2021 ASBK Finale – FP1 Report

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The excitement around the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship has been dramatically boosted by the entry of Jack Miller. The Factory MotoGP star shocked many when he announced his intention to compete in the ASBK finale, and even more still when we revealed that he had bought his own motorcycle and that, due to MotoGP testing restrictions, he woud have to run a standard ECU.

The bike Jack is riding is an ex DesmoSport Ducati Australian Superbike. In place of the race kit Marelli electronics set-up is the standard Panigale V4 R electronics. The standard Ducati set-up is still better than the electronics kit being used by most ASBK competitors, and was good enough to set lap records in recent seasons.

The move to the 25k+ WorldSBK level kit for the Ducati only happened in last year’s COVID interrupted season. Penrite Honda riders also subsequently made the move to WorldSBK spec’ electronics but the rest of the field is on essentially track day level electronics. 2018 World Endurance Champion Josh Hook is riding a Penrite Honda this weekend alongside a ginger looking Troy Herfoss, who is making an earlier than expected return from injury in an attempt to race this weekend.

The Yamaha competitors are particuarly hamstrung by their kit electronics and for YZF-R1 riders the rules being opened up to allow MoTeC can not come soon enough.

We also believe the root of the problems that beset BCperformance Kawasaki largely stemmed from them failing to get to grips with their electronic package, and that ultimately saw Kawasaki withdraw their support and the team are not taking part in this weekend’s racing.

FP1 was essentially a shakedown for many but the local boys, South Australia’s Arthur Sissis and Daniel Falzon, were quick to show their form on home turf. Throughout the COVID period where people from interstate have not been allowed to enter South Australia, the likes of Sissis and Falzon have been able to turn plenty of laps around The Bend.

Qualifying lap record holder Mike Jones is not present at the event due to his choice not to get vaccinated. His pole lap had come on the Ducati 1299 Panigale Final Edition.  ASBK rules had been opened up to allow the big-banger to compete in Superbike when Troy Bayliss made his return to racing. The 1299 displayed a distinct top speed advantage against the 1000 cc four-cylinder competition.  Mike Jones also holds the race lap record on the 1299 at 1m52.875 and his pole record is 1m51.220. That year, 2019, tyre wear was dramatic and it saw Bryan Staring come from behind on the Dunlop shod BCperformance Kawasaki to win all three races. The Dunlops displayed a significant advantage on the abrasive surface but Pirelli and Michelin are confident they have closed that gap and now have tyres that will go the distance come race day.

Bryan Staring is not racing here this weekend due to the withdrawal of the BCperformance Kawasaki squad but the Western Australian was expected to test with the DesmoSport Ducati squad here on Monday after signing to compete with the team in ASBK 2022. But with Bryan residing in Western Australia if he comes across they will likely never let him back in to the hermit kingdom that their premier has made them in to so those testing plans have now been shelved.

Anthony West has just returned from Europe but is on a very under prepared bike that he managed to complete only a couple of laps on in the session. His team is short-handed and Westy is not confident that they will be able to get the bike into a performance window that will allow him to compete on Sunday.

Daniel Falzon topped the opening session with a 1m52.786 ahead of fellow South Aussie Arthur Sissis. Third was championship leader Wayne Maxwell but he is half-a-second off Falzon’s P1 time.

Oli Bayliss was fourth quickest ahead of Glenn Allerton on the BMW M 1000 RR and Cru Halliday on the YRT bike.

Jack Miller completed 14 laps for a best of 1m53.975 and P7.  Miller clocked 304 km/h down the chute, second only to fellow Ducati Panigale V4 R rider Bayliss who hit 305 km/h.

Lachlan Epis was P8 with the new BMW Alliance Racing squad ahead of Herfoss. The Honda rider treading carefully as he gets comfortable on the bike following the massive injuries he sustained in Darwin and putting ten laps down for a best of 1m54.900 to just pip out his guest team-mate for this weekend, Josh Hook. The F.C.C. TSR Honda World Endurance rider is, like his good mate Jack Miller, experiencing The Bend for the first time and rounded out the top ten.

