WSBK – BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha … Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? – Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

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BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha … who will beat Rea and Kawasaki ?

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

For four years, Kawasaki and Jonathan Rea have reigned supreme in the World Superbike. In 2019, their competitors are organizing – or reorganizing themselves! – to try to overthrow Akashi’s firm and his ruthless "JR". MNC takes stock of the BMW, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha teams…

Four titles in four seasons, 92 podiums including 56 victories in 103 starts: since joining Kawasaki in 2015, Jonathan Rea has been piling up successes and never ceasing to break records! Fans of Akashi’s firm and of the North Irish n ° 65 (now quadruple "World Number One") are in heaven. But their competitors are green … with rage !

Within the official Kawasaki team, Rea’s phenomenal grip got the better of the motivation of his teammate Tom Sykes. The English n ° 66 will nevertheless remain the driver who allowed the ZX-10R to gradually win in World Superbike: development in 2010, first pole then victory in the wet the following year..

After half a point (!) Of the coronation in 2012 against Biaggi and his Aprilia, "Super" Sykes and his Ninja took their revenge in 2013! The following year, the champion of Yorkshire (England) was forced to cede the throne to "our Frenchie" Sylvain Guintoli for only six small points. !

Sykes on the new BMW

Eclipsed by the god Rea for the past four years, "Major Tom" seeks to revive the fight for the world title by changing his method. , since in 2019 the record holder for pole position in WorldSBK (48) will drive the brand new BMW officially entered by the brand at the propeller.

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

At the last Eicma show in Milan (Italy), this announcement had the effect of a bomb in the – small – medium of motorcycle racing: not content with launching a brand new Superbike in 2019, BMW offers itself the services of ” a driver who did not come out of the World Top 3 between 2012 and 2017.

The SMR team – which this season (2018) drove Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori on Aprilia RSV4s – will have the heavy load next year to line up the two factory S1000RRs driven by Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger, a pure BMW product.

in 2013, 2015 and 2017, "Reiti" has already raced in World Superbike. It was in 2016, but the n ° 21 did not achieve the expected results. Worse, he was badly injured at the end of the season in Misano. Disappointed, even upset, the German driver had beaten his compatriots in IDM 2017 !

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

This year, the n ° 21 won the last title in the history of the Superstock 1000, still in the company of the S1000RR. As a fair reward for all his efforts and success, the pilot from Bayern in Bavaria (a region dear to BMW!) Is entrusted with the handlebars of the second official machine..

The only BMW driver in WorldSBK 2018 and the only French driver,. Like Sykes and Reiterberger, our very tall pilot (1.92 m) went to the Eicma show to promote the Alpinestar Airbag, that of LS2 helmets … and his of course. !

 

Site also observes with sadness that Loris is not the only one looking for a new handlebar in World Superbike: Xavi Fores (however best independent rider in 2018) and teammates Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori are also currently on foot … work to get back in the saddle !

Ducati uses its MotoGP method

The Ducati Barni team, which has consistently reached the Top 5 this season and has climbed to the podium five times thanks to Fores, have decided to enter the youngest – and Italian – Michael Rinaldi next year. The 2017 STK1000 champion took part in the European races of the 2018 WSBK calendar. He will participate in all events in 2019 … on the new Bologna Super (be) bike !

Like BMW, Ducati presented its brand new racing machine at "its" motorcycle show, inspired by its prototype Grand Prix! The Panigale V4 R will replace in 2019 the 1199 Panigale R, second best bike in the World Superbike championship if we are to believe the rankings of the manufacturers over the last four seasons..

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

To beat Kawasaki, Ducati has resolved to abandon its traditional twin-cylinder (1200 cc since 2008) in favor of a brand new – all beautiful? – 4-cylinder in V of 1000 cc. To oust Rea on the other hand, the Noale factory has logically renewed its confidence in Chaz Davies: the Welsh No.7 has alternated in second and third places in the championship for four years..

