WE’RE BACK IN ACTION! The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to racing for round nine and the Pirelli French Round from the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. The historic and iconic French circuit has WorldSBK at the heart of the show and the passion from the thousands of fans is unique on our calendar. Every year, records are shattered, new milestones achieved and more reasons to celebrate founded. This year is no different; check out our super stats below!

197 – Spain has 197 podiums: with three more, they will become the 5^th country to reach 200 after the United Kingdom (867), Italy (416), Australia (329) and the United States (262).

100 – With three starts, Axel Bassani will become the 17^th rider in history with at least 100 races for Ducati. The record belongs to Chaz Davies at 216. Another rider set to reach 100 for a manufacturer is Andrea Locatelli, now at 97 for Yamaha (record: Noriyuki Haga: 181).

52 – Alvaro Bautista posted his 50^th win milestone in Most and now is just two wins shy of the 3^rd all-time spot held by Troy Bayliss (52 wins).

46 – 46 podiums for Ducati, a record at Magny-Cours. Kawasaki follows at 31 and Yamaha at 29.

38/20 – Magny-Cours has seen no less than 20 winners and 38 podium finishers out of 46 races.

20 – Great Britain is the most successful country at Magny-Cours with 20 wins. The next best is Turkey at six, all by Toprak Razgatlioglu.

18-1 – Despite being the most successful manufacturer with 18 wins, Ducati has only one Magny-Cours pole: 2003 with James Toseland – his first pole.

16 – In 2019, Toprak Razgatlioglu set a new record for the win from the lowest grid spot at Magny-Cours as he won from 16^th, and he did it twice: in Race 1 and in the Tissot Superpole Race.

11-11 – 11 wins came from pole and 11 from the second grid spot, the best grid slots for winning.

10 – After a run of ten British poles at Magny-Cours (2010-2019), Irishman Eugene Laverty stole the top spot in Superpole in 2020. The British record run: Cal Crutchlow (2010), Jonathan Rea (2011, 2016, 2017, 2019), Tom Sykes (2012 to 2014 and 2018), Leon Haslam (2015).

10 – Kawasaki holds the pole record with ten, the last one last year with Rea. That is more than three times the value of its nearest competitors, Yamaha and Honda at three

9/6 – Rea is the most successful rider here with nine wins. Razgatlioglu is next at six and Noriyuki Haga at five. Rea has the most poles of anyone at Magny-Cours with six.

4 – Only one rider was able to climb on the podium here for four different manufacturers: Marco Melandri (Yamaha in 2011, BMW in 2012, Aprilia in 2014 and Ducati in 2017).

1 – One French winner at Magny-Cours: Sylvain Guintoli (2012 Race 1, Ducati; 2014 Race 1, Aprilia).

0.5 – The closest Championship finish of all-time came at Magny-Cours in 2012, with Max Biaggi beating Tom Sykes to the title by just half a point.

0.000s – Last year, a new record for the smallest gap between polesitter and 2^nd on the grid was set in Magny-Cours, as Rea and Razgatlioglu recorded exactly the same time, down to the smallest possible digit. The Superpole was thus decided by the second-best lap time in favour of Rea.

SHORTHAND NOTEBOOK

2022 race winners:

• Alvaro Bautista (Race 1)
• Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha, Superpole Race and Race 2)

Last three pole-sitters at Magny-Cours:

• 2022: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’36.124
• 2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’35.683
• 2020: Eugene Laverty (BMW) 1’48.644 (wet)

Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Magny-Cours:

• Ducati: 46 (18)
• Kawasaki: 31 (14)
• Yamaha: 29 (9)
• Aprilia: 11 (3)
• Honda: 10 (2)
• Suzuki: 7
• BMW: 4

Key gaps Magny-Cours 2022:
 

• Front row covered by: 0.109s
• 1 second in Superpole covered… the top 13: 0.768s
• Closest race gap between 1^st and 2^nd: 1.891s (Razgatlioglu 1^st, Bautista 2^nd, Superpole Race)
• Closest race podium: 2.040ss (Razgatlioglu 1^st, Bautista 2^nd, Rea 3^rd, Superpole Race)
• Closest all-time Magny-Cours podium: 0.412s (Toseland 1^st, Haga 2^nd, Bayliss 3^rd: Race 1 2006)

Manufacturer top speeds at Magny-Cours, 2022:

• Kawasaki: Alex Lowes – 297.5 km/h, Superpole
• Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 299.1 km/h, Superpole
• Yamaha: Toprak Razgatlioglu– 297.5 km/h, Warm Up
• Honda: Iker Lecuona – 298.3 km/h, FP3 and Race 1
• BMW: Loris Baz – 297.5 km/h, Superpole

Watch all the 2022 season unfold chapter-by-chapter with the comprehensive WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

A new name will make his debut on the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid next year as Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) gets the nod to race alongside Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The current WorldSSP Championship leader has long been linked with the seat next to the #1 and his future is now secure as Ducati puts faith in their World Supersport star. He will take the place of Michael Ruben Rinaldi whose future with the Ducati squad is coming to an end after three seasons, three wins and 16 podiums to date.

