It'll Be a Bumpy Ride

[Chris Canning]

Corser/Xaus and this fella,jeeze it'll be bumpy ride,but interesting

Tardozzi confirms switch to BMW World Superbike squad - News | Motorcycle Sport | WSB Results | World Supersport | MCN

[signit98]

WOW...! Wonder how much they are paying him for that "Challenge"...

Andrew Pitt has signed a two-year deal to ride alongside Roland Resch for the Reitwagen Motorsport BMW team for the 2010 World Superbike Championship.

The double World Supersport champion and former MotoGP rider has been out of the World Superbike series for four-years but is keen to get back in the championship.

Pitt said;

“After four years I’m very happy to be back in World Superbike and excited about riding for such a dedicated and passionate team. The team also includes plenty of very experienced operators and BMW are obviously serious about the World Superbike program, so I think this is going to be a great thing.

I’m looking forward to the challenge of a new bike. I’ve been working hard on my fitness and I’m more motivated than ever to have a successful two-years.”

[Guest24]

Ralf, it would appear that BMW is getting real serious about mounting a challenge. Is Corser/Xaus up to the intense competition that they met with a "green" team last season.

[signit98]

If they can amount to some noticeable contention next (this) season, there will be other riders interested after the contracts with Corser and Xaus expire...

Looks like they are getting the pieces into place. Key is that they have to be good in order to continuously sell bikes... looks like they figured that out.

[Chris Canning]

It will interesting to see how Pitt gets on,for you folks who don't follow racing,Pitt did all the hard work on the R1 that being the last of the conventional 4 cylinder motors,and then got the push in favour of Corser,he has a score to settle,normally being up against a factory bike that would be difficult,but the BM has a long way to go,the gap between the two will be small,and if BM need the input,closer than they'll admit.

[Highlander179]

Pitt is pretty much garbage. There's a reason he hasnt had a ride in 4 years. Expect little to nothing from him and Resch.

Tardozzi brings some pretty serious cred to BMW though. No room for excuses now.

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by Highlander179

Pitt is pretty much garbage. There's a reason he hasnt had a ride in 4 years. Expect little to nothing from him and Resch.

Tardozzi brings some pretty serious cred to BMW though. No room for excuses now.

Both a disgracefull statement and untrue,when you've bust your ass to develope a bike,Haga couldn't develope a cold!!,then you get the sack and they bring in somone over your head for big bucks,who in end didn't do anything either,these racers ain't the normal run of mill humans,Pitt has never recovered from that episode,easy for the armchair critics to say,try getting out there and doing it,politics included.

As for Tardozzi,i'll be an interested spectator,he's always had an advantage with his riders,they were on Ducatis,now he's scratching round the bottom of the barrel like the rest of e'm,what you can say for certain,the BMW in it's present format will never win the WSB championship,it will either need a major step in electronics,or a change in engine configuration,i'd go with latter,but how they'll fit that in with selling the present bike is anyone guess.

Interesting assesment of a rider whom is a double World Supersport Champion, and has also won a World Superbike race and competed in MotoGP.

[Highlander179]

OK, he does have value as a data logger, I'll give him that. As a racer.... please. Sure he can handle a mini bike, but in the big classes he has been grid filler. That team is going to be underfunded, and he will be 3rd in line for parts for last years 5th ranked manufacturer. Just being there doesn't mean your competitive. Use Resch as an example.

easy for the armchair critics to say,try getting out there and doing it,politics included.

I love when this comment gets thrown into it... like youre more qualified an armchair critic than I... gimme a break!

[Chris Canning]

Originally Posted by Highlander179

OK, he does have value as a data logger, I'll give him that. As a racer.... please. Sure he can handle a mini bike, but in the big classes he has been grid filler. That team is going to be underfunded, and he will be 3rd in line for parts for last years 5th ranked manufacturer. Just being there doesn't mean your competitive. Use Resch as an example.

I love when this comment gets thrown into it... like youre more qualified an armchair critic than I... gimme a break!

I most certainley am not going to give you a break,i'm not the one slateing him,your are matey,dig into Pitts background find out whats gone on in the past,Pitt is the classic example of talent will only get you so far,there's a lot more to this racing lark than just riding a bike.

[jduke]

Originally Posted by Chris Canning

the BMW in it's present format will never win the WSB championship,it will either need a major step in electronics,or a change in engine configuration,i'd go with latter,but how they'll fit that in with selling the present bike is anyone guess.

From what I have read about WSB homologation rules, BMW has to produce the required number of 2010 production bikes for the general public based on the bike they raced in 2009. They can't have any "stuff" on the bike they raced that isn't on or offered on their 2010 bike.
If that's so, then they can change the bike they will be racing in 2010 however they want but then the next series of bikes would have to include any changes.
I think they know what is good with the bike and are now assembling the team that will put them on the podium and give them the stated desire to win the 2010 WSB Championship.

[roger albert]

Let's please keep it clean.

[Guest24]

Chris, you are spot on with Pitt. There is a lot of sucking up besides riding a bike. It's marketing strategy. The object is to sell bikes. Racing is just a cool way of showing your wares. If it was about "fast" you wouldn't see the caps they are trying to put on the team budgets.

[roger albert]

Indeed. It's the Vs and Yam, vs the inline-4s. So far, of the conventional, old-technology I4s, only Honda is even vaguely in the ballpark. Best of the I4 chassis, with the best of the I4 electronics. Suzuki might step forward with the Yoshimura assistance. BMW might see a big step forward in electronics (but unless extremely large, that would just get them to Honda's also-ran status of last year) and Kawi has virtually no chance (though one would like to think their focus on WSBK and BSB vs GP and DMG-SBK would help)

Whoever can get their electronics to mask the currently increasingly off-the-mark conventional I4s will have the best chance. Will be interesting to see how Yam fares w/o superman Spies. It's still not clear how much better is was against the other I4s, versus how much was Spies. Hard to believe BMW won't fare better this year with some 09-data, some tweaking, and some Tardozzi. Saying they'll do better is like saying the sky is likely to be blue (a safe bet any goof could make money on if he found a bigger goof to bet against it) but how much is the question. I'll enjoy watching the Yam/BMW/Honda I4 sub-battle.

The championship would appear to be Haga's to lose though. But will he?

[signit98]

I am sure he'll try hard to find a way again, Roger....

Much less pressure this year, though. I'd like to think that his main competition will be from Fabrizio and Neukirchner. Of course, there also are Biaggi, Rea and Vermeulen to look out for.

Interesting to see that Kawasaki will go into the battle with Roger Lee Hayden... overall, it should be an interesting season again.

[Chris Canning]

You'll need some kinda crystal ball for next year thats for sure,i can't see the winner being on anything other than a Ducati/Yamaha/Aprilia with rest sticking their oar in on a regular basis.