| | | | | | | | It’s all action stations at Phillip Island with one week to go to the Yamaha-Finance World Superbikes.
The past three days we’ve had the MotoGP boys flying around the circuit, with Rossi, Marquez and co warming up the joint for next week’s WorldSBK high speed extravaganza. We’re raring to go…
Sixteen huge races from Friday to Sunday..2 x World Superbike; 1 x World Supersport and 13 national class races from huge grids in Australian Superbike, Supersport, Supersport 300 and Historics.
It’s going to be SUPER-BIKE fab with Jono Rea and Tom Sykes on the Kawasaki, Sydney’s Josh Brookes on his BSB winning Yamaha (see story below), Honda’s Nicky Hayden, Yamaha’s Alex Lowes et al rolling into Cowes this weekend. Also keep an eye on Eugene Laverty on the Aprilia and Chaz Davies coming off a hot red streak late last season on the Ducati.
We’ve got WORLDSBK TESTING – Monday and Tuesday; WORLDSBK RACING from Friday to Sunday (Feb 24-26).So if you love motorcycle racing, BE THERE.
OUR BIG TIP – BOOK YOUR TICKETS and CAMPING NOW as it is cheaper in advance. And remember KIDS 15 and under are FREE for both gate entry and on-circuit camping. Go to Ticketek or www.worldsbk.com.au to book. ADVANCE TICKET PRICES END WEDNESDAY FEB 22 at 4pm (ESST) but you can still buy at gate or book into camping 24 hours a day from Thursday.
Rev up! Here’s your WORLD SBK race schedule…
Here’s the WORLD SBK entry list…
PLUS go to our Phillip Island Facebook page for all the information on the MOTOGP test and for next week…WorldSBK… | | Today's News... | | | » Josh Brookes Needs Your Help! | | | » One ISLAND Lap With World Champ, Jono Rea | | | » Tickets And Camping | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | Josh Brookes Needs Your Help!
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| | Brookes on #25 Yamaha in BSB 2015..returns to WorldSupers PI grid 2017 |
Sydney’s Josh Brookes has finally reunited with his 2015 British superbike-winning Yamaha YZF-R1 – the machine he’ll ride as a wild card at world supers.
BUT..he’s short on cash and needs to raise about $20 000. Can you throw in $20 to help the cause?
Here is his gofundme link if you want to help the lone Aussie on the world supers grid.
https://www.gofundme.com/josh-brookes-worldsbkwildcard
Read on for his story…
Brookes, from Bringelly (NSW), will be the only Australian on the Yamaha-Finance grid, and is hoping the bike that took him to championship victory in 2015 will be his lucky ticket against the super talents of the class such as Jonathan Rea, Chaz Davies and Nicky Hayden.
Brookes is no stranger to the world superbikes. Last year he made the move to the world’s leading production class aboard a BMW, but the foray proved fruitless and he’s hoping next week at Phillip Island he’ll make amends.
He’s up against it though as test time for Brookes has been limited. Since his faithful Yamaha arrived in Australia two weeks ago, he’s completed two shakedown sessions in Sydney – one a wasted day in the seething 43-degree heat – with his next step Phillip Island for the final WorldSBK pre-season test on February 20-21 (Monday/Tuesday), ahead of the season opener.
| | Sydney's Josh Brookes after winning the BSB Champ in 2015 |
"I’m a motorbike rider and I want to win… but realistically a top five would be a great result at Phillip Island next week," said Brookes. "Last year I got a top 10 with a bike I was not happy on, so using that as a baseline, a gauge, I can surely go better on a bike I am super comfortable with and one which has taken me to a championship win."
Brookes has always been lightning fast around Phillip Island, winning numerous domestic races in the nougties as well as the 2004 world supersport round – as a wildcard.
To get to the start line has been a huge project for 'Team Brookes'. The bike was purchased from the UK by Melbourne-based former Aussie road racer Deon Coote. Josh, his girlfriend Aimee, Coote and a couple of engineers complete the team for Phillip Island but are operating on a shoestring budget.
They are desperate need of another $20,000 to enable them to fly the local flag against the international factory teams from Ducati, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Yamaha and MV Agusta.
Determined to make the grid, the multiple Aussie road racing champion has set up a gofundme account to raise $20,000 and is calling on the local motorcycling community and his fans to throw in a few bucks.
The link to the account is here: https://www.gofundme.com/josh-brookes-worldsbkwildcard
"The simple truth is, building a race team from scratch, sourcing all the parts, preparing the bike and with Australia being the furthest and most difficult place to import the bike to, freight has been a major factor that has overshot the budget," said Brookes.
"I have invested as much as I can into this and I'm super lucky to have some sponsorship from amazing companies such as Elite Roads, Milspec Services, Cleaningshop.com.au, AluminiumOnline & Mr Leaf Screener and Mudbuster.
