The sun is setting on the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and thus on one of the most iconic motorsport partnerships. Whilst the title race is alive up ahead of him, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) readies for his final dance in green and what a journey it has been. We look back on a stunning era below, with plenty of hair-raising moments in the history books.

RIGHT FROM THE START: spinning his first laps in 2014

People said that Rea’s first laps on the Kawasaki at an Aragon test in November were like watching a kid in a sweetshop or at Christmas; his pace was clear for all to see from the start, with him even saying himself: “I’m very excited, the initial impressions are quite positive and I’m enjoying it.” Plenty of tests later, Rea was the favourite for the season ahead and what would follow was breath-taking.

2015’S RECORDS: A year of firsts as Rea sweeps the floor

The Rea-KRT partnership started in style with a sensational first win in Australia on his Kawasaki debut, beating Aprilia’s Leon Haslam on an epic final lap. The season would roll on and Rea would take his first crown with five races to spare at Jerez – where the chapter will close. 14 wins for a whole season at the end and the birth of a rivalry with Chaz Davies, the Rea-era had only just begun.

2016’S SUCCESS: head-to-head battles and another title

After battles with Davies in 2015, they continued at the start of 2016 at Phillip Island, where Rea made it a double to start the year. More success came and whilst he was caught by teammate Tom Sykes and Ducati’s Davies and the title going to the last race of the year, Rea had it all under control to become the first British rider to take back-to-back titles since Carl Fogarty in 1998 and 1999.

2017’S TRIPLE: Rea makes WorldSBK history

Despite a new rule in the reverse grids for Race 2, meaning the winner of Race 1 would start P9, Rea was still able to overcome a new challenge and take the title with two rounds remaining, the first of three titles achieved at Magny-Cours. Bigger than that however; whilst Rea joined Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss as triple Champions, he was the first rider ever in World Superbike to do it consecutively.

2018’S FOUR OF A KIND: more than an ace up his sleeve

Coming into the season injured, perhaps the opposition had the initial jump on Rea; Marco Melandri took the last two wins of his career at the season-opening Phillip Island event but Rea wasn’t taking it lying down. He came back with a bang, surpassing Carl Fogarty as the rider with most wins at Brno before going on to win the last 11 races, setting a new record for straight wins a season. The title was sorted at Magny-Cours with the iconic card celebration – although no joker could derail his efforts.

2019’S COMEBACK KING: from 61 points down to title #5

Rookie Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) arrived to WorldSBK with great gusto, destroying the opposition in the opening 11 races of the season to match Rea’s record of the year before. However, Rea was back to winning at Imola but the gap was still 61 ahead of Jerez’s Race 2. Bautista crashed at the following four rounds, blew his Championship lead whilst Rea stormed to the title against the odds, clinching it at Magny-Cours.

2020’S NEW RIVAL: Rea triumphs over Redding for final Kawasaki title

Nobody thought it at the time but 2020 would be Rea’s last title in green; he started the season with a crash at Phillip Island and had to fight rookie Scott Redding on Ducati, Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu and KRT teammate Alex Lowes in the early stages of 2020. However, Rea dug deep, won more races, capitalised on opposition mistakes and on WorldSBK’s Estoril return, bagged his last title (for now).

2021’S HEAVYWEIGHT RIVALRY: Razgatlioglu dethrones the King, back to #65

From a last lap showdown – later decided in the Stewards’ room – at Magny-Cours – to a stunning opening lap battle in Barcelona’s Superpole Race, Rea and Razgatlioglu left nothing on track. We got what we deserved: a master vs apprentice showdown at the brand-new Mandalika venue in Indonesia, where the title went to Toprak. For Rea, the highlight of 2021 was the 100^th win of his WorldSBK career at the season-opening Aragon round, the first rider to achieve this in WorldSBK.

2022’S BIRTH OF THE TITANIC TRIO: Rea continues to be a contender

With Bautista back at Ducati after two years at Honda and Razgatlioglu with the #1 on Yamaha, 2022 was the greatest hits of the three years previous. For Rea, Estoril was as an instant highlight as he stormed to a Sunday double, beating Razgatlioglu in the Superpole Race and resisting Bautista’s offensive in Race 2 in a final lap classic. Astonishingly, Race 2 remains Rea’s last dry-race win.

