[Evolution]

SBK < Ducati duo leads first day of testing at Jerez

 

[Warhammer]

I hope that Chaz and Giugliano can keep up the momentum. This may be a good year for Ducati and the last of the true unobtainium Superbikes. Next year is Evo class.

 

[Evolution]

I think the Ducati will do even better once it goes to the EVO class though. In SSTK, the bike was competative right from the start. I think once you start to see bikes racing in closer to stock form, the better bikes will start to shine.

 

[Warhammer]

Giugliano got a podium today! In race two, dreadful conditions.

 

[tannercortes]

Davies coming to grips with the Panigale. Woo Hooo

 

[Evolution]

Yes, much more promising looking this year than last year. With Gigi on board and the Panigale back under control of the factory race team, I'm expecting more and more improvement as the season goes on.

 

[krissrock]

apparently the engineer guy from Aprillia is paying off for ducati in spades. Both GP and WSBK are doing a lot better this year. Instead of them being middle of pack bikes 8th and 9th, like they were last year, they're consistently running at the front in the beginning of the races and falling no further than 4th-5th-6th...

Which is highly respectable looking at how things were before.

 

[Evolution]

Yeah, and more podiums for the 1199R in SBK as well as a podium for Dovi on the GP bike. Once Audi took over I figured they would start improving since Audi loves to race and really likes winning. Ducati just needs money to compete, especially in GP. Even better, the 1199R is in first and second place by a good amount in SSTK championship which proves the stock bike is really coming along.

 

[tannercortes]

Gugliano and Chaz doing Ok so far in Sepang although tires are losing grip after a few laps. It's hot has **** there right now, was in the area a few weeks back. Someone needs to design race leathers that you can insert ice packs inside.

Was also thinking, would love to have P J Jacobsen ride a factory Duc in wsbk. Don't know why I think that.

 

[Evolution]

Double podium for the factory team in SBK yesterday: SBK < Ducati Superbike Team duo on the podium in race two

I'm getting pretty tired of hearing how bad the Panigale is doing in racing. Lots of people are really negative about this bike. It's in it's second year in the top class, and 3rd in SSTK. Ducati currently has a decent lead in SSTK and 4 out of the top five bikes are Ducatis. In SBK they have now taken several podiums including 3 second places. Not bad for a clean sheet design in it's second year in that class.

If you look at other new designs, you see that the Pani is doing pretty well. Look at BMW for example. They started racing in SBK in 09. In their first year, no podiums. Second year, 2 3rd place finishes. Third year, 3 3rd place finishes. The bike actually started winning in it's fourth year. Meanwhile, the Duc in it's second year has 3 2nd places and 2 3rds. Really the only bike to come out new and be a force right from the start in the past few years is the Kawi ZX 10R.

Despite this, nobody gives the Duc much credit. I wonder why. Is it that people just hold Ducati to a different standard? Does everyone expect them to just win all the time because of their history? I'm not really sure. They definitely haven't had the budget in the past to compete with some of the others (hopefully Audi money fixes that). I mean, after all you can't buy a Ducati jet ski, lawnmower, piano, generator or microphone. They just make bikes. And I like that.

 

[Warhammer]

I'd just say fk em Evo. No one seem to be giving Suzuki shyt about wsbk or kawasaki not in moto gp. So fk the haters.


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[krissrock]

ducati started off strong in the beginning of the season, but I don't think they have the right riders yet. I don't know if Chaz and Davide really want it yet.

Davide was a lil too aggressive and kept falling, and Chaz keeps falling back as they races wears on. I don't really think it's the bike. Checa came out and made Pole on the very first face last year, and these guys qualify well usually...they just don't have the race pace/aggressiveness to keep the rest of the pack behind them (except for sykes, I don't think anyone's keeping him back)

I'm sure the audi money has helped, and the new engineers...but I I think we need some more riders... like motogp. there's like 4 ducati riders there.

 

[Warhammer]

ducati started off strong in the beginning of the season, but I don't think they have the right riders yet. I don't know if Chaz and Davide really want it yet.

