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Ant West to MotoGP

3K views 23 replies 4 participants last post by  cookeetree 
#1 ·
Anyone who has downloaded any recent Supersport action will know who Anthony West is. He has some serious talent, and could be another twist in the 2007 MotoGP saga. Might be worth a few dollars for a podium at the British, especially if/when it's wet... Go Westy!!

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Australian Anthony West has announced his switch to MotoGP after Yamaha allowed him to buy out his contract to race for them in the world Supersport series.

The 250cc grand prix race winner tested for Kawasaki in Barcelona last week and has been tipped to replace injured Frenchman Olivier Jacque for the remainder of the MotoGP season.

Confirmation was expected at the British Grand Prix at Donington Park on Thursday, before the first practice session on Friday.

"I feel I've got my career back on track," West, 25, said in a Yamaha statement, without naming his new employers.

"To leave Yamaha now is sad but it's such a great chance for me to follow my dream to go to MotoGP.

"The financial compensation I've got to pay is severe but I've got the chance to show what I can do on a MotoGP bike and I hope it's worth it."

West last competed in the top category in 2001, when he rode a privately-entered 500cc Honda.
 

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#3 ·
cookeetree said:
Stoner 1st, Vermeulen 2nd and West 3rd...

My, oh, my wouldn't THAT be an awesome podium to see?!! :D

Go you good things! :thumbs2:
First the R1 cops being nice to sport bike riders now an all Oz podium. WTF are you smokin down there ( and can i get some:cool: ) It'll snow in Singapore before that happens:twofinger
 
#5 ·
It's no secret BP, these guys all come up through the state/national dirt track scene.

Including Stoner, West, Vermeulen, Parkes, Doohan, Beattie, Gobert and plenty more. They all won dirt and long track titles, then moved over to production road racing and away they went :p :p

Westy in the rain is something else - bring on a wet Donington :D
 
#6 · (Edited)
As the only one to predict Haybails world championship last year ( not to mention a host of predictions prior) i think i can trust my instincts on this one.

Get the fakin el outta here. No way Jose ( pronounced hozay - for Ledgend)
It would be a miracle. So whats the bet girls ...I'll give you odds.

I could do with some retirement suppliment so dig deep girls!!!

You should have plenty of wonga now booze n porn is getting banned in Oz:twofinger

West in the wet is a sight indeed. Not quite as mad a Quinto WTF i'm about to chuck it up the road Le Man gravel chewing frog, but close
 
#7 ·
Did you also predict he'd go from first to last this year?? ;)

Wishful thinking to get an all-Aussie podium, sure, but what a nice dream...

Thankfully, the Fed's only have power over the territories and not the states. Poor bastards... :cheers:
 
#8 ·
And out come the armchair supporters now Stoner is a chance :( :( I hope it pisses down and we'll see how many will stand in the wind and rain all day!!! :p :p
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The success of Australian riders Casey Stoner and Chris Vermeulen has driven ticket sales for this year's Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to record levels.

And grand prix organisers say if the trend continues facilities at the Phillip Island circuit will have to be expanded.

General admission sales have rocketed by 500 per cent over the same time last year, according to race organisers.

And advance sales of grandstand tickets for the race in October are up by 200 per cent.

Stoner has re-ignited Australian interest in the MotoGP championship which had faded with the retirement of five-time world champion Mick Doohan in 2000.

The 21-year-old from the Hunter Valley has become the premier motorcycle racing series pacesetter after a sparkling start to the season on his super-fast Ducati.

He will take a 14-point lead over Italian superstar Valentino Rossi into this weekend's British GP at Donington.

They will now be joined for the remainder of the season by a third Australian, Queenslander Anthony West who has won a deal to ride for Kawasaki from this weekend.

Corporate sales for the Phillip Island race are also booming with twice as many VIP hospitality tickets sold as at the same time last year.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Drew Ward said the performance of Stoner and Vermeulen had set the scene for an "electrifying build-up" to this year's Phillip Island showdown.

"To have two Australian riders winning races at the elite level on a global stage is great news for Aussie MotoGP fans," Ward said.

"This is shaping up as the dawning of another golden era and we don't want anyone to miss out on what is set to be an amazing battle at the Island.

"If demand continues at current levels we'll be on track for a record year and plans are in place to expand our facilities should the need arise."

Stoner and Vermeulen will line up against the world's best at the island circuit from October 12-14.
 
#10 ·
GD good news for the island then.

Problem is it's like the what Schumacer did for F1 in Germany. All the quasi patriots come out from under their stones to support the local talent. Doesn;t matter if its bikes, fishing or a bleedin egg n spoon race.
Great for the event organisers and of course the local talent they've come to see but shite for the true long term lovers of the sport.