2023’S STRUGGLES TO STRATEGIC MASTERCLASS: another venue ticked off on the win list

2023 hasn’t been Jonathan Rea’s season. Bautista and Ducati elevated the level and Razgatlioglu at times seemed the only one who could go with the Spaniard. For Rea, a first dry podium didn’t come until Assen at the third round but it would be Most where the scenes of celebration burst through. A masterful flag-to-flag ride saw Rea take a first – and so far only – win of the year.

END OF THE ERA: Rea’s nine seasons of success with Kawasaki come to a close

Ahead of the next round in France, it was announced that Rea would move to Yamaha for 2024, replacing BMW-bound Razgatlioglu. The “excitement” that Rea started his KRT tenure with never faded and perhaps should be met with his quote from his first interview after the announcement of his Yamaha move: “My childhood dream was to be World Champion and I’ll always remember my time with Kawasaki as the people who gave me the chance to fulfil a childhood dream.”

REA’S KAWASAKI STATS: the greatest rider of all-time for the team in green

Starts: 270

Wins: 104

Podiums: 220

Poles: 39

Fastest laps: 93
Front row starts: 88

Total points: 4,573

Watch the season finale LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED with the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosts the final round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and there’s plenty still to decide in Spain. One Championship still up for grabs in the Teams’ Championship, which will be fought between the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squads. Heading into the final round, Pata Yamaha lead Aruba Ducati by just seven points with everything to play for between the pair.

WHERE HAVE THE POINTS COME FROM: Razgatlioglu, Bautista score the majority

It’s no surprise that the top two in the Championship have contributed the most to their team’s scores. Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu has 506 points out of the team’s 806, while reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista has scored 566 of Aruba Ducati’s 799. Between them, they have taken all but one of the two teams’ wins this season with the #54 on seven wins in 2023 while the reigning Champion has taken 24 victories out of a possible 33. Despite most wins going to the red corner, it’s the blue side which leads the Teams’ Championship fight.

BATTLE OF LOCATELLI AND RINALDI: the #55’s advantage over the #21 proves crucial

While Razgatlioglu and Bautista lead the way, each team’s other riders have scored crucial points in the battle to win the title. It’s Yamaha’s ‘Loka’ who leads the way from the ‘second’ riders with exactly 300 points, with Rinaldi on 233 despite the latter winning a race this year and Locatelli not. That 67-point difference in Locatelli’s favour outweighs the 60-point deficit between Razgatlioglu and Bautista to give Pata Yamaha their seven-point advantage over Aruba Ducati heading into the final round, with three races to go and 111 points available from Jerez.

WHAT’S UP FOR GRABS: Pata Yamaha go for second title in three years, Ducati aiming to retain

There’s a lot on the line for both squads fighting for the title. The Yamaha outfit relinquished their crown last year after winning it in 2021 – the year Razgatlioglu won the Riders’ Championship and Yamaha won the Manufacturers’ title. Holding onto their lead would mean they win their second Teams’ Championship in three seasons. Aruba Ducati, however, are aiming to retain the crown they won last year and make it three in four years. Which one of the two teams will be celebrating at Jerez?

HOW IT CAN BE WON: Yamaha start ahead, Ducati aiming to fight back

With both riders able to score points towards the total, the battle cannot be won in Race 1, as the lead team need to be 67 points clear. The most the difference can be, with a Pata Yamaha 1-2 and neither Bautista nor Rinaldi scoring, is 52. With both riders contributing to the score across all three races, 111 points are available and with the gap as close as it is, it looks like it’ll go down to the wire. There are so many permutations, so the easiest way is that the Yamaha-powered squad need to lose six points or fewer across the weekend, while Aruba Ducati need to outscore their rivals by eight to move ahead.

OTHER BATTLES: GRT Yamaha vs Team HRC for fourth, Independent BMW vs factory BMW

The battle for fourth between the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team and Team HRC is really heating up with one point separating the two outfits. The Independent Yamaha squad lead the way on 277 points with riders Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter contributing 139 and 138 points each, while Honda’s Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona have added 140 and 136 respectively to the team’s 276 points. This battle threatens to go right to the wire in 2023. Elsewhere, there’s an intra-BMW fight going on. Independent squad Bonovo Action BMW lead the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team by just 13 points heading into Jerez, with Scott Redding and Michael van der Mark aiming for one last push to ensure the factory outfit finish ahead of the Independent squad.

