After a four-week hiatus, the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship returns to action at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, the fifth of the season, third for WorldSSP300. In Barcelona, we saw the emotional return to victory of 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki), which he dedicated to the late Victor Steeman, and the second career victory of Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse). Misano is a circuit that always offers a lot of action, and this year will be no different.

BUIS WINS AGAIN: the start of his second title challenge?

After two seasons in WorldSSP, 2020 WorldSSP300 World Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) returned to the junior class in search of his second title. The first victory for him was not long in coming. The Dutchman added his 15th victory in Race 1 of Catalunya, and, in addition, it was a special triumph, since he achieved it in the same team and in the same place as the last victory of his friend Victor Steeman, and he went on to him. To this victory, he added a third position in Race 2, which shot him up in the standings to fourth position, just 20 points behind the leader Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki). Will he continue with these results at Misano?

GENNAI WINS IN BARCELONA, SVOBODA LEADS: will we see a new winner in 2023?

Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) won Race 2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by 0.027s to take his second victory in the category and his first of 2023. In addition, in Race 1 he also took the podium, finishing third. He arrives at Misano in second position overall, 12 points behind Svoboda, which, after the double at Assen, was unable to reach the podium in Barcelona, finishing fourth and tenth, respectively. Even so, the Czech maintained the Championship lead and arrives at Misano with the aim of maintaining his privileged position for one more weekend; he’s demonstrated that wins peppered with consistency could be the ingredient to propel him forward.

Svoboda, Buis and Gennai are the only riders to have won in 2023, but seven riders have finished on the podium: Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing), Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team), Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing), Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha), in addition to the three winners. Will either of them achieve victory in Italy? Or will we see a new rider climb to the top of the podium? There have been six different winners at Misano in the class since 2017, with only Vannucci a winner on the current grid.

THE MAIN PROTAGONIST: track limits

Beyond what happened on the track, in these first four races we have had another protagonist: track limits and penalties. In all the races we have seen the final results altered. The most controversial case was in Race 2 of the Netherlands Round, when Humberto Maier crossed the line in the lead, but received a one position penalty for exceeding the track limits on the last lap. This would have given Matteo Vannucci victory, who crossed second, but received the same penalty, which dropped him to third and gave Petr Svoboda victory. It is undeniable that this situation is being decisive in the small category, but will it continue to be so in Misano?

THE PODIUMS IN 2022 AT MISANO: only Vannucci and Di Sora can repeat

Last season saw Alvaro Díaz’s second and final WorldSSP300 victory, as well as a podium finish for the late Victor Steeman and Japan’s Yuta Okaya, all in Race 2. In Race 1, we saw Matteo Vannucci’s first WorldSSP300 victory, ahead of Álvaro Díaz and Samuel Di Sora, who added his fourth and last podium of 2022. The only ones who can repeat the podium this year are Vannucci and Di Sora, who, at the same time, are still looking for the first victory of the season. Will they get it at Misano? Or will we see another driver giving the surprise and adding his first win?

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Source: WorldSBK.com

There’s nothing like a shock rider move to set the tongues wagging in a racing paddock, especially the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship one. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) to BMW certainly has made everyone sit up and take notice of the German manufacturer. They’ve flashed the chequebook to sign Toprak but now they need to flex it to make sure the Turkish superstar gets what he wants.

TWO SCENARIOS: one could be perfect, the other troubling

What he wants is for the BMW M 1000 RR to be competitive. The bike needs work but having a talisman at the helm galvanises a team. Toprak will be at the centre of every decision BMW make for 2024 and from today onwards, they need to show that they deserve to have him on their bike. Otherwise, this will only be remembered as a disastrous big money deal.

The pressure that BMW – and Toprak – will face, will be huge. They have both gambled on each other. If BMW win, Razgatlioglu was the missing piece of the puzzle for BMW, whilst Toprak will have proved just how talented he is. That’s the perfect scenario. The alternative is more troubling. BMW has been in WorldSBK for over ten years and claimed 13 race victories. They had a drought of almost eight years between wins before Michael van der Mark claimed a Superpole Race victory in damp conditions in 2021, their only win since they came back as a factory team in 2019. Scraps of success won’t be enough to satisfy the demands placed on them now. 

