With the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship about to start a frantic run-in, key personnel from the paddock spoke during the last round at Portimao about their seasons, challenges and more. After hearing from Team Manager Serafino Foti for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati outfit, now Ducati’s WorldSBK Technical Coordinator, Marco Zambenedetti, has given his thoughts on the Bologna-based manufacturer’s campaign and the next steps for riders Alvaro Bautista and Nicolo Bulega.

AN EXTRA CHALLENGE: new rules for 2024

One key aspect heading into 2024 was how the new rider weight rules would impact smaller riders, including Bautista, and Zambenedetti spoke about how Ducati faced this extra challenge with Bautista. He also stated that, while they seem to have found a solution for the reigning Champion from Most, more work needs to be done to ensure that’s the case.

He said: “This year, we faced this new challenge as Ducati with Alvaro having some ballast on the bike. We tried several configurations of ballast and, of course, every configuration needs its proper setting. We’ve learnt a lot compared to last year. For sure, some performances in some areas have been decreased because of the bike with more mass. We also learnt how big the impact of increasing the overall weight with this smaller rider. It seems, from Most, we have found something that gives Alvaro a better feeling. Now we’ve had a couple of rounds in this configuration and also with, let me say, special tyres. We are looking forward to seeing if this configuration will work with the standard Pirelli tyre allocations, also with the softer compound. We hope to have found our best configuration.”

DEVELOPING THROUGH 2024: “We need to go home at the end of the race and push our bike harder to the limit…”

Manufacturers are always looking to refine their package to find the smallest gains, and Ducati are no exception to this as they look to make their Panigale V4 R even quicker. Zambenedetti admitted that the competition level has increased this year due to various factors and that the Italian brand are working in a 360-degree way to find improvements.

Explaining the developments throughout 2024, Zambenedetti said: “This year, the new match of BMW with Toprak and the superconcessions introduced by other competitors – Kawasaki, BMW, Honda – increase the level of competition against us. We need to go home at the end of races and push our bike harder to the limit. We work in a 360-degree way on the overall bike development, especially on the engine side so we developed different exhausts for Nicolo, different ballast configuration for Alvaro, different electronic settings. We worked a lot on the engine mapping and we’re still working. We have a lot to do especially with the introduction of the E40 eco fuel and the reduction of the fuel tank which affects us. It’s an area where we never worked but we have to push until the last race of the season.”

POST FRANCE TEST: heading to Aragon, new parts to come?

A few days after the French Round, Ducati are one of a few outfits heading to MotorLand Aragon for testing. Zambenedetti revealed that there will be new components for Bautista and Bulega to try at the Spanish circuit, as they look to end the season on a high and take the fight to Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

On testing and any potential new parts, Zambenedetti said: “For the last rounds, we would like to improve. For this reason, we have planned a test after Magny-Cours at Aragon to prepare for the race but also to test with both riders some parts, to try to improve the last part of the season. With Nicolo, we just started before Misano to adapt his riding position on the bike to optimise it. We have several components that we would like to test with him that could help him in the entry and corner speed. They’re chassis parts. We have something else in terms of engine that we need to prepare at home and propose to him. For this reason, at the Aragon test, we’d like to try some parts, trying to push as much as possible for the rest of the season.”

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship starts a run of five rounds in seven weeks at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, and it will be crucial for the WorldSBK stars to build momentum now to take into the end of the season. WorldSBK commentator Steve English gives his opinion on the state of play for riders heading into a frantic conclusion to 2024 starting with the Motul French Round.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE: Razgatlioglu takes charge at the top

With five rounds to go, there are still 15 races and 310 points available before the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2024 draws to a close on October 20^th at Jerez. Technically it’s all to play for but realistically it’s a fight for second in the standings. That’s because Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has been so dominant. 

The BMW superstar has asserted himself this year as WorldSBK’s brightest star and now the attention turns to the rest of the pack. Who can build momentum to mount a title challenge next year? Who has goals that they can meet in 2024? Who needs to find something to salvage their season?

BAUTISTA VS BULEGA: a subplot in 2024

Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) future is now confirmed, and the Spaniard will be back next year in Ducati red. It’s the best solution for the rider and team given all the success they’ve had together. Bautista is still the Ducati rider most likely to win races. This is still the case despite the fact that the double WorldSBK champion is 50 points behind his teammate in the standings.