Watch every moment LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to southern Spain and the historic Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto at the end of October, and there’s still plenty to play for at the final round. The battle to be crowned this year’s top Independent rider is heating up with one round and three races left, with Italian duo Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) scrapping it out for 2023 honours. The pair are separated by 39 points heading into the Prometeon Spanish Round with a maximum of 62 available, as the #47 leads his compatriot at this crucial stage of the season.

HOW THE FIGHT GOT TO THIS POINT: podium contenders go for Independent honours

2023 has been a case of “the same but different” when looking at their campaigns. Bassani started off stronger – with his experience of the bike, track and tyres giving him an early advantage – before Petrucci found a breakthrough at Misano back in June, even if the results didn’t quite match the performances on home soil. The pair, since then, have been evenly matched and they have taken five podiums between them: two for the #47 and three for the #9. Despite scoring more podiums, it’s Bassani who leads going into the final round with a 39-point advantage over his Ducati stablemate.

WILL JEREZ EXPERIENCE COUNT? Bassani knows it from WorldSBK, Petrucci from MotoGP™…

The Andalusian venue has been a prominent circuit on both the WorldSBK and MotoGP™ calendars and both riders know the track well. ‘Petrux’ scored two top-five finishes there in 2018 (fourth) and 2019 (fifth) and these were his best results at Jerez. For Bassani, he’s only been to the Spanish circuit once in WorldSBK where he scored sixth and eighth, but he did take fifth there in WorldSSP in 2016 as well as in 2015 in STK600. Both will be looking to secure a first podium at Jerez during the final round and it could be crucial in their battle.

HOW IT CAN BE WON: advantage Bassani heading into Jerez

Kawasaki-bound Bassani can wrap up the Independent Riders’ title on Saturday in Race 1. If he finishes with a 38-point or higher margin over his rival, he will win the award for the second consecutive year. A 37-point margin on Saturday would mean Petrucci could win the title with two wins and Bassani not scoring on Sunday. So, if Bassani outscores the two-time MotoGP™ race winner in Race 1, or loses one point or fewer to him, Bassani will take the title. If it’s not decided on Saturday, Bassani needs to be 26 points clear after the Tissot Superpole Race or one point clear after Race 2 to guarantee it – if they’re level, it’ll come down to best results which Petrucci currently leads thanks to his two third places compared to Bassani’s one; they both have one second place this year.

THE OTHER BATTLES: the fight for third, Independent Teams’ battle

While Bassani and Petrucci are busy fighting for Independent honours, there’s a scrap brewing between three riders for bronze. GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter currently head that battle with 139 and 138 points respectively, but an in-form and hard-charging Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) is closing in. The American is now just four points behind Gardner, sitting on 135 points. In the Teams’ fight, it’s GRT Yamaha leading Motocorsa Racing by 33 points. With a two-rider line-up, GRT Yamaha should fend off Motocorsa but anything can happen at a season finale…

Watch every moment from Jerez LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

‘Crazy Joe’, ‘Maniac Joe’ or, famously and in recent times, quite simply, ‘The Maniac’. Andrea Iannone WILL make his return to World Championship action in 2024, joining the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Team GoEleven, aboard a Ducati Panigale V4 R. The Italian, famous for his charismatic approach and no-nonsense attitude – both on-track and off of it – will come back to action after being out for four years but is keen to show he’s still got the talent and speed.

HUMBLE START TO Moto2™ MAGIC: Iannone’s rise through the ranks

Iannone’s career in World Championship racing started in 2005 in the 125cc World Championship, where he scored points in his first year. A bright start to 2006 didn’t translate into an overall improvement and it was much the same for 2007, but in 2008, his fourth year in the 125cc class, he really shone. A career-first win came in China whilst even further top ten finishes – and a career-first pole position at Sepang – confirmed the potential of the rising Italian star. 2009 would be his final year in the 125cc class, winning the opening two races of the year and three of the first seven rounds, before a drop in form resulted in him finishing seventh overall.

Into Moto2™ and the unquestionably talented Iannone adapted well in the first year of the class, winning on three occasions and taking a total of eight podiums for a best Championship finish of third. He’d win a total of five more Moto2™ Grands Prix, finishing third overall again in 2011 and 2012, but by now, Iannone had caught the attention of teams in the premier class.

THE BIG OPPORTUNITY: MotoGP™’s opportunity and Ducati’s history maker

Moving up to Pramac Racing for 2013, Iannone started his MotoGP™ career with two top ten results, whilst a collarbone injury at the Sachsenring curtailed the first part of the season. In the second half, more top ten finishes came but Ducati’s redesigned Desmosedici for 2014 would help Iannone come to prominence further. A marked improvement saw him in the battle for top five results and even podiums across the first part of the year and it would go on until the end, with every race that he finished (besides the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix) being inside the top ten.

