The FIM Supersport World Championship will reach the halfway stage of 2023 when Donington Park hosts Round 6 of the campaign, with everything set for an incredible showdown in the United Kingdom. The Prosecco DOC UK Round will also feature the return of Suzuki to WorldSSP for the first time since Most in 2021 as the Japanese manufacturer has a wildcard outing in the United Kingdom. At the top of the standings, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will be looking to increase his lead but his rivals will be out to catch him.

CAN MANZI STRIKE AGAIN? Yamaha territory in recent campaigns…

Bulega made his first Donington appearance last year with third in Race 2 but he crashed out of Race 1 at Turn 11 for a mixed 2022 in the UK. With six wins in ten races so far this season, Bulega is in sensational form as he hunts a WorldSBK seat in 2024. However, Donington in recent years has belonged to Yamaha with Dominique Aegerter, Jules Cluzel and Sandro Cortese winning there in the last four races held. After his stunning last lap win last time out at Misano, will Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) be able to continue Yamaha’s British winning streak?

With one podium to their name already in 2023, Triumph will be aiming for a first home victory in WorldSSP with Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph), teammate Harry Truelove and wildcard Eugene McManus (Completely Motorbikes Triumph) all aiming to put the British manufacturer on top. Elsewhere, British riders John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing), Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) want to give the passionate British crowd something to cheer at Donington. Booth-Amos won at Donington in British Supersport this season as he does a dual campaign.

MV AGUSTA: a first Donington Park podium incoming?

Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Bahattin Sofuoglu have been two standout riders this season with both regularly competing for podiums. MV Agusta are yet to taste success, either a win or rostrum visit, at Donington but could that change in 2023? Both Schroetter and Sofuoglu have shown formidable race pace, especially in the closing stages of races. Turkish star Sofuoglu raced at Donington last year, taking 15^th place in Race 1, while it will be a first visit to Schroetter. The German rider has not been outside the top five since the first race of the campaign, with three podiums in the last four races, and he will be looking to continue that run in the UK.

SUZUKI RETURN: a wildcard run for the seventh manufacturer in 2023

Suzuki’s presence in WorldSSP in recent seasons has been limited to wildcard and one-off appearances and this is the case in 2023 too. Ireland’s Rhys Irwin brings his Astro-JJR Suzuki squad from the British championship to the world stage for his debut; running the Suzuki GSXR750 machine in WorldSSP. Suzuki will become the seventh manufacturer to compete in World Supersport this season. Irwin competed at Donington in the British Supersport championship but only scored two points; he is fifth in the standings, however.

RIDER NEWS: the latest updates from the WorldSSP grid

There have been some rider changes for the Donington grid in WorldSSP. One-time race winner Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) continues to recover from an injury sustained at Assen and he is replaced by 2017 Champion Lucas Mahias once again. Apiwath Wongthananon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) is absent for the second consecutive round although his replacement is yet to be announced; at Misano, it was Ratthapong Wilairot.

Watch all the WorldSSP action from Donington Park using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads for the United Kingdom for the UK Round and the sixth of the season, with history very much on the horizon. However, whilst a turning of the tide is anticipated to mark the halfway point, the stats – as always – make for intriguing reading. Will we see a massive milestone, or is this the start of a comeback for summer?

250 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) left Misano with three top five finishes, but no podium, so he’s still one podium short of the milestone of 250. Similarly, the pair of riders who have shared the highest number of podiums at the moment is Chaz Davies and Jonathan Rea, at 73. The couple of Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu is just one shy at 72.

150 – The Superpole Race will be Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 150^th WorldSBK start, equalling his compatriot Carlos Checa. Only two Spanish riders count more starts: Ruben Xaus (215) and Gregorio Lavilla (188).

99 – With 96 career podiums, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) can end up at 99 in Donington: that will take him to the sixth all-time spot, joining Chaz Davies. Razgatlioglu is currently on a 12-race podium streak started at Mandalika, Race 1. This is his best streak.

