Two weeks on from a quite frankly unbelievable French Round, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to a brand-new venue and a step into the unknown with the Cremona Circuit hosting its first event, the Acerbis Italian Round. Famous for violins, the big question is who will hit the high notes and who will hit a flat one? 55 points separate Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the standings but with the former’s participation in the round uncertain, can Bulega take advantage of a potential Razgatlioglu absence and close the gap even further?
RAZGATLIOGLU’S PARTICIPATION TO BE CONFIRMED: pre-round checks to complete for ‘El Turco’
The big story coming into the round is whether Razgatlioglu will participate, with the #54 needing to pass medical checks in order to compete at Cremona after his huge FP2 crash at Magny-Cours left him with mild traumatic pneumothorax and ruled him out of racing in France. Should he be able to race, ‘El Turco’ will be hoping to secure good results at a circuit he’s been quick at in testing but, of course, a lot could depend on how he’s feeling on the bike. It could hand the initiative to Bulega who heads into his home round on the back of two wins on Sunday in France but also carrying a bit of a knock following his own spill in Race 1. After gaining 37 points on the 2021 Champion, Bulega will be aiming to make more gains in Italy.
THE OTHER TWO FROM THE TITANIC TRIO: needing to pass medical checks
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) were both declared unfit at Magny-Cours after two different crashes. Bautista crashed in the Tissot Superpole Race and fractured the eighth rib on his left side, while Rea underwent surgery on a thumb injury following his Race 1 crash at the same time as Bulega. Both will need to pass pre-round medical checks to race, with Rea stating in his vlog that his recovery would be 2-3 weeks. Bautista is in the top three of the Championship but faces increasing pressure from Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for third, with the #22 eight points behind Bautista.
THE ITALIAN JOB: can the home heroes find success at Cremona?
Bulega leads the Italian contingent in the standings but the others have plenty to fight for at Cremona. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) are locked in a battle for fifth, with just 20 points separating them with ‘Petrux’ leading. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) sits eighth in the standings and 26 points behind Locatelli in sixth; Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), a race winner in France after 1,070 days, is seventh with the Dutchman hoping he can continue to stand on the podium. Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) has shown signs of progress on the ZX-10RR machine, including at a recent test alongside teammate Alex Lowes, and will be looking to continue that on home soil. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) has had a difficult year but what better place to secure a best result of the season than home soil?
PRE-ROUND TESTING: several teams hit Aragon
Despite a hectic schedule in WorldSBK, some teams and riders ventured to MotorLand Aragon, including the KRT duo of Alex Lowes and Bassani, Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, Iannone and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). Honda tried new suspension components with Lecuona stating they’ll use them at Cremona, while Sam Lowes revealed progress over race runs on used tyres. Will their positivity translate into more progress at Cremona?
IN STRONG FORM: another podium to come for Gerloff?
American star Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has been fighting at the front in the last couple of rounds, including a podium at Magny-Cours. Will the #31 be able to repeat that or will teammate Scott Redding put himself in contention for a rostrum after he has also been further up the field in recent rounds? Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has one podium this season and he’ll be hoping to fight for top Yamaha honours once again. Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) will be aiming to secure points finishes, as well as Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda).
WILDCARDS: Delbianco returns, Bridewell’s back for the first time since 2019
After his replacement ride with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team at Magny-Cours, in place of Dominique Aegerter, Alessandro Delbianco returns as a wildcard with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team for the Italian Round. Elsewhere, there’s also a wildcard for reigning British champion Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK). Bridewell tested at Cremona with Honda back in the summer and will now get his chance on the world stage for the first time since 2019, when he finished tenth in Race 2 at Jerez, albeit on a Ducati. It will also give an opportunity for Team HRC to work together with Xavier Beltran’s team, which feature’s Bridewell’s BSB crew chief, Chris Pike, formerly Jonathan Rea’s teammate until 2014. Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) won’t race at Cremona, with Portuguese rider Ivo Lopes once again standing in for the Malaysian.
Watch the highlights show from Magny-Cours HERE, read the Official Programme for the Italian Round HERE, and watch everything from Cremona using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!
Source: WorldSBK.com