In 2015, a big break; a promotion to the factory Ducati team as he replaced Cal Crutchlow and instantly shone with a career-first podium at Lusail. Finishing every GP in the top eight until a DNF at Motegi in Japan, ‘The Maniac’ was back on the podium in Australia after a fantastic fight with nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi on the last lap – and a seagull in the opening stages. Finishing fifth and as top Ducati, 26 points clear of teammate Andrea Dovizioso – who was in his third year with the team – a lot was expected of Iannone in 2016. However, he crashed out of victory contention in Qatar in Round 1 and wiped out teammate Dovizioso at the penultimate corner on the last lap in Argentina in what would have been a guaranteed podium. Iannone was thus surplus to requirements at Ducati and was replaced by Jorge Lorenzo for 2017. He did manage one massive achievement though, ending Ducati’s MotoGP™ win drought of six years during the returning Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

CHANGE OF SCENERY: Suzuki first, Aprilia after

He moved to Suzuki’s factory effort for 2017 but struggled to adapt to the inline four machinery, scoring his second-lowest number of points since joining the class and without a podium. In 2018, his last year with the Japanese brand, he enjoyed a big improvement with two podiums in the opening four rounds before a best of the year in P2 at Phillip Island. He finished tenth overall. Joining Aprilia for 2019, a torrid season with just two top ten finishes in the Netherlands and Great Britain, before he led the Australian Grand Prix on his way to P6. However, he was sanctioned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following a violation of an anti-doping rule after a positive test for a banned substance in the following Malaysian GP, coming in from December 17^th, 2019.

THE COMEBACK IS ON: “I have rediscovered the enthusiasm I had as a child”

After four years away, ‘The Maniac’ is ready to come out and play again, with the 34-year-old’s desire to succeed stronger than ever: “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, I’m finally back on track, where I spent my life. I thank Gigi Dall’Igna, Paolo Ciabatti, Claudio Domenicali, Marco Zambenedetti and the whole GoEleven team for their trust; with their support I have rediscovered the enthusiasm I had as a child. Special thanks also to the WorldSBK family for the opportunity. I’m fully excited.”

Denis Sacchetti, team manager for Team GoEleven, is also excited to welcome Iannone to the race-winning team: “We have worked hard to make this dream real; we have wanted to shout it out to the world for some time now, but creating such an important project is not easy and must be structured carefully. ‘The Maniac’ has decided to get back into the game, it’s not for everyone, it takes guts after everything that has happened and so much time away from racing. It is a courageous choice, for some it may seem crazy, but the right amount of madness and courage can lead to great feats. Why this bet? When we started talking to him, we were impressed by his determination, grit and desire to go back doing what he loves.

“I saw in his eyes the desire and need to race a motorbike, like a child who wants to go back playing and everything that happens around him is out of his mind, because he just wants to go back playing, he has no other thoughts at that moment. We know that it won’t be easy, that at the beginning we will have to suffer and work a lot and work hard, but this awareness unites us even more and stimulates us further. I want to thank Gianni Ramello for immediately accepting this opportunity, a particular thank you also goes to Paolo Ciabatti, Gigi Dall’Igna, Claudio Domenicali and Marco Zambenedetti for the support they are giving to this project and obviously thanks to Andrea Iannone for the trust in our team! Last but not least, heartfelt thanks to all our sponsors who allow us to take on increasingly important challenges every day, it is only thanks to their passion that it is possible to face new adventures!”

HUGE HISTORY: GoEleven’s rise in the ranks of WorldSBK

Stepping up to World Superbike in 2015 with Kawasaki machinery after having had a strong paddock presence since 2008, GoEleven have evolved into a front-running team over the years, with top results coming ever since joining forces with Ducati in 2019. Eugene Laverty ended his season with the team with strong results in the top six, whilst for 2020, Michael Ruben Rinaldi delivered a career-first win for himself and the team. In 2021, Chaz Davies kept their podium success going before retiring from the racing aspect of sport at the end of the season. 2022 brought a fresh challenge with rookie Philipp Oettl but he was able to achieve top ten finishes, whilst in 2023, a career-best fifth has also seen a marked improvement.

