With the Pirelli Dutch Round just around the corner, teams and riders from the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship will be gearing up for the start of their 2023 campaign and there is plenty of intrigue up and down the paddock about the upcoming campaign. A Champion returns to the gird to go in search for a second title, a new manufacturer joins the grid and teams expand while a new outfit joins the grid.

RETURN OF THE CHAMPION: Buis back in WorldSSP300

Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) took the 2020 title in stunning fashion with four wins and eight podiums from 14 races and he remained in WorldSSP300 in 2021 as he looked to retain his title. He finished third in 2021, behind teammate Adrian Huertas and Tom Booth-Amos who both now compete in WorldSSP. Back for what will be his fourth campaign in WorldSSP300 with MTM Kawasaki, and with a season of WorldSSP experience under his belt, will Buis become the first two-time Champion in WorldSSP300?

A NEW MANUFACTURER JOINS: Kove look to take on Yamaha, Kawasaki and KTM

The 2023 season will feature a new manufacturer on the grid as Chinese manufacturer Kove aim for glory with their 321RR machine. They have one bike on the grid with Shengjunjie Zhou representing the China Racing Team. Four manufacturers will be on the 2023 grid as they all go in search of glory and Kove will also become the fifth manufacturer to compete in WorldSSP300. Honda were represented on the grid for two full seasons between 2017 and 2018, while Kove will take on reigning Champions Yamaha this season as well as Kawasaki and KTM. Zhou will also make history as the first Chinese rider to compete in WorldSSP300.

REIGNING CHAMPIONS EXPAND: can Arco Motor University Team make it two from two?

In 2022, the Arco Motor University Team took Alvaro Diaz to the title after a season of record-breaking consistency with a one-bike effort in the full season. This season the team have not only expanded into WorldSSP, with Diaz, but also expanded their WorldSSP300 effort to a two-rider team. Dutch rider Ruben Bijman and Italian rider Gabriele Mastroluca join the reigning Champions as they look to replicate Diaz’s success from 2022. Another team who have expanded to two bikes is the AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha squad with Matteo Vannucci, a race winner last year with the team, joined by Raffaele Tragni. A new team also joins the grid for 2023 as Deza – Box 77 Racing Team make the step up from the Spanish championship with Jose Manuel Osuna Saez.

KTM GO TO TWO BIKES: looking to return to the top step

After having one full-time entry for the past couple of seasons, KTM’s effort in the Championship is doubled for 2023 with the Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing squad. Lennox Lehmann, who stunned in 2022 with some incredible comebacks, is joined by Dirk Geiger for his second full campaign in the Championship. Last season, German rider Geiger was on Kawasaki machinery, but he has now switched to the KTM RC 390 R as the Austrian manufacturer aims high in the Championship where they have three wins.

 ROOKIES AIMING TO IMPRESS: can they shine in 2023?

There are several rookies competing in 2023 as they look to make a name for themselves on the world stage. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki), son of WorldSSP podium finisher Barry, joins Buis for his maiden season after competing in the Northern Talent Cup in 2022. Mattia Martella had a one-off appearance last season but joins full-time for 2023 with Prodina Kawasaki Racing WorldSSP300, as does Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) and Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances). Zhou will make his debut this season, along with Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) and Clement Rouge (Sublime Racing by MS Racing), as well as the aforementioned Tragni and Osuna Saez.

Watch every moment of WorldSSP300 action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship looked very promising for Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) in the early stages, with strong pace shown in the Official Test and during the Australian Round. However, a crash in the opening stages of Race 1 meant Huertas missed Race 2 as well as the Indonesian Round with Huertas using the break between the Indonesian and Dutch Rounds to focus on his recovery.

In Australia, Huertas recorded eighth in the Tissot Superpole session and was fighting for the podium places in Race 1 which was held in mixed conditions. However, his race would come to an end on Lap 4, when he crashed and was hit by Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) with Montella unable to avoid him. After the crash, Huertas thanked Montella for helping him despite the Italian having a collarbone injury from the crash.