Bautista versus Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has been one of the subplots of the season. The Supersport World Champion has surprised everyone with his consistency and cool-headed approach to his rookie campaign. It’s been very impressive but in the final rounds of the year, he needs to win again. One win, on his debut, is a good rookie campaign but more wins would really cement his status with Ducati.

While Bautista has claimed two wins this year it’s not been enough to keep the wolf from the door. There’s a reason that his future is uncertain but the last two rounds showed a return to form. At the Czech Round in Most, Bautista looked happier on the bike. Last time out in Portimao it was an extension of that form. He put himself in position to win Race 2, but he tried to force the issue in the closing stages when he attacked and crashed. His return to winning ways will come soon.

CAN REA’S FIRST YAMAHA SEASON END ON A HIGH? The key to success for the #65

It seems, remarkably, that Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) is a man that can only dream of winning races in 2024. The switch to Yamaha has been a disaster with the six-time World Champion has finished on the podium just once. In the standings, he sits behind fellow Yamaha runners Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and the clock is ticking to find solutions.

Rea’s biggest issue has been his one lap speed during Superpole sessions. Qualifying down the order has seen Rea qualify on average on the fourth row of the grid. His speed is still there but finding a way to unlock that speed has been a massive challenge. Finding a way to get back in the top six regularly would be a solid end to the season for Rea.

REPLACING VS BEING TEAMMATES TO A CHAMPION: Alex Lowes and van der Mark’s contrasting tasks

The man who inherited Rea’s role as lead man for Kawasaki, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), needs to continue what he’s doing. Winning two races, regular podiums and critically minimal mistakes has made for his best WorldSBK campaign. He’s impressed everyone with the relationship he’s built with Pere Riba during their first year working together.

While Lowes had the unenviable job of replacing a legend Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) faces the task of being paired with one. The Dutchman, alongside Toprak at BMW, has had a solid season. Superpole crashes have held him back at two rounds but when he qualifies well he can race in the second group and fight for top five finishes. He has comfortably outperformed the other BMW riders this year.

LOOKING TO SECURE A RIDE: a key few rounds for Redding

While Bonovo Action BMW rider Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has secured his future for next year his teammate, Scott Redding, is still a question mark. Michael Galinski has said he’d be interested in keeping Redding if a deal can be worked out and with the team likely to switch to Ducati machinery next year it could be a perfect opportunity for Redding. It would almost certainly be his last chance because this year has been incredibly difficult. A top five finish at Donington is the highlight but he’s had a BMW podium at Magny-Cours in the past…

While it’s easy to focus on Toprak and the title permutations in the coming rounds there are so many riders playing out their season with their own motivations to do well.

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The second half of the 2024 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship season has erupted into life and after a change at the healm last time out, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is set to bring another twist in the WorldSSP300 tale of 2024. With just 11 points covering the top three in the Championship and new contenders emerging at Portimao, could one of the most unpredictable circuits now welcome more surprises like years gone by, or will there be a crucial break up in the World Supersport 300 hegemony.

WorldSSP300’S TITANIC TRIO: Veneman takes over from Iglesias and Mahendra, 11 points cover 3

Stealing the show at Most with a double and now, stealing the Championship lead, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) rolls into France and Magny-Cours with momentum. The 17-year-old’s shown phenomenal consistency in the last four races and that, along with bad luck for previous Championship leader Inigo Iglesias (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) has seen the pendulum swing. Magny-Cours brought Veneman’s first rostrum last year and he’ll be hoping to extend his run of form, whilst after a double DNF at Portimao, Iglesias needs a return to the fore to halt his main quarry’s spur in recent races. He’s strong at Magny-Cours and with double top ten finishes in the last two seasons, expect him be in the podium fight again. Ten points split the two, whilst Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) is one further back. He’s never been to Magny-Cours but he’d never been to Most before winning there last year…

