Ducati News Today

With 7 of the 14 rounds of the World Superbike Championship completed a lot has occurred since the pundits (ducatinewstoday included) made their predictions for the 2009 season. Xerox Ducati’s Noriyuki Haga has asserted himself as the man with the championship to lose whilst newcomer Ben Spies has simply wowed; setting pole position after pole position at every single round smashing records along the way and won on the new Yamaha despite not knowing the tracks. Perhaps the biggest surprise has been Michel Fabrizio who has finally stepped up and won a race and shown he can run at the front of the field. What does it all mean and how will the series end up in October when we finally get to Portimao?

At Phillip Island, Australia, Haga did exactly what he needed to do. He stood on the podium twice at a circuit he hasn’t traditionally done well at. This achievement was overshadowed by the debut of Ben Spies who took the new, flat plane crank Yamaha to pole position and a win in the 2nd race after finishing outside the points in the first race following an off-track excursion in the 2nd turn.

Spies showed that his early form was no fluke by taking the double at Losail, Qatar, beating Haga twice into second place. At Valencia, Haga beat Spies for the first time in a fair fight but only after Spies had crashed out of the first race perhaps indicating how hard he was having to push at the international level. At Assen he once again beat Haga into second place with a spectacular overtaking move in the first race only to crash out in the second race while Nori-san went on to win.

After 4 rounds, both Spies and Haga had managed 4 wins each but crucially, Haga had finished second every time he didn’t win whilst Spies had crashed out twice and finished in 16th and pointless once. It looked as if Spies and Haga had switched personas as it was Spies who was the crash or win merchant and Haga who was now the consistent reliable finisher winning races when he could but settling for second if going for the win meant risking a crash.

Monza, Italy was the weirdest round since for the championship leaders they may as well have stayed home. Spies ran out of gas entering the last turn on the last lap allowing the Ducatis past but it was Michel Fabrizio, not Haga who took the checkered flag and his first ever World Superbike win. The young Italian was obviously elated to take his first win on an Italian bike at an Italian track. This was an index event for him as immediately afterwards he was on the pace at Kyalami and Salt Lake City finally rewarding the faith that Davide Tardozzi had placed in him despite the many critics that argued Michel did not deserve the factory Ducati ride. Spies made up for it in race 2 by taking the win but in a bizarre turn of events, Haga who led the start of the race visibly slowed after being hit by a bird in the right bicep trailed much of the field for a couple of laps before crashing out spectacularly. Later he claimed that the strike was so debilitating that he couldn’t feel his arm and simply couldn’t brake hard enough to avoid the crash.

Kyalami, South Africa was a circuit that many had not seen before but that didn’t stop Spies taking the now rather predictable pole position. For the first time both Ducatis beat Spies in the first race with Haga needing to fend off some aggressive moves in the last lap from his eager teammate to take the win. In the second race Spies didn’t finish once again, this time with a problem with his gear shifter. The round was marred by the scary crash of Régis Laconi who fractured 2 cervical veterbrae but who seems to have come out of the horrific event as well as could be expected. Ducatinewstoday wishes him well in his continuing recovery.

Spies was always going to win at Salt Lake City, Utah it being his home race and a circuit he had done well at before during his AMA days. Haga’s dislike of the circuit was well known as it was the scene of his 2008 crash that broke his collarbone in 4 pieces, he was probably quite happy to score points in both races. He made even this modest task more difficult following a spectacular practice crash that saw him vault high above his Ducati. His results of 9th and 8th in the 2 races were by far his worst so far. Once again, Fabrizio showed his potential by stepping up and finishing on the podium twice in the USA.

So where are we? Well by any standards, Haga is doing exactly what is needed. He has had one DNF following his strange bird strike in Assen and just scraped into the top 10 at Miller but otherwise he has either won or finished second in every race so far. By contrast Spies worst finishes are a third and a second to go along with 7 wins (including 2 doubles) but crucially he has failed to finish or scored no points no less than 5 times.

This inconsistency has really hurt in the points. At the same time last year, Troy Bayliss was leading what would turn out to be his 3rd World title with 229 points, ahead of Checa on 188. This year Haga is leading with 265 points, 53 clear of Spies who is just 11 ahead of a fired up Fabrizio. By any calculation the championship appears to be Haga’s to lose. Noriyuki-san appears to have tamed his penchant for inconsistency and surely will win more races yet. His normal pattern is to finish the second half of the season stronger than the first. If that is the case, his competitors need to look out!

Ben Spies is clearly his major threat but would have to have a perfect finish to the season for everything to go his way. Will the Yamaha team fail once again? Will Spies crash out again trying to maintain the high race pace needed at the World level? No-one knows but it would seem unwise to bet that the rest of the season will now go smoothly based on the experience from the first half.

What of Fabrizio? No doubt he will win again and he may well prove to be a blessing for Haga as long as his enthusiasm doesn’t bring his teammate sown in an adrenaline charged brain fart! Why so? Well Haga could really do with someone other than himself who can take it to Spies. If Michel keeps showing the speed of recent rounds he may just be able to turn some of Spies 2nd places into 3rds and as long as Haga is on the top spot, that would be all good news for Ducati fans.

And what of the other competitors? This year it really is a case of what other competitors. Every race has been won by a factory Ducati or Ben Spies on his new Yamaha. New entrants Aprilia and BMW have created interest and although the Aprilia is packing a pile of horsepower (some argue it is almost a MotoGP bike!) Max Biaggi has not been consistent on it. The English invasion has been positive with Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes all acquitting themselves well but best of the rest rider Rea languishes 132 points behind Haga in the standings.

In comments preceding the opening round of the Championship in Phillip Island, Australia ducatinewstoday opined that 2009 was the best and perhaps last chance for Noriyuki Haga to win the championship he has coveted for over a decade.

If Haga can stand twice on the podium this weekend, then it I believe it will be a portent for the season ahead. Good luck Nitro Nori. I’ll be shouting for you come Sunday.

I’m still shouting. Battle resumes at Misano on June 21st. I can’t wait!!

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