World SBK | Round 6 | Czech Round | July 19-21 2024

he got on a plane… one of the euro sites posted it too

I’m too lazy to find a link

 

I'm shocked at how lost Bautista appears to be right now. Coming back from injury I'm sure isn't helping, but I'm surprised to see him not be nearly as confident in the bike as last year. I can't imagine they would've changed much given how much he was winning last year. It's not over though obviously, there's a lot of racing left. I think Toprak is definitely in the groove now with the BMW and is unlikely to have many events where he is not top 3. If Bautista wants to go out with another championship, he has no time to waste getting back into the fight with Toprak.

That being said, even if he wins, I'd be surprised to see him back. He's nearing 40, won a couple championships, for sure nothing else to prove and generally doesn't seem to be having much fun this year. I also wonder how much longer Rea will be around if things don't improve on the Yamaha. Another year of mid pack results might have him questioning whether or not he'd rather be at home with the family. WSBK could use this shakeup I think, find some new talent and refresh teh series a bit.

 

https://www.motoamerica.com/gillim-set-for-world-superbike-debut-this-weekend-in-czech-republic/

 

Sweet! Hayden looks so good on the big bikes and is such an understated rider. He did well on the 600s, but with his size, he shines on the 1000cc bikes.

Tall ask of him this weekend, but I’m sure he’ll make the most of it.

 

Stanboli’s comments were pretty much he knows the riders that Cam B and JD are, having worked with both of them, JD twice now, and kf they’re falling like they do or struggling like they are, that the bike is temperamental and on a knife edge to set up. We’ve seen WSBK parts not work with well with the Dunlops, and I wonder if there is some of that too. Attack and Wrench had to go their own way with swingarms, Yosh was changing swing arms all the time once Dunlop changed their rear tire mid season and Toni all of a sudden couldn’t get the thing to turn anymore, etc. The Ducs looked like temperamental queens on the Dunlops too with the WSBK parts, they finally seem to have it figured out some.

GG, Redding, and van der Mark are great riders too, and it’s taken a maybe generational freak show to do anything with it and same goes for Cam B, who I think is his generation’s best American rider, and still is.

 

This is very cool for Hayden, but I cant have high hopes for him on that bike/team. They have had several good riders and are always in the bottom of the grid.
If he does something that would be incredible

 

Networking opportunity, if he's smart. Not much to expect from the on-track stuff.

 

Agreed.

When you have Taz MacKenzie, who was always a podium threat in the deep BSB field, finishing in the bottom 5 every race on it - Hayden will do well to finish 3 races and by Sunday be there or thereabouts with his teammate Norradin.

Good luck to him - killer opportunity!

 

Hopefully for Honda wanting to do something here

 

Probably not a bad idea to shake a few hands with people fielding other brands. They might remember him when they need someone for a replacement and MotoAmerica is on vacation.

 

What if he beats GG?

 

Anyone think Gillim will finish top 15 this weekend?

 

No, I bet he could finish above his teammate tho. The teams best finish this year is 11th for reference.

 

Tati Mercado is fill in riding a Honda too I saw… it’s been awhile since he and Hayden raced each other… maybe they’ll have fun

 

Totally forgot Leandro was a regular in AMA SS back in the day, right around the time Eslick and then the Colombian at team Hammer dominated wasn't it?

 

It’s been a long while but I think Tati won Supersport with Attack Kawasaki the year before Josh Day won his Supersport title when I fielded him in Daytona Sportbike, and the MotoGT endurance with me at NJ that we won, at the same time in 2009 or 2010… Tati was gone by then but Josh beat Ricky Parker who rode for Graves that year… because the ESP boys and I worked hard to get him there… great kid and great rider…

iirc

 

FP1 and Gillem is 1 second away from his teammate seems like a good start

 

So the talking heads during FP1 said Gerloff to Puchetti Kawasaki is what they are hearing for 25.

 

Good job as Hayden closes the gap to his teammate and the front in P2.

 

Its going to be a tough weekend.
Looks like all 4 Hondas are in the bottom 5. Hopefully he can beat Mercado.