I expect to see times tumble this afternoon and a few riders perhaps dipping into the 1m51s, and 1m50s are not out of the question before this day is out.

Conditions this morning were just about perfect as the ambient nudged past 20-degrees and the track temperature headed towards 40-degrees. It will be warmer this afternoon with the ambient heading towards 30-degrees which will likely see track temps get up around 50-degrees at times, but a breeze is also expected this afternoon which might take some of the heat out of the track and keep it a level conducive to fast times. We expect similar conditions on both Saturday and Sunday.

There are numerous different lay-outs used here at The Bend Motorsport Park but it is the 4.95 kilometre ‘International Circuit’ is the one used for ASBK.

The South Australian venue have courted Dorna officials in a quest to lure international events to the circuit, which has already held a round of the Asian Road Racing Championship. Circuit owners have expressed interest in trying to bring World Superbike, World Endurance and even MotoGP events to the circuit in coming years. In full length form the circuit measures 7.77-kilometres in what they call the GT Circuit. This is shown in the lightly shaded areas of that circuit map above.

ASBK FP1 Results

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Onboard lap of The Bend

This video was taken on the first day that ASBK ever visited the South Australian venue for a test session three years ago. Times have tumbled since this 1m55 lap but it will give you a good idea of the circuit lay-out.

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Australian Superbike Entry List

ASBK Superbike Championship Points

The Bend ASBK Schedule

ASBK TV and LiveStream Schedule

For fans unable to make it to The Bend this weekend (and there’s still time, tickets and championships-to-be-decided reasons to go!), we have options…

ASBK fans from all over the world can enjoy all the live racing action from the comfort of their own home this weekend from the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul Grand Finale at The Bend Motorsport Park.

ASBK TV official Free-to-Air broadcast partner SBS have stepped up to provide ASBK fans the opportunity to catch the livestream action from Saturday via their exclusive broadcast platform SBS On-Demand.

SBS has long been the home of great motorsport and in 2021 they have again provided ASBK race fans with both Live Free-to-Air coverage and the opportunity to catch all the action via SBS On-Demand after each round. At no cost to join, ASBK fans simply need to jump on and subscribe to SBS On-Demand.

The ASBK Championship comes to massive conclusion on Sunday and ASBK TV have all the angles covered with Free-to-Air coverage on SBS HD, SBS On-Demand or via Fox Sports Australia from 12.30pm – 3.30pm (Australian Central Daylight Times).

New Zealand race fans can catch the action on Sky Sport NZ who continue to broadcast every round of ASBK to fans across the ditch.

From the comfort of home, or on mobile devices, SBS will provide free to air coverage, and Fox Sports Australia and Sky Sport NZ will ensure pay TV viewers won’t miss a minute of the action.

Live race coverage will include the Alpinestars Superbike, Motorsports TV Supersport, Dunlop Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, plus race fans will get no shortage of behind the scenes features.

Fans across the nation and around the world can also go to www.asbk.com.au and watch up to the live ASBK TV Live Stream on Sunday.

Exclusive Live telecast of the Grand Finale of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul, can be seen:

Saturday 4th December
ASBK Livestream Telecast 10.30am – 5.00pm (ACDT = SA time)

• Exclusive telecast on SBS On-Demand

Sunday 5th December
ASBK Live TV Telecast 12.30pm – 3.30pm (ACDT = SA time)

• SBS HD
• Fox Sports Australia
• Sky Sport NZ
• SBS On-Demand

Sunday 5th December
ASBK Livestream Telecast 9.30am – 4.00pm (ACDT = SA time)

Check your local guides for times and more information.

Keep up to date with the latest news on the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul via www.asbk.com.au and following ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.

Source: MCNews.com.au