The first diagnosis was that it was not necessary to undergo surgery, but that he would be out of action for approximately three months. This meant he would definitely miss the Indonesian Round while the Dutch and Catalunya Rounds were in doubt. Six weeks after the accident, Huertas provided an update on his recover and his plans to return to the track as he looks to build on a superb rookie campaign in 2021.

“It has been a very hard month and a half,” explained Huertas. “Because, when you suffer a fall like this, you have a lot of pain and you suffer a lot, but I want to return as soon as possible. Watching the Indonesian Round from home was hard. We have done everything to be able to recover, everything is progressing quite well, and we are meeting the deadlines, and even advancing them.”

On a mental level, this type of injury can be complicated for riders given they may not be able to ride a motorbike, let alone train, for a relatively long period. Huertas clarified that “you recover mentally when you get back on a motorcycle”. He also added that he has already returned to riding on the track and that he will undergo a new review shortly. He said: “This week, I was able to get back on a motorcycle, so now I really want to go back. I still don’t know exactly when I’ll be able to do it, it depends on a check-up with the doctor on Monday, 17^th April. I wish I could get to Assen; it would be complicated because it doesn’t fit within the established deadlines, but we’re going to try.”

Despite the initial diagnosis suggesting he would be out of action for three months, the Madrid-born rider explains that he has been able to shorten the deadlines and is hopeful of being able to return for the Dutch Round. Huertas said: “I have my checkup on Monday. Next week, we will know if I can run at both Assen and Montmelo. For Montmelo, there are many possibilities, but Assen is pending. Both are outside the deadlines they told us, but I was in a rehabilitation centre in Jaen, suffering a lot. The truth is that I have done very well, the deadlines have been getting shorter, so there is still a little hope of being able to come back at the next race.

“I was in Montmelo last weekend, Saturday and Sunday, and it went well. In the beginning, it was very difficult for me because it is a complicated area. On the bike, we are always in a racing position and the lower back suffers but, little by little, it loosened up and I adapted to the conditions. The truth is that it was positive. But a training session is not a race and now I depend on these days before Assen to see with the doctors if something can be done to get there. We will know more next week, but the goal is to get there.”

Beyond his immediate goal of returning to WorldSSP action at the TT Circuit Assen or the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Kawasaki rider was clear about his goals for the 2023 campaign. Huertas wants to become a race winner sooner rather than later and, having seen Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) win on the same bike this season, will be hoping he meets that goal. He said: “In Australia, we started very well, but when you come back from injury you never know how others have been working and how strong they are going to be compared t you. When you’re forced into bed for almost a month, you don’t work the same as the others, but I trust my team, my talent and the bike that Kawasaki have given me this year. I believe I can achieve it. The goal is to start winning race as soon as possible and, why not, in Argentina, fight for the title or the top three.”

Follow all the WorldSSP action with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well underway and we’re heading back to Europe for round three at the TT Circuit Assen in less than ten days. However, on this exact day 25 years ago, Noriyuki Haga would go on to make a major name for himself in just the second round of his rookie season. After a race win at Phillip Island saw him leave Australia as joint Championship leader, nobody expected the whirlwind of a dramatic Donington Park weekend.

The weekend itself was already a hot talking point before the racing, after the British weather decided to interfere; in the middle of April, snow settled in at Donington Park and a freezing cold weekend meant that the Superpole which was scheduled was cancelled, with the grid going off of the Free Practice classification. This left some interesting features throughout the grid, with Akira Yanagawa for Kawasaki on the front row whilst Gregorio Lavilla took a career-first front row aboard his Independent Ducati. Wildcard Niall Mackenzie took P7 on the iconic Cadbury’s Boost Yamaha livery, whilst double Champion and home-hero Carl Fogarty was left in 14^th. Haga would start from ninth.

Coming from the third row, Haga was second by the end of the opening lap of Race 1 – another Yamaha rider would burst through the field from way down on the grid 23 years later, Toprak Razgatlioglu from 13^th in 2021! Back to 1998 and Haga hit the front on Lap 6, passing polesitter Troy Corser. He was challenged by Corser and the two swapped places, eventually with Haga making a race winning pass on Lap 21 of 25.

