Leon Camier has signed to ride alongside Max Biaggi on the RSV4 in WSB for 2010.
Good move or not? What do you think?
Taken from WorldSBK.com
2009 was an epic year for Britain’s Leon Camier, winning BSB with a record number of race wins and also racing for his BSB team as a wildcard in WSB; and then topping it all off with two rides for the factory Aprilia racing team.
Camier has been linked with the 2010 ride alongside Max Biaggi for some weeks now, but finally it was all resolved earlier this week, and now Camier has spoken to WorldSBK.com about his new full-time role in racing life.
How do you feel now, particularly after all the waiting around for confirmation?
“Relieved is the main thing and massively excited at the same time. I can’t wait to get started.”
When do you test next, at Valencia?
“Yes. There will be a press launch first then we go to Valencia to test on 9 and 10 December. I only got in about 15 laps in in-between conditions at our Misano test last week. So this will be the first ride back on the bike properly and l can’t wait to carry on the progression where we left off. In these tests we can sort of try some bigger things, make some bigger changes and hope to get somewhere a bit quicker really.”
Given that there is a big difference in physical size between Max and yourself, have you been guaranteed any kind of parallel development of anything you may need?
“The only thing that makes much difference is aerodynamics and suspension. The set-up of each bike would be specific to Max and me anyway, so that’s not a problem.”
There is an awesome amount of really good British riders in WSB next year, so it’s almost a case of beating them first and then worrying about the rest?
“I think if you are beating the Brits you will be beating most of them. There will be a lot of them about. I raced against most of them before and it is confidence-inspiring for me to see them doing it and now I get the chance to be doing it too. It is a big old project for Aprilia and it is good to be involved in it and try to progress the bike and everything else to be winning races really.”
think its a good thing for camier as he was having it to easy in bsb so we will now be able to see if it was the bike or him, not saying that he isnt a talented rider but seing as it was laways both yamaha’s at the front makes ya wonder but its one step closer to moto gp for him s’pose
great move for him, at the right time, the yamaha was certainly the bike to be on last year but he seemed to have something the others didnt…
Im really looking forward to WSB next year…
Don’t think it was the best move for him really if he has MotoGP aspirations.
Should definitely have gone to Moto2 where, at least in it’s fledgling year, it would be a level playing field, where he would learn the GP circuits and be a serious contender in his second year, hopefully doing enough that year to be picked up in a privateer GP team in year three (maybe Colin Edwards replacement in Tech 3).
Would also be a stepping stone to learning the fickle GP bikes.
Still, if his aspirations are WSB (which is no bad thing), then he’s in one of the best teams, but I get the feeling that he’ll always be playing second fiddle to Biaggi.
Agree with Afro to a degree, if he has MotoGP aspirations then Moto2 should have been his route.
But mebbe he hasn’t got MotoGP aspirations. And frankly, I worry about the future of MotoGP anyway - once Rossi retires just how much of a spectacle will it be? There are fewer and fewer bikes on the grid and the racing is no where near as exciting as WSB.
I’ve no doubt he’s going to do well, he is very talented and although that Airwaves machine was good, it wasn’t as good as he made it look. Ellison is no slouch and was often scrapping with the other machines.
I think WSB is going to rock next year.
Camier will do well as long as the team can provide him with the correct technical assistance. I have heard of riders going to ride for foriegn teams and not being able to get themselves understood on how they want the bike set up.
I shouldn’t think that will be a problem. He’s already done a couple of rounds and seemed happy.
Some of that team are the same guys who managed to put a British rider on pole a couple of times in 500GP, on a really underpowered bike.
They may also have worked with Shakey.
Im with you there, i love the racing but turned a few Moto GP races off this year because i was bored! they need to get something sorted dont they, i think back to the races with doohan swantz rainey, and the early years of rossi with capirossi, baros, biaggi mccoy… it isnt the same.
I’m not sure moto2 rides were that easy to get. I would imagine there was a lot of competition for rides.
Same here.
I think they should be done with it and forget prototype racing…It’s too expensive and there’s less and less money coming into bike racing.
At the end of the day, the argument that the bikes should be special one offs that showcase new technology, doesn’t really wash any more.
Look at the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 lapping Phillip Island faster than Suzuki’s GSV-R
…And maybe MotoGP and WSB should merge to make one definitive World championship.