IN CONTENTION, BECOMING CONTENDERS? New names enter wide-open title race

There aren’t many guarantees in WorldSSP300 but Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) winning at Portimao appears to be one of them; of his six career wins, five have occurred in the Algarve and last time out was no different as he doubled up to win his first races with Kawasaki. Now, he’s a solid fourth place in the Championship and with his feeling aboard the Kawasaki seemingly strong, he’ll be fast at Magny-Cours, having taken P2 last year from P13 on the grid. He’s 40 points away from his Championship leading teammate and going to try to become the first rider to win three WorldSSP300 races in a row. Marc Garcia (Kove Racing Team) has entered the WorldSSP300 ‘title contenders’ group chat too and 50 away from Veneman and arrives at a circuit where he’s won, whilst Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) lies sixth, remaining in the top six but becoming further adrift from Veneman. He’s three points ahead of Jeffrey Buis (KTM Freudenberg-Paligo Racing), a triple winner at Magny-Cours.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10: Gaggi, Galang and Garcia go for gold                                                                                                                                       

There are a host of riders to keep an eye outside of the top ten, all eager to impress. Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) had his best weekend of his rookie year at Portimao with a double top five, whereas fellow rookie David Salvador (MS Racing) seeks a return to the top five at another new venue – his first top five came at Most, also new to him. Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Kawasaki Racing) can spring a surprise, as could Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) and Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team). Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) was strong at Portimao and has made a step, so with unpredictability always key, expect him to be a new name in the battle in the top ten. Finally, Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) will hope his fortunes change after a luckless 2024; he’s a Magny-Cours winner from 2022.

RIDER LINE-UP CHANGES: Di Sora switches to Kawasaki

With Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) still recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the year, the Fusport Kawasaki outfit have opted to bring in Samuel Di Sora, who was racing alongside Calatayud, with the Frenchman joining Inigo Iglesias. 13 of Di Sora’s 14 WorldSSP300 podiums have come on the Kawasaki Ninja 400.

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With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Pirelli have revealed their tyre solutions for the Motul French Round. There will be three development tyres in total for the WorldSBK field to potentially try, with two slick tyres and one rain tyre part of the new tyres alongside several standard solutions that the riders already know extremely well.

FRONT TYRE CHOICES: two standards, one development

For the front tyres in WorldSBK, the SC1 medium and SC2 hard are the standard solutions available. However, there is a third development solution – the D0715 medium, which uses the same compound as the standard but, with an evolution of the carcass, aims to provide greater stability and riding precision. With the possibility of rain always a factor at Magny-Cours, the wet-weather tyres are the standard intermediate and standard wet tyres.

REAR TYRE SELECTION: new SCX development, SCQ returns

At the rear, there are several choices for riders. The standard SCX and SC0 tyres are in the allocation, as is the SCQ which returns after not being available at Most and Portimao; its use is limited to the Tissot Superpole session and Tissot Superpole Race. Also available to riders is the D0820 development SCX tyre, which has the same structure as the standard SCX but features a new compound designed to offer greater wear resistance. In the event of rain, the standard intermediate and standard rain tyres are available along with the new development D0737 SCR1 rain tyre. It has a different structure and compound compared to the standard, designed to ensure greater stability in acceleration and expand the range of use and better consistency at higher temperatures.

WORLD SUPERSPORT OPTIONS: standard solutions are the name of the game

The WorldSSP field will also be in action in France, with Pirelli revealing the tyres available to the competitors. At the front, it’s the SC1 soft and SC2 medium tyre for dry weather running, while in the event of rain, the standard SCR1 wet tyre is available. At the rear, the standard SCX super soft is joined by the standard SC0 soft in the allocation, along with the standard SCR1 wet tyre if it does rain.

PIRELLI SAYS: “The smooth asphalt of the Nevers circuit is particularly important for the tyres…”

Explaining the allocation, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “Magny-Cours marks the halfway point of the season, a key moment for us to assess the progress, in terms of development, made so far and to plan the work in the second part of the Championship. The smooth asphalt of the Nevers circuit is particularly important for the tyres, as it offers little grip and amplifies the small differences in performance between the various specifications, thus providing us with valuable data. The new D0820 rear development solution has been designed to offer greater resistance to wear, thus compensating for the wear caused by spinning triggered by poor grip on the asphalt, while still offering riders sensations similar to those they are used to with the standard SCX in terms of performance. The new front solution, on the other hand, continues to pursue the goal of improving the stability of the SC1 family. Magny-Cours is also the ideal track to test the wet tyres, as in the event of rain the already poor grip of the surface is drastically reduced. The new D0737 specification of the rear SCR1 should offer greater stability in acceleration and a more consistent performance over a wider range of use than the standard version.”

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Alessandro Delbianco will be back on the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours as the Italian takes the place of Dominique Aegerter at the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team. Aegerter was injured while training in Austria and was flown back to Switzerland where he underwent surgery, and, due to the rib and shoulder injuries suffered, will miss the Motul French Round. Yamaha have called upon the services of Delbianco to replace the #77 this weekend.

Delbianco last raced in WorldSBK in 2022 when he was a stand in at the TPR Team Pedercini Racing outfit, although he didn’t take a single chequered flag in the Emilia-Romagna Round, he competed in. The year before, rode for the MIE Racing Honda team at the Autodrom Most, where he again didn’t finish any race. In his first and only full season, in 2019 with the same MIE Honda outfit, he finished 18^th in the Championship with a best race result of ninth in Race 1 at Donington Park.

Since his only full-time WorldSBK campaign, Delbianco has been competing in the CIV Superbike championship in Italy. He was fifth in 2020 before improving to second in 2021 and 2022, taking his first two wins in the Superbike class in the latter year on Aprilia machinery. He switched to Yamaha for 2023 and was on the top step at Imola in Race 2, before adding two wins this season at Mugello and Misano.

Discussing his WorldSBK return, the Italian said: “I’m very grateful for this opportunity, but at the same time, I would like to wish a speedy recovery to Dominique. I’ll try to enjoy as much as I can this weekend, aware that it’ll be a great experience. I would also like to say a massive thank you to Filippo and Yamaha for thinking of me as an option for this round, I can’t wait to be on track Friday morning for the first session of free practice.”

Team Manager Filipo Conti added: “We’re very sorry for what happened to Dominique, we wish him a very speedy recovery, hoping to have him back as soon as possible in the garage. At the same time, we would like to welcome Alessandro with us. We’re happy we’ll be able to give him this opportunity and we believe he’ll be a great addition to our team, aware of his talent and his experience on the Yamaha R1 machine as he already proved in the Italian championship where he’s having a strong season there. Moreover, we’re confident we’ll be able to enjoy a solid weekend with Remy; we had a good first half of the season and we’re keen to enjoy a strong season finale and to make further progress, so we cannot wait to be back on track.”

There was also an update provided on Aegerter in the announcement. The #77 had surgery to stabilise his injuries and he has since returned home to continue his recoveries, with Aegerter set to be reassessed before the Italian Round at Cremona in a couple of weeks.

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Plans for two wildcards at the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season finale have been announced by the Yamaha-powered OMG Racing UK Team, which currently competes in the British Superbike championship. Riders Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers, both of whom have been in the WorldSBK paddock before, plan to be on track at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto when the 2024 season reaches its conclusion.

The team claimed the 2022 title and are in contention to win it this year with Ryde 19 points behind Tommy Bridewell in top spot heading into the series’ ‘showdown’ format, while Vickers is fifth in the standings. Ryde was a podium finisher in WorldSSP on a Yamaha R6 back in 2015 at Donington Park, while Vickers was on a Kawasaki ZX-10RR as recently as 2022, when he stepped in for Leon Haslam at TPR Team Pedercini Racing at the Autodrom Most.

The team will race on a WorldSBK-spec Yamaha R1 machines at the Spanish venue, including the Magneti Marelli electronics used by Yamaha and will work closely with Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Racing & Development for their wildcard appearance.

Discussing the opportunity, Ryde said: “It’s obviously really exciting to hear that the team will be going to compete in the final round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Jerez, and it is something I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to do. I love Jerez, it is such an awesome track. I did a few laps there on my R6 earlier this year, and I really like the circuit, so I’m already itching to get out on the World Superbike-spec R1. The team are working hard behind the scenes now to get it all ready, and I just can’t wait. Thank you to Alan, Paul and all my guys for giving up their time and efforts to give us the chance to ride on the world stage.”

Teammate Vickers added: “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to race at Jerez for the final round of WorldSBK. I’m eager to get out there and give it a shot with the same team and bike, just upgraded to the World Superbike-spec. I think it’ll be a good indication as to where we are as a team and how our bike is compared to the world bike. Kyle and I both feel really good on our R1 in Britain, so it’ll be interesting to see how it feels when we put the World Superbike electronics in. Jerez is one of my favourite tracks, I did a test there on a Superbike back in 2019 and I’m excited to get back there this year.”