For Race 2, it was a carbon copy of the first in terms of the start as Haga rocketing through from ninth on the grid once again to hit second by the end of Lap 1. Once again, the Japanese star was leading by Lap 6. However, a red flag for an oil spill from wildcard Chris Walker’s Kawasaki meant that he had pole position for the restart and he’d go on to win the race on aggregate. Haga had done the unthinkable; beaten the opposition at a circuit where they were supposed to have the upper hand on an aging Yamaha.

He went to round three at Monza with a 21-point lead, but a big crash in practice meant he was injured, although he still raced to two top ten results, and held the lead of the Championship by five points going to Albacete. He’d eventually finish sixth overall, 93.5 points behind Champion Carl Fogarty, winning two more races at Laguna Seca and then Sugo. In what was a crazy year of WorldSBK, Haga actually finished as the rider with the joint-highest number of wins in 1998, five, along with runner-up Aaron Slight and fourth-placed Frankie Chili.

Stay tuned with all things World Superbike throughout 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is already two rounds in and with the TT Circuit Assen and the Pirelli Dutch Round up next, it signifies the first European round of the season and thus new names joining the grid in World Supersport. This year, there are a pack of fast riders in the FIM WorldSSP Challenge, from WorldSSP300 race winners and title contenders to fast rookies looking to emulate previous generations. With a reigning Champion graduating too, is this the most competitive field yet?

THE ESTABLISHED NAMES: Alvaro Diaz headlines, Booth-Amos and Yuta Okaya alongside

One of the favourites for the WorldSSP300 title in 2022 right from the start, Alvaro Diaz (Arco YART Yamaha WorldSSP) clinched the title at Portimao last year and with two wins and nine podiums, he was a deserving Champion. Now, it’s time for a new challenge as he graduates to WorldSSP and does so with the same team – the Arco Motor University Team, although in 2023, the Arco YART Yamaha WorldSSP team. The team of university students had more than a degree of excellence in WorldSSP300, but the WorldSSP Challenge will be an entirely different lecture hall.

Tom Booth-Amos (MOTOZOO ME AIR RACING TEAM) was in WorldSSP action last year but an injury-hit season after a big crash at Assen left a ‘what could’ve been’ feeling for the 27-year-old British rider. Having adapted to the Motozoo team last year and achieved a top ten result at Phillip Island, he’ll hope for more of the same at Assen, a circuit he goes well at and likes. You can read more about him and teammate Luke Power here, as we caught up with them separately ahead of the season, where Booth-Amos declares that he aims for the WorldSSP Challenge title.

Another name graduating from WorldSSP300 is Yuta Okaya (Prodina Kawasaki Racing WorldSSP), with the Japanese star hoping to make a name for himself in WorldSSP too. With two wins in WorldSSP300 – both coming in a final lap, final corner pass at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2020 and 2022 – and plenty of podiums, he’ll hope that he can push the Prodina team into the points on a regular basis as well as challenge for the top ten.

COMPLETE ROOKIES AND FAMILIAR NAMES: new stars emerge, regulars return

There are some major names coming into the WorldSSP Challenge this season, with one in particular bringing a famous racing name back to the world stage. Maiki Abe (VFT Racing Yamaha), the son of the late great Norick Abe, will be present on the grid and fly the Japanese flag in WorldSSP. He was 16^th in the Asian Supersport series in 2022 and will hope to adapt to the WorldSSP Challenge quickly. Alongside him, there’s also Luke Power and the Australian has already enjoyed plenty of testing ahead of the season. He’s achieving a life-long dream of racing at the world level and hoping that he can make a name for himself from the start.

Elsewhere on the WorldSSP Challenge grid, Federico Fuligni (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) is present aboard Ducati machinery, as is Maximilian Kofler (D34G Racing), who is alongside one of his best friends in the paddock Oli Bayliss – Bayliss competing full-time in WorldSSP. The final rider to keep an eye on will be Tom Edwards (YART – Yamaha WorldSSP Team), with the Australian back for a full WorldSSP Challenge season and hoping for more points.

