The two-day Supported Test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field concluded on Thursday with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) leading the way. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosted the two-day Supported Test ahead of next week’s Pirelli Catalunya Round, with the #11 lapping 0.454s faster than his rivals on a day that produced several incidents throughout the eight hours of running.

BULEGA LEADS DUCATI’S CHARGE: P1 for the #11 again, Sam Lowes impresses as a rookie again

Bulega added yet another circuit to the list of venues he’s been fastest at in WorldSBK as he set a 1’40.304s using the SCQ tyre and completed 72 laps. The #11 was focusing on keeping his feeling with the Panigale V4 R, while the primary goal was to prepare for the round next week. It was similar for teammate Alvaro Bautista, who finished in third place, 0.725s down on his teammate with an incredible 103 laps to his name. They were joined Michele Pirro from the test team as the Italian helped to develop the power delivery and engine characteristics.

In terms of Independent Ducati riders, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was the quickest, the #14 ending up fourth despite a lowside crash at Turn 10 which then caused a technical issue with a faulty sensor at around the halfway point. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the seventh fastest and just over a second away from Bulega. The #9 had nothing new on his V4 R as he tested Pirelli’s new SCX tyre, and he was ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in eighth. The #21 crashed at Turn 5 in the afternoon but was still able to finish inside the top ten with a 1’41.692s. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was 11^th; ‘The Maniac’ aiming to recover his feeling at this circuit as it was the first time he’s ridden here on a WorldSBK-spec machine. 

RAZGATLIOGLU TAKES TOP BMW HONOURS: crashes for several BMW riders including the #54

As seen so often in testing, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the lead BMW rider with second place overall, although he did have a small crash Turn 10 in the morning. He set a 1’40.768s to lap four tenths behind rival Bulega but was still the fastest BMW rider. Teammate Michael van der Mark crashed in the afternoon at the same corner, and he was classified in 15^th place. There was also a crash for test team rider Bradley Smith at Turn 5. At the Bonovo Action BMW team, Garrett Gerloff was the quicker of the team’s two riders with ninth place, while Scott Redding was in 19^th.

REA BACK TOWARDS THE TOP: third place the #65

Yamaha had a strong opening day of testing, with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) back on track following his Race 2 crash in Australia and taking fifth spot. The plan for him was to try and find the feeling with the bike he had at Jerez, and he set a 1’41.655s to take P5. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was outside the top ten in 12^th, around three tenths off his teammate. Remy Gardner’s (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) strong pace continued as took sixth place, as the second-fastest Yamaha rider, while teammate Dominique Aegerter was 17^th. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished in 23^rd place ahead of Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) in 24^th.

LOWES ON TOP AT KAWASAKI DESPITE CRASH: the Brit leads KRT’s charge

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) headed into the test on the back of a sensational Sunday in Australia, and he continued to enjoy his place as KRT’s team leader with tenth place at a circuit that hasn’t been particularly kind to Kawasaki in the past. However, his day was disrupted by a Turn 10 crash with just over half an hour left in the session, which brought out the red flags for a few minutes. Teammate Axel Bassani, who was focusing on the upcoming round, was 14^th. For the test, he had Marco Melandri by his side although there’s no commitment yet beyond the Catalunya Test. KRT did have some upgrades to try at the test, although they didn’t reveal what they were; only that they couldn’t be seen from the outside. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 20^th on his factory ZX-10RR, lapping around 2.2 seconds off Bulega’s best time.

A CHALLENGING DAY FOR HONDA: two tech issues at Team HRC

It was a chastening, and quite frankly bizarre day for Honda, as both Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge had technical issues in the morning. Both bikes stopped at around the same time, causing a disruption to their planned programme; Lecuona left the circuit before the test day concluded although Vierge did return to the track on his other bike. Lecuona was classified 21^st with his teammate two places ahead, and you can read more from Honda here. Next door at the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, Tarran Mackenzie was the fastest out of the two riders with 22^nd place, while teammate Adam Norrodin was 28^th. The Malaysian’s day was impacted by him running out of fuel a few hours into the test while on track.

