2008 SBK Pre-season Testing Thread

[ChrisS]

Qatar Test day 1
1. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF R1 1min 59.6 secs
2. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF R1 2min 0.1 secs
3. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098R 2min 0.6 secs
4. Fonsi Nieto SPA Alstare Suzuki GSXR1000 2min 1.0 secs
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 2min 1.6 secs
6. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSXR1000 2min 1.9 secs
7. Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 2min 2.2 secs

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wsbk/news/157674-0/qatar_wsbk_test_times_-_tuesday.html

World Supersport is also testing at Qatar. Garry McCoy was there riding for the new Triumph World Supersport team. He was 3.7secs behind fastest rider Broc Parkes with team-mate Paul Young a further five seconds slower.

Great to see McCoy in supersport, its shaping up to be a great field, but 3.7secs behind with team mate 8.7 secs behind? I hope Triumph is serious about this.

Also in testing, Hannspree Honda Althea were testing on their own at Calafat Spain with SBK and WSS riders Roberto Rolfo, Gianluca Nannelli and Tommy Hill .Hill crashed and was taken to the hospital with a suspected broken right leg, at best he will have limited winter testing, at worst he could even miss the season opener.

[NinjaMaster]

Terrible for Hill in his big opportunity. Hopefully it heals quick so he gets a chance to really show what he's got.
Nice to see McCoy back and even nicer to see Triumph join the fray. Plenty of work to do but I'm sure they will chop out some big chunks of time pretty quickly.
No surprise that Yamaha are fast or that the Duc is already fast. I'm looking forward to a more comprehensive test when more teams are together next year.

[Corny]

So Nieto will drive the Alstare Suzuki? Too bad!

[ChrisS]

So Nieto will drive the Alstare Suzuki? Too bad!

Alstare's lineup is Nieto, Kagayama and Neukirchner in a 3 bike team

[ChrisS]

Qatar Test day 2

1. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF R1 1min 58.6 secs
2. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF R1 1min 59.2 secs
3. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 59.5 secs
4. Carlos Checa SPA Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 59.5 secs
5. Fonsi Nieto SPA Alstare Suzuki GSXR1000 1min 59.6 secs
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 2min 0.1 secs
7. Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 2min 0.3 secs
8. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSXR1000 2min 0.9 secs

[NinjaMaster]

Qatar Day 3 times:

1 Bayliss Ducati 1098 F08 Ducati Xerox 1’58.1
2 Haga Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 1’58.4
3 Corser Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 1’58.6
4 Checa Honda CBR1000RR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1’59.0
5 Nieto Suzuki GSXR1000K7 Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 1’59.1
6 Fabrizio Ducati 1098 F08 Ducati Xerox 1’59.1
7 Kagayama Suzuki GSXR1000K7 Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 2’00.9
8 Kiyonari Honda CBR1000RR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 2’01.8

Supersport
Rider Bike Team Best lap
1 Parkes Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor WSS 2’01.9
2 Foret Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor WSS 2’02.5
3 Pitt Honda CBR600RR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 2’03.0
4 Mc Coy Triumph 675 Triumph - SC 2’03.5
5 Paul Young Triumph 675 Triumph - SC 2’06.5


Ducati are already very ominous. Nice to see Triumph improve, McCoy down to 1.6sec behind Parkes.

[ChrisS]

Ducati fastest after just 3 days of official testing of their new superbike, i hope this isnt an indication for the rest of the season

Kiyonari was way down and crashed twice, it shows the difference between the Michelin he used last season and Pirelli

[The Phantom]

The Triumph 675s that McCoy and Young are on reportedly still have many road parts fitted. Impressive start and will only get faster.

Supersport World Championship
Rider - Bike - Team - Best lap
1 Parkes - Yamaha YZF R6 - Yamaha Motor WSS - 2’01.9
2 Foret - Yamaha YZF R6 - Yamaha Motor WSS - 2’02.5
3 Pitt - Honda CBR600RR - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda - 2’03.0
5 McCoy - Triumph 675 - Triumph-SC - 2’03.5
6 Young - Triumph 675 - Triumph-SC - 2’06.5

[neninja]

The speed of the Ducati bodes ill for WSB next year considering it's still early in it's development.

The joy of WSB for the last couple of years was the competitive racing with any one of 4 manufacturers in with a serious chance of winning races.

Looks like WSB risks going back to the bad old days of being the Ducati Cup if they don't get some serious weight added to the Ducati pronto.

[The Phantom]

Looks like WSB risks going back to the bad old days of being the Ducati Cup if they don't get some serious weight added to the Ducati pronto.

It's exactly what I've expected ever since Ducati asked for the capacity increase.

[NinjaMaster]

At least the rules are flexible, so hopefully WSB have the balls to reign Ducati back in if they prove instantly dominant. Theoretically it works and next year should be a cracker. But then, in theory communism works. :erm: