Whilst the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship may have only just started, there’s big news surrounding the 2025 season as Bimota will be back on the WorldSBK grid. They will be partnering with Kawasaki in a joint venture which will result in a Bimota chassis with Kawasaki engine (plus allied technology), competing in WorldSBK. Not only will the donor Ninja ZX-10RR powerplant be familiar, but also many of the team staff as Kawasaki transfers its efforts into the Bimota racing program marking a landmark moment in the journey of the Kawasaki Racing Team after nearly four decades in the premier global racing series based on production machines that can be purchased at dealerships.

BIMOTA’S HISTORY IN RACING: WorldSBK winners with big names

Winners of the 1980 350cc World Championship fielding Jon Ekerold on a two-cylinder, two stroke Bimota YB3 machine, success was also achieved in TT Formula 1 with legend Virginio Ferrari aboard a YB4R taking the Championship honours in1987. No strangers to four stroke machinery, Bimota won no less than seven races in the very first World Superbike Championship year of 1988 thanks to Davide Tardozzi (5) and Stephane Mertens (2). Even as late as the year 2000, Bimota were still able to achieve a WorldSBK race win thanks to the late, great Anthony Gobert aboard an SB8R machine mounting the top step of the podium at a wet Phillip Island race weekend.

A NEW ERA: Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team

Recognising not just the legacy of Kawasaki in Superbike racing, but also the close cooperation and synergies between majority Bimota shareholder, Kawasaki, and the Rimini-based Italian manufacturer, the new team will operate under the title of ‘Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team’ for 2025. Fielding a machine jointly developed by Bimota and Kawasaki, the new team will play a pivotal role in the wider global recognition and market presence of the Bimota brand as well as being crucial in highlighting the hand-built craftsmanship and care that goes into the creation of every Bimota product. This wider appreciation of the Bimota brand and its core racing DNA is also expected to create increased demand and sales of Bimota street motorcycles. 

THE QUOTES: Hiroshi Ito, Pierluigi Marconi and Guim Roda

With this new direction for Kawasaki in WorldSBK, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. Hiroshi Ito, shared his thoughts: “Bimota has an enviable reputation for excellence in motorcycle design and manufacture. As part of our vision for the evolution of this world-famous brand we see racing as a logical next step in terms of both product development as well as brand exposure on the global stage. Our commitment to WorldSBK is as strong as ever and we hope that this new racing project will energise fans of both Bimota and Kawasaki. The passion for race success remains and we look forward to the presence of the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team on the 2025 WorldSBK grid”.  

Bimota’s COO, Pierluigi Marconi, commented: “The engineering, technology and day to day business support already offered by Kawasaki has put Bimota firmly back into the consciousness of the media and potential customers; now it is time to take a next step in our evolution. Bimota has had racing as part of its DNA from day one and to compete in WorldSBK alongside developing our new product range, while expanding the European and global dealer network, has an undeniable logic to it. With the unparalleled experience of the existing Kawasaki Racing Team experts plus the full support and cooperation of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. in Japan fills us with pride and optimism. The Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team will surely form the foundations of the next chapter in the Bimota story”.

KRT WorldSBK Team Manager, Guim Roda, concluded: “In the past thirteen years, myself, and all of those at the KRT workshop in Granollers, have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the Kawasaki Superbike project and garnered seven WorldSBK rider titles in that time plus numerous team and manufacturer awards. Now – after Kawasaki competing for nearly four decades in the Superbike World Championship – we are proud to be part of a new era forming the infrastructure of the new Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team.

“For sure we will spare some time to reflect on and celebrate the heritage of Kawasaki in Superbike racing but we are also extremely excited to be a core component of this new Bimota and Kawasaki joint venture. This is an evolution for Kawasaki’s approach to the top level of production racing and we are honoured to play our role in this new project. I am confident we have the technology and human resources necessary to succeed and it will be a fresh, energising experience fielding an impressive two rider team in the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.”

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s visit to the iconic TT Circuit Assen produced everything you would have expected. A shock winner, incredible fights for the win and impressive overtakes that left the crowd in awe. Here, we have a look at just some of the best moves – successful or otherwise – that came from the three races during the Pirelli Dutch Round.

