WSBK – The World Superbike 2014 is now! –

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The World Superbike 2014 is now !

WSBK - The World Superbike 2014 is now! -

As a new series of WSBK tests begins tomorrow in Aragon, Site takes the opportunity to take stock of the 2014 field. We note for example that Laverty, ejected from Aprilia by Melandri, finds refuge within Suzuki Crescent.

Many World Superbike riders will meet tomorrow at the Motorland circuit in Aragon (Spain) to do two test days there, in preparation for the. Site takes the opportunity to take a quick look at the set.

Confirmed even before the end of the, Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam will travel to Spain with their Honda Pata team. Both injured in the legs last season, "JR" and the "Pocket Rocket" hope that bad luck will not pursue them in 2014.

Since his fractured femur in early September during the, Jonathan has only climbed his bike once, during the tests carried out after the .

"I could have come back much earlier", Johnny remarks,"but being physically able to ride and being able to ride confidently are two very different things". However for the tests of Jerez, the n ° 65 was not yet fully recovered…

"This injury was the worst"

A few days earlier, a CT scan had indeed enabled Mister Rea to realize that his left leg could still only work at 70% of its capacity and that the bone was not quite consolidated. It was therefore not wise to take part in the last races of the season !

"In motorcycle sport, there is so much pressure that pushes you to come back too quickly after a serious injury, before being at 100%", testifies the Northern Irish pilot of 26 years."But I am a professional athlete and any injury to my leg at this point would have had a major impact on my preparation for 2014.".

Injured earlier in the season (from there, Leon Haslam was forced to lead racing and recovery … "Honestly this injury was hands down the worst I have ever had", assures the second Honda Pata rider, just in his thirties.

"Not so much in terms of fractures (tibia and fibula, just under the left knee, Editor’s note) than the damage to the tissue and the lack of power in my leg then", specifies the n ° 91 who hopes to be completely recovered before then and will continue to work hard on the CBR1000RR until then….

According to Leon, the key element to work on this winter remains the electronics, too inconstant on the Fireblade. "The CBR’s chassis and engine are largely capable of winning races, it’s just a matter of tweaking the whole thing so that everything runs better and we can win again.".

Less stress for the Greens

At Kawasaki, the Aragon tests promise to be a little less stressful: a fortnight ago in, the brand new World Superbike world champion Tom Sykes and his faithful lieutenant Loris Baz completed the program concocted by their team..

Like Jonathan Rea, our national Loris had not been on his motorbike since the meeting – missed! – in . Victim of a small fall at low speed fortunately without gravity, Baz declared himself extremely satisfied with these first tests 2014.

"We made good progress because we tried a lot of things that turned out to be very positive", assured the n ° 76."We have taken a big step forward from our trials here a year ago and I am very confident for our next Aragon trials in 15 days".

"The Aragon track is very complex because there is a bit of everything: a long straight line, big curves, slow turns and quick changes of direction.", describes" Bazooka "today. A complete route which will validate the work accomplished in Jerez … provided the weather permits it !

Weather whims

"I hope the weather in Aragon will be better than what we have in Great Britain right now, as the weather is terrible !", also notes for his part the unbeatable and insatiable Tom Sykes…

"Without looking for the stopwatch, in racing tires "his team reported in Jerez,"the lap times were very good as Sykes drove 2 tenths faster than the last pole position in 1 ‘40.4 " !

Eight tenths behind the No.66 Ninja, Loris Baz, for his part, was running half a second under the best time recorded in the last race. The Greens may not have the bike officially "world champion", but they do not have to be ashamed against the riders of RSV4…

Renewed for 2014, Sylvain Guintoli will not take part in the Aragon trials: if his just-operated left shoulder allowed him to sign autographs last Saturday at the EICMA show in Milan, she is still too weak to tame Aprilia d ‘factory !

Guintoli will not run until January

"After this operation and given the expected recovery time, I will not be able to drive before January", Sylvain warned."Aprilia and I want to start 2014 in the best possible way and it is important for me that I am in great shape.".

The Frenchie’s new teammate, on the other hand, will be well in Aragon: Marco Melandri, who tested the RSV4 during the Jerez tests, was officially integrated into the Aprilia Racing Team at the beginning of November..

"Coming back to drive on the brand that brought me my first world champion title is, above all, very exciting "", recognized the famous n ° 33."From a human and personal point of view, there are so many memories that bind me to Aprilia and these are memories of victories.".

Replacing Valentino Rossi himself from 2000 in the Grand Prix 250 at Aprilia, Marco took a long time – a good season and a half – before mastering the factory RSV250. Once done, the Ravenna Hedgehog crushed the 2002 championship, winning no less than 9 out of 16 races and climbing to three more podiums.

Melandri back on Aprilia

Naturally, Melandri hopes to take the measure of the RSV4 more quickly, against which he has often fought in his three seasons in World Superbike – on Yamaha and then on BMW -: "I think she and I will get along well, but only the track, the first tests and especially the races will allow us to verify it".

"I’m sure it will do wonders on our RSV4, a bike which in my opinion is well suited to Marco’s riding style.", considers for his part Romano Albesiano who will have the heavy task of replacing Gigi dall’igna as manager of the official Aprilia team.

"With the signing of Melandri and the confirmation of Sylvain Guintoli after his excellent 2013 season, our commitment to World Superbike is confirmed, with the intention of increasing Aprilia’s collection of titles."… 52 worldwide: 38 in Grand Prix, 9 in WSBK and 9 in off-road !

"I also want to thank Eugene Laverty who had a fantastic season on our RSV4", concludes Noale’s new Red Boss,"and I wish him the best in his future endeavors"… among the Yellows of Hamamatsu !

Laverty at Suzuki

The news actually broke yesterday: "Youdjine" will replace Leon Camier at Suz ‘in 2014. The 2013 vice-world champion, author of nine victories last season – that is as many as Sykes! -, will run on the good old GSX-R. Before, perhaps, to climb in 2015 on the ?

"I am delighted to join Suzuki Crescent for the 2014 season", concentrates for the moment the Irish pilot of 27 years."I will try the GSX-R1000 for the first time at the end of this month (November 25 and 26 in Jerez, Editor’s note) to better capture our potential, and I’m really excited to see what I can do with the bike".

The name of Eugene’s teammate remains unknown to this day, but Alex Lowes, twin brother of Sam "Supersport World Champion" Lowes is in the running. Titled in British Superbike on a Honda, Alex had turned in place of Jules Cluzel during the last tests of Jerez at the controls of the Gex of the Crescent team…

Finally, the, Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano, will join the Kawasaki, Honda and Aprilia riders from tomorrow on the Aragon track. They will be able to continue their work on the 1199 Panigale R ().

The Welsh rider and his Roman sidekick are convinced they can do well next year – otherwise why race ?! : "I had tested the 1199 Panigale for the first time a year and a half ago in Aragon, but the bike I rode in Jerez was very different", Davide explained to EICMA in Milan..

"Ducati did a great job and the bike is now much better", outbid the Italian n ° 34 … Davide and Chaz will they be able to achieve times similar to those of their little comrades perched on their 4-cylinders? Business to follow on the Site of course: stay connected !

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