Davide was a lil too aggressive and kept falling, and Chaz keeps falling back as they races wears on. I don't really think it's the bike. Checa came out and made Pole on the very first face last year, and these guys qualify well usually...they just don't have the race pace/aggressiveness to keep the rest of the pack behind them (except for sykes, I don't think anyone's keeping him back)

I'm sure the audi money has helped, and the new engineers...but I I think we need some more riders... like motogp. there's like 4 ducati riders there.

Well once the bike is a "proven" winner, people will jump ship to the Panigale. Look at BSB as an example, The first year Kawasaki was there, barely any presence on the grid. Now team green is everywhere with only one Ducati competing (Jakub Smrz). I do agree with you that the bike needs more talented riders.

 

[krissrock]

I had high hopes for Giuliani, but it looks le neither are in the title hunt anymore. It was still a successful year. They are much improved I've the previous years. Same with motogp.

 

[krissrock]

well again...another disappointing weekend for ducati in WSBK. I can't believe Davide blew it in the second race. I really don't know why the race wasn't red flagged after the second crash...and especially after Davide's bike as on the course !

Chaz is hurt...but should return next round which is a whole month away I think.
MotoGp is blah, as they are in 4th...but Lorenzo is only 2 points behind ..

on another note, they mention that Lorenzo may be looking to come to ducati..That's pretty exciting! We all know he has winning potential. and as they develop the bike more and more, Lorenzo's drive is surely what they need to win races. he's definitely got the balls to battle for a win.

It's a shame, but i'm kinda almost looking forward to next year already. Maybe after the summer break and tests they'll be on point

 

[Evolution]

And now Duc lost the lead in SSTK to Kawi. I think the riders in SBK are good, but I don't think Davide knows how to salvage a race and finish. He pushes so hard even when he clearly can't run the pace. He used to crash quite a bit for Aprilia too. I think he's got great talent, but he's not quite there yet. I hope Gigi figures it out soon, but I have a feeling that the bulk of the Ducati race budget is going to GP right now. Even though the Pani is not winning in SBK, sales have been good.

 

[krissrock]

and they've made great strides in mGP too. I actually didn't watch it until last year. but with the advent of the new class and seeing how ducati jumped on it, I'm pretty much on the MotoGp wagon now...but Wsbk is still my favorite. it really is a shame how much less the networks put into it.
I am excited to see if we get Lorenzo...and where the rest of the guys go. I think we need to keep Iannoni or Dovizioso...whichever one is doing better right now...

 

[Evolution]

They keep saying that Ducati will have an all new Desmo that will be competitive in GP next year. Lorenzo is supposedly looking at a one year contract with Yamaha with the possibility of going to Ducati the following year. He's the only big time rider who hasn't signed a contract yet. Cal Crutchlow needs to figure that bike out, or he's going to be looking for a job again.

The big surprise for me is that Pedrosa was able to sign another 2 year contract with Honda. The guy is a great rider but he's been hogging a factory bike since 2006 and hasn't been able to put a consistent season together without a crash at the worst time or some crazy technical issue (they changed the rules last year about tire warmers on the grid because of him). He's clearly not going to beat Marquez, so if I was Honda I'd be looking for some newer talent. Unless they are thinking about a future team with the Marquez brothers. Alex Marquez is now second in the Moto3 points and I bet he'll be moving to Moto2 next year. If they give him a couple of years in Moto2 like Marc did, he'll be ready to move to GP at the same time Pedrosa's contract is expiring. Hmm.....

 

[krissrock]

so what's up with our guys? have Iannoni and Dovizioso or Cal sign anything yet? I thought the word was about Jorge coming over because Ducati was going to have openings.
It'd be a shame to lose the who team cause they're obviously improving. Its really a shame Hayden wasn't around for it because he was the most consistent prior to this team.
Marquez is doing something exceptional and possibly never to be done again. I would imagine Honda would keep Dani because if anything happened to Marquez, they could still get the title with pedrosa since he's still a front runner. I would be you're right. they'll keep pedrosa till another marquez, or marquez-like rider emerges from the lower ranks

 

[Warhammer]

Pedrosa brings repsol sponsorship with him. And he is still popular. He's kind of the Randy Mamola of Spain, always the bridesmaid never the bride.


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