Team owner Gianni Ramello reflected on the chapters that make up their story, saying: “Since its birth, GoEleven has tried to achieve increasingly important goals and with the move to Ducati we have come closer to our desire. Despite being a private team, we achieved a victory, several podiums, we won a Best Independent world title and gave world-famous riders the opportunity to defend our colors with excellent results, demonstrating that our Team has done a great job. Now we found ourselves having to take a further step and achieve another goal, a new challenge, and this time it will be harder and more challenging. A rider like Andrea has not only shown over the years that he is fast and truly talented, but he is also certainly a public character of great interest. The challenge is even more stimulating because we jumped at the chance to have Iannone return to a World Championship after four years and I can guarantee that we will work hard to get to the positions that count, we strongly want to show that we have made this decision because we believe in the potential of the rider, and we are sure that he will give his all to achieve great results.

“I can only thank Andrea for choosing our team, giving us great importance and showing that the excellent work is highly appreciated, and also because he has shown the courage to face this new challenge which is not at all simple. I thank all the Ducati management who gave us strong motivation to start this project and I thank my team who have always shared our projects for better or for worse driven by motivations that excite me. All of them want to win as I do and this, added the certain desire that Andrea will also have, will be a further boost for the 2024 season!”

Watch Iannone’s return in 2024 and enjoy the rest of 2023’s title race with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

MV Agusta’s presence on the FIM Supersport World Championship grid will double next year as Motozoo ME AIR Racing swap to the Italian brand. The team, who won the WorldSSP Challenge this year running the Kawasaki ZX-6R with Tom Booth-Amos, will run two MV Agusta F3 800 RR machines in 2024. The team’s line-up is yet to be announced with Team Manager Fabio Uccelli stating their two riders would be announced “soon”.

The squad made their WorldSSP debut back in 2021 in a collaboration with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing outfit, running with five different riders including double WorldSSP300 Champion Jeffrey Buis, on the back of his first title in 2020, and four-time WorldSBK race winner Michel Fabrizio. Buis remained with the team in 2022 alongside Ben Currie, although Eugene James McManus and Booth-Amos also made appearances for the team.

Their 2023 line-up comprised of British star Booth-Amos and Australian teenager Luke Power, with the former regularly scoring points and competing inside the top ten as he took the WorldSSP Challenge title. Power’s campaign was spent learning the tracks, tyres and machine after stepping across from MotoAmerica. Booth-Amos finished 15^th in the Championship while his teammate was 41^st after scoring just a single point.

However, for 2024, a new challenge awaits the team. After three seasons with the Kawasaki ZX-6R, the Italian squad will run two MV Agusta F3 800 RR machines. This bike was introduced under the New Generation ruleset in WorldSSP and has won two races since 2022. Niki Tuuli claimed victory in Race 1 at Mandalika last year, while Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) took a stunning win in Barcelona Race 2 as he led a MV Agusta 1-2. It means the brand will go from two to four bikes for next season.

Discussing the switch to the Italian manufacturer, Fabio Uccelli said: “I am really happy to have chosen MV Agusta as a partner for the next few years. The collaboration with the MV Agusta Reparto Corse team will allow our team to take the step of growth and evolution that we want and that it is right for us now, three years after our debut in the World Championship. We’ve just had a wonderful season where we were protagonists and in which, in addition to winning the World Supersport Challenge, we often entered the top ten overall. This collaboration will allow us to have two recently produced, highly competitive bikes, which will surely give our two riders the chance to shine.

“Having a brand like MV Agusta is a great pride, above all because it is a historic brand of motorsport, with 37 world titles to their name, and which also aims to be a protagonist in the near future. They have made a highly competitive bike, and I am sure it will give us a lot of satisfaction next season. When the opportunity arose for an agreement with them, I didn’t think twice. Now we will have to wait for the two bikes to arrive so that we can take to the track for the first tests. We’ll have a lot to learn, so I can’t wait to get to know the bike. Soon we will also communicate the names of the two riders who will compete with us next season, we are defining the last details. I can say that we will have a very competitive training, with a mix of experience, talent and speed. I can’t wait to start the engines and get on the track.”

Andrea Quadranti, Team Manager at MV Agusta Reparto Corse, discussed the benefits of a second team for the manufacturer, saying: “I am very happy to finally be able to start a direct collaboration with a high-level team such as Motozoo ME AIR Racing, and to be able to field another two competitive F3s in the starting grid. All this will allow us to acquire more data in order to further develop our bikes and take that extra step that we are still missing.”