55 – Ducati have built up 55 podium finishes at Donington Park. Kawasaki are second-best with 52. Ducati have scored only one podium here in the last two years: a 2^nd by Bautista in Race 2 last year.

52 – In 61 races run at Donington Park, 52 different riders have stepped on the podium.

24 – British riders have won 24 races here: in 2018, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) stopped a record sequence of 11 wins by British riders.

17 – With 14 wins so far in 2023, a hat-trick at Donington Park would mean Bautista equals the all-time record for wins in a single season with 17; joining Doug Polen from 1991 and Jonathan Rea from 2018 and 2019.

17 – Tom Sykes (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) holds the record for most podium finishes: 17. 13 came in sequence from 2012 Race 1 to 2018 Race 1.

15 – Yamaha is on its best podium streak ever, 15 at the moment: with three more they will reach the 14^th all-time sequence, scored by Ducati from Sentul 1997 to Laguna Seca 1998.

9 – 26 different winners at Donington Park: the most successful is Sykes at nine, followed by Carl Fogarty and Jonathan Rea at six.

7 – Seven riders have taken a career-first victory in WorldSBK at Donington Park. They are: Davide Tardozzi, Race 1 in 1988, Marco Lucchinelli, Race 2 in 1988, Giancarlo Falappa, Race 2 in 1989, Carl Fogarty, Race 2 in 1992, Neil Hodgson, Race 2 in 2000, Marco Melandri, Race 1 in 2011 and Michael van der Mark, Race 1 in 2018.

1 – The only win by a Spanish rider here came in 2011, Race 2, with Carlos Checa. Coincidentally, that is the last Ducati win at Donington Park.

SHORTHAND NOTEBOOK

2022 race winners:

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

Last three pole-sitters at Donington Park:

• 2022: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’26.060
• 2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’40.101
• 2019: Tom Sykes (BMW) 1’27.619

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

• Ducati: 55 (17)
• Kawasaki: 52 (19)
• Yamaha: 27 (14)
• Honda: 22 (7)
• Suzuki: 9 (1)
• Aprilia: 8
• BMW: 8 (1)
• Bimota: 2 (2)

Key gaps from Donington Park 2022:

• Front row covered by: 0.426s
• 1 second in Superpole covered… the top three: 0.958s
• Closest race gap between 1^st and 2^nd: 1.089s (Razgatlioglu 1^st, Rea 2^nd, Superpole Race)
• Closest race podium: 2.615s (Razgatlioglu 1^st, Bautista 2^nd, Rea 3^rd, Superpole Race)
• Closest Donington podium of all-time: 0.556s (Chili 1^st, Hodgson 2^nd Corser 3^rd, Race 2, 2001)

Manufacturer top speeds at Donington Park, 2022:

• Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 279.5 km/h, Superpole Race and Race 2
• Honda: Xavi Vierge – 275.2 km/h, Superpole and Race 1
• Kawasaki: Alex Lowes – 274.5 km/h, Superpole Race
• Yamaha: Andrea Locatelli – 273.8 km/h, Superpole Race
• BMW: Scott Redding – 273.2 km/h, Race 1

Watch all of the 2023 Superbike season take-shape round-by-round with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After a second round of the season in the MotoGP™ World Championship, Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona will return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock for round six at Donington Park. Replacing 2020 World Champion Joan Mir for the Dutch GP, with the Spaniard out injured, Lecuona had a solid weekend with continuous improvements, with only bad luck hampering what would have been a solid points scoring Sunday.

In the Sprint, Lecuona had a decent outing, finishing the race ahead of Stefan Bradl, his fellow Honda substitute – Bradl replaced Alex Rins at LCR Honda – and took the chequered flag in 20^th place. However, Sunday’s 26-lap Grand Prix tells a story of what could’ve been for the Valencian. Taking advantage of crashes for riders up ahead of him and keeping a solid pace, he was as high as 12th, but then mechanical gremlins struck, dropping him to P16, before he retired.