BULEGA’S STORY: from JuniorGP™ Champion to factory Ducati WorldSBK star in the making

The Italian was the first rider signed for Ducati’s World Supersport comeback in 2022, the manufacturer’s first WorldSSP appearances since 2007. Bulega switched from the MotoGP™ paddock after competing in 50 Moto3™ races, taking two podiums and two pole positions, as well as three seasons in Moto2™ where he was unable to showcase his potential. Prior to that, the 23-year-old competed in the FIM CEV Moto3™ Junior World Championship (now JuniorGP™) and claimed the title in his second season in 2015, taking one win at Jerez.

However, his World Supersport success has been one of his main career highlights; 2022 promised a lot but a first race win eluded him all-season. A strong start to the year welcomed him into the class with eight podiums in 15 races, but then just one more podium was achieved in the final nine, leaving him fourth in the Championship with three fastest laps and a total of nine rostrums.

For 2023, Bulega was the second-highest placed returnee to the class from the year before, with Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) set to challenge him hard. However, a majestic start to the year saw him storm to a Phillip Island double, whilst Oncu and Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) fought back in Indonesia at Mandalika. Four wins in the next five races came Bulega’s way however, whilst it was now Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) who was his main threat after Oncu’s injury. A double by Bulega at Donington Park saw his lead extend but fellow countryman Manzi retaliated with a double of his own at Imola, with his lead down to 41 ahead of Most.

ON CLOUD NINE: “This is a dream come true”

Speaking about his move up to World Superbike for 2024, Bulega’s is delighted of what is a dream chance: “I want to be honest: this is a dream come true. Racing for an official team is the desire of every rider. Therefore, before I talk about my emotions and expectations, I want to thank Ducati and Aruba.it Racing. And I am also extremely grateful for the opportunity I was given already last season by Aruba.it and Feel Racing and especially by Stefano Cecconi, Serafino Foti and Daniele Casolari. They chose me to ride a fantastic Ducati Panigale V2, on which I felt immediately comfortable. I know how important this opportunity is and I will always give my best to improve myself, day after day, with the only goal of getting the best possible results. I say it again: thank you for the trust. Thinking about the history of this team, where great champions have always raced, I feel proud to be able to defend the same colours. Also, I am very happy to be able to share the box with Alvaro Bautista. Having him as a teammate will be a big plus: I will try to absorb every information I can learn from him.”

DUCATI ON THEIR LATEST STAR: “Fast, talented… potential to compete with the best riders in WorldSBK”

Stefano Cecconi, the Team Principal at Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, added: “Nicolo is a choice that makes us proud because it confirms the quality of the project, we undertook two years ago in World Supersport. His growth has been steady, and we expect him to continue this path riding a Panigale V4 R, as he has proven he can be very fast with this bike during testing. From the beginning, we have believed in the talent of Nicolo who, moreover, in this year and a half has shown great professionalism and attachment to the colours of the team. I would also like to address a big thank you to Michael Ruben Rinaldi with whom the professional and human relationship has always been very strong. Even if our paths separate, he will always be part of our family. Good luck Michael!”

Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager, said: “We are pleased to welcome Nicolo Bulega to the official Superbike team. Since last season, Nicolo has been able to give us immense delight. He is a very talented rider, and his experience, despite his young age, could be a determining factor in facing this fascinating and demanding challenge. During the test held with the Ducati Panigale V4 R machine, he has shown that he has the potential to compete with the best riders in WorldSBK, and sharing the garage with Alvaro Bautista will only help him grow. However, it will be important for him to stay focused on his WorldSSP season. The Aruba.it Racing team had the merit last year to think about Bulega and involve him in a completely new project that Ducati cares so much about. We hope he can wrap up his last season in Supersport in the best possible way.”

ITALIAN RIDERS WITH DUCATI: it’s been poetic, emotional and very successful

The 23-year-old from Montecchio Emilia has high hopes of joining famous Italian names who have gone on to succeed with the Borgo Panigale factory. Marco Lucchinelli, Giancarlo Falappa, Mauro Lucchiari, Pierfrancesco Chili, Lorenzo Lanzi, Michel Fabrizio, Marco Melandri and Michael Ruben Rinaldi have all won races for the Italian marque, with 90s legends Chili and Falappa tied at the most for Italian riders at 13 each. Chili, who finished fourth in the Championship in 1998 and 2000, sports 43 podiums for the brand, more than any other Italian rider. In terms of podiums, Davide Guigliano has 12 for Ducati, the manufacturer’s most successful without winning a race.

Of course, most of the riders mentioned above have been in factory teams and Independent teams, but there are also plenty of other Italians from Independent teams that have achieved a fair amount of success. On the current grid, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) is the second-highest Ducati in the standings, whilst Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) became a podium finisher at Donington Park this year. In 2008, Max Biaggi’s only season with Ducati gave seven podiums, whilst in 1994 and 1995, Fabrizio Pirovano took four rostrums. Ayrton Badovini, Baldassarri Monte and Davide Tardozzi are the other home-grown Ducati stars to take at least one podium.

WHAT NEXT FOR RINALDI? Staying in the Ducati family, or time for a new challenge?

Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s pace is unequivocal, whilst is consistency isn’t quite there. After three seasons in the factory red of Ducati, the #21 will move over, but does he have to move out of the Ducati family? Whilst unlikely, Motocorsa Racing haven’t announced plans for 2024; current rider Axel Bassani has out-performed Rinaldi in 2023 and is at the heart of the team’s decisions. There’s no love lost between the two Italians either, making any possible expansion to accommodate Rinaldi unlikely. The four-time WorldSBK race winner has ridden for Barni Ducati and Team GoEleven in the past, perhaps there’s an option at one of those? Denis Sacchetti stated that Rinaldi is a “big friend” of the team and that “every team” should be interested in him.

Outside of the Ducati possibilities, there are a few seats still available. There’s a newly-vacated factory Kawasaki seat that Rinaldi could put his name forward for, while Team HRC are yet to announce their line-up and BMW have already got their own situation with Michael van der Mark and Scott Redding angling to be teammate to Toprak for 2024, although no announcement has been made yet.

Will Bulega seal the WorldSSP title ahead of his WorldSBK debut? Find out using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Pirelli French Round is already making waves due to pre-round news but soon the off-track talk stops and the on-track action begins. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns from its mid-season break at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours for Round 9 of the season, and nothing is certain as France welcomes back the Championship. After the incredible drama of the 2022 French Round, where Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came together, plus the #65 and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) had their own separate incidents, this year’s round is not to be missed. Buy your tickets HERE.

The on-track stories are just starting to reach a crescendo in WorldSBK as the final four rounds of the season get underway, with Bautista leading the way but being put under pressure by Razgatlioglu. The reigning Champion can move a step closer to securing his second crown, but his rivals will be doing their best to take chunks out of his points lead. Meanwhile, the WorldSSP title race is heating up between Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) and Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) as the two Italians go in search of their first World Supersport title and the WorldSSP300 fight remains as unpredictable as ever. You won’t want to miss any of the on-track action as the title battles step up a gear.

Of course, the racing provides a fundamental part of the experience of attending a round, but the off-track entertainment and celebrations are not to be missed either. The Paddock Show returns alongside WorldSBK, with a chance to get up close and personal with your favourite riders as well as play some interactive games and enjoy some meet and greet sessions with the stars of the paddock. Not only this, but the podium celebrations for all three World Championships take place in the heart of the paddock and you can be part of the celebrations with your tickets to the French Round!

Don’t miss out – purchase your tickets for Magny-Cours right HERE and experience all the excitement from France!

Source: WorldSBK.com

It was a phenomenal eighth round of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship at Most, but after the mid-season break, racing action returns to France and the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Always a track that brings the biggest surprises and with reasons to cheer on home interests, passion is fuelled from the trackside fans as much as the emotion is conveyed come the end of battle. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) suffered a P16 finish last time out; he won’t want the same again.

THE TITLE BATTLE: Bulega and Manzi set for another epic scrap

Graduating directly into a factory Ducati spot for 2024, ‘Bulegas’ has been a cut above the rest and the rider to beat in WorldSSP, but it wasn’t plain sailing at Most last time out. A decision to come in and pit for wet tyres in a short shower cost him a point-scoring finish, but it wasn’t a total loss. Main title rival Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) also pitted for wet tyres, however, he retired from the race, unable to capitalise on the Champion-elect’s difficulties. Momentum has been with Manzi however, a double win at Imola and strong pace at Most, but he faces a mammoth task to topple WorldSBK-bound Bulega. 46 points split them for now, eight races remain in the title race.

A POTENTIAL FOR SHOCKS: MV Agusta on the hunt for victory, but will Mangy-Cours experience count?

A further 48 behind but with six podiums – including five second place finishes – Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) makes it three manufacturers inside the top three in the standings. Magny-Cours will be the fourth new track for him to get to grips with, but he’s been doing a great job at new venues so far, with two podiums in the last four races at very tricky and technical tracks. His teammate Bahattin Sofuoglu crashed in Race 2 at Most but Turkish tenacity saw him remount to take a podium, a fourth of the year. He’s fifth overall and 85 behind Schroetter, with Federico Caricasulo the meat in the sandwich. Poor results at Imola and Most have cost ‘Carica’ a title challenge, but he’s now 47 behind Schroetter in P3.

WHO WILL MOVE AHEAD IN THE BATTLE FOR P6? An unpredictable show in store

The battle for a top six place is fierce however, with 22 points covering P6 to P12. Flying Finn Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) currently occupies the place, just ahead of Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team), both of which completed testing at Aragon last week. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) flies the home flag for himself but also Christophe Guyot’s team and will pursue a first podium of 2023 on familiar soil. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) complete the top six fight; Navarro tested at Aragon with teammate Manzi last week, whilst in the WorldSBK test, 20-year-old Huertas got a chance to prove himself on the ZX-10RR of Jonathan Rea, with praised heaped on the Madrid-born 2021 WorldSSP300 Champion. A side-note further down the field is that after testing multiple engine configurations at the Aragon test, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) will hope to be a regular points contender after becoming the latest WorldSSP winner last time out.

