It’s been an active week in Australian road racing with the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) resuming at Symmons Plains in Tasmania, while the Yamaha Racing Team wrapped up an important Australasian Superbike Championship (FX-ASC) test at Wakefield Park.

The ASBK continues going about its business between Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the clubs running each respective round, headlined by the like of Mike Jones and Daniel Falzon in Superbike, while Brayden Elliott looks to be the class of the Supersports.

We’re beginning to get an indication of next year’s championship structure with Morgan Park remaining and Winton, Victoria, added to the schedule, so information is coming to the fore and that’s important.

Considering further ongoing managerial changes within MA as Dale Gilson has departed as CEO (replaced in the meantime by Jeremy Kann, who seems capable from what we are aware of in his own right) and Tania Lawrence arrives as the first female president, it’s a pivotal time for the sport once again – especially in terms of road racing.

Image: Keith Muir.

As for the FX-ASC, the only thing we have heard is that it will more than likely revert to six rounds next year and that the organisers are considering a three-race structure again next year, so we will look to get more details on where both series stand in the coming weeks and months.

Right now there are still three rounds (almost half the season) remaining, so next year is a ways away and there’s plenty of interest in what’s to come for the rest of 2015 as the YRT/Team Honda Racing/privateer battle heats up.

With Yamaha now gaining valuable track time at Wakefield Park (round five due at the end of this month) and Team Honda Racing also diverting most of its testing to Goulburn this year, we’d say this round could be one of the best all year.

The future of Jack Miller still remains up in the air. He’ll be in MotoGP, not doubt about that, in year two of a three-year Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) contract, but LCR owner Lucio Cecchinello has admitted to Crash.net this week that it may not be alongside Cal Crutchlow in his existing position.

This has nothing to do, of course, with the Miller/Crutchlow clash in the rain at Silvertone’s British GP last weekend, it’s a financial problem that sees LCR uncertain to field two riders next year. By the way, despite the disappointment of that crash, how good was it to see Miller mix it up at the front in those conditions on an Open bike!

“Unfortunately at this moment we have to be realistic,” Cecchinello explained. “We are still working very hard. The chances are not too high at the moment, but we are still working before we completely give up the project of a two-rider team, which I love, which I work for years to do. We would like to wait maybe two or three weeks and then make the final decision.

“Jack is without any doubt an incredibly talented rider. He loves motorbikes. He is able to very fast and definitely he will be one of the top guys in the future, for sure. Of course the jump from Moto3 to MotoGP is huge, but it’s not only huge in terms of bike power, riding style – it’s also huge in terms of rider mind approach. This year all the guys are really bike obsessed.”

While Cecchinello is impressed with Miller’s blazing speed that’s seen him manage to out-pace the likes of Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty on similar equipment, that approach and sheer fitness is an aspect the Aussie will have to continue progressing in years to come.

Source: Supplied.

Elsewhere in WorldSBK, reports in Europe now indicate that Yamaha’s return to the series will come with Paul Denning’s Crescent team. That’s been rumoured for a while now, but what is surprising is that it’s now Sylvain Guintoli and Alex Lowes said to be in the box seat, complete with Pata backing.

The Marco Melandri/Yamaha deal is believed to be off, with him instead linked to a seat at Ducati on one of its satellite teams if terms can be agreed, while Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty still have ties to Aprilia.

Where that leaves Milwaukee Yamaha BSB leader Josh Brookes – whose name has been linked to a variety of teams during the silly season – we’re not certain, but if Milwaukee does move to the world championship you’d think he’ll be part of the program regardless of the brand.

Meanwhile, news filtered through on the eve of this weekend’s British Superbike Championship round at Oulton Park that Jed Metcher has parted ways with PR Racing Kawasaki, but thankfully has found a new home at Gearlink Kawasaki still on board a ZX-10R for the final rounds.

The announcement reads: “Despite mutual commitment and effort between PR Racing and Metcher there was not enough progression for both parties to see a positive future. Metcher wants to thank PR Racing for their dedication and loyalty throughout their working partnership”.

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