Watch every moment LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass – only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has one round remaining and the title race remains alive; however, there’s already huge news moving to 2024 and that is that major regulation changes will come into force. Some of the biggest overhauls and with new rules in place, WorldSBK’s Executive Director Gregorio Lavilla was transparent as he outlined a number of questions from a press debrief. We’ve put them in simple terms below; find out what changes for 2024 here.

How will the combined weight be calculated?

“The minimum bike weight is equal for everyone at 168kg but the difference in riders can be 30kg from the heaviest to the lightest,” began Lavilla. “It’s never been intended in our sport to add 30kg of ballast to the lightest. In motorsport, the majority of ballast which is accepted ranges from 8kg to 10kg; we understand that with the machinery which is already built to a certain weight, adding 10kg is something huge. Unanimously, all manufacturers have reached an agreement and that is going to be the minimum bike weight and a reference rider weight of 80kg with all race gear on. Whoever is below that reference will have 0.5 per kilogram added. In an average of 80kg, some of the lightest riders will have to add 5-6kg (depending how much less they are to 80kg) with the 0.5 ratio reference. This is a new way in Superbike, to not have a fixed, defined number, so that over the years, the reference for weight and what to add can be adapted accordingly, but the rule is already there. From a production-based machine, in WorldSBK, we need to have some tools in order to balance certain things. Everybody understands that close racing is best for our sport, as well as trying to cap certain performance in the future for rider safety. A restriction on fuel, the RPM limit removal, the combined weight etc… these challenges are huge and I am so happy that we have all agreed; everyone will have their own challenge but it’s the best way to go.”

With the crankshaft and balancing shaft changes, what does this actually mean?

From the current 3% change to a 20% change from next year, Lavilla explained how different marketing strategies by manufacturers has led to a freeze in racing evolution, something that he hopes will change with a widening of what can be changed, starting from next year: “What we found out is basically, there are different types of machinery in our Championship. Some of them are really following trends and making evolutions every two years, with the scope of pure performance. Some others are frozen on evolution due to other marketing strategies or interests. With the amount of power the machines already deploy, the necessity is not more power but more rideability for better tyre consumption. In the past, what the FIM and Dorna tried to achieve was that the bike should be closer to the production-based machines. What we were missing a little bit, due to a lack of information from the manufacturers, is that certain ones stopped the evolutions from 2017 or 2018. The rule has always been more of a standard machine in terms of engine and allowed certain changes on the chassis side. When evolution stopped on the engine side, it reached the point that there are more manufacturers that need more rideability and not power output. We’ve opened up the scope of allowing certain changes as well on the engine, always within the parameters of controlled cost. Don’t just think about next year but also in five years, where we could be. Maybe we’ll need to tweak something through the years but this is the concept that has been approved.”

How will changes in fuel tank capacity and fuel flow control work?

With a fuel capacity limit of 21 litres starting in 2024 and fuel flow control coming in for 2025 after data collected next year, Lavilla expressed the positives: “There are many ways to find positive of this; the first is that motorsport and society is caring more about ESG emissions. What better than to give the manufacturer the challenge to work on this? If you can put as much fuel as you want, there is no challenge. I want to give manufacturers reasons to keep investing in our Championship. The second option is that you have a fuel limit – which honestly speaking will be bigger for 2025 because next year, it will depend on circuit layout and fuel consumption and the manufacturers asked for a bit more time. If someone needs to cut RPMs to reach the end of the race, it won’t be the organisation or the rules dictating who needs to cut what. It’ll be the manufacturer deciding their strategy; if they have a strategy to make a bike that is very fast and efficient, all the others will have to congratulate them. If we’re worried about safety and we can’t ask circuits to dismantle grandstands with corners with more room – and then fans say that they don’t enjoy going to the circuit because they’re too far away as it’s the only way to be safe – then of course, by reducing fuel, you reduce performance. All these things have a positive purpose; it’s the most effective message we could send. We care about the environment and the emissions, even if a motorcycle pollutes a small amount. We’ve given a challenge to manufacturers to really invest in those areas.”

How were all manufacturers convinced, given some are faster than others with top speed?