Speaking about the race, Lecuona gave his feelings about missing out on points and giving his thoughts on the whole weekend: “Overall, I’m really happy because I improved every race, in every run, with my confidence in the bike and even in the Sprint race, I did it well and fast. I overtook Bradl on the last lap!

“On Sunday morning, I did another step and this afternoon, I did another one. I was in the group, I overtook them and then led the group and I went faster than them. I got to Morbidelli, fighting for the top ten. Thanks to Honda and the team because we worked hard for this second opportunity. It was a pleasure to be here and I’m happy with the job we did.”

Watch the rest of the 2023 season unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Donington Park hosts Round 6 of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with WorldSBK and WorldSSP on track with a new schedule. Action starts at 10:30 Local Time (GMT+1) on Friday with WorldSBK Free Practice 1 at the Prosecco DOC UK Round followed by WorldSSP at 11:25. WorldSBK Free Practice 2 is at 15:00 with WorldSSP FP2 at 16:00. On Saturday, the action begins at 09:00 with WorldSBK FP3, before the Tissot Superpole sessions: WorldSSP at 10:25 and 11:10 for WorldSBK. Racing action begins on Saturday 14:00 with WorldSBK Race 1, while WorldSSP Race 1 rounds out the day. On Sunday, Warm Up sessions start the day at 10:00 before racing gets underway at 13:00 with the Tissot Superpole Race. At 14:30, WorldSSP Race 2 will get underway while WorldSBK Race 2 concludes Sunday action at 16:00.

Watch all the action from Donington Park LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Friday, 30^th June (all times Local Time, GMT+1)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, 1^st July

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

10:25-10:45 – WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

11:10-11:25 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole

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

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (23 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP Race 2 (19 laps)

16:15 – Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship Race 2 (11 laps)

Sunday, 2^nd July

10:00-10:15 – WorldSBK Warm Up

10:25-10:40 – WorldSSP Warm Up

13:00 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race (10 laps)

14:30 – WorldSSP Race 2 (19 laps)

16:00 – WorldSBK Race 2 (23 laps)

Source: WorldSBK.com

It’s where it all started all those years ago – 35 to be exact – and now, we’re back for more as history continues to be made in the rolling hills of the stunning British countryside. Of course, we can only be talking about one special place – Donington Park. The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship touches down (quite literally, with it being next to East Midlands Airport) just outside the city of Nottingham for the sixth round of the season. Surprises always come to the fore at Donington Park and the form book tends to be thrown straight into the recycling, but will 2023 be any different to what we’ve seen so far? We look ahead to this year’s Prosecco DOC UK Round.

A FIGHT BACK ON IN THE UK: Razgatlioglu the favourite instead of Bautista?

Whilst the Championship gap between top man Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and 2021 World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is 86 points, Donington Park is Razgatlioglu’s favourite circuit. A maiden podium in 2018’s Race 2 and winning five of the last six races held here (a first triple coming last year), this is Toprak’s territory. He needs it to be too; despite the domination of Bautista in the opening part of the season, this is motorcycle racing and anything can happen. Razgatlioglu will need to capitalise at the tracks where he, on paper at least, looks to be the clear favourite. A repeat of last year’s triple will at least bring hope and a boost.

On the other hand, the aforementioned ‘domination’ of Bautista is quite special; 14 wins in 15 races, you’re witnessing history, so enjoy it. However, don’t bank on it carrying on at Donington Park. Bautista has never won at the track in WorldSBK and a second place in Race 2 last year was his only podium after he suffered a fall in Race 1 and a fourth in the Superpole Race. If those results were to repeat themselves (Toprak’s wins and Bautista’s struggles), then the gap would be down to 50. It’s not all over just yet and whilst it is ifs, buts and maybes, Donington Park is the venue for drama to happen. A note on Bautista is that he’s fresh from testing Ducati’s MotoGP™ Desmosedici GP23 at Misano last week, but his readaptation to WorldSBK machinery shouldn’t be too challenging after setting some laps aboard Panigale machinery since.

