Corser ready to create BMW history

Australian Troy Corser is all set to write another chapter in BMW's motorsport history when the 22nd edition of the Superbike World Championship commences at Phillip Island this Sunday.

Corser is BMW's marquee rider in its maiden world superbike campaign, which is the Wollongong rider's sixth team in a decorated 15-year career.

But this move is the most daring, and it's breathed new life into the 37-year-old as he looks to shape BMW into a serious player in its first year of competition.

"I think I've got enough experience to help BMW to get to the front and hopefully win a title for them," said Corser. "While the company hasn't raced in world superbike or MotoGP before, BMW has vast amounts of experience in paddocks like F1, so the technology basis is there."

Corser, the Phillip Island lap record holder, has worked assiduously over the off-season to get the S1000 RR up to a decent pace, but he still knows development is very much a work-in-progress.

"We have definitely made some good steps, and every time it's come back to me at the next step the improvements are noticeable," said Corser, who finished second in last year's championship behind compatriot Troy Bayliss. "You need lots of experience to go fast, and I definitely have that.

"To still have opportunities like the one with BMW after 15 years is the championship makes me feel very proud, and I'd love to add to my tally of Phillip Island wins on Sunday."

With Bayliss gone, Corser has a chance to further etch his name into the pantheon of world superbike greats in 2009, but it's difficult to find a clear favourite among the men and machines.

All of the seven manufacturers (BMW, Aprilia, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati) have at least one candidate in their ranks capable of claiming the title.

The exception is probably Ducati. Based on pre-season form the Italian company, which has won an amazing 274 world superbike races, probably has two aces up its sleeve in Japanese enforcer Noriyuki Haga and the rapidly improving Michel Fabrizio, while prodigiously gifted rookie Ben Spies, the three-time American superbike champion, has been fast from the get-go on the all-new Yamaha.

Spies, from Texas, is bracing for a tough year, graduating from the American title where Aussie Mat Mladin was his only real opposition, to a star-studded field where upwards of 10 riders can win races.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work," said Spies. "I'm going to be blindfolded a lot of the time, and about seven of the tracks will be new to me.

"Sure, I've been going well in testing, but it can be totally in the races. If my speed is good enough to be at the front, then good and well. If not and I'm back in 11th position, I'll just keep on working hard."

Other first time championship combatants will include the British duo of Shane Byrne (Ducati) and 22-year-old Jonathan Rea (Honda), and also Japan's former world 250 GP and MotoGP star Shinya Nakano, who will partner Max Biaggi at Aprilia.
 
Australian Broc Parkes will be Australia's second factory rider in 2009, happily joining Kawasaki just as it's decided to boost its investment in world superbike.

That was evident in the final pre-season hit out at Phillip Island last week, when eight engineers jetted into Japan to help expedite development. And it reaped dividends when Parkes set some sizzling times on the ZX-10R.

"Testing's been going pretty good considering we got the bikes and parts pretty late," said Parkes. "The only real test we've done was at Portimao (Portugal) in January and two days at Phillip Island last week.

"We are certainly running a bit behind at the moment, but we've got some great guys working in the team which is really starting to make a difference.

"We posted some impressive times last week, and hopefully we can keep that going on Sunday."

Karl Muggeridge (Suzuki) and Brendan Roberts (Ducati) complete Australia's world superbike effort in 2009.

The Supersport World Championship also kicks off this weekend, with Andrew Pitt (Honda) to begin the defence of his No. 1 plate. Five other Aussies will join Pitt on the grid: Honda trio Anthony West, Mark Aitchison and Russell Holland, Triumph's Garry McCoy and Suzuki's Shaun Geronimi.

However, Pitt's biggest nemesis is probably his teammate, 2007 world champion Kenan Sofouglu.

Pitt won last year's rousing supersport race, with just over one second covering the top six.
 
Practice and opening qualifying for both classes will commence tomorrow, ahead of Sunday's two 22-lap superbike races and 21-lap supersport battle.

This weekend's program will also include 12 support races for Australian national classes.