v19.05 Featuring: WORLDSBK ROUNDS 06 & 07 IoM TT SBKink BSB-BRANDS HATCH FAST FOOD and more.
SBK Journal | version 19.05 Welcome to Issue five of SBK Journal. This month we broaden the horizons again in our look at the world of Superbike racing. The Isle of Man TT is one of the most iconic motorcycle races on the planet and must be one of the truest form of productionbased racing. Bikes that you can buy in your local showroom being raced around the country lanes of the Isle of Man. Tim Keeton explains what it is like to cover the event as a photographer and the individual challenges at this year’s event. Jamie Morris was back at his favourite circuit, Brands Hatch, and this month and gives us a view from trackside and a through the lens from round four of BSB. How many plates of pasta are eaten on a WorldSBK race weekend? Check out the first in our series ‘Fast Food’ where we find out what it takes to feed the WorldSBK teams and an army of guests during a busy race weekend. Feel free to share, of course, via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Old GeeBee has been poking his lenses into the kitchens and hospitality tents of the WorldSBK teams and having just dried out from the rain at Imola he got wet, in Italy, again.
Jamie Morris has been a busy boy in June jumping between BSB and WorldSBK races. He got to spend a weekend in his favourite place though on the Brands Hatch GP circuit.
Tim Keeton has been shooting motorcyle racing in the UK for around 20 years. He is a huge fan of the Isle of Man TT. Primed and ready to go this year as always, the weather in the first week kept him confined to the pit lane however.
Magic Mikey: Michael van der Mark showed the progress that he and Yamaha have made with the 2019 R1M race machine in Jerez. Two podiums and then victory in WorldSBK race two was a rich reward for the hard work.
There really is nowhere else like it. The Isle of Man TT is the fastest, most thrilling, and possibly most dangerous motorcycle race in the world. Every year it draws huge crowds and every year the bikes and riders go faster around the 37 mile island course.
Unusually for a second race in Italy this year, WorldSBK experienced torrential rain. This time it was the turn of Misano World Circuit. Happily we got to see a full race during Saturday’s deluge. Sadly it seemed to keep the fans away, although I can’t imagine the nearby beach was a better option.
A stroll in the woods: BeWiser Ducati team-mates Scott Redding and Josh Brookes seem to be enjoying their afternoon ride around the picturesque setting of Brands Hatch GP circuit.
Jerez saw a couple of familiar faces return to the WorldSBK paddock. After the difficult split from Honda at the end of 2018, Ten Kate Racing brought a little flash of their familiar yellow livery to the grid on the Yamaha R1. Frenchman Loris Baz also returned with his instantly recognisable riding style.
The rain in Spain was mainly Champagne....well Prosecco actually. Alvaro Bautista kept the home fans happy with a couple of wins in Jerez to keep him out front in the 2019 WorldSBK title race.
Jamie Morris grew up spending most weekends at Brands Hatch with his family. When he first picked up a camera it was inevitable it would be to photograph motorbikes at Brands. To this day it remains a special place for him. Round four of this year’s BSB championship raced around the full GP circuit in June. It was an ideal opportunity for Jamie to tell us the story of his enduring relationship with the Kent circuit.
Brands Hatch, notibly the Grand Prix layout is my favourite race track in the world. Over the last two and half years I’ve been lucky enough to visit some incredible circuits photographing WorldSBK with GeeBee Images, some that I’ve dreamed of visiting for years. Although they are, as I say, incredible, for me Brands Hatch is still at the top. My Grandfather owned a shop at Brands for over 30 years. ‘The Model Shop’ on the back of the start-finish straight was a second home for me growing up. From watching and attending most motorcycle events of the 90s, small club meetings to the famous ‘Foggy’ years of World Superbike, I was there. It was where my love of photography started also. My Grandfather stocked and sold Kodak film, so on a weekend I’d be sent off to amuse myself with a camera and a few rolls of film. Brands Hatch was also the circuit where I first gained media accreditation for the British Superbike Championship. That was a big day for me. Seeing photographers on the other side of the fence for all those years made it seem unreal that I was now standing next to them. Over ten years later, I still enjoy photographing Brands Hatch just as much. Although the more frequently used Indy circuit is still a great place to take photos, with iconic corners like Druids and Clearways, it’s out the ‘back’ on the GP layout that I love the most. On the outside, from Westfield to Stirlings, you can go most of the day without seeing another photographer. I’m not sure why others don’t venture out this far, but for me the overhanging and contrasting tall trees at Dingle Dell coupled with the roller coaster drop at Westfield make for some of the favourite photos I’ve ever taken. Sadly the public don’t get to see the action from this side which is a shame but luckily you can get an idea from the various TV cameras.