Alan Gardner, Team Owner, stated his enthusiasm for the wildcard: “We’re excited to confirm that the OMG Yamaha Team are heading to WorldSBK later this year to compete in the final round of the Championship at Jerez. It’s a great opportunity to show what we can do compared to the other Yamaha teams and riders at a circuit both riders know well. We’re in a good place going into the final few rounds of the British Superbike championship, so we’ll be giving it our all to try and head to the world stage as BSB champions. We’d like to thank Yamaha Motor Europe who will be helping us with setting up the R1, but also to our partners for helping make it happen.”

Team Principal Paul Curran summed up by saying: “It’s great to be able to give our team the chance to compete in WorldSBK at Jerez later this year. The whole team have worked hard to be where we are heading into the final three rounds of the BSB championship, and I think we can put on a strong showing when we get to Spain in October. Jerez is up there as one of the best circuits in the world so naturally we’re hoping to put on a good performance for our fans, partners and ourselves. We have technical support from Yamaha Motor Europe who will assist with setting up the World Superbike-spec Yamaha R1, but I’m confident we’ll use the machinery to our advantage and come away with our heads held high.”

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Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) has been one of the standout performers in 2024 after an incredible and consistent run meant he was challenging for the podium in a lot of races, but a motocross crash in training left him in hospital and needing surgery. He’s now four rounds into his comeback from those injuries and it’s a topic he covers in this sit-down interview along with renewing with the Barni Ducati outfit and his goals in the final five rounds of 2024.

MOTOCROSS TRAINING CRASH AND COMEBACK: “I understood the value of small things… I missed normal life”

After a strong start to the season, Petrucci found himself in hospital after a massive training crash which led him to have surgery – read more about the crash and recovery HERE – before he pulled off a heroic comeback at Misano. Speaking during the special sit-down interview, the Italian star reflected on how the crash changed him due to Petrucci missing ‘normal life’ as he recovered from the accident.

“The accident has changed me a bit because I understood the value of life and the value of small things,” began a philosophical Petrucci. “After the accident, I couldn’t, for example, eat or shower by myself. I really missed normal life and I understood that I’m really lucky to be healthy, fit and have this kind of life. I appreciate what I have more. The team owner, Marco Barnabo, was the first person after my family to join me at the hospital and he was really sad. Then, in the same week, he was able to win his first race with this team. I sent a message to him, and I said, ‘This has been our lucky week because I’m alive and you won the first race’.”

AN EPIC MISANO RETURN: “Seeing all the people in Parc Ferme was worth the sacrifice and the pain…”

Petrucci only missed out on one round during his recovery although, at Misano, he was casting doubt on his participation from Thursday onwards. Despite the pain, Petrucci was able to claim a superhuman P6 result in Race 2 on Sunday at Misano to conclude his comeback weekend in style. He went on to claim a podium at Most in July after a hard-fought weekend as he stepped up his recovery a gear.

Discussing the Misano weekend, and the Most podium, he said: “Misano was really tough. After Free Practice on Friday, I said, ‘Look, I’ll try to do the race but I’m really not sure I’ll be able to complete it’. I found the strength from all the fans. I’ve never seen so many people cheering for me. I didn’t expect so much love. I’ve never seen it in any of my races before in WorldSBK or MotoGP™. Hundreds of people outside my box were waiting for me. On one hand, I was really happy but on the other, I got a bit of pressure because I said, ‘I can’t quit now!’. I had to do something for them. Race 2 was a nightmare with the pain but being the top Independent and seeing all the people at Parc Ferme was worth the sacrifice and the pain I felt in the previous months. The podium at Most, after the accident, is something I will always remember. It wasn’t an easy race. There was a big fight with Iannone at the end of the race. We shared the podium and that meant a lot for both of us but especially for me. For some days, I didn’t know if I was able to be fast again so it was like removing a stone from my shoulder. I feel more relaxed now.”

RE-SIGNING WITH BARNI DUCATI: “We have the potential to be even faster than the past…”

Petrucci’s plans for 2025 were revealed at the start of August just after the Portuguese Round, with the Italian signing a new contract with the Independent Ducati team to continue for a third season. The Petrucci-Barni Ducati team has so far stepped on the podium seven times and, after seven rounds in 2024, the two-time MotoGP™ race winner sits sixth in the standings with 147 points, eight behind Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in fifth despite the #9 missing the Dutch Round.