TALENT IS KEY: can Toprak replicate his 2020 Yamaha adaptation and overcome a bigger deficit?

When Toprak signed for Yamaha, there were similar questions facing the blue machines. They had won races in recent years with Alex Lowes and van der Mark but needed to make that next step. When Razgatlioglu signed, it was questioned whether his riding style could work with the Yamaha R1. It gelled because the bike was competitive and Toprak’s talent outweighed the obstacles. The BMW is not as competitive a package like the Yamaha was heading into the 2020 season. Now Toprak needs to show his talent can overcome a bigger deficit.

Talent isn’t enough in racing. The people around the rider make a huge difference. Toprak has found this by working with Phil Marron from 2019 onwards. The duo have been incredibly successful because both buys into the other. When a change is made, both trust that their partner can make it work. Switching teams for a rider brings with it no guarantee of a change for the crew around him. When we find out what the future holds for the people around Razgatlioglu, we’ll have a clearer picture of what prospects he has.

STRAIGHT TO 2024: Exciting prospect, but who will be his teammate?

Money was clearly a factor in this decision and it would be silly to suggest that Toprak signed solely for the challenge he’ll face. But now that the decision has been made, he’ll have to embrace that challenge and drive the project forward. It’ll be exciting when WorldSBK lines up on the grid in Australia for Round 1 to see how he fares.

It will also be interesting to see who lines up alongside him. The expectation is that one of BMW’s current riders – Michael van der Mark and Scott Redding – will remain but nothing can be taken for granted. Before his latest injury setback, van der Mark had been the top BMW rider through the opening rounds. Now he needs to get back on the bike and remind the manufacturer that he’s the best man for the job. Having been paired with Toprak at Yamaha, we know they can work well together.

For Redding, the challenge is to build some momentum and prove to BMW that he can be the rider that challenged for titles with Ducati. His outspoken nature hasn’t won many fans within BMW but his speed and talent always earn him opportunities. Given that he has had clashes with Razgatlioglu in the past, will BMW factor this into their decision-making process?

FINAL THOUGHT: Sykes back with BMW at Misano

At Misano, van der Mark will be replaced by Tom Sykes. The Englishman had six podiums and two pole positions for BMW when he was riding for the team in the past. Now he’ll be out to prove that his disastrous experience on the Puccetti Kawasaki this year isn’t a reflection of where he really stands. Sykes is such a maverick talent that there’s no way to know how he’ll perform at Misano. He could be a polesitter or he could be anonymous. Neither would surprise anyone but he’ll certainly be out to prove his worth. All eyes will be on BMW this weekend and for the rest of the season. The clocks in Munich will now be counting down to Toprak’s arrival and that means they need to start preparing for success.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship prepares to head to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) sat down to discuss several topics including who his teammate could be in 2024, how the gap is being closed by some new names and fighting back at his critics. Watch the full interview with Bautista in the video at the top of this page.

2024 TEAMMATE: “I don’t have a preference…”

Although Bautista has a contract secured for 2024, the name of the rider who will be in the factory Ducati seat next to him is unknown. The current incumbent is Michael Ruben Rinaldi and he will be hoping he can secure a fourth season with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati next year after joining the team in 2021. Bautista discussed how the pair have a good relationship but, with several riders linked with the seat, also explained how he has no preference and, adding tongue in cheek, how it would be interesting to see someone who says he only “wins because of the bike” next to him.

Bautista said: “I don’t know who my teammate will be. Honestly, I don’t have a preference. For sure, I have a really good relationship with Rinaldi, but I know that many riders want to have that bike. It will be a difficult decision for the team. Anyway, for me, it doesn’t change anything. It would be interesting to see a top rider who says that I win because of the bike to have the chance to ride the bike. I know that to have two top riders in the same team is difficult to manage so I don’t think Ducati wants this.”