Talking about how all parties involved reached a unanimous decision, Lavilla continued: “There’s a track and you need to brake and accelerate, so maybe you’re going faster around the track if you make a bike that accelerates more and has better rideability and more grip. You need to combine the show being done in a correct way, safely enough and one that challenges all participants. Everyone needs to wake up and think they can win. If you lose that, you lose the competition and then even the ones winning will leave the competition because there is no reward with that victory. This is the concept that everyone needed to understand. Our job was to convince the guy that only has a project in mind to make his bike better to take him out of that scope, and say, ‘think a bit about the wider’; this was the challenge. When you need to convince people, you need to take them out from their comfort zone which, for the winning ones, is to not touch anything. Any manufacturer wants to win races like they did in our last race at Portimao. If we do nothing, maybe someone will leave. If others left, then the winning ones probably would too as they’ll say the Championship has no challenge and it’s easy to win. The best way is a manufacturer wins but having difficulties; a win is more rewarding when you have to sweat it out until the last corner.”

Why haven’t all the points been defined yet?

Explaining why exact numbers haven’t been published, WorldSBK’s Executive Director said: “Basically, two reasons: firstly, all the manufacturers wanted the rule approved as soon as possible because there’ll be a private test after our last round and everyone wants to test already; some of them will test engine modifications, some with different RPMs and some will put ballast if it’s needed. We needed to approve it as soon as possible for them to prepare for the test. Everything has been approved and, probably, if you talk to some teams, they will already tell you how much weight they will have to fit depending on the rider, and how much rpm are defined because this is all approved. The reason why it’s not detailed is because the FIM request some time to put all this on paper.”

Will manufacturers have the same RPM as they have now or as they started 2023, pre-balancing?

All manufacturers will have their revs defined for next year, except one – seemingly Ducati – who will go back to how they started this season: “The majority of the manufacturers will have the same rpms as they finish in 2023, except one where we’ll go back to the start of the season’s rpm. I pushed for the ESG emissions because, currently, as you know I am worried about the maximum performance and safety on the track, and this was a nice message that I want to give manufacturers a challenge. For the others, it was a game of more ups and downs and we accepted what the majority wanted.”

Are there exceptions to RPMs not being reduced in 2024?

Clarifying the RPM reduction rule, there remains one method where they can still be reduced: “RPMs will not be reduced anymore except if some manufacturers that aren’t competitive have superconcessions. The worry of the superconcessions is that you give something extra to someone to be competitive, but no one knows, when you put a part on your machine, if you will gain 0.1 seconds or one second. What was agreed that if someone fits a part and goes faster than anyone else, but take out that part you’ll go again below, you leave the part but you level with the rpms. This is the only thing the rpms can be modified.”

Watch the season finale LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The EAB Racing Team will have an all-new look for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign as they switch both manufacturers and riders for next year. The team have drafted in experienced campaigner Niki Tuuli as they swap the Yamaha YZF-R6 for the Ducati Panigale V2 for 2024. Although the team have worked with the Italian brand before, in STK1000, it will be the first time they’ve used the Panigale V2 since Ducati returned to WorldSSP last season.

In 2018 and 2019, the Dutch team raced with the Kawasaki ZX-6R before a partnership with Ten Kate Racing in 2020 meant they first used the Yamaha machine. They stuck with the R6 bike when that partnership ended after just one year, with current rider Glenn van Straalen once again linking up with the team in 2021. He’s been their sole rider for the past few seasons, but a new challenge awaits the team and they have opted to bring in Tuuli for next season as they switch to the Bologna-based manufacturer. 

The Finn is an experienced WorldSSP figure with 82 races under his belt already. The 27-year-old has scored two wins and 10 podiums so far in his career as well as two pole positions. His best Championship finish is seventh, which he scored in 2017 and is currently matching this season as he competes for PTR Triumph on their Street Triple RS 765. For 2024, the two-time MotoE™ race winner will switch to EAB Racing and Ducati.

The Italian brand will be Tuuli’s fifth that he’s competed on in WorldSSP. He started his career out with Yamaha in 2015, 2016 and 2017, securing four podiums in the early stages of his career as he made sporadic appearances in his first two campaigns for Kallio Racing. In 2017, he was a full-time rider for the Finnish outfit, and he took his first win at Magny-Cours that year. For 2018, Tuuli made five appearances for the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda squad before leaving WorldSSP for a few seasons. He returned in 2021 with the MV Agusta Reparto Corse squad, competing with the Italian brand for two seasons and winning Race 1 in Indonesia with their F3 800 RR machine, before he switched to PTR Triumph in 2023; taking their sole podium in Race 1 at Mandalika.