HOME GLORY: plenty for the partisan crowd to get behind

Donington Park’s WorldSBK crowd are always something special and 2022’s atmosphere was electric and nothing gets the home fans cheering louder than a Union Jack on top. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and the ZX-10RR may not be the force they once were – for now at least – but a positive test at Aragon will hope to translate into a podium, or perhaps a win, charge at home. Rea has six wins at Donington Park and a hat-trick of podiums last year saw him come away a solid weekend. Can he get to the front this year and take a first win of the season? On the other side of the KRT box, it’s quite literally a home-round for Englishman Alex Lowes, from not far away in Lincolnshire. Lowes was on the podium in Race 1 last year and like Rea, is fresh from testing duties. Can he be a surprise this weekend?

Plenty more to watch out for as far as Brits are concerned, particularly in the British-run ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Shaun Muir’s outfit will hope that Scott Redding can turn his form around after a wretched first five rounds of 2023; 12 months ago, Redding’s tenacity took him to a first rostrum with BMW and Donington Park is always a circuit that both Redding and the M1000RR go well at. However, the other side of the garage is where Donington Park’s hero really is. Tom Sykes has got a staggering record, with nine straight wins being a record for any rider on any circuit in WorldSBK history. Now with BMW as a stand-in for injured Michael van der Mark, Sykes took two podiums at Donington Park when he last raced for the team. Despite not taking a top ten in his first round back with the team at Misano, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if Sykes sprinkled the old Donington magic this weekend.

Elsewhere on the grid, Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) gets to race at home; he wildcarded at Donington Park on a BSB-spec bike in 2018 and scored points, whilst he has three BSB wins to his name at the Donington Park circuit, including his first ever win in the class back in 2018. After a technical issue halted a strong Race 2 at Misano, Ray is beginning to find his feet.

REMAINDER OF THE TOP TEN: it’s closing up everywhere

After a first rostrum of the season and outscoring two of the four riders ahead of him in the Championship, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) is only three points behind Jonathan Rea and 21 behind Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who is third. Bassani will look to continue his form at the quirky British circuit, whilst behind him, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will hope to bounce back after missing the Misano podium after a fall in Race 2, with his future being a big talking point of late. He’s 27 points behind the Independent Ducati of Bassani.

There’s plenty more fighting behind with Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in seventh as he returns to the circuit at which he took a double in WorldSSP last year; he’s one point ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), who struggled at the track last year but between rounds, he’s been testing at Suzuka. Alex Lowes is ninth whilst Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) returns to Donington Park, the first time on Superbike machinery. He’s tied on points with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC), who is fresh from Assen MotoGP™ duties.

SURPRISE FROM BEHIND? Plenty of battles further down

One of the interesting Independent battles is between Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and the rider who was previously at the team for three seasons, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW). The Australian and the American are split by just eight points, but with Gerloff clearly the top BMW in recent rounds, his best result coming at Donington Park and the BMW’s past success at the circuit, those two could be swapped around come the end of the weekend. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) is only five points adrift of Gerloff, too. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) has been twice a podium finisher at Donington Park with two second places in 2014 but is yet to take a top ten in 2023.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) had potential at Misano and wants to continue that this weekend, whilst Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) and teammate Eric Granado likewise hope for good results. Having missed Misano, Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) will be back in action. Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) also search for their first points of 2023.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Ahead of the sixth round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at Donington Park, a trip to MotorLand Aragon called for the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK, as they hit the track to carry out all-important testing duties. Riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes were focusing on getting their bike working better in the hot temperatures that a European summer will bring, whilst ahead of the test, team boss Guim Roda stated it would also provide a perfect opportunity to test potential items for 2024, stating that the target was openly Yamaha, Honda and BMW. 

