Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 31 AUGUST 6, 2013 P105 Briefly... The silly season got under way in real vengeance at Silverstone, but one thing was missing… Any firm rules, big World Superbike class or imminent Evo class, included. That has made a real difference to the possibilities of teams to offer or riders to sell themselves to teams and manufacturers who may or may not be back in the series in 2014. Eugene Laverty (58) leads the way in race two over Baz (76), Tom Sykes (66) and the rest of the pack. since Donington Park last year. "I felt like a donkey out there in front, doing all the work. I was really scared in case I crashed and I just backed it down a bit. It is a great feeling. The conditions helped us a little, but we will take it any way we can. It feels great to be up here and take 25 points again." The first race had been delayed because of the rains that suddenly started, if lightly, at exactly the wrong time. In race two, Loris Baz played a similar game to his first-ever win at Silverstone for Kawasaki in 2012, but made an even better job of it, scoring a 10-lap early lead in the dry and then a deserved win, even if Race Direction had to red flag it two laps early for rain that got heavy and then too heavy - even in the era of flag-to-flag races. After race one, when he lost what he felt was a podium chance by some uncharacteristic defensive riding that just made him lose his rhythm, and placed him fifth, he was emotional in a very different way. "I was crying after race one, it's true, but I was really disappointed because I made a lot of mistakes," Baz said. "It was the first time in my life that I tried to be safe and stay in second position instead of pushing to do the best. I am a rider who has to push every time. Race two was perfect and nothing to compare to last year in Silverstone. This time I led nearly 10 laps in the dry and that was simply unbelievable for me. I tried to go away, but it was impossible so I consider this victory like a dry one." He dedicated his win to the late Andrea Antonelli, on a day when thoughts were still with our late friend, and many stickers adorned the Silverstone paddock with his name, logo and memory on every one. The Silverstone race action in both World Superbike races end- What is also missing for 2014 is cash. Cold, hard, makes-the-racing-world-go-around cash. Hence there has been no clamor to sign Marco Melandri, as it is expected only one possible outlet remains for a man who is probably the highest paid rider in the paddock - Melandri. With a top machine that can rival even the Aprilia on most days, a factory Kawasaki is the hot ticket for 2014, which is why Laverty, Nicky Hayden, Melandri, Rea and others are in discussion with the Japanese manufacturer to replace young rider Loris Baz. The KRT team is still 85 percent certain to keep Baz, purely based on the fact that he is part of the long-term idea of growing a top rider, but the withdrawal of BMW has opened up this possibility for a number of riders. Tom Sykes, on decent money and signed and sealed for 2014, has already taken a lot of the rider budget Kawasaki has available, but for the right rider Kawasaki could be persuaded to run two top riders in 2014. Carlos Checa's team has yet to speak to Kawasaki, but he is expected to, if the right package can be worked out. continued on next page

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