WSBK - Philip Island: Race Thoughts?
 

It seems all very quiet on here after the race results at Philip Island this past weekend. Especially considering the number of threads after Qatar.

Aren't we excited to see Bayliss win his first race of the season and still be leading the Championship after two rounds?

Alex Barros seems to be enjoying a new lease on his racing life. By all accounts Barros has had very limited track and testing time on his Honda. Yet, round one in Qatar saw him finish sixth and seventh, and his Philip Island results are even better. Barros has seven premier class MotoGP wins to his name over a long career. What does it say about the MotoGP versus WSBK paddocks, in terms of rider class, when an older rider like Barros can post such strong results on a largely unfamiliar bike?

After two rounds the championship standings have Bayliss on top, followed by Toseland and then Corser. Barros is in a strong fourth position overall. Can Alex Barros truly challenge for the 2006 World Superbike crown? It might only take injury or some unlucky mechanical problems for the two Troys to give Barros the sniff of a world championship.

Has been a bit quiet!

Thought the races were pretty good. Shame about Bayliss' tyre in the first race.

Second race made up for it. Barros is class even if he rides a Honda!

Looking forward to Valencia now.....

It was great to see Bayliss right up there again - he still has that "fire" doesn't he? Great performance, and a shame about the tyre in race 1. Corser had the advantage there knowing the Pirellis better. Bayliss won't make the same mistake again.

What the hell happened to Lanzi? A shocking performance on a factory bike. They should have signed Xaus who had an absolute blinder of a weekend, even with his broken leg!

Barros was very impressive on a non-top bike. He's only going to get stronger and stronger. Could be a dark horse for the title.

Top marks to Toseland for his results so far. New to the bike and team, right at the sharp end, and kicking Muggers backside very convincingly. Muggas should be right up there with him given his experience with Honda and the team. Toseland has really gone up in my estimation - I wasn't a big far before this season but he's showing his true class at the moment.

This season has started off superbly :D

Yep great races, both of them.

Shame about Bayliss and his tyre in race one, but, said he had the same in race 2 .... just not to the same degree.

Good that Tosseland has got on so well with the Honda, BUT, imagine the out come if Tosselamd was still at Ducati and was Bayliss team mate. Think we'd be seeing 2 Ducati's in the top 3 or 4 bikes every race.

Looking forward to a season of good racing.

I was getting a bit fed up with Jack B & James W on Eurosport "bigging" up Xaus all the time - and it's fair to say that he's doing well in his condition with his machinery -but- come on what about Toseland!

Lanzi - is he going to be another Mauri Lucchiari ?

A good rider is a good rider, Barros is a Good rider who probably knows as well as any how to "manage" a tyre to last the distance.

Based on the 1st Four races you just don't know whats gonna happen next, that's good for the spectators.
Maybe on here we wanna see Ducati on the top of the heap but I can't say I would enjoy seeing any bike, Ducati or not just clear off into the distance and stay there race after race.

There were some superb battles last weekend throughout the field.

Jack B and Whit are good value as well, far better than the goons that the BBC or C4 have used, IMHO.

All we need now is for PFC to win one race at Misano and three or four riders go into the last round in with a shout of the championship and it'll have been a cracking WSB year!

Ray.

Who? :lol:

Seriously though he is a real disappointment, I agree Xaus should have been signed up.

Toeslands great but he complains to much and as soon as his head goes down he off form for pretty much the season.

Xaus is good at binning the bike but he's a tryer and would definately have been up there on the podium on a factory machine.

If past form is anything to go by it looks as if Roby Rolfo would be the next in line if Lanzi doesn't shape up. They have used NCR before to keep a third rider busy just in case. He looks like he might be pretty good too if he can sort his starts out!

looks like a great season ahead, - good to say moaning Corser rattled. Barros will be a threat, - think he would have done even better in race 2 if he had n't hit TC, - you could see when Barros stopped the first thing he asked was about TC, - he was worried about that all race. IF Barros looks to be in with a chance HRC will put money and effort into his bike, - his family connections with Honda will make that happen.

Xaus is doing great, - but he does n't win when he plays it safe, - let him be the win it or bin it boy.

I really hope JT beats Lanzi every race this year, - but I hope TB keeps calm and builds points rather than doing a "Assen" again.