Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128321
The prospect of a race in China in 2005 was on the agenda once more, with three possible venues being floated at Misano. Zuhai seems the most likely, due to the World Endurance link, but other possibles are in Beijing and Shanghai. Superbikes or Supercarsl You could have your choice at Misano. The idea of FGSport to run bikes and cars together, even in World Superbike races , carne one track wider at Misano, when there was an awning and truck painted up in the new Superstars car livery - plus a couple of big power racing cars on display on track during qualifying. The occasional laps spent avoiding the raindrops of days one and two had a cool reception, especially as the crowd was sparse in the first place due to weather conditions and the time of the year in general . As yet no comment has been forthcoming from the FIM regarding the idea of running bikes and cars at a lull World Championship event, but an FIM spokesman said that according to the existing rulebook it was technically not allowed for competition at least - due to long-term concerns with safety issues, as long ago as the 1950s. It seems that even the logistics of running the cars alongside the bikes for demo laps in Misano was such a pain that plans lor more outings at World Superbike races this year have been rethought. The car championship itself is going ahead in Italy and Lausitz this year, with long hauls and European races in the mix next year. You can't keep a good maverick down, but Pierfrancesco Chili is definitely on his uppers this season , and historically the Italian walking legend has courted and/or attracted controversy lor his entire World Superbike career. The latest twist in the tale was that Chili has gone further back in the history of Ducati's desmo twins to give himsell a competitive edge on track this season. For his smooth and steady riding style at least. Having discarded his 999 so lar, in lavor of the slower but more sweethandling 998RS racebikes - as he used in 2003 - Chilihas already bucked the trend In World Superbike . He now has gone and bought a two-year-old streetbike 998R one of the limited-edition specials brought out to pass homologation - and fitted race kit parts to it to create a streetbike-engined World Superb ike. Chili's PSG-I team sourced the machine privately, and it was used by Chili to set the fastest time in the afternoon untimed qualifyingsession . What Chili would like to do is run the 999 engine in the old bike, but despite strong rumors to the contrary he didn't try this. The 999 has to run with newer throttle bodies, and these are not perm itted on the older bike by regulation . After Josh Brookes had taken the win at Phillip Island in the Supersport race , the rumor mill ran out of main bearings as he was linked with rides lor every team in 2005. The most immed iate one was that he would become the second Ten Kate Superbike rider nearer the middle or end of this season, in between his Honda Australia Continued on page 23