News 24 Jun 2020

ASBK remains ‘unable to find a solution’ for Morgan Park

Image: Russell Colvin.

Morgan Park could be absent from the 2020 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) calendar altogether as Motorcycling Australia (MA) continues to work on plans that would enable the series to visit the southeast Queensland venue for round five.

A shortened six-round schedule was announced last Wednesday with the penultimate event listed as to be confirmed, which has been tentatively reserved for the Warwick-based circuit if coronavirus restrictions are eased.

As it stands, the ASBK Management Team has been ‘unable to find a solution’ for Queensland to host a round of the series due to the state government’s ongoing restrictions including border closures, in addition to Morgan Park’s limited paddock infrastructure.

“Obviously an admission from our calendar right now is our usual event in Queensland at Morgan Park Raceway,” stated ASBK sporting director Simon Maas. “Warwick is again another town that loves to host ASBK and sees huge benefit to that region by the attendance of ASBK.

“The restrictions around Queensland, the Queensland borders and the structures around sporting operations in Queensland are quite complex. We are continuing to talk with Morgan Park about what’s possible and we are continuing to talk with representatives of Queensland sport and the Queensland government about how our championship – specifically the way it works, the size and the structure – might be able to work at the Morgan Park venue.

“It is a very unique venue, very different to perhaps the Phillip Island or Winton examples where we’ve got that pit-lane construction, we’ve got all of those pit garages and boxes where we’re able to create social distancing perimeters and zones. The Morgan Park layout, obviously the paddock is very different and that makes social distancing practices incredibly complicated.

“For now, we are unable to find a solution that allows for us to be within the guidelines that are currently posed. Queensland sport are telling us that some of those guidelines are going to be changed over the next few months as restrictions ease, so for the moment we were not able to confirm that [event].”

It has been indicated that should Morgan Park be ruled out, alternate venues are being sought in order to maintain a six-round schedule. That would likely mean multiple visits to one of the circuits on the existing calendar, being Phillip Island, Winton, Wakefield Park or The Bend.

“If we get to the point where it’s just not practical or possible to be able to go to [Morgan Park], then we have some alternate venues that are prepared to certainly host ASBK,” Maas added. “We’ve got no shortage of venues we already might have the opportunity to go back for multiple visits this year under the very unusual circumstances that we’re all dealing with.”

News 24 Jun 2020

Victorian coronavirus spike could jeopardise ASBK restart

Image: Russell Colvin.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) is closely monitoring the current coronavirus spike in Victoria, set to decide at the beginning of next month if the Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) will be able to resume at Phillip Island in July as scheduled.

Cases of COVID-19 have risen in double-digits for eight consecutive days in Victoria, including an additional 20 new cases recorded overnight – many of which are locally transmitted. The state has recorded 128 new cases in the past week.

It was announced last Wednesday that the ASBK would be resuming at the world-famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit without spectators next month for round two of the reduced six-round season, which could now be jeopardised as this newest outbreak causes new concerns in Victoria.

Multiple local government areas have been designated as hotspots within Victoria, however, the Bass Coast Shire is not currently being regarded as such. That is a factor that could ultimately enable the event to go ahead as planned by the ASBK Management Team with COVID-safe protocols implemented.

“We continue to monitor at the moment the situation going on in Victoria,” ASBK sporting director Simon Maas explained during a virtual media call earlier today. “For now, our latest correspondence as of Monday with the Victorian government was that they were comfortable that our event would still go ahead and we should continue to plan.

“But, we will monitor this on a day-by-day basis and then on the 1st of July we will correspond further to our teams and riders to let them know what our final position is. Fortunately, the Phillip Island location geographically is not a hotspot in terms of the areas identified in Victoria at the moment.

“That still allows our teams and riders to attend Phillip Island and conduct our race, but it is something that we are going to continue to monitor. If the identification of a hotspot becomes to the Bass Coast Shire or Phillip Island, absolutely that would be a huge problem.

“The whole topic is very complex, but lets be mindful that we’ve still got over four weeks or thereabouts between now and then to see what happens with contact tracing and the work of the Victorian health department to see where the numbers ultimately head.

“We’ve drawn a line in the sand for July 1st. We’re going to continue to review and if we get to July 1st and think that it’s just impractical or difficult for the championship to run successfully, that’s when we will consider what we do as a plan B.”

Both rounds two and three of the updated 2020 ASBK calendar are scheduled to be hosted in Victoria, including Phillip Island on 25-26 July and the third round to be staged at Winton Motor Raceway in central Victoria between 11-13 September. Discussions to have fans be able to attend Winton are ongoing, to be determined by 1 September.

“Winton is an enormous outdoor area and does actually create quite a relevant environment for safety,” Maas said. “There are concepts that we’ve discussed already. We’ve spoken about people coming in and doing a park and view concept, where they can park their cars and watch almost like a movie theatre type format.

“We think that Winton also provides a number of sector areas within the race-track, where they can be zoned off if necessary. So, we remain quite optimistic that by September, not withstanding any further changes or developments, that we should be able to welcome the fans back.”

News 19 Jun 2020

Additional races set for WorldSSP and Supersport 300 per round

Image: Supplied.

World Supersport and World Supersport 300 will each have two races per weekend when the 2020 Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) resumes next month at Jerez.

Following the pause due to COVID-19, it’s been confirmed that WorldSBK will recommence on 31 July at the famed Spanish circuit.

Both WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 will feature revised weekend schedules starting in Europe, including an additional race for each class on Saturday after their respective Superpole sessions have been completed.

WorldSSP300 Superpole will happen directly before the class’ last chance race, while WorldSBK race one, WorldSSP race one and then WorldSSP300 race one will follow. Full championship points will be awarded in all races.

“Firstly, it is a great satisfaction that we can announce a safe return to racing for all three classes,” said Gregorio Lavilla, executive director, WorldSBK sporting and organisation departments.

“The history of both WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 enriches the atmosphere of the WorldSBK paddock, often providing some of the closest racing all season, as well as allowing the stars of the future to flourish on the world stage.

“2020 has provided its obstacles but thanks to the hard work, tenacity and determination of all parties involved, we will return to the world’s circuits with all three classes.”

The series will be made top of nine rounds currently announced, however, both Argentina and Italy are still to be confirmed. Additional events remain to be determined at Donington Park, Assen and Qatar.

2020 Superbike World Championship calendar (revised):
Rd1 – 28 February-1 March – Phillip Island, Australia
Rd2 – 31 July-2 August – Jerez, Spain
Rd3 – 7-9 August – Portimao, Portugal
Rd4 – 28-30 August – MotorLand Aragon, Spain
Rd5 – 4-6 September – MotorLand Aragon, Spain
Rd6 – 18-20 September Catalunya, Spain
Rd7 – 2-4 October – Magny-Cours, France
Rd8 – 9-11 October – San Juan Villicum, Argentina
Rd9 – 6-8 November – Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Italy