TALKING TOUGH: “I don’t think I win because I’m light… I have the whole package to win”

The reigning Champion’s form in 2023 means he has taken 11 wins from 12 races and won every race he has finished, with his only non-score coming in the Tissot Superpole Race at Mandalika when he crashed fighting with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). It means he has opened up a 69-point lead over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) after four rounds with Razgatlioglu the only other race winner this season.

Explaining why he believes he wins, and reviewing 2023 so far, Bautista said: “When people say I win because I have the best bike or I’m light or whatever… for me, my bike is the best. If you don’t have a good bike, a good team and you are not a fast rider, you cannot win. In the end, it’s the combination. I give my best with the bike and use all the performance of the Ducati. I don’t think I win because I’m light or because I have the best bike. I have the whole package to win. At the moment, I’m not complaining about my 2023 season. More than the results, I think the feeling I have with the bike has been the best feeling in my whole career. It means I can do everything on the bike, and it follows my riding style, so I enjoy every lap, every corner so I’m so happy, more than the results, for the feeling I have with the bike and with the team.”

FAMILIAR FOES, NEW RIVALS: “My rivals are very strong… new names closing the gap…”

While Bautista spent his debut 2019 campaign fighting with Rea and battling both Rea and Razgatlioglu in 2022 as he claimed the World Championship, the 38-year-old was keen to point out other rivals who have closed the gap this season. Bautista picked out Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and teammate Rinaldi as two who have got closer to him as well as the Team HRC duo of Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, the latter of whom has Honda’s sole podium in the 2023 campaign to date.

Discussing his rivals, Bautista said: “My rivals are very strong, especially Toprak and Jonathan but also we have new names closing the gap like Locatelli or my teammate, Rinaldi. Also, the two Hondas are very close. This year, you have to be more precise to make fewer mistakes and have more focus on the weekend otherwise you lose a lot of positions.”

UPCOMING TEST: a MotoGP™ outing and potential wildcard for Bautista?

Bautista took the 2022 WorldSBK title after a thrilling fight between him, Rea and Razgatlioglu with the Spaniard taking the title in the penultimate round of the season as he wrapped it up in Indonesia. Since then, he has revealed he asked Ducati for a MotoGP™ test which could lead to a potential wildcard for Bautista. He also spoke about Troy Bayliss who, in 2006, claimed his second WorldSBK title and raced in MotoGP™ at the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix to replace the injured Sete Gibernau and took victory to make history as the first rider to win in both WorldSBK and MotoGP™ in the same season.

Expanding on this, he said: “After I won the World Championship in WorldSBK, I asked Ducati to have a test with the MotoGP™ bike because, from the outside, it seems like a really fun bike. We will do the test very soon. I don’t do the test with an intention to do a wildcard. I’d like to do the test and let’s see what happens. I don’t think there’s a lot of chance to repeat what Troy Bayliss did in 2006. It was another time and it was different. At the moment, in my mind, it’s only the World Superbike Championship. I just take the test like a prize and don’t think about Troy Bayliss.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship fires back into life this weekend at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, the fifth of the season. Our first trip to Italy promises to be filled with a passionate atmosphere, with plenty of home-heroes and partisan interests for the local fans to cheer on. However, records are also ready and waiting. Whether it be new lap records, historic milestones or equalling greats, what are the statistical stories to watch out for this weekend?

350 – Yamaha celebrated 400 podiums in Barcelona and can reach another related milestone in Misano: they were present on 348 WorldSBK podiums so far, with two more they will be the third manufacturer to reach 350 after Ducati (703 races on the podium) and Kawasaki (408).

250+250 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) left Barcelona just one podium short of the milestone of 250. If he manages to get it in Race 1 at Misano, that would be a double 250, because that will be his 250^th race for Kawasaki. Rea has the absolute record of starts with one manufacturer: his best competitor is Tom Sykes, at 241 starts on Kawasaki machinery.

94 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is only one podium short of the 7^th all-time spot, held by triple World Champion Troy Bayliss.

89 – 89 podium placements of Ducati riders at Misano are an all-time record. The next highest is from Assen, as the Italian manufacturer have 84 there.