AROUND THE OUTSIDE: Iannone’s attempt on Gardner at the Geert Timmer Chicane

Most overtakes at the final chicane come by diving down the inside, but Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) had other ideas when fighting Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in Race 2. The #87 defended the inside line but with Iannone having a slight pace advantage at that time, he tried to sweep around the outside of the first right-hander of the GT Chicane. Gardner had the ideal line though and he held position, but it showed that it’s possible to try moves around the outside there too.

OPENING LAP OVERTAKE: Rea utilises Turn 7…

The opening lap can always bring unusual overtaking hotspots and that was no different at Assen. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was on the charge in the early stages of Race 2 with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) just ahead, until they got to Turn 7. At the left-hand corner, Rea dived up the inside of the rookie to move into a provisional P3 as he went in search of a maiden Yamaha rostrum.

RACE 1, LAP 1: Spinelli makes overtakes left, right and centre…

With rain falling before the race, tyre choice was up in the air. Everyone except Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) opted for slicks, with ‘Loka’ on an intermediate front and Spinelli and intermediate front and rear. It paid off for super-sub Spinelli, who moved up from 11^th on the grid as he overtook all the slick-tyre runners to claim a stunning, and unexpected, Race 1.

BAUTISTA GOES UP TWO PLACES IN TWO CORNERS: opportunistic from the Champion

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had to make a dramatic comeback in the Tissot Superpole Race, dropping from seventh on the grid to ninth on Lap 1, before fighting his way to victory lane. The #1 pulled off an incredible two moves in two corners with four laps to go, first going up the inside of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) at the exit of Turn 3 before holding a tighter line against Rea at Turn 4, moving the reigning Champion from fourth to third.

THE TURN 8 HOTSPOT: Gardner vs Razgatlioglu

A maiden WorldSBK podium was on the line for Gardner in Race 2, and he grabbed the bull by the horns. He moved into second place in Race 2 when he overtook Razgatlioglu at the right-hander of Turn 8 with Bautista right in front. Although he was unable to hold onto second following Razgatlioglu’s charge to victory, the #87 came home in third for a rostrum; something he’d been threatening to secure for a while but kept falling just short.

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Well, the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship just keeps on giving as the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands gave ENORMOUS milestones. With first-time winners, new Assen winners and landmark achievements, the post-round stats speak for themselves.

950 – The 950^th WorldSBK race is now complete; like the 900^th and the 800^th races, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) won.

430/330 – Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) gave Yamaha a 430^th podium place in WorldSBK and gave Australia a 330^th podium place in WorldSBK; the last Australian podium was by Troy Corser at Misano in Race 1, 2010, for BMW.

160 – Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) took a first pole with Yamaha at Assen, the 160^th for the UK too, increasing their advantage over Australia in P2 with 86.

121 – Razgatlioglu took his 121^st podium and 42^nd win in WorldSBK in Race 2 at Assen, meaning he’s just nine podiums away from Troy Corser in second overall with 130 and only one way from Noriyuki Haga’s tally of 43, which is the fifth all-time place.

96 – Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) equalled Troy Bayliss’ tally of podium in Race 1, making it 94, before going onto pass him and finish the weekend with 96.

80 – Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) became the 80^th different WorldSBK winner in history, the 13^th Italian and the first for Marco Barnabo’s team in the Superbike class.

65/5/1 – In 65 previous Assen races prior to the weekend, only two riders had won at Assen from outside the top five on the grid: Chris Walker from P13 in the wet of Race 1, 2006 and Jonathan Rea, also for Kawasaki, in Race 2, 2017. This weekend, all wins came from P7 or further back on the grid: Nicholas Spinelli from P11, Bautista from P7 and Razgatlioglu from P9.

23 – Nicholas Spinelli became the 23^rd rider to achieve a podium in WorldSBK and WorldSSP, both coming in tricky conditions (Phillip Island Race 1, 2023 in WorldSSP, Assen Race 1, 2024 in WorldSBK).

14 – 14 years since the last Australian rider on the podium, Gardner took a maiden podium in World Superbike, becoming the 134^th rider in history to achieve a top three.

11 – Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) took P11 in Assen Race 2, a career-best finish.

10 – Two top ten finishes in the long races for Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in the same round for the first time since Misano last year.

9 – Only nine riders have won their maiden WorldSBK races: Davide Tardozzi (Donington Park Race 1, 1988), Doug Polen (Sugo Race 1, 1989), Peter Goddard (Oran Park Race 1, 1989), John Kocinski (Misano Race 1, 1996), Yuichi Takeda (Sugo Race 1, 1996), Max Biaggi (Lusail Race 1, 2007), Alvaro Bautista (Phillip Island Race 1, 2019) and Nicolo Bulega (Phillip Island Race 1, 2024).

8 – It’s taken eight races for Alvaro Bautista to take the lead of the Championship, achieved with a win in the Tissot Superpole Race. This is the longest it’s taken him, after he led straight away in 2019 and took three races in 2022. In 2023, like in 2019, it was immediate after Race 1 at Phillip Island.

7 – Gardner’s podium means he is the seventh Australian to achieve a rostrum for the manufacturer and the 34^th rider overall. The other Australians are Mick Doohan, Peter Goddard, Michael Dowson, Andrew Pitt, Kevin Magee and Troy Corser – Corser with the most at 22 but no win.

5 – First top five finish of the season in the Superpole Race for Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) with P5.

3 – Razgatlioglu is the first rider to win three races in World Superbike this season. His three BMW wins mean he is equal on BMW wins with Chaz Davies from 2013 and a third of the way to matching Marco Melandri’s nine across the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

1 – Razgatlioglu won at Assen for the first time, which was also BMW’s first victory there. In Race 1, his P2 gave them their first podium at the track.

3/1 – Rea’s pole position with Yamaha meant he’s the 16^th different rider to get a pole for the manufacturer. He also becomes the fourth rider to achieve a pole position with at least three different manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha). The others are Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha, Ducati and Aprilia) and Stephane Mertens (Bimota, Ducati and Honda) with three, whilst Troy Corser holds the all-time record with six (Ducati, Aprilia, Petronas, Suzuki, Yamaha and BMW).

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Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) went in search of a return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship podium on home soil at the TT Circuit Assen, although he fell just short. The best classification for the #60 was seventh, but he was close to the podium and victory across the Pirelli Dutch Round, and he spoke after Sunday’s action about how he feels to be back at the front of the field.

Although he didn’t win, with teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu claiming victory in Sunday’s Race 2 as BMW’s highlight for their first win at Assen, with van der Mark crossing the line in sixth and just five seconds behind the 2021 Champion. However, he was given a three-second penalty for cutting the final chicane and not losing one second. That came after he was seventh in Race 1 and eighth in the Tissot Superpole Race, where he finished ahead of Razgatlioglu.

Looking back on his home round, van der Mark said: “It was nice to fight again for the podium and stay with the top guys. It’s been a while. In Barcelona, I was pretty close but today I had a chance to fight with them. I would’ve liked to have been on the podium at Assen; I tried, for sure! I came pretty close, but I think we have to stay realistic. It’s been a while since I’ve been in these positions and this form. I struggled a bit at the end of the race because I went back into my old habits a little bit, pushing too hard in the wrong places, which is why I lost the top group, but I should be happy that we’re making steps.”

Van der Mark fell just short of his podium target, but he did get to see teammate Razgatlioglu take a hard-fought victory in Race 2, which was impacted by light rain falling and dampening the track a little bit but not enough for intermediate tyres. The Gouda-born star spoke about the Turk’s victory after the race in typical van der Mark style, with a bit of humour mixed in his answer.

“The atmosphere is fantastic, I saw in the race how strong he was, and I made a little cheeky pass on him as well to wake him up a bit,” joked van der Mark. “It was nice to fight with him. It was fantastic to see him taking this win and I hope, soon, we will have two BMWs on the podium. You can always learn from Toprak, and we will even afterwards.”

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2024 was always going to be a season to remember but already, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has showcased a mega opening three rounds and nine races. At Assen, we had a second maiden winner of the season in extraordinary circumstances, a new Championship leader and huge passion from the fans, making this week’s hot headlines echt pittig from the Netherlands.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I almost cried! Many people come to support me… I felt the power so I needed to win this race to give them a present”

A massive Turkish following came to Assen to support Toprak Razgatlioglu, who was nearly moved to tears when he gave them a win in Race 2: “Everyone started to sing ‘Toprak, Toprak’ and I almost cried; many people come to support me and not just from Turkey but from all of Europe. The Turkish guys come and it’s family but it’s really important because I feel the power, so I needed to win this race to give them a present. I was just fighting for this. After the race, I was almost crying because of people shouting ‘Toprak’. Germany is close to Assen and a lot of people came from there; I’m happy for this and I think it’ll be bigger in the future. It’s good for the Championship too with everyone enjoying it. It’s been a very special weekend for me to win here and with BMW.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) “I think it’ll be a three-rider fight”

