Superbike, Andrea Iannone is an unknown.
Superbike, the point
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship 2024 kicked off with the Grand Ridge Brewery Round of’Australia which’provided some answers. What are the questions that still remain unanswered after the first Round? The Sbk website itself has tried to put them down on paper.
"Despite a’four-year absence from competition, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in Race 1 in Australia è immediately went on the podium. A truly memorable comeback on a track where he had always gone strong in MotoGP’s;. Now everyone is wondering if the number 29 will be able to go strong all year long. Considering the tests staged in Jerez and Portimao we would say sì. The rider from Vasto has raced on so many circuits on the WorldSBK calendar, but in this 2024 we will see him consistently fighting for the podium,", we read.
And again: "Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) è arrived at the Round of Australia boasting an impressive eight wins out of 12 races held at Phillip Island riding the Panigale V4 R, including five consecutive. This year for’year però things went differently, with a second place in Race 2 as his best result, after the crash that in Race 1 led him to finish 15°. In 2024 on a track where he has historically è always gone strong, he scored only one podium. During 2024 will he continue to struggle or was what he saw at Phillip Island è just a fluke, even considering the injury sustained in the test at the end of 2023?".
"Excellent debut for Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who with BMW è immediately went on the podium in Tissot Superpole Race and who throughout the weekend fought in the leading positions. Phillip Island’s was often è a strange weekend for several reasons, including tire durability, an aspect on which BMW è has historically been weaker than its rivals. A mandatory pit stop limited this problem in Race 1, as well as in the ten-lap Superpole Race while in Race 2 the number 54 had a technical problem. ‘El Turco’ and the other BMW drivers will be able to consistently fight for the podium starting with the Catalunya Round?".
"One of the surprises in Australia è was Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who won both races on Sunday and who after Round 1 è topped the Championship standings, thanks to the successes captured on the same track where he had already celebrated in 2020, also with KRT. During the tests, the Briton and Kawasaki focused on long runs and pace towards the end of the race but è very encouraging was also the third chrono signed in Tissot Superpole. As for Iannone, Lowes è has always gone strong at Phillip Island where he has won no less than three of the four races he has brought home so far in WorldSBK. The potential is not lacking, although the’importance of the Phillip Island" factor should not be underestimated.
"Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in the first weekend experienced with Yamaha in Australia è was greatly affected by chattering problems. In the first Round staged at Phillip Island he did not collect a single point and after the crash in Race 2 è he was declared unfit. The Northern Irishman showed his potential riding the R1 in the Jerez and Portimao tests, so expect to see the six-time world champion back up front when WorldSBK lands in Europe".