The GP circuit and basically Brands Hatch itself are very much an old school design of race circuit. A long way away from the new style of race tracks, the photographers get to stand very close in some places to the action on track. Couple that with muddy narrow off camber paths behind the barriers, for us to walk around makes it quite a struggle sometimes, especially when fully laden with multiple cameras and lenses. However you do get a sense of speed and movement there quite unlike anywhere else. Another problem I’ve encountered a few times on the long circuit again involves the number of overhanging trees. When it rains or the weather turns bad, which is quite often in the UK, the darkness and lack of light getting through the dense foliage makes it hard work getting the images. Gradually getting lower and lower on shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light. But one part that I really enjoy, is getting deep into the surrounding woodland, for example the exit of Stirlings back towards the short circuit, and shooting through the branches. The contrast of a bright crash helmet or motorcycle against the almost black trees make a striking image.
Those type of images are suited to single bike action, more suited to a free practice or qualifying session where you have the time to focus on one particular rider. But there are still some great photo opportunities for group and race shots to be had. The long view from Westfield towards Hawthorn is great for the first laps of races. The short straight between the two corners is fairly open and clear so the long snake of bikes grouped together looks really cool early on in the race. Another nice race shot is once again on the outside of Westfield. Getting low enough down the hill, you can cut out all the distractions of marshalls, ambulances etc in the background of the image and get a number of bikes flat out, some even sideways wheelying over the crest into the run towards Dingle Dell. The short circuit also holds some gems of photo positions. The well-known Druids hairpin at the top of the hill is great for race action and arguably the public get a better view on the outside than the media do. Being raised that little bit higher than the media area really helps to show the amount of bikes tightly packed at the start of a race. Clearways is always a good place to shoot from. Although a bit more difficult now than a few years ago with the addition of a couple of red zones (and many many bright red bins) its one of my favourite places, at least in the UK to get rear shots of the bikes exiting onto the start finish straight. With a long enough lens you can cut out everything, leaving you with just the tarmac filling the frame and a rider drifting their way around the right hander.
Tim’s TT
“It’s raining again!” by the 1980’s band Supertramp, seemed to sum up this year’s Isle of Man TT, or practice week at least. It was difficult to moan too much about the lack of practice during the first week as you couldn’t help but feel sorry for the thousands of soaked fans that kept rocking up to the TT Grandstand to wander about the paddock looking wet and bedraggled. Then, most importantly, was the lack of track time for the competitors, who needed to get up to speed and ultimately be safe at was is arguably one of the more dangerous races. That being said as a photographer working for publications,
manufacturers, teams and riders you need to generate images and as the week of inactivity progressed the pressure mounted for when and if there was any track action. The TT in particular is SO different from any short circuit racing. At 37.73 miles long you can’t just stroll from one corner to another during a session. You have to do your homework and consult Ordnance Survey maps and see where you can feasibly get to, and from when the roads are closed. You have to think about where the sun will be (well maybe not so much this year) during the practice week, as in the evening, as the sun begins to set, this will create shadows to play with, but timing is critical.
Tim’s TT
During the practice week I go to places further around the course and where you may not be able to get out from until the roads are reopened. That way you can build up a stock set of images for clients to supplement those that you will shoot on race week. However, that went out of the window this year! As I work with the sidecars as well as the solos, on the first Tuesday I went to Ballaugh Bridge. This works well for both types of machinery with most jumping over the hump-back bridge. It was also a ‘safe’ option with Monday night’s practice being cancelled and Wednesday’s not looking favourable. By setting up a remote it also enabled me to get a different perspective on the same location. Afterall you have to bear in mind that someone you work for may only come past you once on an evening session.
The weather for the remainder of the week was, well quite frankly depressing. I would stroll up to the paddock in the morning from my Bray Hill accommodation (thanks to the Moons) taking the obligatory weather picture en route. For once I was glad of the “can you just” requests from clients as it actually kept me occupied during the first week.
Tim’s TT
The weather forecast for Sunday suggested it would brighten up later in the day, however with the mist and fog in the morning, I found this hard to believe. But the sun came out and burned away the mist and it turned out to be a great afternoon of practice. Monday saw the organisers having to fit three races into the schedule, with the Superbike and Sidecar races during the day and the Supersport race in the evening. As mentioned, over the years of covering the TT, I have worked out where I can get to and from during a 4 lap and 6 lap race and still be back for the podium. Three locations with a four lapper and four locations with a six lapper. Yes there may be more dramatic shots to be had, but I have found that a selection of images that reflects the race is more well received and of course I would usually have the more ‘dramatic’ images from the first week.
Sadly, the Superbike race was red flagged due to the incident involving Daley Mathison. Working for BMW Motorrad and having done a shoot with Daley for last year’s TT Programme, this was personally difficult, but you have to remain professional particularly when you are privy to certain information prior to it being announced publicly. My condolences to his wife Natalie and daughter Daisy. Daley was a young talented rider who will be sadly missed.