73 – The pair of riders who have shared the highest number of podiums is Chaz Davies and Jonathan Rea, at 73. The pair of Rea and Razgatlioglu is just one shy of that value, at 72.

71 – Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with two podiums, will equal Max Biaggi at the 12^th all-time position in the podium rankings (71 podiums).

34 – This is the track in which a single manufacturer has won the highest number of races: Ducati won 34 times. Next up is also Ducati, with 32 wins at Phillip Island and 31 at Assen. The best value for another team is 19 by Kawasaki at Donington Park.

14 – 14 years ago (2009), Jonathan Rea got his maiden WorldSBK win at this track.

13 – Yamaha took a podium in the last 12 races: if Yamaha take a podium in Race 1 at Misano, they’ll equal their best streak, set from Donington Park’s Race 2, 2021 to Magny-Cours’ Race 2, 2021.

12 – Ruben Xaus is the only rider who won here starting outside the top ten on the grid. In 2003, he recorded a double starting twice from 12^th on the grid for the factory Ducati team.

12 – Last year, Ducati claimed back the record of poles at Misano, 12, after Kawasaki had equalled them two years ago.

11 – Ducati was the sole winner here for 11 straight races: from 2001 Race 1 to 2006 Race 1. Andrew Pitt (Yamaha) broke the streak, taking his only WorldSBK win in 2006 Race 2.

9 – From 2011 to 2021, Kawasaki set a record streak of nine poles here. That equalled the absolute record streak in WorldSBK set by Ducati at Brands Hatch: nine straight poles from 1995 to 2002 (double race weekend in 2000).

3 – There are only three riders in history with two-digit podium figures at Misano: Jonathan Rea (17), Troy Corser (16), Troy Bayliss (11).

SHORT-HAND NOTEBOOK:

2022 winners:

Alvaro Bautista (Race 1 and Race 2)

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Tissot Superpole Race)

Last three pole-sitters:

2022: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) 1’33.328

2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’33.416

2019: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’34.596

Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Misano:

Ducati: 89 (34)

Kawasaki: 35 (12)

Honda: 17 (4)

Yamaha: 16 (4)

Aprilia: 14 (6)

Suzuki: 8 (1)

BMW: 3

Petronas: 1

Key gaps from Misano, 2022:

Front row covered by: 0.190s

1 second in Superpole covered… the top ten: 0.789s

Closest race gap between 1st and 2nd: 2.087s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Tissot Superpole Race)

Closest race podium: 4.975s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Rea 3rd, Tissot Superpole Race)

Closest ever race podium: 2009 Race 2, 0.457s (Rea 1^st, Fabrizio 2^nd and Haga 3^rd)

Manufacturer top speeds at Misano, 2022:

Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 281.2 km/h, FP2 and Warm-Up

BMW: Eugene Laverty – 281.2 km/h, Tissot Superpole Race

Honda: Xavi Vierge – 279.7 km/h, Race 1

Kawasaki: Alex Lowes – 276.9 km/h, Tissot Superpole Race

Yamaha: Andrea Locatelli – 273.4 km/h, FP1, Race 1 and Tissot Superpole Race

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The fifth round of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign is here as the paddock checks in to Italy and the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round. After four thrilling rounds so far this season, Misano is set to be another mix of incredible racing and unpredictable action as the first half of the season approaches its conclusion. There are plenty of home heroes for the passionate Italian fans to cheer on in WorldSSP as everyone looks to secure the best possible result at Misano.

HOME HEROES: will an Italian rider take victory at Misano?

Home hero Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) comes into Misano on the back of a recent V4 R test at Mugello and he also heads into his home round as the Championship leader despite a retirement from Race 2 in Barcelona. He took two third place finishes last year at Misano and, with five wins in eight races this year, will be aiming to claim victory on home soil to extend his Championship lead. There will be plenty of other Italian riders aiming to beat Bulega for their own slice of Italian glory, such as Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team), winner in 2018, Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), Andrea Mantovani (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha), Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Orelac Racing VerdNatura duo Raffaele De Rosa and Federico Fuligni. For the likes of Championship challenger Manzi, it’s imperative that a first win comes soon, as Ten Kate Racing seek their 100^th in WorldSSP.

