01-13 Australia – Phillip Island – Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike in Phillip Island – WSBK 2017 in Phillip Island – Page 1: race highlights

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Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike at Phillip Island

01-13 Australia - Phillip Island - Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike at Phillip Island - WSBK 2017 at Phillip Island - Page 1: race highlights

The first event of the 2017 World SBK took place this weekend in Phillip Island, Australia. To complete our near-live reports, here are the main facts to remember and statements from the Superbike riders after their two Australian races..

WSBK 2017 at Phillip Island – Page 1: Race Highlights

Kawasaki official rider Jonathan Rea makes a brilliant start to his double defense! – WSBK title at Phillip Island, by signing a victorious double in the opening round in Australia. This first meeting of the 2017 season highlights the competitiveness which has remained intact of the "ZX-10RR / Rea" duo, as well as an unsurprising opposition led by Chaz Davies – twice second in his Ducati Panigale R -, followed by close by the Yamaha R1 of the excellent Alex Lowes.

  • MNC Live of February 25, 2017 : Rea wins in the snatch on his Kawasaki
  • MNC Live of February 26, 2017 : New double for Rea at Phillip Island

With this success, Rea brings his balance of WorldSBK victories to 40, including 24 on Kawasaki. This quarantine bar had so far only been crossed by three drivers in the history of WorldSBK: Carl Fogarty (59), Troy Bayliss (52) and Noriyuki Haga (43 … but without a world title, sniff) . A great way to start the season for Rea, who knew how to alternate speed and strategy to repel the insistent attacks of his rivals, in particular the Ducati riders Chaz Davies – placed for victory in each round – and Marco Melandri, a moment leader of the second race for his return after a year and a half of absence at a high level.

01-13 Australia - Phillip Island - Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike in Phillip Island - WSBK 2017 in Phillip Island - Page 1: race highlights

Among the disappointments recorded over this weekend, let us quote the results without relief of the news, on which the brand and the pilots however placed high expectations … "There are too few positive points to be drawn from this weekend: without being negative, we did not hope to come and be beaten as we were, "blows with honesty Nicky Hayden, disappointed with his 11th place in the first round followed in the second by a knockout fall 14 laps from the finish. 

Remember, however, that the preparation for the official Fireblade was delayed because the bike arrived late in the offseason, and that the former and his teammate Stefan Bradl (twice 15th, almost 30 seconds from the winner) did not therefore not been able to complete many laps on his handlebars. Ready for revenge from March 10 to 12 during the ?

The Australian event was also an opportunity to observe with curiosity the effects of the new regulations, which oblige the drivers on the podium in race 1 to move back to the third row in race 2 (see illustration below) … , the poleman Jonathan Rea was "demoted" Sunday to ninth place following his victory in the first round on Saturday afternoon! Alex Lowes, for his part, took off from the leading position in race 2, as he finished race 1 in 4th place. Logical, no ?!

Favorite show to performance…

Desired by Dorna, promoter of the WSBK and MotoGP, this absurd decision on a sporting level – and never seen in an international competition – has fortunately not caused any racing event in Australia … But how long will it take to that a leader in too much of a hurry to get back to the first group hangs up a much slower driver, that this new regulation will have artificially placed in front of him ? 

01-13 Australia - Phillip Island - Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike in Phillip Island - WSBK 2017 in Phillip Island - Page 1: race highlights

Wanting to spice up the races is a defensible objective, made necessary anyway to ensure the sustainability of the WSBK. Due to a lack of TV audiences and spectators around the circuits, this formidable competition, contested on – almost – production motorcycles, risks disappearing into the crushing shadow of MotoGP. And everyone would lose: racing enthusiasts, of course, but also the average biker fan of sports motorcycles. Without competition to showcase their Super (be) bike, manufacturers could indeed decide to stop producing them….

But from there to transforming the race into circus games, regardless of the respect for the pure performance achieved by its practitioners, there is a margin! Because make no mistake about it: by stacking the dice in this way, the promoter hopes to provoke "sparks" in the first laps, contacts between favorites and outsiders, even exits in the gravel. All then looping on paid videos offered by Dorna: and the loop is closed ! 

01-13 Australia - Phillip Island - Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike at Phillip Island - WSBK 2017 at Phillip Island - Page 1: race highlights

But if these twists and turns will hold a certain section of the public in suspense – the one who whistles the opponents of his favorite, who applauds the fall of an unloved competitor and who pays more attention to the forms of the hostesses than those of the motorcycles in front of his eyes – these provoked theatrics will annoy fans of "real" sports competition, disappointed to see audience shares take the ascendancy on the only important numerical indicator in motorcycle sport: the chrono.

Finally, the last negative aspect linked to this opening at Phillip Island, of which Yamaha was also the title sponsor: the dismissal of Jules Cluzel, struck in the last lap of the Supersport race while he was running for at least a podium on his Honda. The French "Coq Supersportif" suffers from one, which he hopes to see delivered for the second test scheduled in a month in Thailand. 

Find in the declarations and classifications of WSBK races in Australia … and stay connected !

Alexandre BARDIN – Photos DR

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