RIDER NEWS AND LINE-UP CHANGES: Oncu plans to return, Jespersen back in WorldSSP

There’s plenty of housekeeping to get on with, as Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing Team) misses the round due to MotoE™ World Championship duties with the Italian being replaced by Danish hotshot Simon Jespersen. However, the big news in terms of returns is that Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is back in action. He took part in a test at Cremona in Italy last week, completing 82 laps and over 300km, and after a five-month absence due to nerve damage, he’s aiming to pass his mandatory Thursday medical check and get back racing. The same can’t be said for Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing), who misses the Pirelli French Round after injuries sustained following a crash at Donington Park, with Andreas Kofler – Maximilian’s brother, Bayliss’ teammate – once again stepping in. Elsewhere, Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) is back after Most as he replaces Harry Truelove for the end of the season, while Andy Verdoia once again steps into the fold at the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team in place of Apiwath Wongthananon. Two wildcards will race in France, with Johan Gimbert (GMT94 Yamaha) and Matthieu Gregorio (Moto Ain) aiming for glory on home soil.

Watch every moment from the French Round LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) has made a name for himself since MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship debut, and he’s become a rising star within the paddock. Often getting amongst the ‘Titanic Trio’ in races and showing no signs of backing down when fighting with them, the Italian continues to impress. Now in his third season with Motocorsa Racing and still collecting podiums, the Italian sat down for an interview to review his 2023 so far, looking to end the campaign strongly and not yet securing a factory seat.

BASSANI’S FUTURE: “Difficult to speak about… it’s a strange world”

Bassani’s future has come into question since he started fighting at the front of the field and he was being linked with the factory Ducati seat in the last couple of years. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) kept it for 2023 and Nicolo Bulega will ride the factory Panigale V4 R next year. It means Bassani – for the moment – does not have a factory seat in WorldSBK although there are some available for next year. The six-time podium finisher revealed his thoughts on not having a factory team and discussed his future, with his eyes firmly on doing the best job he could.

He explained: “The future is always difficult to speak about. I don’t know what will happen in the future. I’m doing what I need to do. I try to put in 100% when I’m on the track to try to finish at the front and out of the track it’s the job of my manager to speak with the teams. It’s not easy to accept but this is the situation. How I feel about not having a factory bike isn’t easy to explain. It’s a strange world. Sometimes you don’t have what you deserve. It’s not good for me but also, I feel like people are scared of me because I’m a fast rider and I say what I want to say. It’s not easy to have me in a team! It’s a strange situation.”

2023 IN REVIEW: “A good season… Misano was special, Imola was a different feeling”

The Feltre-born star came into 2023 on the back of three podiums last season and finishing seventh in the Championship standings, and this season has proven to be similar. He currently has two podiums but has found more consistency, moving him into fifth in the standings and in a battle with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) for third. Bassani also fought for victory at his home round at Imola but lost out to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in the final few laps. Despite the first victory still alluding him, Bassani spoke positively about his season as well as how he feels when he fights with riders like Razgatlioglu and Rea.

The #47 explained: “I think my 2023 season has been a good season. We’ve done a really good job and I’ve fought for the podium. I’m happy for the job we’ve done with the team and for the job I’ve done. The best moment of this season was Race 2 at Imola. We fought with Toprak for the victory, and we weren’t far away. Misano was special, but Michael crashed in front of me, so I finished third, but I was fourth. At Imola, we fought for victory, so it was a different feeling. When I fight with the front guys, Jonny or Toprak, I feel like I’m in the right place. I feel good and I enjoy battling with them because they are the best guys in the world with a motorbike. It’s a really special moment for me and I feel good.”

AIMING HIGH: “We are close to the victory… I think we can fight for the podium or win at Magny-Cours”

24-year-old Bassani is still looking for his first win in World Superbike, but he was as close as ever at Imola in mid-July, missing out in the final few laps of Race 2 as he finished behind the 2021 Champion. Despite not winning yet, Bassani is aiming to secure his maiden victory in the final four rounds of 2023, and he outlined Magny-Cours as a track where this could potentially happen after he took two podiums there last year. He also set his sights high in the Championship standings.

Outlining his goals for the final four rounds of 2023, the Italian stated: “The goals for the last part of the season are to finish in the top three at the end of the Championship. I want to win races and continue to enjoy the moment. To win, we need to wait. We are doing a really good job and we are close to the victory. We have a lot of races where I like the track and the layout. I’m trying to fight for victories, but it isn’t easy. We are close. Before the end of the season, we’ll arrive there. Magny-Cours is a really good track for us. Last year, we had two podiums. I think we can fight for the podium or for a victory, but we will see. It’s a good track for me.”

Will Bassani’s first win come in 2023? Find out using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) will switch from green to blue for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as he links up with Paul Denning’s Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad after he leaves Kawasaki at the end of the season. The six-time Champion has spent nine seasons at the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK and won all his titles with them, as well as over 100 race wins, but will now start a new challenge in Yamaha blue in 2024 as he replaces Toprak Razgatlioglu, who switches to BMW for next year. The Ulsterman will line up alongside Andrea Locatelli, who also has a contract for the same period, with the duo currently engaged in a fierce fight for third in the Championship standings.