Reflecting on his 2025 plans, Petrucci said: “I’m really happy to be in the Barni team again, for the 2025 season. Barni Spark racing was the last team I was racing with before going to MotoGP™ and more or less it’s the same team when I came back. I really love the team and the feeling we have. I think we have the potential to be even faster than the past. I can’t wait to begin another season with them.”

GOALS IN 2024: “The goal is to stand on the podium as many times as possible!”

Petrucci has scored four podiums this season, more than his 2023 total, with seven rounds completed. The 33-year-old has been consistent in 2024, finishing all but one race and, in the races he has finished, he’s been in the top ten in 16 out of 17 (his one retirement was in Race 2 at Most). With his performances so far rewarding him with rostrums, Petrucci explained his target for the final five rounds of the season.

“For the remaining races of the season, the goal is to stand on the podium as many times as possible,” he started. “I think Magny-Cours or Aragon will be two races where I can be fast. Magny-Cours is a track that I like. Aragon last year, it was a shame because I was fast but I crashed in the first lap of Superpole and started last. Despite that, in Race 1, I finished fifth. It was a missed opportunity. It’s been almost a year that I’ve been waiting for Aragon to recover from the big mistake I did!”

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One of the key puzzles in this year’s silly season has fallen into place. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will stay with the factory Ducati team for 2025 after months of speculation about his future, with the team and rider now committing to each other for a fourth season in his second spell with the Bologna-based manufacturer in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. It completes the factory Ducati line-up for next year, with teammate Nicolo Bulega signing a two-year contract, with the Italian brand opting for continuity heading into next season.

THE STORY CONTINUES: Bautista and Ducati stay together

After a difficult start to 2024, Bautista kept discussing the feeling he had on his Panigale V4 R as he went in search of what he had in 2023. On Friday at Most, the Spaniard stated he was a lot happier with it and, on Sunday, gave the clearest hint yet that his plans were to stay. Although no announcement was forthcoming at Portimao, his plans have now been set in stone, with the 39-year-old committing to the 2025 season with the factory Ducati outfit alongside Bulega.

A SUCCESSFUL START: a stunning debut season ends without silverware

Bautista made his WorldSBK debut in 2019 with Ducati and was unbeatable at the start of the season, winning 11 consecutive races – a previous WorldSBK record until beaten this year by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) – and looked like he would end Jonathan Rea’s winning streak. However, a disastrous second half of the season ended with Bautista finishing second behind Rea in the Championship standings and he left Ducati at the end of the season for a new adventure, joining Honda for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

A DREAM RETURN: two titles with Ducati

After a difficult two seasons with Honda, Bautista made a stunning return to Ducati, and it paid off handsomely for both rider and manufacturer. 16 wins and 31 podiums in 36 races ensured he claimed his first title in 2022, and Ducati’s first Riders’ Championship since 2011, by beating Toprak Razgatlioglu to the crown. The defence then took place in 2023, with Bautista taking a record 27 wins that season as he won a second successive crown to retain the #1 plate. While 2024 has seen a downturn in wins and podiums, Bautista sits third in the standings after seven rounds. He’s currently on 61 wins, all with Ducati, making him the rider with the most wins for the Bologna-based manufacturer.

BAUTISTA SAYS: “Thrilled to continue… hope I can repay them by returning to having as much fun on track as we did in the last rounds”

Discussing his renewal with Ducati, Bautista said: “I am thrilled to continue another season with Ducati, with Aruba and with this beautiful team that represents a family to me. I feel physically and mentally perfect, and I am sure I can still be very competitive. Furthermore, there is an extraordinary relationship with everyone, from the mechanics to the management, to the sponsors, which is why I am even happier. I want to thank Ducati, Aruba, Stefano Cecconi, Daniele Casolari and Serafino Foti for their trust in me. I hope I can repay them by returning to having as much fun on track as we did in the last rounds.”

THE TEAM’S VIEW: “We must continue on this path to make a great season finale and close the gap that separates us from the top”

Team Principal Stefano Cecconi added: “I have said many times that our priority was to continue with Alvaro, and I couldn’t wait to be able to announce the renewal of our collaboration officially. It is a pleasure to work with him, both from a personal and professional point of view. I am convinced that by continuing to work hard together, we will be able to overcome the new challenges that the new regulations offer us. During the last few races, we have found solutions that have allowed Alvaro to rediscover the sensations that were a bit lacking at the beginning of the year. Now, we must continue on this path to make a great season finale and close the gap that separates us from the top.”

