Here we go again. Another WSBK round and another pathetic qualifying performance from the BMW teams. What is going on? They’ve had 2 full seasons now to get it right and they’re still struggling to get to the front in qualifying and doing even worse in the races? What’s the story?
Many have unkindly suggested that the fault lies with the riding roster; Corser is too old and Xaus crashes too much, was the word. Well, if that is the case, how come the Yamaha won the title the year after TC left the team after putting 3 years into turning into a winning bike? TC is one of the best development riders still going. Fact.
Well, the addition of Haslam to the mix should have fixed the problem, then. Except that it hasn’t. Apart from Leon’s podium at Donnington (a track he knows better than all the rest of the riders put together), it doesn’t seem to have made any difference. And Troy still out-qualified him last night. And they have added two more riders this season, including a double world champion (Toseland, a waste of time and money in my opinion) AND the winner of last year’s Superstock 1000 championship.
Now the aforesaidmentioned champion won all but ONE race last year and the race he DIDN’T win, he finished 2nd so he’s no mug. But the BMW’s are still occupying places from 10th downwards on the grid for tonight’s race.
So, is it the bike? well, plainly, NO. witness the SS1000 results from last year. Witness that every motorcycle magazine in the world over the last two years have voted the S1000R as the best 1000cc sportsbike they’ve ever tested.
So, what IS it? Well, that is the $64 question. In my opinion it’s a case of BMW trying to be too clever and ignoring the basics. I’d LOVE to see Haslam go out on a SS1000-spec bike in one session and get a benchmark. I’d be willing to bet that it wouldn’t be too much slower than the WSBK-spec bike. Why? Because the basic package IS good.
In an unguarded moment last week, TC was heard to say, “They change 5 or 6 things at a time. That’s not the way to develop a bike.” ’nuff said.
As I said on my FB page this morning, “Get back to basics and get it right, boys, or it’s off to the Russian Front for you all.” We’ve waited long enough.