Talking about where Toprak is better compared to last year and where he’s weaker, Alvaro Bautista said: “Watching from the outside, Toprak was stronger on braking and entry to the corner last year, leaning with more confidence. This year, he brakes hard but on corner entry, it’s not the same; I don’t know if he hasn’t got the confidence or the bike doesn’t allow him to do it but for sure, on acceleration and top speed, he’s much better than last year. If he had the same top speed of last year with this bike, he’d be worse because in the flowing areas, he’s slower than last year. I think that Bulega, Toprak, myself – and other riders in some races – but I think the Championship will be between us. In all conditions, we’re strong so I think it’ll be a three-rider fight.”

Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team): “The team made the decision… lucky with the red flag!”

Speaking after his epic race win on Saturday, Nicholas Spinelli was rather humble: “I’m very, very happy because on Friday, I tried the Superbike for the first time. It’s incredible with a lot of power! With my team, before the race, I asked them whether I should do slicks or intermediates. The team made the decision as I don’t have any experience but it was very good as in the first laps, it was raining in the first sector, so I could get a good gap. However, when the gap started coming down, I was thinking ‘when will the race finish?!’ but I was lucky with the red flag! Top ten would be a good result but this is better!”

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) “What a f*****g idiot I am for leaving the door open to Alex…”

Despite a podium in the Tissot Superpole Race, Gardner was frustrated to wait a race extra for a maiden WorldSBK podium: “I said to my girlfriend before the weekend that if we’re going to get a podium, it’ll be here. I was a bit doubtful after yesterday and this morning… what a f*****g idiot I am for leaving the door open to Alex this morning! I as kicking myself big time… I managed to get it back on the box in the afternoon but I think the bike just works well here, I’ve been enjoying the track and the front end has felt good. Everything’s working, feeling good with the team and experience, putting it all together and that’s about it. Winning races in Moto2™ and the Championship, you expect yourself to be at the front anywhere you go. It’s not that easy to come from a completely different Championship with a completely different concept and go fast on a completely different bike. More than anything, what’s been hard has been understanding the tyres and what tyres work when. If I didn’t have the experience, I would have gone for the SC0 perhaps.”

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “Every time I get a podium, it’s a surprise”

Nicolo Bulega maintained a bright mindset with P8: “Every time I get a podium, it’s a surprise. It’s difficult to get to a new track without testing, bad weather and be first for almost the full Superpole Race and stay in the front group in Race 2. We have to take the positives from this weekend; I know I won in Australia and in Barcelona, I did a good weekend with two podiums and here it seems it’s not very good. However, it’s been a difficult month with the operation and I wasn’t able to train like always. Assen is a difficult track physically too, so I take the positives and try again at Misano.”

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven): “We received support from Ducati but I need more”

Without a prior test for the first time in his WorldSBK career, Assen’s tricky weather didn’t help Andrea Iannone’s title charge, whereas he also called for more support from Ducati: “With one practice in normal conditions, we’d have arrived on the podium because we learnt. It was a complete disaster in the Tissot Superpole Race, the tyres went immediately and I finished without rubber; I arrived on ice! In the end, we recovered and it’s a great point to start at the end of Race 2. I think we can win but we need to work; we need to test and work. I don’t have the bike at 100%, especially on the electronics side. For this, I think to win and always get the podium, we need to work and improve my feeling. At Misano and Cremona, we’ll try to work a little bit more. We received a bit of support from Ducati but I need more. Well go to the test to try and improve but I hope I can have a little bit more support. I spoke with Gigi, Marco and everybody and they all support me but it’s the last details, it’s different. I felt like we can win. I need that everything is perfect and I push for that. It’s possible, we have a chance to win and I want to achieve.”