During the test itself, track temperatures were exactly as wished for, well over the 50 degree Celsius mark, with the arid Aragon landscape getting much hotter than other venues in Spain for this time of year. Working with the technical staff, duties were split with 2023 items and also future items, with 2024 already in mind. Improvements were found and valuable data has already been shared with Kawasaki’s engineers in Japan, as a crucial day of testing concluded. Kawasaki likewise confirmed that they’ll have another test in August before the final four rounds of the season.

Speaking at the end of the test, Jonathan Rea was happy with the on-track findings, with engine, chassis and electronics all being improved: “We had great conditions in MotorLand and we were able to try some real test items both for the upcoming races and the future. That was really important to give some feedback to my team and also the engineers in Japan, about directions to improve. I want to thank everyone in the team because it was hot, and with the calendar now getting quite busy they made a huge effort. I was able to do a lot of laps, especially in the morning.”

Continuing, Rea led the plaudits for the amount of work Kawasaki have put in to find solutions to their pressing problems, and said he was leaving with a smile on his face: “After a late lunch we were able to get some work done back-to-backing some items. The test items were all over the bike – engine side, chassis side and electronics. It is clear the work Kawasaki are putting in, trying to improve. I am happy with my riding, I enjoyed the bike and the lap times were competitive. So, I am leaving with a smile and good rhythm, ready for my home race at Donington next week.”

It was a busy day for Rea’s teammate Alex Lowes too, who echoed his colleagues sentiments: “We found the right track temperature for what we wanted to test. We were happy that the track conditions were slippery and greasy as we worked on some new things on the bike and trying to keep our performance when the grip is low. We have three races coming up in July where the track temperatures could be high. I think we did 85 laps which is enough on a very hot day. It was nice get out on the bike and now we can focus on my home race at Donington. 

“Some of the things we tested were for the future, to give Kawasaki information. This was a good positive test and I really enjoyed being back on the bike. Sometimes a one-day test is a lot of effort for one day on track, but we had a positive test and we found a few small things that may make a big difference in the next few races. A big thanks to all the team for all their hard work”

Rea’s crew chief Pere Riba also provided a statement, with the items certainly bringing hope: The test was divided in two sectors. The first one was trying some items and giving the feedback to the engineers in Japan, because we are thinking to improve the package for the future. This was one part of the day and Jonny did a great job giving information to the engineers. The second part of the test was to understand a couple of items from the last race in Misano because, unfortunately, the results were not the ones we expected. For this reason, it was very important to try them again in hot conditions and get some feedback to decide the direction to go in. That was very positive and it now seems to be in line. 

“I believe we have a good starting point for Donington, even if we do not expect over 50°C of track temperature. But the items and things we tested will help the performance, not just the durability of the tyres. Jonny was in good shape, he did a lot of very good laps and was very consistent. Now we go to Donington trying to achieve a result that Jonny deserves. We leave MotorLand happy and confident going to the UK.” 

Marcel Duinker also gave his thoughts from Alex Lowes’ side of the garage, too: “We targeted a hot day of testing, to test items for the next race and next year. We gathered very valuable information and because it’s June, we have enough time to prepare the next step for our August test. Alex did 85 laps in these hot conditions at MotorLand, with the correct speed and consistency. Now our focus is on Donington. A track with character, nice fans and good memories!”

Watch the rest of the 2023 season unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

As the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship readies for round six and the halfway point at Donington Park, British legend Carl Fogarty gave his thoughts on who could be next to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) next year. The four-time World Champion stated he’d like to see Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) graduate, after current factory rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi has “had quite a few chances” in the factory setup.

Speaking about it in-depth, ‘Foggy’ said it was the #47 in the factory shade of red in 2024: “I’d like to see Bassani; he was unlucky not to get it this year and his results have been better. Michael’s had quite a few chances now and he’s struggling to get near Alvaro so, with Ducati being the top team, you have to be consistently in the top three, even back in my day. In 1999, Troy Corser finished joint-second in the Championship behind me and he was out of a rider with Ducati as they brought in Ben Bostrom. Bassani is still a bit consistent, like them all really, but he deserves a crack at it.”

