This time next week we will have officially made it through winter. Don’t know why it’s felt so long when it’s probably been one of the shortest off seasons ever but who cares now. Here we go… https://www.worldsbk.com/en/event/AUS/2025 Can only see Bulega challenging TR but it’s going to be bloody close (hopefully). Apart from that I have no predictions.
It’s all on TNT 2, I’ve just set the recorder, no need for discovery plus although I suspect that will change as we go through the season.
If they took away the ridiculous penalty laid against Bautista it would make it at least a 3 horse race
Redding in 16th…. I’ll leave that there. also really sad to see Tarran so far off, 2.6. That doesn’t really indicate any improvement in the package from last year, going to be another really really long year for him
There's some bloody big gaps there i know that much, only Iannone within half a second of Bulega and everyone from pretty much 4th down a second and more off!! Could be a long season for everyone except #11. Why no Sam Lowes either?
And JR unfit for the first round with a broken foot. I can’t remember so many pre season testing injuries. Andy
JR absolutely doomed on the Yamaha, I never ever saw his adaption to the Yamaha being so hard in terms of style other than I think Toprak was making it look more competitive that it is (you have to bear in mind it’s a 10 year old platform this year with only minor changes)
With one hand forced behind his back, IMHO Bautista is likely to bow out at the end of the year, probably due to frustration as opposed to purely his age, as i dont see that as the dominant factor in inflencing any such decision, given his metronomic fitness regime. As this rapidly evolves into the "Toprac Show" courtesy of the governing body, they have simply translated one man's dominance over to another. Penalizing Bautista has done nothing to close the gulf between teams further down the grid and financial ladder. It's just flipped the order up front. Way to go FIM.
That ^^^ it’s shit and manufactured to stop ducati winning. What will the do next in MGP to follow suit….
except Bulega was 0.5 second clear of the entire field today on a Ducati, with 3 other Ducatis in the top 8 or so. Ducati won a ton of races last year. Just not with Bautista on. he also didn’t have any weight ballast a few years before that when he Won the first 8-9 races then just started throwing it at the scenery constantly, and lost to JR… be balanced people!!!
You're correct but strictly in terms of the current legislation, it does nothing to even the playing field. If they really wanted closer racing then perhaps they should consider more far reaching concessions for teams lower down the pecking order who's pockets maybe are not as deep as the top flight teams who help fill the organisers coffers, as opposed to singling out one individual and hoping that is the magic bullet.
They have changed the rules this year again though, removing the rev limits etc, instead they have a fuel flow limit, so that will help Bautista as even though he has to carry weight, he will probably be able to have a slightly quicker bike to bulega as he’s not using fuel to make the power
Valid points but there is zero doubt the weight cap is there to affect one rider and one team. At the time, Yamaha were doing ok as were Kawasaki. They took away Kawasaki advantage in Revs and it ballsed then up. Maybe not as much Ducati but Alvero on a Ducati I’m no fan boy but I’m no fan of taking natural capabilities away either. As an aside I saw a short interview with Redding who looks as pale as a ginger in winter and as thin as someone who was made to stay in Japan around 1942…. Can’t be healthy
Whatever your thoughts on Toprak and the incessant arse kissing, I don’t think even anyone on this forum could deny he’s up there at “alien” status these days. Within a tenth of bulega with a broken hand and less than 24 hours after a horrendous high side AND 1.2 seconds faster than his team mate. Some going that. https://www.crash.net/wsbk/results/...ip-island-worldsbk-test-results-day-2-tuesday
I think people forget/take for granted how shit that beemer was before he arrived too, very lazy just saying they gave him the title cos the wee man had to carry a few extra kg of ballast. They didn’t win a single race the season before lol.
Tbf it’s always been very fast and toprak has a knack (learnt or natural) of riding over the edge and keeping it upright. He may also have had more say in changes; redding seemed to get little support. Right rider, right time, right support. He is also like Marquez: he will ride over you and gives zero space. That is worth a few tenths