A lot has been said of sponsors not coming into world racing because of the confusion of which is the top tier racing category, so just maybe, a move to consolidate the two classes would help them decide to bring some money to the table.
Sorry I’m ranting… 
Bottom line, would you prefer to go to a race and say, “Wow, look at the exotic parts bin that has no similar replica seen on track day or on the road”
Or…
“Wow, look how close the racing is and look what move Rossi’s just put on Haga”
They will NOT merge, niether Dorna or Flamini group would want to allow that.
I’d say it’s likely to see a move to 1000cc motors, I’m not sure what spec those motors will be though.
The laps times thing isn’t a first.
I’m pretty sure Troy Corsor broke Mick D’s 500GP lap record around donny on a WSB ducati in the mid 90’s.
Back to 1000cc with no traction control and other electronics kept to a minimum would make bikes cheaper, and certainly add to the racing.
I like that there are 2 classes, i wouldnt want to see moto gp die, but its become very formula one…
If they could find a way of privateer teams competing without massive budgets that would help…
Maybe if you ran a private team you could have a 1000cc bike? Then run it against the 800cc factory stuff? and lift the restriction on using mass made parts? then you could used WSB bits, frame engines that sort of thing?
You’d get fred in the shed making a motogp bike out of bits!
Remember the WCM project?
Dorna shafted them, and really they should have supported them.
The KR projects also should have been supported more. KR’s original intention was to sell bikes to teams at a reasonable cost, rather than those teams paying big sums to lease bikes.
And you know that for sure how?
If there was a study that stated a significant increase in cash through major sponsorship deals would come into both camps if they were consolidated, do you think those bosses would still be opposed?
WSB is not seeing the same economical pressures as MotoGP just yet, but neither are they completely cash buoyant.
It would be funny though if a WSB spec bike consistently was on the podium or even taking wins in MotoGP if the rules were changed.
That RSV4 would be one that comes to mind.
I do agree that the whole grid should all use tuned production engines in prototype chassis though, and no traction control. Indeed, that would significantly cut costs.
Moto2 is probably the shape of things to come for the top tier, especially if it delivers in producing exciting and cheaper racing.
Nice post Afro (BTW - I was GUTTED that you don’t have a big afro!)
I don’t have access to much more information than you have. My comment that they will not merge is mainly based on the aggresive policy WSB owners have pursued in defending their F.I.M. licenses.
I must say however, they were fairly quiet with regards to moto2. (They have the F.I.M rights to host the 600CC 4 stroke would championship.)
It seems we are in for some changes. the 2012 move to 1000CC motoGP bikes was announced (see other thread.)
In BSB next year the EVO class is running alongside full superbikes. I wonder where that will go?
I do have a wig, although granted, that’s not the same thang
Yeah the EVO thing is definitely a step in the right direction…I never understood why the BSB management started to allow advanced electronics and such into BSB which I always thought should be more a grass roots national championship.
I just hope the proposed changes in GP racing make a difference.
In 2006, I watched every race and couldn’t wait for the next…Remember the battle between Rossi and Capirossi at Mugello (with Casey flipping that Honda uphill)…That bad pile up at Catalunya, and Pedrosa looking for his P45 when he took out Hayden in Estoril
It’s hard to believe that was all in the one season, and the racing then seems a world away from what we have now.
I was at that race at Montmelo (Catalunya GP), after the re-start it was bloody dull. Luckily the weather was great and we had the local loonies to keep us amused. I had a great ride north to out Pyrenees mountain hide-away after too!
The race there the next year was much better, Rossi, Stoner and Pedbot really went at it, (everyone forgets Rossi passed into the last corner during that race, a move no-one ever pulls on big bikes - he lost that day to Stoner but a few years later he pull that rabbitt from the hat to beat Jorge!)
You are right though, the 800CC era has been a step back as far as entertainment is concerned.
The formula has become so cornerspeed focussed and so precise with the greater use of electronics, that if a rider moves off line to pass it’s very difficult to maintain momentem.
It doesn’t help that 4 riders are a big step ahead of the rest of the field.
Do you think Spies will be anything but an also-ran?
I think he’ll replicate Edwards’ GP career, except that he will win at least one race, and I also think he’ll be number two to Jorge Lorenzo if Rossi moves over to Ducati.