WSBK Meetings down to 2 days!!

[Tobesterr1]

This has just been posted on the AMA Superbike.com site:-

'The hottest rumor of the day is that on the advice of SBK International, the FIM decided today to go to a two-day practice/race format for 2003 World Superbike races. Presumably this would put an end to all Friday practice and qualifying in World Superbike.'

This from sources close to the FIM Congress.


That would mean 2 full qualifying sessions for all classes, Superbike, Supersport, Superstock and sidecar with no 'free practice' sessions just total qualifying and Superpole in the Superbike class although this time restriction on Saturday's would mean the likely abolition of Superpole as in BSB next season in my opinion.

Comments???

[f1manoz]

Is this some sort of cost-cutting by FIM?

[Tobesterr1]

More likely is that Octagon are in financial trouble, aaaaaaaahhh what a shame, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of tightwads. If they had spent some of the money us supporters have handed over through the years and redeveloped tracks and spectator facilities including grandstands then the attendances would of risen meaning more money coming in meaning prosperity for Octagon and comfort and convienience for us spectators. All we need now is to get Flammini out of his hospitality suit too and let someone else come in and have crack at doing it right.

Let's face it in the U.K. we get a bum deal even at Brands Hatch, it's so outdated it's not true, you don't get that at Malaysia or Kyalami or at European venues like Mugello where the powers that be ensure the facilities are all present and correct. This surprises me as the rumour has been that Octagon were going to try and buy out Dorna from GP's!!!!!!!!!!!........Oh really, I don't think so, that's why they are reducing WSBK to 2 days as the running costs for 3 days are obviously too high.

[asha]

what a stupid idea!

Its only going to make less ppl. go see the races.

Speaking personally I like to use the practice sessions to walk around the track take the whole show in, then (unless I found a good spot) take my greadstand seat for the race.

And it makes no sense, to go to the race, becuase everything will be on television anyway. I thought the whole point of going to the races was to see all the cool stuff they dont put on television.

[pauldavid]

Nice one tobesterr1 at last someone who seems to hate Octogon as much as i do. In a few years time when racing at Brands is becoming a distant memory who will we blame?, the competitors, d'ont think so, the spectators, sorry try again, what about the marshalls,as if, no the greedy b#######s at octogon who brought five tracks for one reason only "SIVERSTONE F1 G.P", and sod every other circuit. Now this is not a dig at America, but large American companys do sometimes buy things just so they can say "we own this or we own that" i mean they now own the only circuit in the U.K that is licensed to hold F1 and the way things are going how much longer will top flight bike and car racing be at Brands even the older F1s were not able to use the G.P. circuit at the ferrari festival because the licence was not re-newed.
As for the W.S.B. being a two day event, what about the trafic, we allways go from thursday to sunday and many people turn up on friday, now nearly everyone will be turning up on friday night saturday morning,after all whats the point of getting there a day early if there's nothing to watch.

[steve nielsen]

with Ducati and Kawasaki joining MotoGP it could be over for SBK in a few years.

[racer69]

Ducati are staying in WSB as well though.

2 day meetings would save costs for the teams as well wouldn't they? Maybe the saturday format will be practice, single qualifying session then Superpole?

[Tobesterr1]

Superpole should be scrapped it's a total waste of time and makes qualifying a mockery, what's the point of all that work on tyres ans set-up only to wobble on your superpole lap and end up 2 rows down??

If it goes to 2 days only there will be no time for Superpole as one qualifying session is nowhere near enough to dial a bike into a decent set-up or to read the tyre situation. There are 3 support classes as well don't forget so they will have to start the day at 8.00am rather than 9.00am and finish later in the day at say 6pm and move the sidecar race back to Sunday again which is where it should be. They could also make qualifying sessions shorter say 4 half hour sessions per class, 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, apparently Formula 1 may be trying that next season too.

I'm a bike junkie so the 3 day format suited me, I could walk around the track and see different aspects friday and Saturday and then settle on a position to watch from on Sunday. It has it's advantages cost wise for the teams but if you have a nightmare on the saturday you are nowhere but I suppose it's the same for everyone..

....I'd scrap Superpole though for sure, it is looking bleak for next year as Aprilia are now saying they may have to pull out in 2003 add that to Honda and Kawasaki going and Yamaha still out that leaves works bikes from Ducati, Petronas and Benelli and satellite teams headed by GSE Racing........it had to come but 2004 looks healthy for the re-birth of WSBK ans Supersport might be in the spotlight more in 2003, great class of racing.