I think it's time to predict the Philip Isl podium :twofinger
 
#11 ·
Dry: Rossi, Stoner, Marco
Wet: West, Vermeulen, Marco

Yeah that's why I prefer Phillip Island for the Supers weekend, with the real supporters, not a sea of **** with #46 helmets & jackets :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Don't be dissin' Haybale, he's only 100pts back in 11th, not last and there are 11 rounds to go.... :p :p

Donington forecast for Sunday is for rain - Go Westy!!! :D
 

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#12 ·
BP - I take my hat off to you, sir. ;)


Not sure I understand why you guys don't like it that people are jumping onto the bandwagon while the Aussies are running hot. Surely ANY support for locals is good, even if the supporters do fade into the distance at other times?
 
#14 ·
Gixxer_Dave said:
Westy was 5th after FP2.... Peddy and Haybale both going well :cool: :cool:
Ya - farkin' - hooooo, all three boys in the top six! :D

West's top speed was second fastest, at 254.352km/h, with Vermeulen on top, at 255.255km/h.

On TV here at 12:10am Monday. Gonna have to set the DVD burner for this one! :thumb:
 
#16 ·
Gixxer_Dave said:
Forget FTA, it's on Fox by about 10pm (125's @ 7:30pm) really looking forward to this one :thumb: :thumb:
Don't have pay TV. Can't justify the cost of paying to watch TV considering I don't get that much time to watch it anyway.

I've gotta get up at 2:20am for work on Monday anyway, so I might just get up a couple of hours early and watch it. I'll still record it, though, for posterity. Would be good to have the first ever Aussie 1, 2, 3 on DVD. :p
 
#17 · (Edited)
bigphil said:
GD good news for the island then.
Anyone interested in the early 500 days should download the 1989 Phillip Island GP - Racing Underground Including a great bit on the rebuilding of the circuit for the event.

I'd rate this in my top 3 along with Imola SBK 2002 with Bayliss Vs Edwards and last years GP from Turkey - and I WAS THERE!!! :D :D
 

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#19 ·
Gixxer_Dave said:
Anyone interested in the early 500 days should download the 1989 Phillip Island GP - Racing Underground Including a great bit on the rebuilding of the circuit for the event.

I'd rate this in my top 3 along with Imola SBK 2002 with Bayliss Vs Edwards and last years GP from Turkey - and I WAS THERE!!! :D :D
Wow, 'Dave, I sure hope that's a pic of PI's best billycart hill and not part of the old GP circuit! :eek:
 
#20 ·
WTF is going on here ??

Last time I checked this was the Singapore Sportbikers Riders ... something something ..... but the point being it's got nothing to do with Aussies ...

Oh, and don't mention I'm in Phuket .... or that I am a kiwi ....

But, fer fooks sake .... PLEASE keep the aussies apart.

Doughboy and Old GSXR lad are typical of most aussies. Great on their own, but put 1 aussies with another .. and they will convince you the sun rises and sets in their fair country ;-)

God help us all if we get an aussie world champion .... and BP, you are right .... the bathhurst boozers will be out in force in Philip Island ......
 
#21 · (Edited)
Legend said:
...or that I am a kiwi...
That explains a lot... :twofinger

Forgive me for gate-crashing the party. Just thought it would be good to chat to some sportbike riders who "speak my language", if you know what I mean (yeah, you speak it, too, just a little funnier :twofinger ). Only a couple of Aussies on the main board, and I'm the only regular...
 
#22 ·
Legend said:
God help us all if we get an aussie world champion ....
Come on Ledge, you mean ANOTHER aussie world champ :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I don't care where you come from, it's all about how fast you are for me :thumb: :thumb:

Cookeetree is a Queenslander which is virtually another country from here :twofinger :twofinger
 
#24 ·
Gixxer_Dave said:
...Cookeetree is a Queenslander which is virtually another country from here :twofinger :twofinger
Forgot to mention I lived in Jakarta for 2 1/2 years and visited Sing a couple of times. Does that give me any SSR credits?


Was a bit bleary-eyed watching the race. Only had 3 hours sleep, then came to work afterwards.

Did someone say Aussie 1, 2, 3? F*ck, I was close. ;) This is the fourth GP Stoner's won from the second row. Must love the thrill of the chase, hey? It's a cryin' shame West went south, but he made an awesome save and pushed back through the field with apparent ease.

With all three boys in the top four after the warm-up, I hope we get another couple of wet races before the season's out. :thumb:
 
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