Bayliss to Make a Ducati Superbike Comeback as Early as June?
After a very successful test of the Ducati 1198R Factory Superbike at Mugello last week, Troy Bayliss himself has been quoted as itching to get back in the saddle and race for another championship to equal Carl Fogarty and surpass his total number of victories. Now it appears that Bayliss could be racing as early as next month and is gunning for at least one wildcard ride this season.
During the 2 day test, Bayliss set a fastest time of 1:51.9. Although the World Superbike circus doesn’t race at Mugello (MotoGP does) this compares favorably with a testing time Noriyuki Haga set at the same circuit last year of 1:52.3.
“The weather wasn’t on our side but we still got a lot of work done,” says Bayliss. “Actually I think riding first in the rain was a good way to work up and get back into it. The track finally came good today and we got about two and a half hours in the dry which was good. I really enjoyed myself and hope the feedback I have been giving the guys is useful.”
link: Motorcycle.com
Rumors of retirment not lasting for Troy first began last year when Bayliss was all set to make his Australian V8 Supercar debut but car racing didn’t seem to enthrall like he thought it might.
“I want to race in Superbikes again,” he told MotoSprint. “I’ll be looking around here at Imola. It’s a shame that Ducati have already signed two riders for 2010, I feel that I could have done well next season.”
Now following the test last week, Bayliss seems very clear with his comments and intentions, telling Superbike Planet that he wanted back in the championship and to go after Carl Fogarty’s record number of victories.
“I quit too early,” Bayliss said last night. “I’m pissed off because I stopped one championship short of Fogarty and I’m seven wins down on him. “I’m not joking,” he said. “This is basically all I want to say for now. If I do come back, I should be on a Ducati.”
link: Superbike Planet
Could Bayliss be back on track in a World Superbike race as early as next month? This latest claim comes from Italian language site Omnimoto (Google Translation) and is that Troy Bayliss will compete in next months Misano round of the championship on June 27th as a wildcard. We already know that Bayliss will be at Misano for World Ducati Week and will test the Ducati alongside Haga and Michel Fabrizio. Watch out for the fireworks.
If we don’t see Bayliss racing in June, then perhaps he will turn up on track at Imola in September. Bayliss reportedly told a ducati.ms forum member during a Ducati Athens in-store appearance that
“The plan as is now, is to race at Imola as a wildcard and next season as a full and aim for the championship and no less.”
Them’s fighting words. Although it would be exciting to see Baylis go Baylistic once again, I can’t help thinking that come backs often don’t work out, but the factory Xerox Ducati team are certainly struggling right now.
What do you think? Should Troy make a come-back? Chime in with your views in the comments section below.
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The sooner the better!
I’d put him on a bike the remainder of this year. He always finds a way to get the job done…
I assume you mean Mugello and not Monza in the second paragraph?
@Paul, Yes Mugello! Thanks for catching me on that. All corrected now
[...] Rumors of Bayliss being dissatisfied with his retirement surfaced as early as last year but went up several gears when he began to openly speak about his desire to return in 2011, even telling fans he would have a wild card ride this year at Imola. [...]
[...] Rumors of Bayliss being dissatisfied with his retirement surfaced as early as last year but went up several gears when he began to openly speak about his desire to return in 2011, even telling fans he would have a wild card ride this year at Imola. [...]