Finally BSB 2012 is taking shape after the much-anticipated Suzuki pull out from MotoGP was confirmed shortly after the post-season MotoGP test at Valencia. It seems every Tuesday there has been a big announcement for a British team, starting with Leon Camier moving to last years BSB title runners up and now WSB new boys Crescent Suzuki.
Next came the surprise news of Alex Lowes re-joining WFR Honda, the team he started 2011 with, before an acrimonious and quite public split almost a third of the way in to the season. Alex made a phenomenal start to 2011 winning almost every Evo race including securing a Pole Position start at Oulton Park. There is no doubt the younger, by 2 minutes, of the Lincoln-based Lowes twins has talent but his results after his departure from WFR were less than sparkling - with the exception of a solitary Pole Position at Thruxton on the MSS/Colchester Kawasaki ZX-10. A coveted ride on a factory-spec WSB Honda Fireblade for Ten Kate Honda lead to nothing and finishing the season on a less than competitive Motorpoint Yamaha R1 also did little for his confidence, so I hope he starts 2012 the way he started 2011 and that form continues through the season and he shows us just exactly what he can do on a superbike. He will face stiff competition from team mate Graeme Gowland who's late season form was nothing short of brilliant and a dark horse for a Showdown place come next September.
Paul Bird is back in the British Championship after his foray in to WSB, and it's no shock to anyone who has followed British Championship racing for more than 8 years to see who will line up for him next year. Stuart Easton, a former british Supersport Champion for PBM on board a Monstermob Ducati, had already been guaranteed a 2012 contract in the aftermath of his horrendous NW200 crash, a great gesture by Birdy to give Easton full concentration in his recovery period. Partnering him will be 2 time British Champion Shane Byrne, again a title winner for the squad on the Monstermob Ducati who has also campaigned a Stobart Honda Fireblade for the Penrith-based team. Both riders know the team well and the high standards demanded by the boss, and, depending on the pace of the Kawasaki in evo-spec, are already expected to be title contenders with Shakey, if he can shake off the set-up issues that affected him in 2011, the prime candidate.
There was no big shock in TAS Suzuki announcing that they will continue in to 2012 with Josh Brookes, not because it's rumoured nobody else will work with the difficult to please Aussie, but having found a work ethic that's acceptable to both parties and benefits the team as a whole they see continuity as the benchmark to a successful assault on the title. Phillip Neill is as excited as I've seen him looking in to next year, not least that the Suzuki reverts to traditional blue and white with Tyco sponsorship after several successful years in black with Relentless. Love him or hate him the blue-eyed Aussie is here to stay and that, for me, is a good thing.
The latest announcement is from Neil Tuxworth's Louth based Honda squad, the former HM Plant Honda team have announced Michael Laverty's defection from Swan Yamaha with ex-Crescent Suzuki rider John Kirkham joining the ranks in a move that wasn't predicted by too many people. Laverty's move is a good one for him, should the team at Swan Yamaha have remained then clearly MLav would be the #2 rider but in moving to Lincolnshire he is without doubt the more experienced of the 2 riders and also someone with his sights set firmly on the title. JK is a fast rider, sometimes he seems to doubt his ability on a superbike but after his demolition of numerous 1000cc Superstock fields his future clearly lies in the Superbike class, backing this up with a podium at Brands in October and winning the Superbike Cup in the process, he couldn't have any better chance than this to make it in to the Showdown final 6.
There are many teams and riders still to be announced for next year, not least Swan Yamaha and Tommy Hill. Yamaha are the only manufacturer not to run their machine in Evo trim in advance of next year's rule changes, the quirky configuration of the cross-plane crank on the R1 may not be idealy suited to the new regulations but whatever happens they are already well behind other manufacturers on development. With seats filling fast, options are becoming limited for the popular 2011 Champion and he needs to move quickly if he is to secure a ride capable of retaining his hard-won crown.
Another team that may fall foul of the Yamaha engine amongst other things are Rob Mac's Motorpoint outfit. Rob laid all his mechanics off prior to the Brands hatch finale in the hope they could find pastures new before the season came to a close or at least circulate their availability for next year. I have heard from a source close to Rob that he is seriously considering the option of not running a team for 2012 due to circumstances outside racing, and albeit some inside racing too. Although it has been said that Motorpoint were willing to support the team for one more season it looks unlikely they will be called upon. Another issue is riders, and the teams inability to get the best out of them at times. After quite possibly the most frustrating season - with rider changes (one self inflicted and unnecessary and one out of anyones control due to financial issues) and no real success in the big class since Niall Mackenzie in 1999, it looks a wholly uncertain future for one of Britiains most experienced and popular teams.
Finally away from the teams the BSB Calendar was announced this week with the biggest shock being a round at Assen in Holland. There is a lot of divided opinion on twitter and facebook with regards to this unprecendented move but, as the organisers say, the series has to seek new markets if it is continue at its current strength and somewhat bucking the trend of other motorsports series, and Assen really isn't that far - its closer for me personally than Thruxton for example and almost as far as Brands Hatch, about 200 road miles in total. The only thing I really think should have happenend is MSVR could have piggy-backed off the WSB round there as a pair of support races, a taster for the Dutch crowd alongside masses of support from the British fans who make the annual WSB pilgrimage across the North Sea, then with a view to holding an event in its own right in 2013. I know from talking to my Dutch friends on Twitter that BSB is quite popular over there through Eurosports excellent coverage so I think it will be a success but would have preferred a more walk before you can run approach to such a major announcement.
As always, thanks for reading.
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