Attention then turned to the dominance of Alvaro Bautista, with Fogarty saying how good it is for Ducati: “It’s a pretty dominant season for Ducati and Alvaro! They’re both as one, both incredible! He’s becoming unbeatable and even for the other Ducati riders, he’s becoming unbeatable. It kind of reminds me of my 1994 and 1995 season, my first years on the Ducati 916. He’s ironed out all of the little teething problems that maybe they had last year with his first year back on Ducati and he’s come out the blocks fighting like me in 1995. He’s incredibly dominant with the package he’s got and the others are doing a bit of whinging and moaning about it. It’s for the others to do their homework, get better bikes or riders and improve their packages a bit.

“You have to say a lot of it’s Alvaro. I can’t believe I’m saying it because last year, I actually thought it was a mistake that Ducati took him back and I was obviously proven very much wrong! He’s only a small guy but I don’t think that’s a lot to do with it to be fair, he’s just so at ease with the bike. It’s him who is making a difference because the other Ducatis aren’t getting near him.”

Watch the rest of the 2023 season unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Riders can now apply to become part of the 2024 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup! Prospective competitors from across Asia and Oceania can now register online at www.asiatalentcup.com for their chance to join the Road to MotoGP™, with applications open for a month before closing on the 23rd of July.

The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup is a unique chance for riders from the region to race alongside MotoGP™ and learn their craft on the Road to MotoGP™. ATC riders compete on identical Honda NSF250R Moto3™ machines, offering an opportunity like no other to showcase their talent. 

Enrolment and selection

Registration is now open at www.asiatalentcup.com until the 23rd of July 2023. Once prospective riders have registered, their application will be considered by our panel of experts and they may be invited to the Selection Event. The final decision on who joins the 2024 grid will be made at the selection event.

The Selection Event will take place in Malaysia at Sepang International Circuit on the 7th and 8th of November 2023. There, our panel of experts will put applicants through their paces to assess each rider, with the best will be offered the chance to join the 2024 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup and follow their Road to MotoGP™.

Important information

There is no minimum level of experience required, but a certain level of skill must be shown. Previous experience may include dirt track, motocross, scooter or mini bike racing rather than circuit racing, but the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup is focused on searching for talent and potential, not experience.

Applicants must be born between the 1st of January 2003 and the 1st of March 2010.

The list of those chosen to attend the Selection Event will be published on the 25th August 2023.

Key dates

Registration opens: 23rd June 2023 (online at www.asiatalentcup.com)

Registration closes: 23rd July 2023

Publication of the list for the Selection Event: 25th August 2023 (www.asiatalentcup.com)

Selection Event: 7th & 8th November 2023, Sepang International Circuit*

Source: WorldSBK.com

It’s where it all began; on a cold Sunday morning in 1988, some of the best motorcycle racers in the world tried their hand in a new Championship, little did they know that they would sign their names in history as being at the forefront of what would go on to be, and what continues to be, one of the most popular and fastest-growing motorsport Championships in the world. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was born in the United Kingdom and at the Donington Park circuit, and whilst time moves on, memories are never gone. In this feature, we look back through history at WorldSBK at Donington Park, and why 2023 promises to be a classic weekend for the record books.

THE START: big names, big optimism

On April 3^rd, 1988, race day dawned the FIM Superbike World Championship got ready to kick off. The fans were happy with home-hero Roger Burnett taking pole, but it was Italians Davide Tardozzi and 1981 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Marco Lucchinelli who won. Eventual 1988 Champion Fred Merkel stood on the podium in Race 2, whilst road racing legend Joey Dunlop was third in Race 1. A successful first round continued and in 1989, the grids were bigger and stronger; Fabrizio Pirovano and Giancarlo Falappa took the victories at Donington Park, whilst in 1990, it was Merkel and Falappa. Top six in both 1990 races, Carl Fogarty – he’d take another top ten in 1991.