LOOKING TO CARRY THEIR FORM ON: MV Agusta’s high home hopes…

Two of the standout performers from Barcelona were MV Agusta Reparto Corse duo Marcel Schroetter and Bahattin Sofuoglu, the latter of whom secured his first WorldSSP podium in Race 1 and a first win in Race 2. Schroetter has a podium finish at Misano from Moto2™ in 2018, when he was third, whilst Sofuoglu has a best finish of sixth at the track in WorldSSP300 in 2021. He was outside the points in Italy last year in WorldSSP, but 2023 has seen a different rider, as Bahattin has clearly made a step. Can they continue their fine form at Misano, and can Schroetter close the gap to Bulega in the Championship standings, with him currently P2 and 33 adrift of the #11?

AIMING TO BUILD: strong form as WorldSSP hit Europe

Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) made a huge step forwards when WorldSSP raced in Barcelona last time out as he fought inside the top five and he’ll be aiming to repeat this at Misano, or claim his first podium. However, he’s yet to score points at Misano in WorldSSP: his best finish is 18^th in 2014, the last time he raced at the circuit in WorldSSP. Another rider who has been consistently in the top ten in 2023 and aiming to become a podium regular is Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph). A sole podium to his name this year, can the Finnish rider add more at Misano, a circuit he has a top ten finish at?

RIDER NEWS: to note ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Round

Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) remains unfit following his Assen Race 2 crash where he injured his arm. At Yamaha Thailand Racing Team, Apiwath Wongthananon will be replaced by Ratthapong Wilairot on the Yamaha YZF-R6 machine. There will be two wildcard riders on track at Misano. Simone Corse (Altogo Racing Team) returns for his second round of the campaign and Marco Bussolotti returns to WorldSSP for the first time since 2018 and as reigning CIV Supersport champion, racing with the Axon Seven Team with Yamaha machinery. Bussolotti is a three-time Superstock 600 winner, with three podiums coming at Misano from 2007 – 2009.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, now is the perfect opportunity to purchase your tickets for the round and enjoy sensational on-track action and incredible off-track activities, including the Motul Racing Lab. Tickets for the Emilia-Romagna Round include paddock access and can be purchased HERE so you can enjoy the full, immersive WorldSBK experience in Italy.

WorldSBK action is once again joined by WorldSSP and WorldSSP300, as well as the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, as well as another support class to give three full days of incredible track action at the iconic Misano circuit. With access to the paddock, fans will be able to enjoy and be a part of all the emotions of the parc ferme and podium celebrations, as well as other activities held at the Paddock Show.

The Paddock Show at Misano will once again feature several activities for fans to enjoy and get involved with. From chat shows with various riders throughout the weekend on the Paddock Show stage to meet and greet sessions, fans will be at the heart of the pure WorldSBK experience. There will be game shows for fans to enjoy when there’s a break in the on-track action whilst all three days will feature live music to add to the experience for the fans at the circuit.

Aside from all the on-track action and Paddock Show activities, the Motul Racing Lab will be in the WorldSBK Paddock to give you the chance to analyse the lubricants running in your engine. This service will be available for FREE to competing teams as well as the public with paddock access. The process searches for metal elements in the lubricant to help detect engine wear or to highlight any coolant leaks or fuel dilution that could damage the engine. You can find out more information about the Motul Racing Lab HERE.

Purchase your tickets for the 2023 Emilia-Romagna Round HERE and don’t miss out on any of the action!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to action at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, with plenty of on-track action for to enjoy throughout the round. Track action starts at 09:00 Local Time (GMT+2) with the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, while WorldSSP300 action starts at 09:45 with Free Practice 1. WorldSBK FP1 follows at 10:30 and then WorldSSP at 11:25. WorldSSP300 Free Practice 2 is at 14:15 with WorldSBK at 15:00 and WorldSSP at 16:00. On Saturday, action starts with WorldSBK Free Practice 3 at 09:00 before jumping into crucial Tissot Superpole sessions: WorldSSP300 at 09:45, WorldSSP at 10:25 and WorldSBK at 11:10. Racing action starts at 12:40 with WorldSSP300 Race 1, WorldSBK Race 1 at 14:00 and WorldSSP Race 1 at 15:15. WorldSBK again starts the action on Sunday at 09:00 with Warm Up, followed immediately by WorldSSP and WorldSSP300, while racing action starts at 11:00 with the Tissot Superpole Race. WorldSSP Race 2 is at 12:30 and WorldSBK Race 2 at 14:00 before WorldSSP300 Race 2 ends the weekend’s action at 15:15.

