How's this? Question might be 'why'? http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/202...pHPPF6iqh7-llf5j1KOCHu7FicG1OZYO9rtGtmjfoAGcc
WSB 1st Test Times: http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/202...e in first day of testing at MotorLand Aragon
Definitely going to be a good season next year. SR that close already and doing what he showed he could do in BSB and just take it steady and chip away at the lap times session after session.
Just seen this. Doesn't say much but interesting nonetheless: https://www.corsedimoto.com/mondial...5rWLj7rGJ_FKMPduL1ghJKD7g8GvRiD8YqQuJskSR50MU
Comes up with Google translate on my computer. Soory, I sometimes forget that phones/iPads don't have the same functions. Here's the text: It is said that the Spaniard with Honda HRC fell below the Portimao record, with qualifying tire. The most awaited team removes the veils on February 21 in Japan December 19th 2019 - 12:00 Superbike is on vacation but the fire smolders. In the contacts between experts there is nothing to talk about the Big News of 2020, that is the Honda CBR-RRR. When will the new Japanese missile go strong? Just today, the global motorcycle industry giant has announced that the official team will be presented Friday 21 February in Tokyo. A very "corporate" choice, which shows how much Honda cares about this project. Less than two days later Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam will have to be at Phillip Island, in Australia, for the last winter tests before the World debut scheduled for Saturday 28 February on the same track. WHY SO MUCH SECRET? Bautista and Haslam have filmed in recent weeks in Aragon, Jerez and Portimao. The first one was little more than a break-in, on the other two occasions instead Alvaro and Leon started to get serious. There was also a lot of Pirelli staff present, including development manager Giorgio Barbier. Closed doors, sewn mouths, but some drafts have transpired anyway. It is said that Alvaro Bautista in Portimao fell under the leadership of the track, with qualifying tires. That Honda will go strong is a given. It will be necessary to see if strong enough to immediately create problems for the Superbike battleships, namely Kawasaki and Ducati. Let's not forget that the Red one year ago, with the same Bautista, won the eleven initial races of the World Cup ... A FEW DETAILS So far Honda has carefully avoided disseminating information about the project. The pilots are known, but the bike (we are talking about the "full Superbike" version) has not yet been practically seen. Regarding the team, we know that it is based in Barcelona, in the same operational center as the MotoGP and that the operations are coordinated by Alberto Puig himself. Alvaro Bautista brought technical manager Giulio Nava with him from Ducati, who had already worked in Hona HRC years ago. #ALVARO BAUTISTA #HONDA HRC
Finished watching my DVD of 2002 WSB series featuring the duelling Colin Edwards (Honda) and Troy Bayliss (Ducati). Very uncanny how this race, set the foundation of what would become exactly the same scenario as we saw last year with Bautista and Rea, in that Edwards snatched a 'given' series win from Bayliss. From another angle, I think it's a shame that Colin never did achieve similar results in Moto GP.
Best season ever in WSBK that year and never again will we see such epic racing between two amazing racers. There are similarities between 2002 and 2019 like one half of the season being dominated by one rider and the second part by the other..... But Bautista sadly through it down the road leaving Rea to run away with it with quite a large margin. Where as Bayliss and Edwards went down to that last two races at Imola...... Seriously dramatic that day and I can still remember watching it live. I have it on DVD along with a few other memorable seasons..... Like when Max Biaggi came along and bossed it!!
Ben Spies in 2009 wiped the floor with the rest of the field. But yes 2002 was a brilliant season for a Honda fan like myself. Think Edwards won the Suzuka 8 hour that season to. If I remember rightly it was after the Suzuka he came back and dominated. New parts from HRC maybe.
The numbers on the grid are not looking good for this season already. Reports suggest as little as 19 riders on the grid as some teams struggling for financial support and sponsorship deals..... The sattelite Honda team being one of them
There was definitely strong works done to the bike. I have particular interest in this now since buying my own 2002 SP-2. The first half of the season, Edwards' bike ran a 2 into 1 exhaust. Approx after the mid-season break he was back with the twin pipes, and perhaps, a more determined attitude.
