Jakub Smrz

WSBK News: Jakub Smrz Curiously Absent From Nürburgring

By Jared Earle | Fri, 07/09/2012 - 10:48

Liberty Racing reaffirmed on Tuesday that they would be present at the Nürburgring round of World Superbikes, with all three riders. This morning, however, Jakub Smrz was absent from both the entry list and the timing screens and appears to have been replaced by Lorenzo Lanzi. Of all the teams to have mysterious absences, Liberty Racing would be the most likely, so this doesn't come as a major shock. 

As the team has essentially given up on 2012, it does look like their pay-to-ride riders, Brett McCormick and Maxime Berger, are still going to see out the season, McCormick is now considered fit to race the remainder of the year, but he has to consider his health first. 

Lanzi was a shock pole-sitter and winner in World Supersport at Assen, making the most of the wet weather for his only race of the year.

2012 Philip Island WSBK Round Up - Tragedy In Support Class Forces Superpole Cancelation

By Austin Lindberg | Sat, 25/02/2012 - 05:54

Saturday’s World Superbike Superpole and World Supersport final qualifying sessions from Philip Island were cancelled after a serious accident in the Australian Supersport race resulted in the death of Australian rider Oscar McIntyre. The 17-year-old collided with fellow racers Luke Burgess and Michael Lockhart on the second lap of the Australian support race and died despite receiving immediate medical treatment at the scene. Because of the seriousness of the accident, the event organizers decided to cancel Superpole.

2012 Phillip Island WSBK Round Up - Rea, Ducatis and Injuries

By Austin Lindberg | Fri, 24/02/2012 - 22:04
Jonathan Rea was quickest in Friday's first qualifying session from Philip Island, joining Carlos Checa as the only two men to put in sub-1.32 minute laps this weekend. 
 
The Ulsterman shot to the top of the timesheets in the afternoon session, after struggling with an electrical issue earlier in the day. Despite Rea’s provisional-pole, he said he still doesn’t have the race pace to stay with Checa and clinging on to Max Biaggi could be a tough ask, as well.
 
Things on the other side of the Ten Kate garage were not quite as rosy. Former 250cc World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama fell off early, leaving his crew to fix a sticky gear selector for much of the day, finishing in 15th, just more than a second behind his teammate.
 
Ducati looked again impressive at the Island, occupying three of the top five places after QP1. Although, not in the order one would imagine. Qualifying superhero Jakub Smrz put his Effenbert Liberty Ducati second in the order, ahead of Althea Ducati teammates, defending World Superstock Champion Davide Giugliano and defending World Superbike Champion, Carlos Checa.
 

World Superbikes In 2012: 22 Riders, 6 Makes, And A Gaggle Of Contenders

By David Emmett | Wed, 04/01/2012 - 23:13

Despite the loss of the factory Yamaha team, the World Superbike series is still in relatively good health, considering the financial crisis. Though the days of 30+ rider grids are gone, grid size has stabilized at around the 22 rider mark, 1 up from last year, while there are still 6 manufacturers present, Aprilia, BMW, Ducati and Kawasaki in an official capacity, Honda unofficially via Ten Kate, and Suzuki absent, with Crescent working with Yoshimura on their own bikes.

The field has seen some changes, though most of the title favorites are staying with the teams they were with in 2011. Carlos Checa remains with Althea Ducati, though the effort expands to include 2011 Superstock champ Davide Giugliano, while Max Biaggi is in the second year of his 2-year contract with Aprilia, and Johnny Rea is staying with the Ten Kate Honda squad. Championship runner up Marco Melandri has been forced to move, joining Leon Haslam at BMW, while his erstwhile teammate Eugene Laverty has been paired with Biaggi in the factory Aprilia squad. The factory Kawasaki rider contingent is cut from 3 to 2, Chris Vermeulen losing his slot, while Tom Sykes remains alongside Joan Lascorz.

2012 World Superbike Silly Season - Some Certainties, Many Unknowns - UPDATED

By David Emmett | Wed, 19/10/2011 - 22:34

It has been clear for some time that 2012 would bring a major shake up in World Superbikes. With Yamaha announcing their withdrawal from the series and Althea looking doubtful of continuing, all the way up until Sunday afternoon at Portimao, it has been very difficult to sketch the outlines of a rider line up for next season. But after the hectic round of negoiating at the final round of the 2011 season in Portimao, at least part of the equation has become clear, and a relatively healthy-looking WSBK grid is starting to take shape.

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