FROM DUCATI: “We will do everything we can to put Alvaro in a position to defend the world title until the end”

Providing the thoughts from Ducati, Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager said: “We are delighted to continue with Alvaro Bautista. He has given us great emotions in recent seasons, and his talent certainly remains unquestionable. The new regulations and the very high level reached by the World Superbike Championship will make 2025 challenging, but we are ready to face it together. For now, it is important to stay focused on the current season: the Championship is still long, and we will do everything we can to put Alvaro in a position to defend the world title until the end.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The race for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship title has already had plenty of surprises along the way and that is set to continue when the WorldSSP field hits the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Round 8 of the season is the Motul French Round and with just 20 points between the top two in the standings, expect more fireworks as a frantic end of the season approaches with five rounds in seven weeks.

20 POINTS IN IT: can Montella continue to close the gap?

At Portimao, a crash for Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) in Race 2 combined with a double for Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) closed the gap to just 20 points between them; the title battle well and truly on. Neither have won at the circuit but Huertas’ team did last year with Nicolo Bulega, who led the Panigale V2 to two wins so expect both riders to be at the front again. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) was another beneficiary of Huertas’ crash, with the Italian 41 points back. His Yamaha R6 has been a winner at Magny-Cours before thanks to double Champion Dominique Aegerter, so will Manzi be able to cut the gap further?

THE BATTLE FOR FOURTH: Debise vs Schroetter with 14 points between the two

It’s also a tight fight in the race for P4 in the standings, with Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) just leading Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Debise’s first World Supersport rostrums came at his home round last year and he’s been a regular podium contender in 2024 while Schroetter is on a difficult run. After four podiums in the first four races, the German hasn’t stood on the rostrum since and has often been outside the top six as he lost ground to the front runners. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) has been on a good run since his switch to Ducati as he’s been fighting for the podium in almost every race and has been in the top five in all but two of his eight Panigale V2 outings. Two points behind Navarro is Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) who has also been in strong form lately, with four top-six finishes in a row. Perhaps, in the closing stages of the season, the battle for fourth will become a four-rider showdown.

HOPING TO TIGHTEN THEIR GRIP ON THE TOP TEN: two previous France winners in the fight

Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) sits eighth in the standings on 100 points, leading Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) by 19 points and Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) by another 11. However, both Mahias and Tuuli have stood on the top step of the podium at Magny-Cours, in 2019 and 2020 for Mahias and 2017 for Tuuli. Will they be able to use their experience to close the gap to the Dutchman? Five points behind Tuuli is Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and he’ll hope to haul himself into the top ten. He was declared unfit at Portimao and will have to pass a pre-round medical check to race.

RIDER LINE-UP NEWS: three wildcards and several replacement riders…

Guillaume Antiga (VIAMO Racing by MTM) makes his WorldSSP return after eight years as he stands in for Marcel Brenner. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (VFT Racing Yamaha) continues to substitute for Yeray Ruiz while Alvaro Diaz makes a return to the Championship in place of Krittapat Keankum (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team). Luca de Vleeschauwer is set to make his WorldSSP debut in France as he substitutes the injured Lorenzo Baldassarri (WRP by SKM-Triumph). There are three wildcard riders in France: Alex Negrier (GMT94 Yamaha), Corentin Perolari (CBO Racing Honda France) and Enzo De La Vega (Perles de Fruits Racing Team CMS); Negrier and De La Vega will make their WorldSSP debut while Perolari returns to the Championship.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

2024 has been nothing short of sensational for BMW following the arrival of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). ‘El Turco’ now holds the record for most consecutive wins, with 13, and has taken 15 victories this season on his way to leading the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship standings with five rounds to go. At Portimao, BMW’s Technical Director, Chris Gonschor, spoke candidly about their ‘really unreal’ season so far, evolving the M 1000 RR and riders always wanting more.

