Sweatshop Phase One: Winners at Imola

Linden about to start

Peter Linden took the lead on lap 7 and the team never looked back.
Stop 1 at 40 minutes went well, dropping the team just 3 places, all of which were made back by Hugh Brasher in the second hour. Three further pitstops, each problem free, saw the team build a buffer of 68 seconds by the end of hour three.
That lead grew to 110 seconds by the final stop and at the flag the team had pulled the margin to 2 minutes and 4 seconds.! The race had been pretty much copybook with no rider or pit errors.

The Imola field was stronger than expected with all the significant European competition in attendance, with the exception of the Moto-box Guzzi from Spain. Of the 42 starters, it was judged that any one of 8 teams could win.

The race rules were constraining on this occasion, as no rider was allowed to ride for more than 45 minutes and fuelling was to be by "handle activated gravity filler" - a rule ignored by most other teams! These rules were applied as the race was also part of the five round Italian classic endurance series, which actually sounds quite appealing.

Peter Linden qualified fastest and when aggregated for the starting order, the team were third.



There were some great highlights; Motobel Guzzi, Taurus Team, Glam, Scuderia and Classic Racer Shop all challenged for the top spot, with Motobel eventually taking second and Taurus third, both with apparently trouble free rides. Motobel had previously suffered an engine failure in practice. James Clark's Glam earned a well deserved 4th after some cruel luck during earlier rounds.

Classic Racer Shop (P&M Kawasaki) had drafted in Mick Godfrey to join Patrick Banfield and he made a great race debut taking the fastest race lap (2.08.07) from Linden (2.08.39).
Glam suffered a left side oil leak which, despite causing frayed nerves, didn't seem to slow James Clark, who made his best laps late in the race - kicking himself that he hadn't performed as well earlier.

Fastest through the trap by 7 kph !

The speed trap times were: Sweatshop Phase One 232kph, Glam 225kph, Classic Racer Shop 222kph, Scuderia 217 kph, Taurus 213kph and Motobel on 209kph.

For the team, the race was won with the usual ingredients: A great rider performance (with Hugh Brasher continuing to become faster and faster), dedicated team preparation, a good handling and fast bike and some great tyres - one set of Contis competitive throughout.

The Classic Bol d'Or is next - 20th/21st of October at Magny Cours.

Ben Nahum in control of the 1977 Facotry V6 Laverda
 

Thanks to Sweatshop, Continental Tyres, SBS, DFDS Ferries and all our other sponsors.

Phase One visit the DUCATI FACTORY

 

The Team met at the gates to the Bologna factory on Thursday 20th of September.
The gatehouse was looked over on one side by bright sunshine and the other by a house sized mural of Carlos Checa, with the words "Grazie Carlos", commemorating his 2011 Superbike success.

There were certainly some highlights - examples of early models (1946) all the racing history, not just the twins, but the racing prototypes and the hightly successful dynasty of singles.

 

Our tour guide Natasha did a great job, explaining all that was seen on both the museum tour and the factory tour.

 

The centrepiece, based on the racing of Mike Hailwood and Paul Smart was impressive and topical, with the following weekend being the 40th anniversary of the Paul Smart Ducati Bicylindrico win of the 200 miles of Imola.

 

The early Motogiro films being shown were alone worth the visit. At the time of our visit several machines had already been relocated to Imola for the 40th anniversary celebrations - that was no problem, we would see those over the weekend!

 

Definately worth the trip.

 

RB

The wins continue at Oschersleben !

Winner of the Classic Superbike Race at Oschersleben

Peter Linden secured a pair of very exciting classic superbike race wins at last Sunday's Speedweek sprint races.

However, the 4hrs held on Friday evening was not such a happy affair, with Brett Richmond crashing heavily on oil whilst leading and with just an hour and a half to go. Brett suffered a broken shoulder in the incident which saw two other competitors fall at the same point, with one catching fire. The Team's race was over as Brett was unable to recover the bike en-route to his two day stay at Oschersleben hospital.!