"But at this point we have already spent our budget of $100,000 and still have a shortfall of $20,000 to raise before the event.
"I know I have some amazing supporters out there, and with 65,000 people following me on twitter I'm hoping if just half of those could give $1.00 to this project we can cover the overflow of expenses." Back to Top |
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| | One ISLAND lap with world champ, Jono Rea |
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Ireland’s Jonathan Rea returns as the hot favourite for 2017. The twice world champ is going for the hat-trick in 2017 – and if he pulls it off, he’ll be the first rider in history to take the triple.
As Australians, we have kind of adopted him ‘cause he’s a top bloke, is married to an Aussie – a Phillip Islander nonetheless, the gorgeous Tatia. He holidays here, his kids are half Oz, he has lots of cycling buddies at Cowes and we even gave him the key to Phillip Island last December.
| | Jono with gorgeous Tatia, Jake and baby Tyler |
Here’s his take on a lap of our Phillip Island circuit, on board his Kawasaki. His clean sweep in 2016 at the island set him on the path for a second successive WorldSBK title.
"There's no doubt that Phillip Island is one of the rounds that I look forward to most on the WorldSBK calendar, for a number of reasons: it's the start of another championship and everyone is excited after a long pre-season; the weather's nice (mostly!); and it's a brilliant layout.
"There's no doubt Phillip Island's a unique layout, with only a couple of slow corners and the rest third and fourth gear affairs. That fast-paced nature places a lot of stress on tyres, so set-up is absolutely critical and it's always a compromise between stability and agility.
"It's weird, really: the harder you try around Phillip Island the slower you go, so it’s all about trying to be really smooth. That's easier said than done in a WorldSBK race, but Phillip Island's very physical and the goal is to be thereabouts in the last 4-5 laps -- which is where the races are won.
"It took me years to master the first section at Phillip Island, especially turn one which can suck you in. I eventually realised the smarter option was to scrub more speed off and pick the right lines, which is where you can pick up a lot of time.
"It's a fun corner, though, which leads me to turn two – one of the toughest on the layout. It's another place where you can run in too hot, and I'm always worried about overloading the front tyre. "I then accelerate hard into turn three (Stoner Corner), which is a place where you can really abuse the tyres. It's an awesome ride, though! If the tyres are fried, it can get a little hairy at the end of a WorldSBK race.
"The braking markers at the first-gear turn four then come up fast, and it's easy to get sucked into the back of other riders and overrun the entry – that's why that escape road is so handy!
"Turn five is basically a straight line affair before hitting turn six, where the entry is always challenging. It's probably the most important corner on the track, because it leads to the fast uphill section.
"It's then hard accelerating through seven and up into fourth gear before hitting the 'hay shed', aka turn eight. That part is extremely physical and can change its nature dramatically depending on wind conditions.
"I then drop a cog into turn nine, which is quite off-camber and blind – so it's easy to break traction. It can play havoc with your confidence and there's not a lot of grip at the top.
"Turn 10 (MG) is the second time I drop my Kawasaki into first gear, and it's a corner you spiral into with nothing to brake against. Get that apex right and it's all momentum through turns 11 and 12 – get it wrong and you're chasing your tail.
"Turn 11 is one to be wary of, as I've seen some big crashes there, especially in testing. It's about trying to get on that fat part of the rear tyre to drive out hard and onto 12, where there have been some adventurous lines over the years. Also, if there's a headwind you have to be careful and maybe try to turn in quicker at 12.
"If I put all the pieces of Phillip Island together this weekend, I'd love to crank out a 1:29 qualifying and 1:30 laps in the races. Let's see what transpires…"
| | Jono with his cycling buddies when he was presented with THE KEY TO PI ! |
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So get organised race fans and book your tickets and camping before Weds at 4pm. Here is the deal…
A three-day general admission pass costs $120* if you buy today – a saving of $35 over the gate price. BarSBK passes, for undercover viewing locations at some of the most spectacular parts of the circuit, are $260*, while adult single-day GA passes cost $30* for Friday, $65* for Saturday and $80* for Sunday. To get these prices book before Wednesday Feb 22 at 4pm.
Camping is available for up to four nights for $105*, booked in advance..but you can roll up 24 hours a day over race weekend for anybody decided to head down at the last minute.
Best of all, children aged 15 and under are in for free, making the event affordable for families of all sizes.
For tickets visit www.ticketek.com.auor www.worldsbk.com.au Back to Top |
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| | | | Get your World Superbike tickets for a scorchingly hot, scorchingly fast Phillip Island, Yamaha Finance Australia round at Ticketek orwww.worldsbk.com.auor call the circuit hotline on 1800 728 007 |
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