Toseland on his Alma Matta
- From: TRS Media | Published: February 22nd, 2008 - 9:48 am
James Toseland has left Superbikes to go for Moto GP glory this year, but the 2004 and 2007 title winner still has an opinion on WSB.
He thinks that the 32-year-old Japanese rider, who finished as runner-up last season and only missed out on the title by five points, will start as the red hot favourite to end the season on top of the world.
“I would really like to see Haga do it, and I think he will too,” said Toseland of the Motor Italia Yamaha rider, who has 26 race wins to his name.
“He’s the quickest rider in world supers that’s never won the championship. Him and Frankie Chili anyway.”
Toseland cited Yamaha’s continuity with the R1 machine, which was the fastest bike in the championship in the second half of last season, as the main reason for giving Haga his backing.
Ducati, for whom Toseland claimed his maiden world title in 2004, bring a new bike to the championship, replacing the venerable old 999 model with the brand-new 1098.
And the machine, which is the first 1200cc bike sanctioned to race in World Superbikes, has already shown superb early testing form over the winter.
But, a shoulder-breaking accident for their top rider Troy Bayliss at Phillip Island last month is certain to dampen their challenge.
Two-time champion Bayliss will be fit for the season-opener at Qatar’s Losail circuit this weekend, but Toseland thinks he may take a little time to get back to full fitness.
“I think that if Ducati get that 1200cc bike going strong, they’ll be very difficult to beat,” Toseland added.
“But Bayliss breaking his collarbone will obviously set him back, because the other riders on Ducatis are not quite on his level. I don’t know just how much, but it’s certain to have an effect, especially at the start of the season. That could give Haga his chance to break away in terms of points.”
Toseland doubted the ability of the newly-expanded Sterilgarda team, who have last year’s top rookie – the enigmatic Max Biaggi – joining Ruben Xaus this year, to challenge for honours, despite having factory support and a pair of 1098s themselves.
“I’m not sure about Biaggi on the satellite bike,” he added. “I’m not sure. It’s not a team that have been truly competitive in the past, so it will be difficult, but he’s the calibre of rider that could make a difference.
“I think it will be between Haga, Bayliss, Biaggi and [Haga's team-mate Troy] Corser. Who knows what [Fonsi] Nieto and [Max] Neukirchner can do on the Suzukis, but I think it’s basically between those three or four.”
Toseland is less optimistic about the chances of Ten Kate Honda, who ran him to last year’s world title, but have three rookie riders this season in the form of Moto GP refugee Carlos Checa, World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu and British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari on board.
“They have a chance, but I don’t think they’ll win another title again, just because they’re starting from further back with the riders.
“They’ll win races, but a title challenge? I’m not sure. Checa [will be at the sharp end] more so than Kiyo, but only because of his experience of having ridden most of the tracks in the world championships.
“In terms of rider calibre though, it’s very close actually. Kiyonari, I did Suzuka with him and Carlos and they were very similar. I think Checa will be more competitive a bit earlier though. It depends on how quickly Honda get it sorted.”