THE BIG SWITCH: the Rea-Yamaha combination goes for gold…

Yamaha were the manufacturer who ended Rea’s title streak back in 2021 when the #54 claimed the crown in a final-round showdown in Indonesia. The 36-year-old remained a key figure in the 2022 season as the ‘Titanic Trio’ battled it out all season long, but it was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who came out on top as he secured that year’s title, with Razgatlioglu in second and Rea in third. In 2023, after eight rounds, Rea has secured only one win and 11 podiums as Bautista and Razgatlioglu share most of the spoils. Can Rea’s huge switch to Yamaha turn his fortunes around, and can Rea help Yamaha win the Championship while he’s at the manufacturer?

A THIRD MANUFACTURER FOR REA: Honda, Kawasaki and now Yamaha

After nine seasons at Kawasaki, Rea makes the switch to Yamaha, and they will be his third manufacturer he’s raced in WorldSBK. He started his World Superbike career with Honda at Portimao in 2008, and then secured a full-time seat in 2009, Rea took 15 races with Honda before jumping to Kawasaki. It was there where Rea’s talent matched the rewards as he hoovered up WorldSBK records left, right and centre: six titles, 104 wins with Kawasaki, 256 podiums in total (214 with Kawasaki) and many more. It’s truly the end of an era as Rea makes the swap to Yamaha for the next two seasons, with the pair aiming to continue re-writing the record books.

YAMAHA REACT: “We believe Rea can add to his Championship tally, confident he can achieve this with us”

Eric de Seynes, President & CEO, Yamaha Motor Europe, outlined the ambitions of both Rea and Yamaha for the Northern Irishman’s stay with the manufacturer. He said: “We are very happy to welcome Jonathan to the Yamaha family and we are very much motivated to collaborate with him for the future. We have the same motivation to win, and the same passion for WorldSBK. Like him we have been world champions in recent years, and we want to be back on the top of the box once again. Jonathan’s drive, determination and hunger for success have been constants throughout his career and these attributes will contribute to our future common success. We truly believe that Jonathan can add to his World Championship tally, writing his name even larger in the history books, and we are equally confident that he can achieve this together with us. We are working hard to improve further our race proven Yamaha R1, to ensure that we provide Jonathan with exactly what he needs to achieve his and Yamaha’s goals in 2024 and 2025.”

MORE HISTORY AWAITS: those who achieved big rewards with brave switches

Whilst 2023 may be seeing the biggest switches of all-time in the ultimate silly season and an irrepressibly wild rider market, there have been some sizeable ones before. For 1996, Carl Fogarty switched to Honda for a year, which didn’t work out and he returned to Ducati for 1997. In 2000, Troy Corser left Ducati after multiple success in 1998 and 1999 to lead the Aprilia project, which he took to race wins across 2000 and 2001. When Marco Melandri joined WorldSBK with Yamaha in 2011, he moved on to BMW for 2012, one of the biggest moves at the time. Jonathan Rea himself made headlines in one of the biggest moves when he originally joined Kawasaki in 2015, whilst Alvaro Bautista’s comeback to Ducati has been nothing short of remarkable after two years in Honda doldrums in 2020 and 2021, completing unfinished business from 2019 when he took the title in 2022. Razgatlioglu’s own leap from the Kawasaki family to Yamaha came in 2019, which proved successful with a race win on his debut and the title a year later. You can read more about each one here.

Watch the final four rounds of the 2023 season in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the news that Jonathan Rea will leave Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK at the end of the season, it’s time to look at just a handful of his best moments in green. From wins, titles and incredible last-lap duels, the Rea-KRT partnership has been one of the most successful in MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship history with the combination racking up six Riders’ Championships and more than 100 wins. We take a look at a few of some of the incredible moments the partnership has enjoyed over the last nine seasons.

FIRST RACE, FIRST WIN: Rea’s successful start to life in green – Phillip Island Race 1, 2015

The 36-year-old joined Kawasaki in 2015 and went into the season billed as one of the favourites for the Championship. He soon showed why as he claimed pole position by just 0.026s ahead of Davies. Race 1 soon turned into a three-way scrap for victory between Rea, Davies and Leon Haslam with three different manufacturers – Kawasaki, Ducati and Aprilia – in the mix. The #65 eventually fended off Haslam by just 0.039s at the line to start his and KRT’s relationship in the perfect fashion and give a glimpse of what was to come.

THE FIRST CROWN: taking the title – Jerez Race 1, 2015

After starting the season as one of the favourites, Rea ended it on top. 23 podiums in 26 races followed including 16 wins as the Ulsterman was crowned World Champion for the first time and he racked up an incredible 548 points. He was 132 clear of rival Davies at the end of the season as he wrapped up the title with two full rounds to spare. Little did anyone know at the time what the first title would lead to.