THE FOGGY YEARS: Britain’s ‘King Carl’ dazzled at Donington Park

After a few appearances in 1990 and 1991, 1992 would be where the history really started for some riders, with Carl Fogarty taking his first of what would go on to be 59 wins in WorldSBK. A Race 2 winner, it would be Fogarty’s only win of the season, but momentum was building for the boy from Blackburn, who was now making a name for himself on uncompetitive machinery. Despite a Donington Park disaster in 1993 when he finished second in Race 1 and crashed in Race 2, he was back to his best in 1994, winning the opening race of the season at the circuit. However, a tricky second visit to Donington Park denied Fogarty the title at home, although he’d go on to take it in Australia. A “love-hate relationship” as he recently described it, 1995 would be his best yet.

WorldSBK’s popularity snowballed due to Fogarty’s success, nowhere more-so than in the UK, where the crowds were turning out in their tens of thousands. He did the double at Donington Park in 1995 before taking his form to Brands Hatch, where he doubled up again; he’s still the only British rider to do the double at two different British tracks in the same year. His move to Honda was unsuccessful in terms of wins at Donington Park in 1996, but he was second and first in 1997. A final win on British soil came in 1999 in Race 1, closing the circle at the circuit of which his success first started on.

A NEW HERO, THE WILDCARD YEAR: the crowds go crazy

After Carl Fogarty’s career-ending accident at Phillip Island during Round 2 of the 2000 season, there was an air of ‘who next’ in the UK. Despite the question mark, plenty of home favourites put their name in the shop window for the years that’d follow. Neil Hodgson was back on the WorldSBK grid, having last appeared in 1998 on a Kawasaki, before heading back to BSB to get his confidence up. Now working with legendary team boss Colin Wright, the GSE Ducati team fielded a wildcard, and it’d go on to be one of the most celebrated races ever.

Third in Race 1, Hodgson capitalised on Pierfrancesco Chili’s fading tyre life at the end of Race 2 to pass him into the Foggy Esses on the final lap, sending 100,000 fans into chaos. The cheering was deafening as fellow wildcard Chris Walker got through too, making it the first ever British 1-2; the future after Fogarty was in safe hands and, at least for a day, there was a new king.

THE COMEBACK: 2007 welcomes back a classic with a classic

Off the calendar from 2002 until 2007, Donington Park’s long-awaited comeback was special, as James Toseland chased down a second World Championship. Born just up the road in Sheffield, it was as close to home as he’d ever race and in Race 1, he delivered a win. Race 2 was different as a mechanical problem on Lap 4 took him out, leaving Noriyuki Haga, Max Biaggi and Troy Corser to battle it out. Biaggi looked like he had it in won but a mistake at the final corner on the final lap saw Haga get under him and beat him on the run to the line; it was an emphatic return.

In 2008, wet weather played havoc with the riders as they had to contend with the typical British rain, although that didn’t stop Ryuichi Kiyonari on the Ten Kate Honda from putting in one of the best masterclasses in bike control you’ll ever see as he skated around, sideways-on in the rain. The races were tense, but it would be Troy Bayliss’ final win in the UK – his career having started in BSB, making it all the more special – whilst Ryuichi Kiyonari took profit of a rain-soaked Race 2 to come out on top for the final time in his WorldSBK career. Stars were also uncovered in Tom Sykes and Cal Crutchlow, who took rostrums in Race 1 and 2 respectively. 2009 was calmer as Ben Spies took a dominant double, although Leon Camier wilcarded and took his GSE Yamaha to sixth in Race 2.

BRITISH DOMINATION: always a home-coming to be proud of

The last time a British rider didn’t win at Donington Park was 2011, and even then, the ever-popular Marco Melandri won his first ever WorldSBK race in Race 1 whilst Championship designate Carlos Checa took Race 2 – unbelievably, Ducati’s last win to-date at the venue. In 2012, Jonathan Rea barged his way through at the final corner to win, although this would be at the expense of Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri as both were taken out and denied a second BMW 1-2 of the day.

