Opening weekend for WSBK at Phillip Island was last weekend and things have certainly changed. If you've had the chance to watch the action, what were your thoughts?
Eugene Laverty, wow, just wow! I was cheering for him all last season and when I heard the news that he was dropped from Aprilia I was a little bummed out. Especially since it seemed like the only other competitive machine this season would be the Kawasaki due to BMW's withdrawal, and it didn't look like Sykes and Baz would be going anywhere soon. So, when I saw the news that Laverty had signed on with Suzuki I was disappointed for his chances. Man, I ate my words on Sunday, and it was awesome!
I was really hoping Johnny Rea would be in better contention, granted, the season is just starting, but I hoped he'd have a new Honda for this year. But if Suzuki is able to coax more performance out of their aging platform, maybe the PATA team can find something there as well.
It really sucks not seeing the Gold Bet BMW super bikes in the fray, and I have mixed feelings about the new EVO class. I guess it fills out the roster, but it seems a little too much like MotoGP for my taste. I enjoyed watching the super stock races from last year, and now that they're in the mix with the super bikes I won't get to see as much of them as I'd like.
A decent showing by Ducati, well, if your name is Giuliano, but it still looks to be off the pace somewhat. We'll see if they can make a better showing as the season progresses. I won't hold my breath.
Also interesting is the new rules for this season. It sounds like Dorna is doing all they can to make SBK different from MotoGP, but I don't think I agree with the price caps on suspension and brakes. Not that it'll stop me from watching.
What did you guys think?
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