other Wild card riders and he set off on a dry line on the grid. Yes James did buggar the start, but his wrist is still injured. so I think he and ALL THE BRITS did a sterling job

[ArmchairBikeFan]

The wildcards were good. Of course, the WSBK regulars who won the races were both ex-BSB champions too!

Sykes is on a roll, he's been doing brilliantly in BSB lately. The wet conditions meant that his BSB-spec engine didn't matter (down a few bhp).

Ellison had a WSBK spec engine, but again that wasn't much of an advantage in the dodgy conditions, and he doesn't have much in the way of trick electronics.

Crutchlow was just mad for it. At Kiyonari's last BSB visit to Donington, Crutchlow fell off and rammed him out of the race, so maybe Kiyo stayed in front because he was scared.

[leopard]

I practically didn't watch the race, I missed this one a bit what change of rules have been implemented as to rider running and finally finished in third of race 2, but on standing appeared on the bottom of screen said as 4?

The races were held at similar time with F1, which was also at critical stage for certain drivers, unforgettable incident in the last laps, good that solution already taken and we have the race winner finally...

[quote="leopardsleeping"]I practically didn't watch the race, I missed this one a bit what change of rules have been implemented as to rider running and finally finished in third of race 2, but on standing appeared on the bottom of screen said as 4?

Leopard, are you asking about the results after the restart of race 1 (Biaggi third and Xaus fourth) or results of race 2?

[leopard]

Leopard, are you asking about the results after the restart of race 1 (Biaggi third and Xaus fourth) or results of race 2?
Yeah sorry it was race 1 Biaggi ran some laps at 3rd and finished the same, but on the screen said 4. It might change too late from previous position or as result of aggregate system, I didn't pay attention to it. Probably to give standing of the relevant race respectively would be more informative.

[ArmchairBikeFan]

Biaggi was 3rd on the road, but 4th on aggregate. Ruben Xaus finished 3rd on aggregate but was disqualified because he failed to return to the pits after crashing on the red flag lap. That's why Biaggi suddenly appeared in 3rd place.

[mx311]

Three good races I thought at a fine circuit (shame they're about to ruin it for F1). I was especially stoked to see Brooksey win the Supersport race, great for him and the Stiggy team who are a great group. I really hope they are able to put together their Superbike program for next year.

Also, out of interest, does anyone know if they did anything special for Craig Jones at the circuit? They didn't show anything or mention anything on TV (that I saw or heard anyway).

[ArmchairBikeFan]

They had Tommy Hill ride Jonesy's bike around the track. I'm not sure what else. Apparently loads of riders had Jonesy's number on their fairings too.

[tha_jackal]

Brookesy dedicated his win to the memory of Craig, i thought that was a classy touch.. And as posted above, just about every bike had a minature "18" in their own number or on their fairing in memory of Jonesy..