There may only have been four riders at the Phillip Island World Superbike test - Max Biaggi and Leon Camier of the Aprilia team, and Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri of Yamaha - but that was reason enough for our good friend Andrew Gosling of TBG Sport to go shoot a few snaps. As always, it was well worth the effort. Enjoy!
It's summer in Australia. This is what summer looks like in Phillip Island
Max Biaggi will be running the #1 plate on the bike and #3 on his helmet. Hope he's not overly superstitious
Another MotoGP refugee. Marco Melandri will be hoping that his transition goes as well as Biaggi's
Yamaha's other refugee. Eugene Laverty is making the step up from World Supersport
World Superbikes will be like Formula One next year, with Biaggi wearing #1, and Leon Camier carrying #2
Ship-to-shore communications, WSBK-style
Who needs paint when carbon fiber looks this good?
I may be repeating myself here ...
If you're going to carry #1, might as well do it in style
Macio, at speed, at the Island
Sylvain Guintoli has already taken Eugene Laverty's favorite number (50), but that's something that a little creativity can fix
It's good to be the king
Five stars, one for each championship
One fast Irishman
Racers don't have to worry about forgetting their names. They have boards to remind them.
Oh, and a World Superbike circuit too
Comments
Marco ....
.... #33 is looking good on the R1.
I hope he gets on in WSB as he really is a top end rider, but his luck has been down in recent years.
Good to see EL going so quick too. Top man.
Also, are these pictures taken by Patrick's brother ? They are great.
Awesome
Fantastic Shots!! Thanks!
Did Yamaha lose their title
Did Yamaha lose their title sponsor (Sterilgarda)? I see all their other sponsors, but not the main one. Two year contract perhaps?
Fantastic photos.
Always love to see the new bikes in the moody black carbon fibre, think they look better like that than in sponsors colours, be confusing come race day though, lol.
Nice nod to the sponsors on the back of Max's pit board.
Whats the deal with the T on the number 1 on Max's bike? Anyone any ideas?
Test
The T on a race bike almost always stands for Test. It usually means that this is the bike with all of the updates on.
HA!
That's EXACTLY what I was gonna ask!
Thanks for the question AND the answer, gentlemen. :)
High Time
Awesome shots. High time we saw # 1 displayed coupled to courage and conviction.
The FIM should make the plates 1 - 5 mandatory,based on final standings season past.No harm in reminding the racer exactly what his current status is.
Stitch the cute #....whatever you like wherever you like.
2011 is up for it ...two greats wearing the # 1 plates. Good on George and Max.
FIM awards shot of the two of them along with Toni and Marc was also great.