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A Red Tide Rising in the WorldSBK Paddock

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They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Chaz Davies will certainly be hoping that this isn’t the case.

The Welshman has had a turbulent start to the 2018 World Superbike season, but after four rounds he finds himself closer to Jonathan Rea in the standings than any recent season.

Davies has been able to win twice already this season, in Buriram and Aragon, and sits 30 points behind Rea. After four rounds he’ll have every reason to feel that this year he could finally be in a position to mount a season long title assault.

A tire issue at Assen robbed him of pace in Race 2, but he has proven again that he, and Ducati, are the only realistic opposition to Rea’s quest for a fourth title.

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A&R Pro

The Clock Keeps Ticking for Bradley Smith

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That the world keeps spinning and the clock never stops is one of the few constants in life. For a MotoGP rider, that is even more true. For one in a contract year, it always seems to speed the process up throughout a campaign.

Bradley Smith had to deal with the pressures of expectation last year, and he knows that teething issues will be no excuse in 2018.

The British rider also knows that the KTM will be a sought after seat throughout the silly season, and with Johann Zarco and Dani Pedrosa having been heavily linked with a move to the Austrian manufacturer, it is clear that Smith needs to exceed expectations.

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Aragon World Superbike Preview – What to Expect in Spain

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The first European round of the WorldSBK season always brings excitement.

With trucks and hospitality units back on site, the paddock starts to feel more familiar; and with the opening round of the Supersport 300 and STK1000 series, there’s certainly a lot more track action.

The action on track so far in 2018 has seen the series receive a much-needed shot in the arm, and the new regulations have certainly helped to produce more competitive racing.

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How Far Can Talent Take You?

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God-given ability can be a crutch or curse depending on the mindset of an athlete. Talent can take you all the way to the top, but eventually you’ll face a challenge that can only be overcome through hard work.

Lessons need to be learned along the way to ensure success, and only a handful of riders ever make it to MotoGP on their talent alone.

Most riders marry talent with dedication at an early age in the Grand Prix paddock, and some have had to learn those lessons at a very young age. Vince Lombardi once said that “the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

In any sport, to get to the very top you need dedication as well as raw talent, but how far can natural ability get you in motorcycle racing? We set out to answer that question at the recent Qatar Grand Prix.

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PJ Jacobsen’s WorldSBK Learning Curve

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PJ Jacobsen’s rookie WorldSBK campaign is one that will be defined by small steps. The American, racing for Triple M Honda, knows that making progress is the key, and that it will only be in the second half of 2018 that we truly see his potential.

The season opening round of the season at Phillip Island came too soon for Jacobsen, with the team still dialling in its electronics package after a difficult winter.

A vicious highside at Lukey Heights left a lasting impression on the paddock about the task facing the team this year. However, Thailand was much improved with the 23-year-old making progress session by session.

With the electronics more sorted and predictable, Jacobsen was able to fight and battle before claiming the first top ten finish of his WorldSBK career.

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New Regulations and New Hope for WorldSBK

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The opening round of 2018 saw the field closely packed, with thrilling racing and numerous bikes at the front. It is too early to project the effect of the new regulations, but it is clear that Australia delivered on their promise.

Phillip Island is never the best place to gauge the competitiveness of a field. The Australian circuit is one of the best in the world because it is fast, flowing nature produces close racing.

With only a handful of slow corners during the lap, we regularly see bikes and riders clustered together. That being said the opening round of the 2018 WorldSBK season did produce some notable talking points for the new regulations.

We saw five manufacturers lead a lap, four different manufactures in the top four during Superpole and two exceptional races.

It was a great foundation for the season ahead, but it is important not to get too far ahead of ourselves and think that 2018 will rewrite the form book.

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