The 2023 version of the motorcycle speed season opens tonight with a WSBK championship which will send its machines derived from the series to the Phillip Island track, for the inaugural event in Australia. The World Superbike thus enters the dance before the MotoGP, two categories that Honda is tackling in the same crisis situation. The driver of the CBR triple R reminds us: this year may still be long for the world's leading manufacturer.
Iker Lecuona et Xavi Verge are the two official drivers Honda in World Superbike, and they will enter the fray in their category this weekend at Phillip Island. The Spanish duo who arrived from the Grands Prix will begin their second campaign aboard the Honda. An experience which will be very useful for them to face this competition where the winged coat of arms is not among the favorites. Between the CBR triple R and the RC213V of MotoGP, it indeed seems to be the same fight to be worthy of the reputation of the brand represented.
Iker Lecuona at Phillip Island: “ To be honest, I don't know if we're ready to run«
After a not very encouraging off-season and above all marked by numerous falls, Iker Lecuona does not hide the fact that this Australian meeting will be the first in a long series of difficulties still to be resolved in order to be at the level of the competition: “ To be honest, I don't know if we're ready to run » the former pilot begins bluntly MotoGP on KTM. " We struggled a lot during the winter. We have improved a little, but we don't know exactly what the level is so far. We will see during this weekend how we go ».
« We have improved a lot on the race distance » he adds. “ Last year we had a lot of trouble at the end of the race with the tires. We always destroyed the tire and overheated it. This year, in winter, we worked a lot in this area. All the new equipment we have allowed us to raise the level, especially at the end of the race ».
Then he finishes: “ Right now we can't do a quick tour. I always gained seven or eight tenths on a new tire if I pushed like crazy but now I don't feel like that anymore. I feel like I can only improve by three or four tenths, but when going over the limit you may make a mistake or fall ". And there have been quite a few this offseason, shared between lecuona and his teammate Virgin… As is often the case in MotoGP.
WSBK Superbike Phillip Island: timetables
Friday February 24
00:30-01:15 – FP1 WorldSSP
01:30-02:15 – FP1 WorldSBK
05:00-05:45 – FP2 WorldSSP
06:00-06:45 – FP2 WorldSBK
Saturday February 25
00:50-01:20 – FP3 WorldSBK
02:25-02:45 – Tissot – WorldSSP Superpole
03:10-03:25 – Tissot – WorldSBK Superpole
04:30 – Race 1 WorldSSP (18 laps)
06:00 – Race 1 WorldSBK (22 laps)
Sunday February 26
00:30-00:45 – WorldSBK Warmup
00:55-01:10 – WorldSSP Warmup
03:00 – Tissot Race – WorldSBK Superpole (10 laps)
04:30 – Race 2 WorldSSP (18 laps)
06:00 – Race 2 WorldSBK (22 laps)
