Bayliss tips Spies for WSB title

Reigning World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss believes that Ben Spies and the factory Yamaha team are on target to secure the prestigious WSB crown in 2009.

Following on from Spies’ emphatic double win at Donington Park last time out and Haga’s sickening crash, the Australian told MCN that Spies is the man on form and he has the bike to win.

Bayliss said: “Nori’s chances of winning the title were looking really good. But you’ve got to say Ben is really on form. Right now, Ben’s definitely the strongest guy in the championship.”

Having raced Haga onboard a Yamaha for the last three years, Bayliss reckons that the progress the Japanese manufacturer have made with the new cross plane R1 is significant.

“Yamaha took another step from last year with the bike they’ve got this time round. It’s working incredibly. And the way they’ve got the engine now, it’s like big-bang, it’s like Ducati-style. It’s a great bike, that’s for sure.”