WSBK – Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK in Assen – Analysis of the World Superbike in Assen

Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK in Assen

WSBK - Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK in Assen - Analysis of the World Superbike in Assen

The third round of the World SBK 2011 took place yesterday in Assen. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the SBK riders, our analyzes and the video summaries of the Superbike and Supersport races..

Analysis of the World Superbike in Assen

The two World Superbike races in Assen were first of all marked by the delicate and decisive management – it still is, but it was striking this Sunday in Assen – of the Pirelli tires. The proof: Italian compounds have been cited by many pilots during reviews !

We can easily imagine the atmosphere in most of the boxes on Saturday evening: "Well, do we put on hard or soft gums? And do we alternate between the 12h race and the 15h30 race?". For Biaggi however, the choice was imposed by his Aprilia, the Italian being far too aggressive with the soft tires..

But the RSV4 was probably not the only machine incompatible with this ride: the most powerful illustration is undoubtedly the performance of Sykes and his ZX-10R in the first round….

Starting like an arrow, the English Ninja set the best time of the race on his third lap and climbed to 3rd position four laps later. But the great adventure ends there: his tire rinsed, poor Tom will tumble down to last place (14th), crossing the finish line 50 seconds after Rea !

The fastest driver in the race in the second heat, Leon Camier had a reverse fortune. After having recorded the track record – record "2011" since that of Jonathan Rea last year was not broken … -, Biaggi’s teammate went from 11th to 4th place, which he was able to hold on until the checkered flag was displayed. Leon thus proved that it was possible to be the fastest and well placed in the end..

Necessarily policed ​​in the official press release, the speech of Troy Corser is more critical on his personal website: after spending the weekend on hard tires, the old Australian Croco would have gladly installed soft tires on his BMW in the second round.

However, "we were warned that the softer tires might not go the distance and contrary to our judgment we again used the hard tires", relates the double world champion.

Convinced that a different shoe would have allowed him to shine at Assen – how to verify! -, Corser obviously resents his tires. Still according to him, they never worked during the second round! Worse, they would even have caused his downfall: a banal loss of the front by seeking to make Sykes inside…

Carlos Checa, who does not have the same Pirelli experience as Corser but is nonetheless an expert in racing tires, was able to change the rubber that Troy wanted between the midday race and that of the afternoon..

The operation ended in a resounding success: put under pressure by Biaggi throughout the race, the Ducati n ° 7 cracked two laps from the end, a false neutral allowing the Aprilia n ° 1 to take the lead…

Much less nervous and gesticulating than the RSV4, the 1098R – and its soft tires! – however, allowed Carlos to recover his due and to win. Masterfully beating the 2010 world champion, the Spaniard confirms his status as potential 2011 champion.

Be careful, however, because the season is long and the wheel is turning … Biaggi knows it very well: forgotten the disaster of Donington Park, the Roman Emperor only gave Assen a small point to Checa, and he waits with the greater impatience for the World Superbike to come to "its" land in Monza…

Because it is on this Italian track that Max won the second of his four double last year. Also, so many salute – with good reason, and the MNC editorial staff in mind! – Checa’s excellent start to the season, we must admit that Biaggi’s is far from bad, especially if we compare his first results in 2011 to those of 2010.

Last season – she was on a slightly different journey – Biaggi finished 5th and 8th at Phillip Island, 6th and 4th at Assen. His series of 2nd places in 2011 therefore appears to be a clear progression and allows the n ° 1 in the discipline to look ahead with optimism. It is written – or almost -: Biaggi will win at Monza !

On the other hand, we are much more worried about Chris Vermeulen … Before each event, the sympathetic and courageous Australian announces with conviction his "return to great shape". At the end of this third missed meeting, we have to admit that disappointment gives way to a certain bitterness.

Like the crying wolf child, the official Kawasaki rider gradually loses his credibility and risks not attracting attention at all … until he actually returns to his best form and achieves to hoist the new ZX-10R on the podium, or even to the top? Hopefully, his gliding style is missed by many fans. !

Winning an event, the Greens have been dreaming of it ever since they started the first sketches of their very last Superbike. But as Aprilia and BMW have shown in recent seasons: shining in World SBK with a new bike takes investment, talent and "some" time. !

With all of the first two ingredients, the Noalesi had to compete in 20 races before winning a race while the Munich residents wait – work! – always. Equally motivated and capable, Akashi’s men are no doubt starting to wonder how long it will take to wear their ZX-10R on the podium. !

In the meantime, their big bosses must take a dim view of their brand appearing, once again, at the bottom of the manufacturers’ ranking! Even Suzuki, its only rider and its "old" Gex (but who still won in the Bol d’Or, read our) manage to get ahead of their four riders – "and a half" for Vermeulen … – registered for the Championship !

On the Honda side, we have to breathe a little easier since the victory and Jonathan Rea’s third place this Sunday! The number one manufacturer in the world is returning to the Castrol colors this season, and this does not displease the young and fiery Johnny, the fourth driver to win this year…

Indeed, the young Irishman admitted at the start of the season to have nurtured his passion for motorcycle racing by watching the spectacular brawls of the bosses of the World Superbike on television. One of the most memorable? The one between Edwards on his Honda VTR Castrol against Bayliss on his Ducati 998 at Imola and had to decide the world title of 2002 !

Having started badly this year – he injured his back and his hand this winter during testing – Rea would see himself turning the 2011 remake of this hellish scenario against Checa during the last race in Portimao … Before that, he will have to close the gap between him and No. 7: 53 points, a little more than two wins. Chick ?

Finally, our little French people have somewhat lacked Bol (d’or, hohoho) this weekend since Sylvain Guintoli could not avoid his teammate who fell just in front of him in the first round and finished at the back of the arguing group 8th place in second…

Victim of a new clutch problem on his Ducati not so "Supersonic" as that, Maxime Berger collected his first points in World Superbike, occasionally ahead of Ruben Xaus but also and above all his best enemy in the Superstock 1000 l championship. last year, Ayrton Badovini.

No luck either for our great hope Florian Marino in Mondial Supersport, shot by Luca Scassa during the third (!) Race part on Sunday. Luckier, and he deserves it with all the filth that has fallen on him in recent seasons, Fabien Foret climbed on the second step of the podium and scored his first points of the year.

The fourth round of the World Superbike will be held on May 5, 6 and 7 in Italy, on the Monza track. As for Assen, Site will follow the Superpole and the three races (SBK and SSP) very closely: stay tuned !

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