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Originally Posted by FMLYSDN
I would agree with this statement.
I have not followed WSBK as closely in the last few years. I still catch the news every week, however I do not diligently watch it like I did many years ago. The last season that I watched in awe was when Ben Spies took the championship. That was one of the better ones from the last 10 years.
I think WSBK has lost a bit of the draw and I would love to see some more talent and depth to the field. In addition, it feels as though the technical regulations have dumbed the series down a bit, but it is supposed to be a production based series.
I have always followed and watched MotoGP too and I feel that some of these series go up and down in terms of my engagement. The 990cc era was incredible. The 800cc era was probably my least favourite while a return to 1000cc is getting better. The tire rules this year definitely played an interesting role as well as the weather.
I am curious as to what Dorna will do when the biggest draw (Rossi) finally retires? I think there are some interesting story lines next year (Lorenzo and Ducati) but I don't think there is a single individual who will bring the level of excitement on and off the track as Rossi does.
It is one of the reasons that I kind of lost interest in WSBK. Some of the great racers are retired or moved on. I am hopeful that Hayden and Honda can pull something together next year, but I have come to the realization that Hayden probably won't be able to deliver due to age and equipment. I still believe he loves racing and that he is passionate, but even with the best bike, I am not convinced he would produce consistent results. He's past his prime but that hasn't stopped the likes of Bayliss, Checa, Haga, Biaggi.....
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I agree with most, if not all, of the points you made. I didn't watch WSBK much this year. Part of the reason why I didn't was because FS1, FS2 and BEIN sports all had spotty or no coverage of the events, and the other reason was because I wasn't invested in any of the riders. I thought that Hayden would do about as well as he did this year, but I knew VanDerMark would still edge him out. I am happy for Rea though. He needs a shot in GP. I did pay for the MotoGP pass though simply because I'm invested in Rossi and a few other riders on the grid. Lorenzo did well during the Ducati test, and I fully expect him to be a threat next season...........right along with Iannone on the Suzuki and Vinales on the Yamaha. I think it'll be a 4 or 5 horse race next season.