2024 SUMMED UP: “The first half was stronger than you could ever dream of… unrealistic that it can go on like this!”

Gonschor started by summing up the first seven rounds of 2024 for BMW, which turned into a record-breaking campaign with Razgatlioglu’s incredible winning streak. Reflecting on the season so far, he said: “It’s a very strong first half but, like you saw at Portimao, it’s hard to fight for Toprak so there’s still a long way to go. I’m sure the other riders are very competitive and will strike back. You saw in Race 2 at Portimao how close it can be, how it should be as it’s about racing. Toprak wants to fight; we want to have a good fight with the competitors. The first half was stronger than you could ever dream of! It’s unrealistic that it can go on like this. We will fight at Magny-Cours and all the upcoming rounds again for the maximum but it’s really unreal. No way of imagining something like this, and it would be wrong to imagine something like this. It was clear that we could have strong pace after winter testing. It was clear, even after the first test here at Portimao with him, that lap times were close to what you need to win races. Winning races was the target and also realistic. Winning 13 races in a row, 15 in total, in the middle of the season is something you can enjoy but never plan.”

MAKING A STEP FROM 2023: “We improved every single part… we had to make a big step”

The 2024 success would’ve been unimaginable to BMW after 2023, where they claimed one pole position thanks to Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) but no podiums. Explaining how the German manufacturer made such a big step, Gonschor said: “The difference is we improved every single part including, for sure, the rider. Finally, it put the puzzle perfectly aligned together. We changed the aerodynamics, the swingarm up and down to understand the bike better. The test team data, we got more homework to do over the months, so we produced parts, produced data, produced parts, we go testing but right from Misano, we had the package in line. We were under control with what we need. There is no one piece we changed. We had to change everything. If you look back to the last two or three seasons, it wasn’t as successful as we wished to be. We had to make a big step and the big step is possible if you fine tune every part.”

ALWAYS WANTING MORE: “The bike is working consistently fast, but riders are riders and they’re always complaining!”

While BMW’s step is clear to see, the riders – as every competitor on the grid will be doing – are always pushing for me, something which Gonschor believed was good for the project. He said: “Honestly, the bike is working fast consistently, but riders are riders and they’re always complaining! It’s good because they give us the homework to do, and the bike can still improve in turning. I said it in the winter, and they were working on it already because the corner entry and corner exit is always the target. It’s where you get the time or lose it. I think braking stability is quite okay but, nevertheless, you have to keep the speed until the apex and then get a good drive out. When you see Race 2 at Portimao, you could see Mickey was very strong in the last corner. With Toprak, we had some margin in the setup. We learned our lesson and our competitors were unbelievably strong in the last corner and top speed.”

OTHER BMWS FIGHTING AT THE FRONT: “We’re getting all BMWs closer to the front, and this is how it should be”

BMW have enjoyed a lot of success this season but one key aspect is that, in the first seven rounds, Razgatlioglu has been the only rider on the podium for the German brand. At Donington, Most and Portimao, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) have been closer and this is something Gonschor is hoping to see more often. Talking about the trio, he said: “They are definitely coming. We’ve had a few P4s, P5s starting with Scott at Donington, Mickey at Most after a hard recovery from Superpole. At Portimao, Garrett had a strong Race 1 and Mickey fought until the last metres in the Superpole Race. He deserved a podium but the other riders on the podium deserved it too! It was a good fight, but you see that the BMWs are coming. We’re getting all BMWs closer to the front, and this is how it should be; just waiting for the final podium with more than one BMW.”

LOSING TWO BIKES FOR 2025: “What we lose, we’ll try to recover with the test team”

In June, Bonovo Action announced they would withdraw from WorldSBK at the end of the year although Team Manager Michael Galinski expressed his desire for the MGM structure to stay, although they wouldn’t run with BMW. This means there will be two fewer M 1000 RR machines on the grid in 2025, something Gonschor acknowledged and explained how the German manufacturer will look to overcome the loss of data from only running two bikes.

On the challenge of losing two bikes, Gonschor said: “You can’t have enough data! With the increase of the test team, kilometres because they’re unlimited, you have an opportunity to balance it out again. We’re not losing exactly the same data but, for sure, it would’ve been nice to see some more BMWs on the grid but the paddock is changing. It’s part of the game. What we lose we’ll try to recover with the test team. I’m pretty sure we can manage it. Whatever comes out with Bonovo next year, I’m glad to see them back in the paddock and looking forward to some fights.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com