WHAT IS THE WorldSSP Challenge?

Now in its third year under the WorldSSP Challenge banner, it effectively replaced the European Supersport Cup from previous years. However, the ethos remained the same: logistics and travels costs are kept low for the European rounds of the season but teams and riders still enjoy competition in the class, as well as benefitting from global audiences – trackside and through TV. A separate fight to WorldSSP, riders still score World Championship points and start on the WorldSSP grid. In 2021, the title winner was Yamaha’s Kevin Manfredi, whilst 2022’s winner was Bahattin Sofuoglu for MV Agusta. A third different winner is guaranteed, but will it be a third different manufacturer too?

Keep up-to-date with all things World Superbike throughout 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) has spoken about his two-day test aboard MotoGP™ machinery at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto in Spain. The reigning WorldSBK runner-up, who has one win to his name in 2023 already, was given the opportunity to jump aboard the Yamaha YZR M1 as part of a two-day private test in Andalusia, alongside Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, as well as other test riders such as KTM’s Dani Pedrosa, Ducati’s Michele Pirro, Honda’s Stefan Bradl and Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori.

Although times were private and unofficial, it was reported that Razgatlioglu was less than two seconds adrift of Pedrosa’s top time, with 1.7s being the difference according to Motorsport.com’s Spanish edition. It was also reported that he was under eight tenths adrift of Crutchlow and completed 63 laps. The test was held in almost perfect weather conditions, in stark contrast to a rain-hit MotoGP™ test debut in May last year, which was at MotorLand Aragon. Another difference in comparison to the test last year was the presence of Yamaha Managing Director Lin Jarvis, who hailed Razgatlioglu as “extraordinary talented” in the run up to the test. 

Speaking about the experience of the MotoGP™ bike and getting a clearer run of things, Razgatlioglu enjoyed a “very positive” test: “I’ve had two really good days. My focus was on completing as many laps as possible to get a better understanding of the bike, rather than pushing for a fast lap time, but it was very enjoyable anyway!”

All of the WorldSBK grid are up for contract renewal for 2024, with the exception of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who signed a deal last year for 2023 and next year. In 2022, Yamaha Managing Director Lin Jarvis confirmed there was “no spot” for Razgatlioglu looking to 2023 in MotoGP™, although for 2024, only Fabio Quartararo has signed, with Franco Morbidelli yet to confirm his future. Morbidelli graduated to the factory team half-way through 2021 and is currently in the final season of his contract in the team.

Keep up-to-date with all things World Superbike throughout 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Always fond to look back on our illustrious history, a modern classic is what beckons in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship archives this time, as Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies’ fierce rivalry sparked at MotorLand Aragon in Spain. Race 1 was a gloves-off affair between both, with Rea eager to make it four wins from the opening five races in his first year with Kawasaki, whilst Davies wanted to take the Panigale V-twin to its first victory, and his first win since 2013. On the final lap, the two traded places and a last-ditch attempt for Davies at Turn 15 saw him run wide, with Rea back through. Ducati power came good though and the Welshman got ahead of the #65 at Turn 16, only to run wide and leave the door open for Rea to come back through and take victory. It wasn’t a disaster of a day however, as Davies took a first win of 2015 in Race 2 and thus giving the Ducati Panigale V-twin a first victory too. Enjoy Race 1 in full at the top of this article, as well as many more throughout our archives.

Enjoy more World Superbike classics from past and in the present with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Round three of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship is beckoning from the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands and it’s the first European round of the year, meaning the WorldSSP Challenge likewise returns. Tom-Booth Amos (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) is one of the headlining names going into the 2023 season and he’ll have a teammate this year in Australian rookie Luke Power, who was fifth in the MotoAmerica Supersport class in 2022. We caught up with both riders to get a glimpse of what to expect in 2023.

After an injury-hit 2022 season which showed plenty of potential, Booth-Amos has his sights on European success in 2023 and hopes to hit the ground running at Assen, one of his favourite circuits: “I’m looking forward to Assen and getting back there as it’s one of my favourite circuits, especially with the new team as well. 