The 4 hrs race was held in fairly cool overcast conditions, with rain threatening for the first two hours before the threat turned to reality just after mid -race. The Linden/Richmond pairing were fastest on track but the first half of the race was not plain sailing. Half an hour into the race Richmond stopped with a misfire and the battery was speedily changed which cured the problem, but not before the team had slipped to around 15th place. Linden took over after the first hour and worked his way steadily back up the field before handing over to Richmond for the third hour. As darkness set in, and with a light sheen of drizzle set onto the track surface, it would have been near impossible to see the threat ahead. Once the pace car had gone out and the bike was reported missing we knew it was all over. Brett was in good spirits on Monday and will continue his holiday in Germany, albeit with a sling.!

Peter in his historic colours

Peter Linden dominated in round one of the classic superbikes on Sunday morning and also stamped his authority on the second race at 3.00PM.

Both displays were absolutely fantastic, the second especially so. During the warm up lap, Peter oiled a plug ( yes, we think that we have a valve guide problem !) and pulled into the pit lane running on three. The team quickly changed the plug, but not before the field had left. Linden started from the pitlane with a 19 second deficit, which he chipped away at, lap after lap , gaining 1-3 seconds on each. With one lap to go he still had to make up 4 seconds…..but he did it, catching the race leader unawares and bagging the win by a second. He's some bloke. !


Esther and Carolien, two new active Phase One team members

Next time out is the Imola 4 hrs on 21st/ 22 nd September, when Hugh Brasher will be joining Peter Linden once again on the shortly to be rebuilt Sweatshop Phase One P&M Kawaasaki. Currently, its only £75 away on Ryanair. See you there.

Thanks to our photographers, Jacco Dijkhuizen and Alan Lygo. 

Oschersleben - "Classics" join the WEC.

09 - 12 August 2012

Peter Linden and Brett Richmond will represent Sweatshop Phase One at next weekend's Oschersleben 4 hrs race. The event will be held during the evening of Friday 10th August from

18.00 - 22.00 hrs, prior to the WEC 8 hrs the following day.

This is the second running of the 4hrs and momentum is gathering. There are 25 entries and the field is getting stronger; this year with both the Kaiser and Glam teams joining Sweatshop Phase One on the grid. The main events will be supported by two Classic Superbike races on the Sunday.

Roy Hood will stand in for Russell at this race and we wish him the best of luck to build on the team's 1st and 2nd places at Mettet and Spa.

Oschersleben is easy to get to from both Hannover and Berlin. See you there!   RB

Bloody Bob’s Dead!!

Now, you might think that irreverent, but he wouldn’t. Bob Stevenson, or Sweary Bob, or Spondon Bob, whatever you knew him as, died of a heart attack last weekend, in his adopted home of Cyprus. 

Bob and Russell go back to the late 1980s, when the early Phase One Honda RC30s were first modified, back in the old Spondon works, in the back shed, up the hill. From then until 5 or 6 years ago, Bob ensured that the air was blue all across the workshop! And if it was blue in the morning, it’s hard to describe what the afternoons were like, after Bob and the Weasel had had their daily lunchtime fill. Those times were good.

In his final Spondon years the drink did start to affect his work, but through three decades, Bob, Stuart, Smiley and the boys produced some of the finest motorcycle rolling chassis components available; if you were willing to wait and if you were willing to endure Bob’s special brand of customer service. 

Bob’s part in the history of racing motorcycle engineering was a very big one, just like his character.  

He was also a mate and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him at Phase One.

Our sympathies go to his family and other friends.

4 Hrs Race at German Speedweek

World Endurance returns to Oschersleben over the weekend of 10th, 11th and 12th of August with a 8 hour day /night race on Saturday the 11th of August.
In addition, a 4hrs classic race will be held during the evening of Friday the 10th of August, starting at 18.00 hrs.

Oschersleben Speedweek was established some 15 years ago and althought it does not carry the same prestige as the Bol d'Or or Le Mans 24hrs events, it's getting there quickly, with all the same village and support races.

UK interest in the 8 hours will centre on the Honda TT legends team led by John McGuinness, currently second in the world rankings, ten points adrift of multiple WEC champions SERT.

In the 4 hrs classic , Phase One Endurance hopes to build on its second place at the Spa Francorchamps race last month, with ex endurance champion Peter Linden and UK endurance champion Hugh Brasher.

Further information on Oschersleben' s speedweek is available from Jutta Schacknat (jutta.schacknat@wfa.adac.de ) and entry forms are also available from lida@phaseone.co.uk.