I went through the motions during the sidecar race after the confusion as to whether the Superbike race result would be declared, whether there would be a podium etc.
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For the evening Supersport race I travelled up to Creg Ny Baa. The ride cleared my head a bit and so I felt a bit more with it come the race. I set up the 500mm on a remote to capture the bikes in the braking zone and used the 70-200 to capture the riders entering, through and leaving the sweeping right hander.
Tim’s TT
However, the weather rapidly closed in and the chequered flag was waved as the competitors entered pit lane on lap two for their fuel stops and tyre changes. Bugger! I now had to try and get down to the Grandstand for the podium. No chance, as to be fair, the competitors go a bit quicker than me on the GB Racing supplied scooter. I arrived as the Press Conference was just finishing so grabbed James Hiller for a quick pic in pit lane as he had come second and I work with Quattro Plant Wicked Coatings Kawasaki and Kawasaki UK. Phew! Bacon saved. We then had the record breaking five races in one day on the Thursday. That was really hard work. For two of the races I just managed to get back roadside with minutes to spare…… three minutes in fact. The whole day was just a blur, but fortunately, more thanks to my kit, the images were ok, and my clients seemed happy, which is the most important thing! Friday saw the main event. The six lap Senior TT. The weather was ok and they managed to get in the six laps, which saw me getting to four locations AND being able to wirelessly transmit the images to my clients. Hard work, but rewarding and satisfying when it all comes together, the homework and the planning are well worth it in the end. It would be remiss of me not to mention the sterling work of Clerk of the TT Course, Gary Thompson and his team. They did everything they could to try and keep things on track. Waiting until the last possible minute on some evenings before calling a halt to proceedings. A thankless job made all the more difficult by this year’s weather. Roll on 2020 when (hopefully) the sun will sill shine on that rock in the Irish Sea.
Fast Food In the first of a series of features SBK Journal meets the chefs behind the WorldSBK hospitality units. In this issue we delve into the kitchen of the Aruba Ducati team and meet chef Massimo Malandra and hospitality manager Luca Del Santo.
Fast Food
Name: Luca Del Santo Role: Hospitality Manager Age: 43 Hometown: Turin History: I began almost 20 years ago in the Superbike Paddock with Honda, first with the Stiggy Motorsport Team. After that I moved to the factory BMW tean and now I have been with Ducati for the last seven years. How many people will you cater for this weekend? For this weekend in Imola we will cater for about 650 people - 600 guests and 50 permanent members of staff. How many kilos of pasta will you cook? We get through about 90 kilos of pasta per day - 40 kilos of dry pasta and about 50 kilos of fresh pasta as well What is your favourite/signature dish? I have quite a few, meat mainly: lots of different cuts, sliced meats, fillet steaks, from different countries, all cooked on the griddle or the hot plate. I also like fish and shellfish, for example spaghetti with lobster, which we don’t do very often here in hospitality but it’s one of my favourite dishes to make and eat. Best part of the job? The people, always getting to know new people, plus being able to go around the world even though you don’t see much of the places you go to. Also this sport, the passion we have for two wheels, being part of the world we love. Worst part of the job? Being far away from the people you love. All of us in the hospitality leave a few days before the others and we always finish way after everyone has left. So often between one race and another we never even get to go home, sometimes you are away for up to a month. This is the worst part of the job.
Favourite Superbike rider of all time? Give me a few minutes to answer this question, because there are a lot of them! Troy Bayliis for sure, and for me Chaz Davies as well. It’s the seventh year we’ve worked together including BMW - and after seven years there is a nice friendship with him and his family. He’s someone I have a lot of respect for and I just love the way he rides. Finally, do you have a recipe to share with the readers? I should pass this question to our chef, Massimo, but I’ll give you an answer as well. Risotto with Leeks and Taleggio cheese or Castelmagno cheese from my area... and ALWAYS with Carnaroli rice for risottos. Recipe: Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 shallot, peeled 1 clove of garlic 1 leek 1½ tbsp butter 280g Carnaroli rice 400ml dry white wine 800ml chicken stock 150g chopped basil 170g coarsely grated Taleggio or Castelmagno cheese, or more to taste Salt and coarsely ground black pepper METHOD Finely chop the shallot and the garlic. Roughly chop the leek. Heat a large saucepan with the butter and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the rice and let it sauté for a short while. Add the white wine and let the rice boil, stirring now and then. Add a little stock and simmer on low heat. Stir often and add the stock a little at a time until the rice is soft. Add the chopped leek and let them cook while stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.
