Here's some of that BMW excitement as seen live on Instagram! Toprak is ahead. Redding has just passed VDM. Here is VDM going back through. Thanks for the excitement, boys!
#WorldSBK
#test
#Jerez
#FunFact
For the first time since Bautista, Razgatlioglu and Rea have shared the track in
@WorldSBK
, we've gone through an entire race event with none of them winning at least one race.
This takes some getting used to!
@jonathanrea
looks five or ten years younger! All the stress has dropped and he's super motivated for his
@PataYamahaWSBK
challenge. A new era begins!
#WorldSBK
Customs drama for
#WorldSBK
. Rules have changed and they're asking for a stamp they didn't ask for before. Hospitality trucks coming from Italy including Aruba Ducati, Barni, GoEleven, Marc VDS, Puccetti and Yamaha are all stuck at Calais. We'll know more tonight.
@MCNSport
In
#MotoGP
I hear from a good Ducati source that Marquez to Gresini is a done deal. In
#WorldSBK
, Locatelli has a 1,000 euro fine and back of the grid penalty for Portimao Race 1 for not obeying the meatball flag yesterday (supposed to stop at the earliest possible point).
What a performance from Alex Lowes this weekend. That's now three times he's overtaken Alvaro Bautista on the outside of Lukey Heights - twice last year and once this year! And nice to see Pere Riba looking so emotional as well!
#WorldSBK
#AustralianWorldSBK
Congratulations
@tommybridewell
. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Always such an open and honest person and one of the most emotionally driven motorcycle racers around. A life-changing moment today.
#BSB
So, it's happening. Minimum combined weights for bike and rider introduced to
@WorldSBK
from next season. I wonder what the current odds are for
@toprak_tr54
and BMW claiming the title in their first season together?
So, halfway through Monday and no Sunday announcement regarding
@Reddingpower
. That was either a miscommunication somewhere down the line or a clever tactic to stop everybody asking during the Imola weekend. I genuinely don't know which but think I have an idea 😁
#WorldSBK
22nd May marks seven years since we lost this great man in 2017. Always a pleasure to work with and to know - we continue to miss him very much.
#NickyHayden
#RideOnKentuckyKid
Thinking of our good friend,
@JamesMToseland
, who is in Texas and will have his latest wrist operation at about 6/7pm UK time tonight. See you soon, Jimbo!
Anybody reckon
@19Bautista
was already racing with some increased weight yesterday?
@jonathanrea
did a few Qatar races in the past running under the rules for the following year to get ahead of the game. Take a look at yesterday's race compared to Saturday as well as speed trap!
Still plenty of talk about the races being shortened in Australia or mandatory pit-stops due to tyre life. Whatever happens, this weekend is going to be incredible and
#WorldSBK
2024 promises to be an absolute classic! Live on
@discoveryplus
and
@eurosport
with
@JamesMToseland
.
BMW has just announced that Toprak and VDM will remain team-mates in the ROKiT team in 2025. However, Bonovo action team owner Jurgen Roder will not continue with his team which withdraws as a factory entrant.
#WorldSBK
It feels like the whole world is talking about
#WorldSBK
right now! From a neutral perspective, Australia really was an amazing start...crazily dramatic racing and real variety in the results. Really glad so many people enjoyed it.
Excited to commentate on the Ducati Race of Champions this Saturday. All Ducati MotoGP + WorldSBK riders on the new V4 Panigale. LIVE on Ducati YouTube and TNT Sports 3 (UK) at 4pm British time. Also on Fox Sports and other places depending on where you're tuning in from! 🏍🇮🇹
Very much looking forward to a UK tour with
@JamesMToseland
in Oct/Nov to talk about music, hear some piano tunes and discuss the 20-year anniversary of becoming the youngest ever
#WorldSBK
#Champion
in 2004. Also debating whether to start with 'A-HA!' when we get to Norwich...
It literally couldn't happen to a nicer man. What you see and hear on the TV is exactly the same off it. A great rider, mechanic and person...with a superb knowledge of 70s and 80s music plus 90s comedy 😁 Well done, Whit!
Nice first day back in
@MotoGP
and to be working with the team at
@motogpontnt
. Lots of familiar faces around the paddock...all looking just as young as they ever did 🤪
New track surface at Phillip Island to contend with next week. Should we brace ourselves for tyre problems and mandatory pit-stops? Time will tell!
#WorldSBK
#WorldSBK
#Fact
Toprak is the first rider to claim the clean sweep of pole position, three wins and three fastest laps since Bautista at Barcelona in May of last year
Farewell, 2023. Thanks for the memories. Congratulations to
@19Bautista
on back-to-back
#WorldSBK
titles and thank you again to our partner-in-crime,
@JamesMToseland
, for the memories in the
@eurosport
commentary box. Most of all, thank you everyone who tuned in. Roll on 2024!
