Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

It is pathetic really. You cannot watch the race live in India, because Star TV doesn't bother telecasting it live and buying a videopass from the WSBK website is equally useless because you need to wait for a week to watch the race, since they don't air it live either!

What terrible marketing from Dorna. Once again!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

I'm starting to follow WSBK only from this season. And what a start it was!

And the best part is... there are two races

I don't know who to root for this season, but would like Nicky to come good! He really means business, not taking WSBK for swansong!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

Was the race televised in India?

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

Nope. One had to watch it on random websites. Star Group has the contract to broadcast it in the Indian subcontinent. But they just don't bother!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

As far as I know during previous year Team MV used F4 RC which weighed 170 Kgs & had >220 hp. This year they are racing on F4 RR which weighs 175 Kg & has 210 hp. Moreover MV's racing division has been performing exceptionally good in super sport segment.

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

You have some inside information? They are doing really well right now!

MV Agusta 'topped' the first practice at Thailand this morning with Leon Camier, which is quite surprising. Hayden was second fastest on a track he is riding for the first time. Which is even more surprising. Rea sat out the first half hour of practice and then immediately went fastest, before being relegated to third.

Going to be an interesting weekend to see how fast everyone comes up to speed with the new race weekend format.

WSS, PI Winner and Moto2 rider went fastest at a track he hasn't ridden at before as well. Awesome stuff from the GP guys!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

Great Race by Sykes, and Rea, and Chaz,

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

MV is in financial trouble now, need 25 million Euro to continue. AMG may take over. I want Giovanni to lead MV. Is WSBK broadcasted on Indian TV channels?
Jules Cluzel nailed WSS!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

Race 1 was a total snooze fest. Race 2 was a barnstormer! And WSS didn't fail to disappoint.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel that GP riders are more consistent.

In WSS, Krumenacher didn't make any mistakes, he kept lapping with zero errors. While the regular WSS riders would every once in a while outbrake themselves. Then do a fast lap and catch up again.

Same was the case in WSBK as well. Rea, Sykes, VDM, Guintoli, Davies all made multiple mistakes while Hayden rode without once running wide, outbraking etc.

In a GP race you hardly ever see anyone make a mistake, and mistakes cost many positions. In Race 1, VDM overshot a turn by a big margin, yet he remained in third place

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

WSBK this weekend in Aragon. Davies, Hayden and Van Der Mark head first free practice. Surprisingly neither Kawasaki in the top 3!

Re: WSBK 2016 Season: Updates!

Gosh i feel sorry for MvDM, but he kept the Adrenalin pumping the entire race, even the Home Crowd had something to cheer after years,
good for Nicky to get on the rostrum, after MvDM & Sykes limed off.

Nicky Hayden takes maiden WSBK Victory at Sepang!

2016 WorldSBK 'rookie', Nicky Hayden took his first win of his WSBK career onboard his Honda CBR 1000RR Sepang, Malaysia in a 'Wet Race'.



Hayden had been impressive throughout the weekend, starting with Free Practice all the way to qualifying, where he qualified 4th on the grid. In Race 1 (which is now held on Saturday), he started off strong, and was racing behind the podium contenders, before he started moving backwards with tyre troubles and eventually finished 8th.

Race 2 was a different kettle of fish. The torrential rain in Malaysia, saw the WorldSupersport race being postponed twice, before it was finally held after the WSBK race, instead of prior to it. The rain played a major role in the WSBK Race as well, with the grid lined up on a wet track.

The 'Kentucky Kid' got off the blocks and was fast straight away. Immediately pulling open a gap to Championship leader Jonathan Rea, Tom Sykes, Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano. After setting the fastest lap of the race, Hayden had pulled out a 4 second lead to Rea on the Kawasaki. But Italian Giugliano, also chasing his maiden win, had other plans. He started setting fastest race laps and overtook his teammate Davies before overhauling Rea as well. Davies briefly took Rea, only to be re-passed by the British rider.

Giugliano was steadily closing the gap to Hayden, but the American kept calm and crossed the line 1 second ahead of the Ducati rider, with Rea taking the final spot on the podium and extending his lead over Davies and Sykes.

It was a well deserved victory for Hayden, who got back onto the top spot of the podium after a gap of 10 years. The joy of the American rider was unbounded as he couldn't help but cry as he relished his victory, which he dedicated to his father.

With this win, Hayden has joined Mighty Mick Doohan in being the only other rider to have won a race in Grand Prix as well as WSBK.

Before the season opener at Phillip Island, xBhp had spoken with No. 69 Nicky Hayden about his expectations from WSBK in 2016. Read his interview here.



Photos Courtesy: WorldSBK.com