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “It was a mistake trying to pass”

Talking about the crash with ex-teammate Jonathan Rea, Alex Lowes held his hands up: “Jonny was doing the opposite to me in terms of he had a good start and was coming back whereas I struggled and went back at the beginning before coming back into it later on. Our bike’s been working great but it’s not the easiest to pass people on as we haven’t got the best acceleration. I got a really good run off the last corner compared to Jonny and broke later to try and pass him. Turn 1 was the best chance to pass but it’s easy for both to go wide or I go wide and then the other rider passes you back. So I tried to stop the bike a bit more at the apex so not allow him back through but as it got tighter, I crashed, all by myself but because I was passing him, where could he go? So, he hit me as he had nowhere to go; I didn’t smash into him or anything like that. It would’ve been another good chance for a solid performance but it was a mistake trying to pass.”

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha): “I expected to be more competitive”

A weekend with a first Yamaha pole, Jonathan Rea wanted more in the races: “Certainly, I expected to be much more competitive but a sixth and a fifth, I got taken out in the last race but it’s racing. What really sucks is that we’ve got four days testing planned but due to the resting restrictions, I can’t use all the days and we have to be clever with how we budget that too. I need time on the bike, the crew and the crew needs time to understand. We need to make steps forward with the bike in all areas; a chassis point of view, electronics and step by step, understand each other more. At Assen, I understood the feeling but riding the R1 round here, it’s really nice but like a completely different track. Different gear patterns at different corners but as you could see with ‘Loka’ and Remy, they did a really good job, so I just need to find that last bit of being competitive. To be competitive and win, I think we need to make a step as a team, manufacturer and a rider myself, everyone has to take responsibility for that. When you see how serious manufacturers are taking World Superbike, I feel like we need to take that next step now.”

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Sunday at the TT Circuit Assen was a mixed bag for Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with another MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rostrum added to his collection in the Tissot Superpole Race before a crash with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in Race 2 ended his race and dropped his former teammate down the order and out of the points-paying positions. It was Lowes’ first retirement of the season after he’d enjoyed a strong start including at the Pirelli Dutch Round.

STARTING ON A HIGH: third place in the Superpole Race

Lowes started the Superpole Race from fifth on the grid but was soon in the podium fight. He started the final lap in fourth place, behind Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), but ended it in third. He passed the #87 at the final chicane to claim his third rostrum of the season and start his Sunday in style, pulling off the typical Assen overtake.

Reflecting on the podium, Lowes said: “We used the SCQ tyre and obviously there wasn’t much dry track time this weekend. I felt great at the start, I was able to make some passes and the speed on the bike was good. Like everybody, I think the tyre didn’t quite last. I was having a good battle with Jonathan, and I just managed to look after the tyre enough to do the famous Assen last corner attack on Remy. It was nice to be back on the podium and a solid way to start the day. I think he expected me to not be there, he passed me quite easily a couple of laps before. He opened the corner right up and it would’ve been rude not to have a go!”

FINISHING IN THE GRAVEL: a collision with Rea ends their hopes

After securing a front-row start for Race 2, Lowes was hoping to utilise that for another podium. With rain starting to fall in the early stages of the race, it provided another layer of complexity to the battle, and Lowes was close to the podium fight. However, he came down at Turn 1 after a crash with Rea, with the #22 forced to retire while his former teammate was able to continue albeit well out of the points, finishing in 19^th.

Explaining what happened at Turn 1, Lowes said: “It wasn’t really an incident for him. I crashed up the inside trying to pass him. I could see he was dropping from the group a little bit and I struggled at the start on the SCX tyre, I couldn’t really get it going, but after three or four laps I felt strong, and I was going forward. I tried to pass into Turn 1. It’s a corner that really tightens up if you’re not careful you run wide, you can take both riders wide or leave the door open for the guy to pass back. I was trying to squeeze the brake a bit to make the apex. I crashed by myself and obviously, because I was in a position where I was trying to make the pass, he had nowhere to go. Nothing for him, my fault, I’ve apologised to him. He’s a good friend of mine. It was a mistake from me. I crashed and he had nowhere to go, sorry to him.”

REA’S VIEW: “Frustrated because you don’t need to be kicked when you’re down”

Six-time Champion Rea also gave his view, saying: “I was off the group. I lost the tow from Iannone, then Alex tried to make a pass at Turn 1. He stuck the pass, to be fair, but unfortunately for him he tucked the front right on the apex and I was just there so his bike collected mine. Down I went. I’m frustrated because you don’t need to be kicked when you’re down. It just feels like it’s hard to catch a break, but we can take some positives from the weekend.”

© Photos by Thomas Seidenglanz

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