MATCHING FOGARTY: greatness matches greatness – Imola Race 2, 2018

Matching the numbers of someone perceived or recognised as the greatest can always be emotional, and Rea got to experience this back in 2018. In Race 2 at Imola, he matched Fogarty’s tally of 59 wins to put them level in the all-time list of WorldSBK winners. It meant Rea was well on the way to recording his own status as the greatest and the numbers have continued to grow as he cements himself as the best according to numbers. Fogarty and Rea’s parity lasted just a couple of rounds as Rea surpassed ‘Foggy’ at Brno.

FOUR ON THE BOUNCE: Rea wraps up fourth crown – Magny-Cours Race 1, 2018

Very few riders can claim to be a World Champion, and even fewer can say they won multiple titles. Rea, however, gets to say both as he wrapped up Championship number four in style at Magny-Cours back in 2018. It meant he matched Fogarty for titles won but, unlike his compatriot, Rea had won all his consecutively. It was yet another record for the Northern Irishman as he continued to re-write the WorldSBK history books, although this one only lasted a year before Rea beat it again.

HISTORY MADE: first rider to win five titles – Magny-Cours Race 2, 2019

Staying in France and staying with titles, almost a year to the day from his fourth crown, Rea wrapped up his fifth Championship. He became the first rider in WorldSBK history to win five WorldSBK titles and he was still unbeaten since joining KRT in 2015. It was another momentous moment for both team and rider as the combination continued to rack up wins, titles and history together after he overhauled Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the second half of the season, despite the Spaniard’s dominant start to his rookie campaign.

THE LAST CROWN WITH KAWASAKI: six of the best – Estoril Race 1, 2020

2020 came along and a new Ducati rival was in town. Bautista left the team and Scott Redding joined, with the Brit fresh from his domestic success. He pushed Rea all the way in 2020, a season that was different for so many reasons, as the title fight went down to the season-ending Estoril Round. It was Rea who came out on top once again as he secured his sixth title with KRT. The Ulsterman also ended his campaign on 99 wins after edging closer to a century in WorldSBK.

100 NOT OUT: Rea’s 100^th WorldSBK win – Aragon Race 1, 2021

His 100^th win came one race after he won his sixth title, but he had to wait a long time for it as the season got underway at Aragon in May. Rea was on the hunt for the victory and the incredible and unmatched milestone came in Race 1 as he led a KRT 1-2 ahead of Alex Lowes. He became the only rider to reach a century of victories in WorldSBK and he has, as of the 2023 Czech Round, 60 wins more than Fogarty, who sits second on the all-time list.

A CENTURY FOR KAWASAKI: another milestone hit – Assen Superpole Race, 2022

A different type of century came a year later as Rea took his 100^th win on Kawasaki machinery. As the paddock headed to Netherlands and Assen, his Race 1 victory after a hard-fought battle with Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) moved him onto 99 wins in green and his 100^th would come just a few hours later, in the Tissot Superpole Race. Again, the ‘Titanic Trio’ were the stars of the show as Rea fended off the #54 and #19 machines to take his 100^th Kawasaki win.

RIVALRY IGNITES: Rea vs Davies for the first big scrap – Aragon Race 1, 2015

Given his success and that he was the rider to beat for so long, it’s no surprise that Rea had several rivals. One of these was Davies and their rivalry really ignited back at Aragon in 2015 when the pair went head-to-head and they were inseparable throughout the 18-lap race as they battled with Tom Sykes for victory. Sykes had been the long-time race leader before Rea and Davies found their way through and then they scrapped it out until the end with just 0.051s the margin between the two; the fight for victory coming on a drag race to the line with Rea just holding on.

DECIDED AT THE LINE: Rea and Bautista fight until the end – Estoril Race 2, 2022

Last-lap thrillers were becoming another of Rea’s specialities, especially as the ‘Titanic Trio’ fought tooth and nail for victory in 2022. This was summed up nowhere better than Estoril in 2022 when every single race was decided on the final lap. Bautista came out on top against Razgatlioglu in Race 1, Rea in the Superpole Race ahead of the 2021 Champion and the #65 was on top again in Race 2 after a stunning and scarcely believable fight with Bautista through the final half of the last lap.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) will depart Kawasaki machinery at the end of this year as a nine-season partnership between KRT and Rea concludes at the end of the 2023 season. 36-year-old Rea, who has won all his titles with Kawasaki, over 100 races in nine seasons in green and was set to stay with Kawasaki with a contract for 2024, will now not race for the team next season after he and the team opted to end the agreement by mutual consent.

HONDA HEROICS: humble beginnings for Rea

Rea’s time in WorldSBK began back in 2008, when he wildcarded at Portimao – the track’s first round – taking home a fourth place in Race 1 after a front row start, whilst he was in contention for a strong result before running off at Turn 1 in Race 2. Still, a full-time ride awaited in 2009, and he won for the Ten Kate Honda outfit at Misano, his first of 119 WorldSBK wins to-date. Staying with the manufacturer until the end of 2014 and winning a total of 15 races, however a new challenge dawned for 2015.

