The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship fires back into life this weekend at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, the fifth of the season. Our first trip to Italy promises to be filled with a passionate atmosphere, with plenty of home-heroes and partisan interests for the local fans to cheer on. However, records are also ready and waiting. Whether it be new lap records, historic milestones or equalling greats, what are the statistical stories to watch out for this weekend?
350 – Yamaha celebrated 400 podiums in Barcelona and can reach another related milestone in Misano: they were present on 348 WorldSBK podiums so far, with two more they will be the third manufacturer to reach 350 after Ducati (703 races on the podium) and Kawasaki (408).
250+250 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) left Barcelona just one podium short of the milestone of 250. If he manages to get it in Race 1 at Misano, that would be a double 250, because that will be his 250th race for Kawasaki. Rea has the absolute record of starts with one manufacturer: his best competitor is Tom Sykes, at 241 starts on Kawasaki machinery.
94 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is only one podium short of the 7th all-time spot, held by triple World Champion Troy Bayliss.
89 – 89 podium placements of Ducati riders at Misano are an all-time record. The next highest is from Assen, as the Italian manufacturer have 84 there.
73 – The pair of riders who have shared the highest number of podiums is Chaz Davies and Jonathan Rea, at 73. The pair of Rea and Razgatlioglu is just one shy of that value, at 72.
71 – Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with two podiums, will equal Max Biaggi at the 12th all-time position in the podium rankings (71 podiums).
34 – This is the track in which a single manufacturer has won the highest number of races: Ducati won 34 times. Next up is also Ducati, with 32 wins at Phillip Island and 31 at Assen. The best value for another team is 19 by Kawasaki at Donington Park.
14 – 14 years ago (2009), Jonathan Rea got his maiden WorldSBK win at this track.
13 – Yamaha took a podium in the last 12 races: if Yamaha take a podium in Race 1 at Misano, they’ll equal their best streak, set from Donington Park’s Race 2, 2021 to Magny-Cours’ Race 2, 2021.
12 – Ruben Xaus is the only rider who won here starting outside the top ten on the grid. In 2003, he recorded a double starting twice from 12th on the grid for the factory Ducati team.
12 – Last year, Ducati claimed back the record of poles at Misano, 12, after Kawasaki had equalled them two years ago.
11 – Ducati was the sole winner here for 11 straight races: from 2001 Race 1 to 2006 Race 1. Andrew Pitt (Yamaha) broke the streak, taking his only WorldSBK win in 2006 Race 2.
9 – From 2011 to 2021, Kawasaki set a record streak of nine poles here. That equalled the absolute record streak in WorldSBK set by Ducati at Brands Hatch: nine straight poles from 1995 to 2002 (double race weekend in 2000).
3 – There are only three riders in history with two-digit podium figures at Misano: Jonathan Rea (17), Troy Corser (16), Troy Bayliss (11).
SHORT-HAND NOTEBOOK:
2022 winners:
Alvaro Bautista (Race 1 and Race 2)
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Tissot Superpole Race)
Last three pole-sitters:
2022: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) 1’33.328
2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’33.416
2019: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’34.596
Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Misano:
Ducati: 89 (34)
Kawasaki: 35 (12)
Honda: 17 (4)
Yamaha: 16 (4)
Aprilia: 14 (6)
Suzuki: 8 (1)
BMW: 3
Petronas: 1
Key gaps from Misano, 2022:
Front row covered by: 0.190s
1 second in Superpole covered… the top ten: 0.789s
Closest race gap between 1st and 2nd: 2.087s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Tissot Superpole Race)
Closest race podium: 4.975s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Rea 3rd, Tissot Superpole Race)
Closest ever race podium: 2009 Race 2, 0.457s (Rea 1st, Fabrizio 2nd and Haga 3rd)
Manufacturer top speeds at Misano, 2022:
Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 281.2 km/h, FP2 and Warm-Up
BMW: Eugene Laverty – 281.2 km/h, Tissot Superpole Race
Honda: Xavi Vierge – 279.7 km/h, Race 1
Kawasaki: Alex Lowes – 276.9 km/h, Tissot Superpole Race
Yamaha: Andrea Locatelli – 273.4 km/h, FP1, Race 1 and Tissot Superpole Race
Enjoy all the action from Misano in style with the comprehensive MUST-HAVE WorldSBK VideoPass!
Source: WorldSBK.com