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

Friday, 2^nd June (all times Local Time, GMT+2)

09:00-09:30 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Free Practice

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

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

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

13:30-14:00 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Superpole

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, 3^rd June

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

11:45 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Race 1 (10 laps)

12:40 – WorldSSP300 Race 1 (15 laps)

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (21 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP Race 1 (18 laps)

16:15 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Race 2 (10 laps)

 

Sunday, 4^th June

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 (18 laps)

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 2 (21 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP300 Race 2 (15 laps)

Source: WorldSBK.com

We head to one of the most passionate and atmospheric rounds on the whole 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship calendar, as the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” gets ready to host the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round. With the Ducatisti set to be out in full force, Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will hope to dazzle in front of the partisan Ducati crowd, whilst his rivals and a strong Italian contingency themselves will look to knock the #1 off his perch. It’s also a special round for Event Main Sponsor Pirelli, who celebrate 20 seasons of being WorldSBK’s Official Sole Tyre supplier at this very round.

RACE PACE BATTLES: Bautista and Razgatlioglu set for head-to-head classic?

During the recent test at Misano Test, Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) were seemingly in their own league. You can get a full analysis of their race pace here, but to put it simply, they’re looking like the favourites. Last year at Misano, Bautista was able to win the two full length races, whilst Razgatlioglu was relentless in the Superpole Race to take a first win of the 2022 season. Toprak also won in 2021’s Race 2, denying Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) a triple at home. Bautista leads Razgatlioglu by 69 points: can the Turk take advantage of Misano not requiring big top speeds and reel in the #1? He comes into the round with his future secure, leaving Yamaha at the end of the year and chasing a new challenge with BMW for 2024.

HOME HEROES AT ODDS: sparks to fly with Rinaldi vs Bassani at Misano

It was a major talking point last time out in Barcelona, when Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) clashed not once but twice, with the second occasions leaving Rinaldi in the gravel and not best pleased with his fellow countryman and Ducati rider. Now, both head to Misano and there’s reason to believe both will be in close proximity to each other once more. Rinaldi is a double race winner at Misano from 2021, whilst in that same season, it was Bassani’s breakthrough round as he stormed to a career-first top six in just his eighth race in World Superbike. A fourth and two seventh place finishes last year at Misano, Bassani will be eager to shine through for a podium, or perhaps more, and show that he’s the rider who deserves Rinaldi’s seat for next year. Rinaldi has the aim of repeating his 2021 success and leapfrogging Bassani in the title race; he’s currently 19 points behind the #47. In between both in the standings, Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has been in the top eight in all of the last six races, can he continue that form?

LOCATELLI VS REA: can Misano be their biggest round?

It’s the battle for third in the Championship at the moment and so far, it’s going the way of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who is 33 points ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and arrives to Misano with a new two-year deal in his pocket with Yamaha. However, Locatelli has yet to take a podium at Misano and usually, his form dips at this track, with three sixth places from 2022 and three ninth places from 2021. By that form, he should find himself on the rostrum if his previous improvement is anything to go by, but that’ll be tough. Not at the Misano Test but completing a private test at Jerez in hotter conditions and thus more beneficial for the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Rea arrives at Misano with eight wins there and podiums in every Kawasaki year. Despite difficulties at the start of 2023, he’ll be there again and perhaps it’ll serve as a good opportunity to close down Locatelli in the Championship. Rea won his first race at Misano back in 2009 for Honda, so there’re always fond memories for him.

TOP 10 BATTLE: who will make hay at Misano?