THE ALL-CONQUERING PARTNERSHIP: Rea and Kawasaki make history

When it was announced that Rea would make the switch to Kawasaki for 2015, instantly, he was one of the favourites for success and to fight for the title, and he didn’t disappoint. He stormed to the title, wrapping it up at Jerez with two full rounds to go, and with that, the Rea era was born. An updated ZX-10RR kept it and the Ulsterman at the top for 2016, right the way through to 2020, taking six astonishing Championships and signing his name in history as the greatest of all time as far as numbers are concerned. Missing out on the title in 2021 to Razgatlioglu in a final round showdown and remaining as a key race win contender in 2022, it was clear that the Rea-Kawasaki package, that for so long, had been a benchmark, was now in new territory and whilst wins continued and records were updated, 2023’s difficulties have struck a new chord and forced a change going into 2024.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: thankful Rea and KRT on the bombshell news

Speaking about his departure, Rea thanked Kawasaki for helping him to achieve so much: “I want to thank everyone at KMC and KRT for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to prove myself at the highest level. I have learnt and grown so much as a person and a rider since the first day throwing my leg over the factory Ninja ZX-10R superbike. Winning six consecutive WorldSBK Championships will always be the most obvious highlight of my time with Kawasaki; but it will also be the amazing memories, the life lessons, and the laughs that I will take with me into the future. And, for sure, it’s our mission to complete the 2023 season as strongly and with as much commitment as we have always shown. Now, looking back on our journey, it fills me with pride at the joy and happiness we have brought Kawasaki fans and Kawasaki owners around the world. This is not a goodbye, because you don’t say goodbye to family, but it is simply the end of this incredible chapter. I wish everyone at KRT the best of luck for the chapters that will surely follow. See you at the track.”

KRT Team Manager Guim Roda added: “In life as well as racing, priorities define the path to follow. I am very happy and proud that during these nine years Jonny has defined his priorities with KRT and has given us so many successes. I consider myself, our team, Kawasaki and all our fans worldwide, privileged to have been part of this journey.  Whichever direction he goes in the future, I hope he can continue to grow as a rider. The task we have now is to finish the 2023 season as best we can with the tools we have been able to forge this year. As always, we will continue to look for improvements and seek advantage wherever possible. KRT is committed to putting on a good show with Johnny during his last four races on the formidable and impressive Ninja ZX-10RR that he has become synonymous with.”

REA’S VACANT SEAT: what does it mean for the rest of the grid?

At BMW, it seems that it will be either Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) or current teammate Scott Redding alongside Razgatlioglu, with an announcement teased by the latter at Imola on the Sunday. There was then no announcement, only one from Redding in the days later that he’d definitely be on the WorldSBK grid in 2024; you can read all about those topics combined, here.

Elsewhere, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) are yet to slot in, although Ducati dropped a recent hint about Rinaldi’s future at the Aragon test. As for Honda’s rider line-up, there’s been no confirmation or even mere rumours of 2024 yet. Away from established WorldSBK riders, could there be a surprise on the cards? Adrian Huertas recently tested for KRT at Aragon and the general feeling from the team was one that was impressed with the debutant’s performance. 

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Source: WorldSBK.com

After August was spent relaxing for many by the beach or visiting new places, for others, they were hard at work and with other duties. However, the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back to racing action after the August break as the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours hones into view for round nine of the season. It’s a track steeped in history. Where Championships have been won gloriously and lost hopelessly, where rivalries were formed, battle lines drawn and fallouts born. A place where the fans’ passion is fuelled by a euphoric atmosphere from the terraces and the paddock. Magny-Cours has it all and those recent-year duels have been the jewel in this circuit’s modern history – and there’s no sign of it stopping in 2023. Allez!

TUSSLE AT THE TOP: mind the gap, will it get closer in France?

After late heart-ache for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) last time out at Most in Race 2, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) seized the day to take victory and extend his Championship lead to 74 points, but the momentum was firmly with his Turkish rival in the races prior and Bautista did crash during testing at Aragon just last week. The reigning World Champion has only taken one win at Magny-Cours, coming last year in Race 1, and history says that it’s very much Toprak territory, although we’ve seen before that previous results can’t be the sole indicator. Razgatlioglu has a mammoth task to stay in contention for the title after his Most misfortune in Race 2, but nothing is impossible. A technical, tricky and perhaps wet Magny-Cours could provide the key at a place where Toprak’s flourished before.

OFF-TRACK HEADLINES: Rea’s 2024 future at the heart of return to track action

Rumours continue to circulate about the future of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who has been linked to a shock switch to Yamaha for 2024. The six-time World Champion has won three of his titles at Magny-Cours and will focus his efforts on trying to replicate his victory from Most before summer; it’s a track that historically favours Rea and Kawasaki, although he was winless there last year. In fact, it was the scene of two of the biggest talking points in the last two years: 2021’s Superpole Race battle with Razgatlioglu, when Rea inherited the win after Toprak touched the green on the final lap, exceeding track limits, and also after his collision with Alvaro Bautista last year which took the Spaniard out. On the other side of the box, Alex Lowes is always strong in France, with five podiums in total and three for Kawasaki. He was fourth three times last year and aims for a first rostrum of 2023 since Mandalika after an Aragon test saw him as the only full-time rider testing 2024 parts.