“I feel like we’ve made a good step in preseason compared to last year and obviously, I did the last three races of 2022 with them, I know how they work and they know how I work. There’re are a lot of new updates with the Kawasaki this year so that should also help. Obviously, the goal this year is to be WorldSSP Challenge Champion so we’ll be working on that and seeing how it goes.”

Teammate Luke Power is also excited to get going, making his debut and achieving a dream: “I’m happy to be starting a new adventure for myself in WorldSSP in the Motozoo Racing by Puccetti outfit. Obviously, I’m really excited and it’s been a dream of mine ever since I started riding at the age of 3, so it’s a massive opportunity and I’m very grateful to Motozoo for giving it to me. I’m really excited to be riding the Kawasaki ZX-6R in the World Championship. Kawasaki, along with the team, have done a really good job preparing the bike and the fly-by-wire system. It hasn’t been easy but we’ve made some massive steps in the technical department in the three tests we’ve already done. 

“I’m looking forward to learning and growing with the team, I’m not sure what goals they have for me other than improving; that’s every riders’ basic goal. In terms of a starting point to improve on, I don’t have one, Assen is going to be very new and very surreal for me so I think that if I can keep calm, level-headed and take it step-by-step… wherever I finish the weekend is where I’ll finish and I know that the team and I will be giving 110% throughout the weekend. Obviously, the team is all-new to me this year but the guys have a great deal of experience in the World Championship, so it’s a privilege to work with such professionals and they’ve done a great job helping me adapt to the World Championship riding style, riding the bike, learning the tracks and all the things that are different in the World Championship.”

Speaking about his teammate, Power said: “I’ve got a new teammate in Tom Booth-Amos and he’s a really good guy and he’s helped me out a bit in those three tests. I’m looking forward to spending time with him and the team for the rest of this year. We’ll see how we go, the team atmosphere is good and we’ll definitely be giving 110%. I’m super excited and it’s the beginning of a long dream of mine and it’s cool to see it come to life!”

Keep up-to-date with all things World Superbike throughout 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Championship Standings

1. 
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   
   112
   DUCATI
2. 
   TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU
   
   75
   YAMAHA
3. 
   ANDREA LOCATELLI
   
   70
   YAMAHA
4. 
   AXEL BASSANI
   
   51
   DUCATI
5. 
   MICHAEL RUBEN RINALDI
   
   47
   DUCATI
6. 
   JONATHAN REA
   
   44
   KAWASAKI

View full standings

1. 
   NICOLO BULEGA
   
   77
   DUCATI
2. 
   STEFANO MANZI
   
   59
   YAMAHA
3. 
   CAN ONCU
   
   54
   KAWASAKI
4. 
   FEDERICO CARICASULO
   
   51
   DUCATI
5. 
   NIKI TUULI
   
   46
   TRIUMPH
6. 
   MARCEL SCHROETTER
   
   46
   MV AGUSTA

View full standings

2023

1. 
   TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU
   
   43
   YAMAHA
2. 
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   
   28
   DUCATI
3. 
   ANDREA LOCATELLI
   
   24
   YAMAHA
4. 
   MICHAEL RUBEN RINALDI
   
   22
   DUCATI
5. 
   JONATHAN REA
   
   20
   KAWASAKI

1. 
   NICOLO BULEGA
   
   18
   DUCATI
2. 
   CAN ONCU
   
   16
   KAWASAKI
3. 
   STEFANO MANZI
   
   12
   YAMAHA
4. 
   FEDERICO CARICASULO
   
   10
   DUCATI
5. 
   MARCEL SCHROETTER
   
   9
   MV AGUSTA

2023

1. 
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   
   3
   DUCATI
2. 
   JONATHAN REA
   
   1
   KAWASAKI

1. 
   STEFANO MANZI
   
   2
   YAMAHA
2. 
   CAN ONCU
   
   1
   KAWASAKI
3. 
   NICOLO BULEGA
   
   1
   DUCATI

Source: WorldSBK.com

While teams from the FIM Supersport World Championship headed to Spain for two days of testing, Ten Kate Racing Yamaha opted to complete two days of action earlier this week at the TT Circuit Assen with riders Stefano Manzi and Jorge Navarro. The Dutch team are preparing for their home round, where they have enjoyed so much success, and used Monday 3^rd April and Tuesday 4^th April to complete two days of testing.