"Chazie" who teamed up with Marco Melandri for two seasons, will be joined by a newcomer in the World Superbike category: Alvaro Bautista! The Spanish rider has an exceptional experience on V4s of all kinds and all makes in MotoGP: he raced on Suzuki in 2010 and 2011, Honda in 2012 and 2014, Aprilia in 2015 and 2016 and Ducati in 2017 and 2018! Who says better ?

Author of a formidable freelance within the official Ducati team during the Australian Grand Prix this year (4th!), The 125 world champion in 2006 and vice-world 250 champion in 2008 (behind the late Marco Simoncelli) integrates the World Superbike through the main door: that of the Aruba Ducati box. The expectations of Ducati fans, sponsors and bosses are all the higher !

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

Like their Bologna comrades, the Tokyo Reds consider that the domination of the Greens has lasted too long in World Superbike. That’s why Honda announced at the recent Italian show that it is back in business! After delegating its WSBK activity to the Ten Kate team, the HRC takes back control … where the world n ° 1 tried to stop Yamaha’s hegemony. In vain…

The competition department of the winged marque ensures that its involvement will be total in 2019 … even if Honda will rely on two solid collaborators to align its two factory Fireblades: the excellent Italian team Althea (titled with Carlos Checa and the last 1198 R in 2011) and the famous Japanese preparer Moriwaki.

HRC: Honda Becomes Conqueror ?

Stopped then slowed down by a bad fall in the third race of the 2018 season in Aragon (Spain) – like and with Laverty! -, Leon Camier keeps his place in the Honda team more "official" than ever. The employers of the English n ° 2 keep in mind his great performances on the MV Agusta F4 and continue to believe in great achievements on the CBR1000RR. Like Rea in his time !

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

On the contrary, Jake Gagne who had the heavy task of replacing Nicky Hayden is not renewed for the new season. The Californian gives way to Ryuichi Kiyonari who himself had to, in his time, in MotoGP … It was 15 years ago !

The Japanese "rookie" finished 20th in the MotoGP championship with 22 points, which is as much as Kenny Roberts Jr on his Suzuki and 3 points more than Nobuatsu Aoki on Proton KR. "Kiyo" had beaten two other permanent: Garry McCoy (11 points) and Andrew Pitt (4) who remain to this day the last two official Kawasaki riders in Gran Prix !

In addition to his nationality, Kiyonari owes his presence in World Superbike 2019 to his record in British Superbike: the most British of Japanese riders won the BSB championship three times with Honda in 2006 and 2007, then in 2010 after two seasons spent in WSBK.

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

By his own admission, the hiring of Ryuichi is very surprising: in World Superbike, the n ° 23 above all marked the spirits during an incredible qualifying / rodeo session on the soggy track of Donington Park in 2008. Kiyonari has well secured three WSBK victories (in England) and three other podiums (at Monza in Italy), but he only finished 9th and 11th places in the championship. Can do better ?

At Yamaha, the room for improvement for the two factory riders is lower: Michael van der Mark won the bronze medal in 2018, while his teammate, fifth in the provisional when renewing his contract for the next two seasons, finished sixth behind Melandri.

Yamaha doubles the starting bet

The Blues obviously did in 2018 (Yamaha is the only manufacturer to have beaten Kawasaki and Ducati in the race) and climbed on 11 other podiums (Aprilia only gleaned two). To increase its chances of success, the Iwata firm simply increased its workforce !

Two additional official R1s will be lined up by the GRT team, the same one that led Lucas Mahias to the throne of World Supersport 2017! In 2019, the Italian team will not ride alone in World Superbike: it will be accompanied by the 2018 champion, Sandro Cortese. !

WSBK - BMW, Ducati, Honda or Yamaha ... Who will beat Rea and Kawasaki? - Used BMW DUCATI HONDA KAWASAKI YAMAHA

From his first WSSP season,: fans of Jules Cluzel may well pity by believing that Sandro rather "mowed" the title to their favorite Julo, the history of WorldSBK will remember that the "rookie" and Moto3 champion was crowned in World Supersport 2018 and was immediately promoted to WSBK … where he will spark as much in the championship as on the track ?!

The second rider of the new Yamaha GRT team, who nevertheless appears in first place on the official press release, is none other than Marco Melandri, a 36-year-old "ghost"! For the record, Marco had offered, in 2011 during his last race.

