Phillip Island Preview – THE 2017 SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GETS UNDERWAY
Stefan Bradl heads with full throttle into his new challenge this weekend in Australia.
The 27-year-old German rider, who has made the move from MotoGP™ to FIM Superbike World Championship with the conclusion of last season, looks forward eagerly to this year’s first race weekend. The whole environment is still new for him but Bradl, who crowned him Moto2™ World Champion back in 2011, is confident to get familiarized quickly.
The series calendar includes 13 events with two races per weekend on Saturday and Sunday. The fast and flowing Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in the middle of this picturesque landscape in the south of Australia hosts the opening round this weekend. The race bikes are based on production Superbikes. Big news ahead of the championship’s start came from Austrian channel ServusTV who will broadcast all races live this year.
#6 Stefan BRADL (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team, Honda CBR1000RR SP2):
“So far, everything is new for me in this paddock. However, I’m sure that I’ll find the way around in this championship quickly. But for now, I’m still facing a start of a completely new chapter. This applies not only the bike, the manufacturer and the team but also the weekend’s schedule with two races per event. Pre-season testing’s didn’t went easy for us, though it was foreseeable as we started with our bike from scratch. The Honda Fireblade is all-new and in such a short period it isn’t possible to jump up to the top in the twinkling of an eye, not at all in such a highly competitive championship like this. Nevertheless, the cooperation with my team mate Nicky (Hayden) is brilliant from the very first beginning. His comments on the bike and about our current issues are like mine. Together, we are not only pushing each other, but also the technicians and engineers to make quickly progress. But apart from all this, I’m really looking forward to the upcoming race weekend and the start of my new challenge. Phillip Island is a great track and for the first time I’m able to enjoy the Australian summer because in the past, when we were here in October at the Grand Prix, the weather usually was very unfriendly. So, for this, everything is on its place for a great weekend. But it won’t be easy at all. I’ve been following the Superbike series for a long time but this year the competition seems to be much stronger. You see all well-known manufacturers with strong riders aboard their bikes on the grid.”
Stefan BRADL’s Profil:
Alter: 27 (geboren am 29. November 1989)
Beruf: Rennfahrer
Größe: 172 cm
Gewicht: 63 kg
Motorrad: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2
Startnummer: 6
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – Track facts:
Länge: 4.445 Meter
Kurven: 12 (7 Links / 5 Rechts)
Pole-Position: Links
Website: www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Time Schedule (CET):
Freitag, 24. Februar: 23:45 – 00:045 FP1
Freitag, 24. Februar: 04:30 – 05:30 FP2
Samstag, 25. Februar: 00:20 – 00:45 FP3
Samstag, 25. Februar: 02:30 – 02:45 SP1
Samstag, 25. Februar: 02:55 – 03:10 SP2
Samstag, 25. Februar: 05:00 Rennen 1 (22 Runden – 97,970 km)
Sonntag, 26. Februar: 01:00 – 01:15 Warm Up
Sonntag, 26. Februar: 05:00 Rennen (22 Runden – 97,970 km)