The top ten from Day 1, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.304s

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.464s

3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.725s

4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.752s

5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.351s

6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.367s

7. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +1.380s

8. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +1.388s

9. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +1.433s

10. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.498s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a disappointing visit to Australia just a few weeks ago, scoring no points and being declared unfit after a Race 2 crash. The two-day MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was his first chance to get back on the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine as he looked to kickstart his 2024 season properly as the entire field took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a Supported Test in Spain.

The first day suggested that Rea was back on the pace as he posted a 1’41.655s and completed 73 laps on his R1 machine, consistently towards the top of the timesheets. It marked a good fightback for the #65 after his crash and point-less outing at Phillip Island, at a Barcelona circuit that traditionally has been trickier for Yamaha than other circuits on the calendar. He finished in fifth place, behind only Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team).

Reflecting on his day and revealing the bike was feeling better, Rea said: “From Lap 1, the bike felt more normal, more like it had when testing throughout the winter. The guys went back to Milan after Australia to analyse all our issues and problems we’ve been having. We came here, fixed all of that. We still have some things to work on but now it feels like a normal test. We can keep working lap by lap. Phillip Island was a really bad start. Mentally, we had a bit more of a reset and started from zero, but also some changes to the bike with more of a base. I felt quite okay with the bike. It feels good but I’m not talking 100%; we need to work in some areas.”

Rea spent the majority of the day towards the top of the timesheets, often running in the top three before being demoted in the final stages of the day. It was also the first chance for him to check whether the rear chatter problem he was suffering from in Australia had gone, with the Ulsterman explaining he wasn’t suffering with it in Barcelona.

Rea revealed the area of the bike he’d ‘really like’ to work on, saying: “An area I really want to focus on with the bike is trying to generate traction with the rear. That’s not just coming from a rear shock or suspension, that’s a combination of linkage, swingarm, bike character… it’s really hard to pinpoint where to improve that. No complaints, for sure. They’re working in a really good way.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Both Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and teammate Nicolo Bulega were rapid on Day 1 of the Supported Test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the #1 finishing third and the #11 taking top spot. It continued a strong start to the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign for the Ducati team, after Bulega’s Race 1 win in Australia and Bautista’s second place in Race 2 and neither could hide their delight following the test day.

Bautista had been lurking inside the top ten for most of the day, but he surged up the order in the final 30 minutes, initially moving into second before being overhauled by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). However, despite finishing behind his teammate, the reigning Champion was more than happy with how his day went, declaring that he had “no problem” riding the bike after an injury-stricken winter left him unable to train properly.

A jubilant Bautista said after completing more than 100 laps and posting a 1’41.029s: “Now, I am happy because I am feeling like I am back again. After the Australian Round, I was quite confident and, today, I started like a bit awkward but then I felt good on the bike. I can say I don’t have problems riding the bike. We didn’t make a lot of changes because, for me, it’s important to get the feeling with the bike. The bike is basically the same as last year. A bit more weight but basically the bike didn’t change. It’s important to get the feeling, get used to the new weight of the bike and see in which areas we can push more or less.”

On the other side of the box, the #11 was one of the first riders to lap in the 1’41s bracket on Day 1 of the Supported Test, before improving to a 1’40.305s and completing 72 laps. His best time came on his 67^th lap as he went provisionally went more than a second clear, but his rivals halved the gap. It means Bulega has now topped test days at all of his WorldSBK tests, starting from the first one at Jerez last year to the most recent.

Explaining his programme for the day and his remarkable pace to leave him almost half-a-second clear, Bulega said: “It’s not a bad feeling to be P1! I know it’s just a test, but it gives me a lot of confidence to be P1 but also if I was P2; I’m fast, so it’s good. I used the SCQ, I think like everybody. I used it like Alvaro, Toprak and a lot of guys. I tried the new Pirelli C900 tyre, and I liked it; I think it can be a good choice for the round. All the tyres I tried today, I had a good feeling. We concentrated a lot on the clutch because, in Australia, my three starts were bad. We tried something new on the clutch to start better. I improved a little bit, so I’m happy, but when you are in the races, it’s more difficult.”

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Testing is a time for manufacturers in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to test new items and components, and that goes for tyre supplier Pirelli too. At the two-day Supported Test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, they brought a new front SC1 solution and rear SCX solution which the entire field were able to test during the two-day outing in Spain.