Discussing the switch to EAB Racing and Ducati for next year, Tuuli said: “First of all, I want to say thanks to the EAB Racing Team for give me this opportunity. I also want to thank the people at my side who made this possible. This is a great change for me to show the real potential and I think, as a Finnish rider, I will fit well in the team. I have followed the team for many years and the atmosphere is good. I am motivated and me and the team will work well together. The first thing to do is prepare everything ready during the winter to start the year in best way. It certainly takes time to adapt to a new bike, but the complete package is there to fight for the top spots. I am ready to start to work with the team and I am super happy with this move. On to next year and many thanks to everybody involved.”

Team Manager Kor Veldman added: “I am happy that we signed Niki Tuuli for 2024. We have had contact with each other before in the past and it is nice to start the new season together. We are therefore very confident that we can show great things together in the new season. In 2024 we will no longer ride the trusted Yamaha YZF-R6 but a Ducati Panigale V2. This will be a new challenge for both of us as a team and for Niki. The first parts have already arrived in the workshop, so from now we can build everything up for the first test in December. I would like to thank everyone who helped making this possible and we are going in to 2024 with full confidence.”

Watch the WorldSSP season finale from Jerez LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Superbike Commission, composed of MM. Gregorio LAVILLA (Dorna, WorldSBK Executive Director), Paul KING (Director of the FIM Circuit Racing Commission), Biense BIERMA (General Secretary of the MSMA), coordinated by Paul DUPARC (Manager of the FIM Circuit Racing Commission – SBK Secretary of the Commission), in the presence of Ludovic REIGNIER (FIM WorldSBK Technical Director), Dominique HEBRARD (FIM CTI Technical Manager) and Roland BERGER (FIM CTI Director) met on numerous occasions in recent weeks.

With the Superbike World Championship now being mature, the FIM, Dorna and the MSMA have decided to work on the long term and have defined some concepts on which this Championship will have to evolve. The stakeholders are keen to include them in an even more virtuous policy with regard to the environment and to continue to balance the performance of the machines while limiting their performances for safety.

For the WorldSBK class, the following concepts have been then decided and will be appropriately drafted in the Technical Rules that will be written for the 2024 season:

FUEL FLOW CONTROL: data collected through 2024 to implement in 2025

To incentive the environmental guidelines and give a platform for manufacturers to increase their machine developments in these areas for the future, it has been decided that, from 2025, a fuel flow control system will be mandatory to use. Therefore, in 2024, two bikes from each manufacturer will be required to fit a fuel flow meter and log data during both practices and races to validate the concept and define the value for 2025.

FUEL TANK REDUCATION AND REGULATIONS: a smaller tank

In 2024, a new fuel tank maximum capacity will be set at 21.0 litres.

COMBINED WEIGHT: new rules for 2024

In 2024, a combined weight for rider and machine has been defined by FIM-DWO-MSMA agreement.

RPM LIMITS: changes to when limits are set, intervention rules changed

This point was discussed in combination with the combined weight. In 2024, RPM limits will be set prior to the beginning of the 2024 season by FIM-DWO-MSMA agreement and will not be reduced during that season (with the exemption of FIM-DWO RPM reduction intervention in case of superconcession overshooting). Article 2.4.2.2 (balancing calculation) related to RPM reductions will be cancelled.

CRANKSHAFT AND THE BALANCE SHAFT: weight modifications allowed

Crankshaft and balance shaft weight may be modified by +/- 20% from the homologated weight measured during the FIM homologation inspection and the corresponding parts ‘kit’ must be a listed part in the FIM eligible parts list.

CHECKPOINT AND CONCESSION TOKEN CALCULATION: measured every two events from 2024

From 2024, this will be reviewed every two events instead of three as present.

SUPERCONCESSION AND CONCESSION PARTS: outline approval changes

The outline approval will be one month prior to the event and final detailed approval 14 days prior to the technical control day of the event removing the necessity to describe the super concession parts in the FIM SBK regulations. A specific communication will be put in place instead.

On Saturday October 28^th, a formal meeting of the SBK Commission will take place during the final round of the Championship. During this meeting, various sporting and disciplinary points will be raised and possible additional technical points could also be discussed.

The resolutions of this Superbike Commission have been approved by the Permanent Bureau. A regularly updated version of the FIM SBK Regulations which contains the detailed text of the regulation changes may be viewed shortly on the FIM website.

Watch all the action from Jerez at the end of October using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Source: WorldSBK.com