From 2013, Donington Park became synonymous with one rider: Tom Sykes. A double in 2013 and then every year until Race 1 2017, Sykes was a magician. One of his finest wins was in 2014, where that famous Donington Park magic came to fruition once more. Dropping to 11^th but leading before going head-to-head with teammate Loris Baz for Race 1 victory, Sykes held firm for victory. More magic came in Race 2 2017, but this time it wasn’t for Sykes – his nine-race run ended as Jonathan Rea took a first Donington Park win with Kawasaki in Race 2, the 100^th WorldSBK win for Kawasaki.

THE LATEST CHAPTER OF MAGIC: first time wins and majestic first laps

In recent years, we’ve seen some of the biggest surprises and magical moments; in 2018, Michael van der Mark swept to a double, whilst Toprak Razgatlioglu beat Jonathan Rea in Race 2 to take second and a first WorldSBK podium. In 2019, with three races a weekend, Rea was yet to take a hat-trick and he was also yet to lead the Championship – he achieved both that weekend, as Alvaro Bautista’s year started to fall apart, and he made it a triple. A year off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic made 2021 all the more special, with Toprak Razgatlioglu’s stunning opening lap in Race 1 and the battle between him and Rea in Race 2, which saw Rea crash and Razgatlioglu take the lead of the Championship for the first time. 2022 gave a historic first triple of Razgatlioglu’s career and whilst the 2023 season arrives with a new dynamic, the same unpredictability will come to fruition in the UK.

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Photo: Gold and Goose Photography

Source: WorldSBK.com

After Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) MotoGP™ test at Misano, more 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship stars will take to testing action, albeit on their regular machinery. This time, it’s the turn of the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK and riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes, as they seek improvements in hot conditions once more, one of the ZX-10RR’s weak spots. However, team manager Guim Roda enlightened us with the test being an ideal opportunity to “check possible items for 2024”, with the hard work already well underway in order to get back to winning ways.

With 2023’s title challenge somewhat ‘unrealistic’ and that fighting for the podium and top five is, in Jonathan Rea’s words, “their reality”, preparations for next year are underway and trying to salvage 2023 and return to victory is a target, as Roda explains: “This MotorLand test is planned to check possible items to use in the 2024 season as well as trying set-up solutions for the coming races.

“Trying to improve our bike according to the limitations inside the rules, we could not find the package we wished to, and now we need to reconsider how to work for the next Championship rounds. Our target is Honda, Yamaha, BMW. It is a matter of rule limitations that do not allow us to maximise the potential of our ZX-10RR, but it is what it is.”

Currently fourth in the Championship and closing down third-placed Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), Jonathan Rea shared his thoughts ahead of the test: “This test comes at a great time because we have made no secret that we really need to make a step with our bike. Added track time with good conditions is always important for us. We will try some ideas from a chassis point of view and also how we can improve for the future.

“From another point of view, with the big break from Misano to Donington Park, it is always good to ride the bike to keep the rhythm. We expect favourable conditions and it is an important to test to understand the direction we will take in the future. Misano was a tough weekend, in finishing so far from the race winner, so we need to work hard. Big respect to the team for getting another mid-season test in. Hopefully we can draw some conclusions and find a way forward.”

As for the #22 of Alex Lowes, the Englishman has been at recent MotoGP™ events in support of his brother, Sam, and is now back on WorldSBK machinery and ready to tackle the high track temperatures that he and the team have wished for throughout testing: “I’m looking forward to the test and I always find that ‘in-season’ tests, with hot temperatures, to be a lot more valuable than winter testing in cooler conditions. With a busy month coming up in July, featuring three race weekends, we want to try and improve our base package.

“We will work on that on Friday at Aragon. We are still looking at improving the front end of the bike, especially in hotter conditions, to not have a drop in performance when the track gets more slippy or the temperatures rise a lot. It looks like the track temperatures are going to get high, so that is what we are focusing on, hoping to make a couple of nice improvements to be ready for the home round at Donington.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com