It has been a strong start to the season for Ten Kate Racing Yamaha despite not yet winning a race with Manzi currently second in the Championship standings behind Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team). Manzi has two podiums from the first four races to his name so far in 2023 as he looks to claim his first WorldSSP title, while Navarro’s season has been impacted by the serious injury, he sustained in Moto2™ at Phillip Island in 2022.

The team did venture to Donington Park in March to join a British Superbike test but the weather severely limited their running due to wet and cold conditions. In early April, the team headed to Assen for two days of testing which were described as “positive” to prepare Manzi and Navarro for the team’s home round in the best possible way as well as testing new items on their Yamaha YZF R6 machines.

Looking back on the test, Manzi said: “After a month we could finally get back on the bike and I’m really happy with how this test went. We tested a lot of important things during the last two days and I am happy with the things that we found. Now we wait for the race weekend in Assen in just over two weeks’ time, and we need to see if track conditions will be different. I want to thank the team for their efforts and I’m looking forward to return to racing soon.”

Navarro added: “I am very happy with the test because I think it has been very productive. Every time I went out, I tried something different, that helped us to gather a lot of information and find the things that I like. It was also helpful to make longer runs, which I can do now because my fitness has improved. I am still in the recovery process, but I already feel better than during the first two rounds. We still have some weeks to prepare for the race weekend in Assen, I am looking forward to continue our work and start racing again.”

Ten Kate Racing Yamaha were not the only team to test at the TT Circuit Assen, with MTM Kawasaki out on track as well. Riders Jeffrey Buis, the 2020 WorldSSP300 Champion, and rookie Loris Veneman were preparing for their first race of the 2023 campaign with the WorldSSP300 season starting in the Netherlands. 

Watch more WorldSSP action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Preparations for Bradley Ray’s (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) maiden MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign are continuing with the British rider taking part in several tests in the off-season. With the team not competing in the flyaway races in Australia and Indonesia, as well as Argentina at the end of the season, Ray has been preparing with several tests around Europe and his manager, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, gave his thoughts on the season coming.

Ray’s first test was at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve at the end of January and beginning of February before moving on to MotorLand Aragon in March. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was Ray’s third port of call as he took part in two more days of action on his Yamaha YZF R1. His test at Aragon was disrupted by a technical issue and a crash in Barcelona but he was still able to get to grips with his WorldSBK-spec R1.

He comes into his maiden WorldSBK campaign on the back of a successful season in his native Britain where he took the British Superbike title when racing with Yamaha machinery and on Pirelli tyres. However, both the bike and tyres were a different spec to those used in WorldSBK with the tests giving Ray his first opportunity to get used to the WorldSBK specifications.

Previewing Ray’s maiden campaign, six-time British champion Byrne said: “He’s taking a big step up into WorldSBK. It’s a tough Championship. That group from fourth to 15^th is like Moto2™, it’s so tight and so competitive. It’s not going to be easy; it’s going to be a baptism of fire. He’s not the British Superbike champion for no reason. He gelled with the Yamaha from the fast laps he got on it and hopefully he’ll gel with the WorldSBK spec one. Hopefully he’ll come here on a really good bike, the Yamaha, with a good team who had a good year last year; done their apprenticeship if you like. They’re as ready as we are to step up and try to put themselves on the map.”

Ray’s season will begin at the Dutch Round at the iconic TT Circuit Assen which is a circuit he knows well from his time in the British championship having raced there in 2018. He also has experience of several tracks on the WorldSBK calendar through his time in the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, CEV Moto2™, CEV Moto3™ as well as British Superbike. Ray also has experience of WorldSBK from 2018 when he was a wildcard with Buildbase Suzuki at Donington Park where he scored points in both races.

Watch more WorldSBK action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com