Currently in eighth place, it’s been a consistent start to 2023 for Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and he relished a new overslung swingarm in the recent Misano Test, whilst his teammate Iker Lecuona was left wanting more. In between both in the standings is Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), and with a fifth and fourth in the last two races, could he be destined for a podium battle at a circuit he’s yet to take a rostrum at aboard Kawasaki machinery? Last year for Honda, it was one of Vierge’s strongest rounds, with a fine Superpole Race of fourth seeing him push Jonathan Rea for the final podium position, whilst a fast Race 2 crash saw him pick up a hand injury. Lecuona was a double top five man on Sunday last year, so is a podium within reach? Misano is a circuit which offers high grip, something that Vierge will relish. Perhaps, with it being his first WorldSBK round on home-soil, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) can shine at the track where he was on the podium at in MotoGP™ back in 2017. He’s completed a recent test at Mugello, where a new swingarm and setup options seemed to help him with feeling and continue his adaptation to Pirelli tyres.

BMW BOUNCING BACK? Redding lines up a fight back as Sykes returns to factory team

After a first weekend without scoring points in Barcelona, Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will be hungrier than ever to get BMW back to the pointy end of race action. Last year at Misano, the 30-year-old Brit was battling for the top ten, with two top ten results in the full races but only 11^th in the Superpole Race. It’s a track where he’s tested at before, including just a couple of weeks ago, when he was partnered up with the rider he replaced within the team in 2022, Tom Sykes. The Yorkshireman and 2013 World Champion is back in the factory BMW outfit for Misano and until Michael van der Mark is back from injury, where he took them to a podium in 2019. Whilst Sykes said that “it would be great to repeat” such a result, it’s a good chance to see if he can still pull a lap out of the bag and put himself within top ten contention in the races.

COMPLETING THE ORDER: expect surprises from big names and rookies

12^th in the Championship standings and eager to put on a strong display, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will hunt down a return to the top ten in the Championship standings come the close of the round, whilst Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) is right in behind him, just seven points adrift of the Australian. Gerloff comes to Misano off the back of three top ten finishes in Barcelona and is keen to continue his form and consolidate his status as top BMW rider in the standings. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) aims for a first top ten since Phillip Island as he races for Ducati on Italian soil, as Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) chases a first top ten of 2023.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) was very quick at the Misano Test and up inside the top five and looks on for a good results, whilst Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) and teammate Eric Granado will need to pass a medical check before returning to action after being declared unfit in Barcelona. Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) is likewise keen to shine and get more good points on the board for his third event of the season after a best result of 12^th last time out. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO), Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing) and Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) all seek their first points of the 2023 season. 

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round at the start of June but, before then, we are taking a trip down memory lane to get you warmed up for the round. This time, you can watch Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu, then at Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, duel it out for victory in one of their now-famous classic battles. Less than half a second separated the pair at the end of the 21-lap race and you can watch the full race for FREE by clicking the video at the top of this article.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Whilst the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is in the final week of a spring break between round four and round five, there’s been plenty of testing for teams and riders across the paddock. After the Supported Test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was at Mugello, and he was joined by Nicolo Bulega, who was part of a Ducati test team for Ducati Corse aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 R, for a second test on Superbike machinery. 

Speaking about the test, Bulega stated that he was more than happy with his track time and that he’s wishful for future opportunities too: “I was very happy to test the Panigale V4R at Mugello and I thank Ducati and my team for this opportunity. The sensations during the test were very positive, it was an intense two days. I’m very satisfied because I felt good with the bike right away and I was also able to lap quite fast. It was a solid experience and I hope to have other opportunities to test the Panigale V4R, which I really liked.”

In terms of the rider market, there have been plenty of riders linked to the factory Ducati seat alongside Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Michael Ruben Rinaldi is Bautista’s current teammate but with a deal that takes him to the end of this season, whilst Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) has made it clear that he wants to occupy that seat. Danilo Petrucci has also stated his intentions of moving up, whilst Bulega himself is in fine form. Get a full look at the grid and silly season here!

Photo credit: Alex Farinelli

A breath-taking season is well underway, watch it all unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com