Chatted with a top
#WorldSBK
rider earlier who said some interesting stuff about Bulega. He described
#WorldSBK
as something between
#MotoGP
and
#Moto2
so Bulega, with his
#Moto2
experience + ability to carry lots of corner speed, is changing the style for everyone. Very smooth.
100 years ago today, on 10th October 1923, the greatest ever broadcaster was born in Hall Green, Birmingham. A man who had a more positive effect on motorsport than perhaps anybody else who has ever lived. Call me biased if you want but Murray Walker was a true legend.
#GoGoGo
The official confirmation of Gerloff with Puccetti. It's important to have Americans on the grid. There's been more
#WorldSBK
Champions from the USA than any other country. In many ways, the roots of the championship are in America from when it all started in the late 1980s.
You know those pub chats you have with mates (if you have any)...like: 'I wonder what Toprak would do on Redding's bike? Or Rea on Toprak's bike?'. Well, it's all actually happening! And more changes to come. It's great, isn't it?!
#WorldSBK
#SillySeason
#MusicalChairs
#WorldSBK
#Fact
There are 6 Brits on the World Superbike grid in 2024 - the most British riders we've had for three years. This is the also the highest amount of riders from any nation this season, joint top with Italy. Then it's 4 from Spain and 1 from a further 7 countries.
Literally only now have I had the time to go back through all of the reaction to
#WorldSBK
and, in particular,
#Toprak
at Barcelona. Loving all of the comments!
The funniest news of the day is regarding the fantastic
@tarranmac95
#WorldSSP
victory. His mum, Jan, abandoned watching the race with six laps to go in order to vacuum the house. Source:
@niallmackenzie1
. 🤣😂
I'd got off the Eurostar, negotiated the Paris underground at about 450 degrees C, got another 2 hour train with no AC, got picked up by
@GregHainesTV
then immediately sat down to do this, I hope you enjoy what I believe was a from the heart tribute to my mate Birdy..
Will be working here at the
@Circuitcat_eng
next weekend as part of the
@motogpontnt
team. Looking forward to it! Also doing the following weekend at Mugello in Italy plus Sachsenring in Germany later on in the season.
First and foremost, THANK YOU to the marshals at
@PICircuit
for all of your amazing work this weekend. Without you there would be no racing at all. More to follow!
#AustralianWorldSBK
It's 13th June. On this day in 1949, 75 years ago, the first ever motorcycle GP World Championship event took place. Freddie Frith won the 350cc Isle of Man TT on a Velocette. Happy 75th birthday,
@MotoGP
!
Crikey, what a start! The JR issue was that they lost 20 seconds in the pit lane. But what a mad start to the season and a fairytale result. Very well done
@nbulega
- and well done
@Reddingpower
on predicting it!
#AustralianWorldSBK
It is with sadness that we have to announce that Anthony is currently hospitalised in palliative care and is in the final stages of his life following a short illness – please be aware that we will provide any available updates in due course.
I've just managed to speak with
@NikiTuuli
after his monster crash. Even he can't believe he's escaped with hardly any injuries. What a relief.
#WorldSBK
#WorldSSP
Congratulations
@19Bautista
!! It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Double
#WorldSBK
Champion. If ever you wanted a golden example of a superb, highly motivated and disciplined team player he is the man. Ducati, Feel Racing and Bautista - what a winning combination!!
Wednesday in Austria. I'm commentating trackside this weekend for Red Bull. The last
#MotoGP
race I commentated on was Valencia 2014! Very best wishes to
@matt77roberts
who should be here but continues to recover from his nasty football incident; I'll do my best for you, Matteo!
Don't be surprised to see Bautista's lap times drop dramatically tomorrow. It's very likely he'll venture out on the Ducati MotoGP bike.
#WorldSBK
#MotoGP
#JerezTest
#WorldSBK
#News
Slovakia could be on the World Superbike calendar next year. The people from the Slovakia Ring have been here at Most this weekend to discuss it.
The Jerez test ends with
@GardnerRemy
fastest for
@GRTYamahaWSBK
with a time faster than Saturday's pole position. It's only testing...but it's not bad for a man who hurt his arm so badly in Race 1 that you could actually see the muscle moving - and is all stapled up...
#WorldSBK
Lucky escape at Imola today after Navarro's bike bounced over the air fence at Acque Minerali in Superpole. One marshal apparently suffered concussion and another some burns to the arms. A shout out to the legendary marshals, we couldn't race without them.
For my money the best quote to come out of the BMW launch yesterday was
@Reddingpower
saying
@nbulega
could challenge for the title this season. And I understand why Scott would say that.
#WorldSBK
Just spoken on phone with
@19Bautista
for
@MCNSport
. Regarding his neck injury: 'I'm much better after testing. My body has got reaccustomed to the feeling of riding a bike. I've just started motocross again and I'm feeling very positive. We will find out for sure in Australia!'