ALL-ITALIAN BATTLE: Locatelli being pressured from Bassani, Petrucci and Rinaldi

There’s an intriguing four-way Italian battle in positions four to seven, as Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) seeks to snatch back P3 from Rea, with 24 separating them. However, there’s an attack from behind too, as Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) continues to show his worth and heads for Magny-Cours, where he was on the podium in both feature races in 2022. He’s just 20 adrift of ‘Loka’, whilst the rider making up ground on all of them is Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who has three podiums from the last seven races and a best of P2 last time out at Most. Whilst he is 52 points away from Bassani, if his form is to be anything to go off, he could be within striking distance by the final two rounds. Behind him, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who continues to have his future dominate his own headlines.

HONDA AND BMW: who will come out ahead in France?

Many riders may have been on holidays but others had plenty to be getting on with. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) got his knee down at Suzuka for the 8 Hours which he won on his debut, as well as with a proposal to his girlfriend. Elsewhere, Honda teammate Iker Lecuona completed three MotoGP™ events at Silverstone, the Red Bull Ring and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as he deputised for the injured Alex Rins, and both Lecuona and Vierge were present at a blustery Aragon test at the end of August. Lecuona was one of the fastest on the opening day, with Honda’s test team and rider Tetsuta Nagashima also in attendance with 2024 items. Will all the track time pay off at Magny-Cours, a circuit which was new to both in 2022 and where P9 was the best result they could manage.

As for BMW, Magny-Cours has been a circuit at which they’ve gone well at recently and they’ll hope to claim ground back and return to the top ten in the overall standings. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) may be 16^th in the Championship but his home round is always an important one, and he was on for a podium in Race 1 last year until a Turn 13 crash. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led a race for the first time with BMW last year there and took a best of P2; he’s still chasing a first podium of 2023. Teammate Michael van der Mark also hopes for a strong Magny-Cours after a tricky return at Most before summer, whilst Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has shown plenty of potential, although results haven’t been replicated to the same level.

ONES TO WATCH: big names with points to prove all the way down the grid

Elsewhere in the fights throughout the field, the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team return after a tricky summer break, when sporting director Mirko Giansanti sadly passed away. Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner both demonstrated their potential in the first half of the season, so expect Magny-Cours to be competitive for them. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) sits in 15^th but is without a top ten since Donington Park; his best at Magny-Cours in WorldSBK was P11 last year, whilst it’s P4 in WorldSSP. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) returns to action this weekend after missing Most for shoulder surgery, whilst it’s a special round for the GMT94 Yamaha team and Lorenzo Baldassarri, with the French squad gunning for a strong result at home.

HOUSEKEEPING AND HOME-HERO RETURN: Mahias back in action, Syahrin returns

There’ll be a change for the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, as Hafizh Syahrin returns to action after missing the last two rounds through injury but Eric Granado has MotoE™ World Championship duty at Misano and is thus replaced by Hannes Soomer. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is also with MotoE™ and substituted by home-hero Lucas Mahias, who is back in WorldSBK. Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) complete the order.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Fresh from testing at MotorLand Aragon, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship bursts back into action at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. The Pirelli French Round has a brand-new Sunday schedule to kick off the final four rounds of the season. The action starts on Friday at 09:45 Local Time (GMT+2) with WorldSSP300 FP1, followed by WorldSBK at 10:30 and WorldSSP at 11:25. The same structure follows in the afternoon, with WorldSSP300 FP2 at 14:15, WorldSBK at 15:00 and WorldSSP at 16:00. On Saturday, WorldSBK action starts at 09:00 with FP3 before the Tissot Superpole sessions start at 09:45 with WorldSSP300, WorldSSP at 10:25 and WorldSBK at 11:10. Racing action starts at 12:40 on Saturday with WorldSSP300 Race 1 before WorldSBK Race 1 at 14:00 and WorldSSP at 15:15. Sunday’s new schedule features a revised Race 2 time for WorldSBK. Warm Up sessions start the day from 09:00 before the Tissot Superpole Race at 11:00. WorldSSP Race 2 is at 12:30 before WorldSSP300 at 13:45 – the first revised race time. With WorldSSP300 brought forward, WorldSBK Race 2 completes the day’s action at 15:15.

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Friday, 8^th September (all times Local Time, GMT+2)

09:45-10:15 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 1

10:30-11:15 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1

11:25-12:10 – WorldSSP Free Practice 1

14:15-14:45 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 2

15:00-15:45 – WorldSBK Free Practice 2

16:00-16:45 – WorldSSP Free Practice 2

Saturday, 9^th September

09:00-09:30 – WorldSBK Free Practice 3

09:45-10:05 – WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole

10:25-10:45 – WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

11:10-11:25 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole

12:40 – WorldSSP300 Race 1 (13 laps)

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (21 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP Race 1 (19 laps)

Sunday, 10^th September

09:00-09:15 – WorldSBK Warm Up

09:25-09:40 – WorldSSP Warm Up

09:50-10:05 – WorldSSP300 Warm Up

11:00 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race (10 laps)

12:30 – WorldSSP Race 2 (19 laps)

13:45 – WorldSSP300 Race 2 (13 laps)

15:15 – WorldSBK Race 2 (21 laps)

Source: WorldSBK.com