Name: Role: Age: Hometown:
MASSIMO MALANDRA CHEF 40 CHIETI, ABRUZZO
History: I have a career of 19 years in Superbike and MotoGP, in factory teams such as Kawasaki, BMW, Yamaha and Ducati. What is your favourite/signature dish? Tiramisu Best part of the job? Always the people. Worst part of the job? Scroungers! No seriously speaking - the many hours on the job. Favourite Superbike rider of all time? Troy Bayliss and Fonsi Nieto.
Recipe: Serves 8 INGREDIENTS 500g mascarpone cheese 6 eggs, separated 30 lady fingers 350ml espresso coffee, cooled 3 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 50ml cognac or brandy
METHOD Add the sugar to the egg yolk and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the mascarpone and half of the cognac or brandy. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold the beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture. Pour espresso into a shallow dish along with the remaining cognac and 1 teaspoon of the cocoa powder. Stir well. Quickly dip each lady finger in the espresso mixture, working one at a time, and line the bottom of a glass dish, approximately 20cm round or square. Once the bottom of the dish is covered in an even layer of espresso-soaked lady fingers, top with 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture. Dust with 1/2 of the cocoa. Repeat with another lady finger layer, then finally the remaining mascarpone and a final dusting of cocoa powder. Chill in the fridge for about 4 hours, then serve!
Fast Food
SBKink
GRID PASS
GRID PASS
From Pit Lane to Memory Lane SBK Journal delves into the archive of GeeBee Images to look back through 20 years of photographing the Superbike World Championship. In this issue we head south of the Equator to Kyalami in South Africa and the last time the championship visited in 2010.
At the end of 2018, when speculation about this years calendar was at it’s height, it was widely rumoured that July would see the WorldSBK championship return to South Africa. In the end it was Donington Park in the UK that slotted in to the early July date and a trip to Kyalami was put on hold. I always enjoyed visiting Kyalami. It was an interesting track to photograph, as are most that have such pronounced changes of elevation. Access around the circuit was difficult. It is a fairly old track, opening in 1961 and hosting Formula 1 races in the 1970’s, so there is no service road that is a requirement of a modern day facility. Getting round involved hiking through the undergrowth, squeezing through rusted old gates and under fences, and trips on the shuttle bus that ran on track between sessions. However, a late afternoon session, in the low setting sunlight, at the top of Westbank corner, overlooking the surrounding Gauteng suburbs, was well worth the effort. For a photographer there was a beautiful clarity to the light, probably to do with the circuit being 1500 metres above sea level. It is nearly 10 years since the WorldSBK series last visited Kyalami (May 2010) and back then the WorldSBK grid was full of stars, past, present and future. World Champions like Max Biaggi, Troy Corser and James Toseland, lined up against the SBK legend Noriyuki Haga and future World Champions Carlos Checa, Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea, to name a few. The track always served up good racing as well. I was disappointed that the South African venue didn’t make it on to the calendar. I won’t say it too loudly for fear of upsetting the locals but I would much rather be heading there at the start of July than Donington Park. Maybe next year.
SBK Journal is Published by Slipstream Media Ltd, PO Box 26532, Glasgow, G74 9FB and is an approved publication of DORNA WSBK ORGANIZATION S.R.L. (DWO), with legal domicile at Viale Luca Gaurico no. 9/11, 00143 Rome, Italy and operating headquarters at Via Sudafrica no. 7, 00144 Rome, Italy. No part of this publication may be reproduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Slipstream Media Ltd. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the facts and the data contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by Slipstream Media Ltd or any of the contributors for error or ommissions, or their consequences. ©Slipstream Media Ltd Photography: Graeme Brown Jamie Morris Tim Keeton Vaclav Duska Jnr Images ©geebeeimages ©jamiemorrisphotography @wd.jrphoto (WorldSBK) @ impact_images_Photos (TT) Contributors Tim Keeton Graeme Brown
Design and Layout: Graeme Brown Jamie Morris Corey J. Coulter v19.05 | 07.19
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Coming Next...... WorldSBK continues apace with back to back races at Donington Park and Laguna Seca before the long summer break begins. We’ll bring you the action as the season hits the second half. July will mean around the world in 31 days for Graeme Brown (almost) as he will be at Laguna for WorldSBK with a quick stop at home in Scotland before heading east to Japan for the Suzuka 8Hr race. SBK Journal will follow GeeBee to see how he copes with the 18,000 km trip, and of course the jetlag, as well as all the action from the prestigous Japanese race. Former SuperBike magazine editor Kenny Pryde has been catching up with old acquaintances at BSB and WorldSBK. In the next, and further issues of SBK Journal, he’ll bring us his unique insight from both paddocks We will also catch up with the MotoAmerica series at Laguna Seca with all the news and views. In the next issue we will hear how JD Beach is coping with life in two fast lanes as he tackles both the MotoAmeric Superbike series and the AMA Flat Track championship with Estenson Racing.
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