Even stronger, the Italian n ° 33 had obtained the "title" of vice-world champion at the end of his very first season in World Superbike, far, very far from the champion Carlos Checa on his private 1198 (!). Fifth in the championship in 2018 at the controls of the stirring Panigale “V2” factory, where will Melandri end 2019 on the R1? Mystery and Pirelli Balls…

BMW, the new S1000RR, Sykes and Reiterberger

Tom Sykes:
“I am very excited to join the new BMW project in the WorldSBK Championship. I believe the partnership between BMW and Shaun Muir Racing is a great opportunity, and assumes we all share the same goals as to where we want to be. I can’t wait to take part in the pre-season testing, where I will get a first glimpse of the new BMW S1000RR and start my new challenge, my new adventure ".

Markus Reiterberger:
“I am very happy to stay with the BMW family, and to race for a competent and experienced team. I am looking forward to working with my new teammate, Tom Sykes. I have a lot of respect for him: he has already been world champion and been among the best for several years. However, we need to be vigilant that we do not have too high expectations. We have a new bike and we are a new team. We just need ‘trying to constantly improve and make sure we prepare well for the start of the season. I am really looking forward to tackling this new challenge and I am very optimistic. Thank you to all the people who have supported me and who m ‘offered this new chance in WorldSBK ".

Ducati, the Panigale V4R, Davies and Bautista

Chaz Davies:
"I have a long history with Ducati, this is my fifth season with them (it will be his sixth season in 2019, his seventh in 2020, Editor’s note). So it’s very exciting to continue with the new V4. I think it’s going to be an interesting change. It’s a different direction for Ducati, and really, really exciting. I’m excited about this project as a whole. I love being part of Ducati and the Aruba team – we have so many good people here – it’s like family Everyone is very optimistic it’s a dream situation to have people like that around me as well as to have the opportunity to have a brand new motorcycle when signing the new contract ".

Alvaro Bautista:
“Next season it will be a new challenge, as I will be leaving MotoGP after 16 years in the paddock. I am very motivated and it will be a new challenge for me. The confidence that Ducati has placed in me is very good. I think we can get a good result in WorldSBK and we can have fun. I’m looking forward to going into the WorldSBK championship, I think it’s a booming category, and I think we will be able to obtain some good results ".

Honda (HRC!), The 2019 Fireblade, Camier and Kiyonari

Leon Camier:
"I’m really excited, it’s a really big opportunity, immensely exciting. The fact that the HRC is coming back to World Superbike is amazing and I can’t wait for us to start. The level of WorldSBK is really high, a lot more than what people can achieve. Rea has set the bar really high. The plan is to move on and join Kawasaki at some point. We have to be competitive from the start. It’s a new team, with new ones things falling into place and a lot of things to work on. I feel the potential to knock on the podium doors is there. ".

Ryuichi Kiyonari:
“First of all, I’m a little surprised that the HRC is coming back to Superbike and I’m surprised that the HRC called me. It’s been ten years since I raced in SBK. I’m very happy to join this great project. . I have two years of WorldSBK experience – in 2008 and 2009 – and it’s very competitive. It’s not easy to make the Top 6, but we have a good bike and a good team. I manage to do a good job, I hope I can get good results ".

Yamaha (GRT), the R1, Cortese and Melandri

Sandro Cortese:
“Winning the WorldSSP Championship and then moving to WorldSBK with the GRT Yamaha Team is like a dream come true for me. I’m super happy to be a part of this new project and, although it’s a big change, I have I can’t wait to take on this challenge and get on the Yamaha YZF-R1 for the first time. So I will begin my familiarization process in Jerez this month. It will be like Christmas: I have never ridden such a big machine before and I’m like a child who can’t wait for his gift! The bike will require a lot more physical effort than the Yamaha YZF-R6, especially since there will be three races each weekend, instead of just one this year. I’m really going to have to train in the winter to be ready. ".

Marco Melandri:
Under contract with Ducati at the announcement of his transfer, the Italian rider has not yet commented on the coming season. Stay connected !

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