WSBK » Lanzi replaces Laconi at DFX

Can't see Laconi coming back if I'm honest - certainly not this season anyway. Besides, even if he was capable of coming back this season Lanzi will probably go well on the DFX Duke so why swap it all around again later in the season (unless Laconi has a legal claim to the ride, although I doubt DFX would have agreed to that). If Laconi is out for the rest of the season, even if he wanted to I can't see him making it back in 2010 either having missed 2/3 of the 2009 season. There will be loads of competition next year for WSBK seats - all those in it this year plus the usual MotoGP rejects (Toseland could be on his way back...!!), Crutchlow, Laverty, Camier, Guintoli, Ellison. Sorry Regis...

WSBK » Spies smashes lap record for pole

Pitted with 30 seconds of SP1 left. Was still 7th after 4 minutes of SP2, on a qualifier, then went 3rd with a 1.59.192. Pitted with 5.5 minutes to go in SP2. Rejoined SP2 with 3.5 mins to go on a fresh quali and posted a 158.725 which eventually would have been good enough for 6th on the grid, ahead of Nakano. Haga himself was only 2 places ahead of that and Fabrizio was nowhere. So for a guy that hasn't raced there for 5 years, I would actually say that is 'good', especially given the battering he took in Australia. Had he have had a qualifier for SP3 I suggest he would have been top 4 - maybe 4th.

WSBK » Spies smashes lap record for pole

If people want to 'tell the facts' then perhaps they should at least ensure they themselves know the facts before launching childish digs at others. Eurosport in the UK have just re-run Superpole, and in an effort to clarify 'the facts', this is how a certain Mr Byrne actually faired :- 6th fastest going into the final qualifying session before Superpole. 8th in the aforentioned session (ahead of factory riders Fabrizio and Haga). Comfortably top 10 in the first 5 minutes of the 12 minutes of SP1. Posted a 1.59.659 on a Race tyre in SP1 (must have been a Race tyre because qualis don't last 12 minutes and he didn't get the 'P' (Pitbox) symbol once throughout SP1.

WSBK » Spies smashes lap record for pole

Dale... f**k off pal. Was I talking to you personally ? If you've got some sort of axe to grind and are gonna pick a row with me every time I make an observation, then act like a man not a schoolboy and tell me where you'd like to meet me in person to 'discuss' the obvious problem that you have...

WSBK » Spies smashes lap record for pole

Yup. Looks like Shakey used both qualifiers by teh end of Superpole 2, which is odd 'cos I thought he'd have gone out on a race tyre in SP2, then switched for a quali late on, thus saving one for SP3. His quali time in SP2 would have been good enough for 4th or 5th I believe, so he has good pace.

WSBK » Palmer 'delighted' not to be hosting WSBK

country and its history. I mean take the Italians. Can you honestly imagine them allowing World Superbikes to be scrapped at somewhere like Monza or Imola ? There'd be outcry if someone tried that you can be sure, especially if it was in pursuit of making or saving money. Sometimes certain things can't always make a certain % profit, and shouldn't always be viewed from that perspective. With so many British riders in WSBK this year I'd have a bet with Mr Jonathan Palmer that ticket sales would be higher than ever. I mean wouldn't you pay to see Shakey, Haslam, Rea, Sykes and a few wildcarders all fighting for the podium steps and Crutchlow likewise in WSS ? I know I would.

WSBK » Palmer 'delighted' not to be hosting WSBK

Unfortunately Motorsport (specifically bike racing) seems to be following the same downward spiral of despair the rest of this ailing country seems to be on and is falling victim to the environmental do-gooders who actually don't have the brains to realise that their focus on, for example, stopping racing at Croft cos some tw*t thinks its now too noisy, is a drop in the ocean in terms of 'protecting the environment'. Palmer is not much better either with his 'money first, tradition and entertainment last' attitude. There is not enough passion or patriotism (and patriotism doesn't mean hostility towards other countries in any sense of the word - it means what it says - support for your...

WSBK » Palmer 'delighted' not to be hosting WSBK

bike racing fan in the true sense of the word - he's a fan of anything that he thinks will make money, and will happily drop what he thinks won't. He's bound to come across to the paying public as 'one of us' and claim he's passionate about bike racing. If he was he'd have done more to avoid dropping one of the greatest annual bike racing spectacles on one of the oldest and most respected circuits in the world. With the upturn in WSBK popularity he could even have killed WSBK off at Brands for years to come. All that stuff about spending money on improving circuits etc... again, all been done to justify ticket price increases, bigger gate numbers and... you guessed it...MAKE MORE MONEY !!!

WSBK » Palmer 'delighted' not to be hosting WSBK

I think its fair to say that Palmer has already indicated where his loyalties lie - 'First and foremost I'm a businessman...' I think was what he said (or words to that effect). In other words, 'I'm in this to make (and save) money before anything else.' Brands has been dropped purely to underpin that ethos, plain and simple. The fans understandably don't like it (I certainly don't. Brands is 20 miles up the road from me and I've been going there to watch WSB and BSB for years). I also strongly agree that if Palmer was a true bike racing fan he would appreciate the significance of WSBK not being at Brands and what that means to the 100,000 fans who wait all year to see it live. He's not a..

WSBK » Double DNF completes dismal weekend for Byrne

You really are a pathetic little oik aren't you SB Fanboy. What exactly qualifies you to rate peoples talent in disciplines you yourself have no discernable ability in whatsoever...? Unless you've won numerous Superbike races and titles AND have appeared on a football pitch for your country more times than Peter Shilton ? Please go away and stop boring us with your pathetic bull5h1t...