Pirelli are always searching for innovation and that continued with the introduction of the rear SCX C900 development tyre with the aim of providing extra stability compared to the the current standard solution to make the tyre an even better option. It comes off the back of the A800 development solution used widely in WorldSBK last year, with the Italian company always enhancing their tyres.

Explaining the SCX tyre, WorldSBK Project Leader at Pirelli, Steven Neumann, said: “The C900 is a rear tyre, and this tyre is a development from the SCX. It’s quite a nice tyre so it’s the first time we will test it in WorldSBK. It’s an improvement on the SCX based on what we know from the previous development tyre of the SCX. The compound is the same, it’s just that we are looking for something better. It’s already a really good tyre. As you saw last year, it’s been used for full races. We had, last year, the A800 as a development tyre. This tyre is an improvement of that development. It’s not something softer or harder but bringing something new to have something better. You are supposed to have more stability on drive, and more edge grip.”

The SCX tyre is not the only innovation at the test, with a new SC1 front tyre also available in the test. Both solutions will be available to use during next week’s Pirelli Catalunya Round, with the new SC1 also designed for more stability especially when conditions are warmer or at tracks which can be demanding on front tyres.

Neumann discussed why a new development tyre was available, saying: “There’s a new front tyre, it’s not linked to the rear tyre. It’s just a development soft tyre which is in the SC1 family. Our target is to give more stability on the front, mainly when it’s hotter and on really demanding tracks on the front, like Barcelona, in heavy braking areas or when you’re leaning and starting to brake. The compound remains the same as the SC1, so we are looking to have better stability.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

2024 has begun for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship but testing continues, particularly at the Supported Test in Spain. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is the host for two days of track action with plenty of teams and riders getting up to speed for the round as well as long-term development. For Honda, it’s a vital test; a disappointing start to 2024 in Australia has happened but new team boss Jose Escamez outlines Honda’s strategy to fight back and get closer to the front.

BRIEF ROUND 1 REVIEW: “Not what we expected or were looking for”

Starting with a quick glance back to Australia, it was a far from ideal introduction to WorldSBK for the new team principal: “The first round was not what we expected or looking for, but the important thing is that we got information in order to keep developing our new bike. Unfortunately, Iker had an early crash and that wasn’t in our plans, it’s not what we want. We got positive information in order to keep us going and we have the hope that it’s going to be much better during the season.”

Talking about Iker’s comments to the media about how the project has been going, Escamez was understanding in his response: “It’s obvious that a rider always wants something else. Other manufacturers have made a huge step and maybe we’re not at the same level yet, but I’m confident that we will get there and with all the information we got from Australia, we have a much clearer idea about the way we want to go and what the targets are. When you have a crash and don’t understand why, it’s normal to be upset so I really understand Iker.”

TALKING TECH: powerful engine but how can they profit from it?

“The engine is really powerful,” continued Escamez, with attention turning to how they can fix their underlying grip issue that has plagued the Japanese manufacturer since they returned to WorldSBK. “The only thing we are trying to solve in the short term is trying to have profit of this power. We can’t generate the grip, we struggle to stop the bike and then in the corners, we go wide. This is the main target and this is something we already faced in the past. In Australia, we got a lot of information that’s going to help us solve all this.

“We’ve got new items. We have a lot of faith that they’re going to work. It won’t be something that solves all our problems, it’ll be a little step that we’ve not tried on track. That’s why we’re here, to test them on track. It’s just to have more engine brake and it’s important to solve this aggressive response from the engine. It’s base setup and electronics, it’s something we knew. It looks like a pointless thing, but the way we lost a test day at Portimao in December due to rain, we delayed our development a little bit. We’re getting closer to where we want to be.”

NAGASHIMA PRESENT AND TESTING: Honda strengthen development programme

With test rider Tetsuta Nagashima in the paddock once again and undergoing a vigorous testing plan, Escamez put spotlight on the importance of data acquisition: “Nagashima will test something today that our riders will test tomorrow. We wanted to try it first on track. As much information we can get, the better. It’s part of our project.

“At the moment, aside from the electronics and power delivery, we’re still working on the base setup which is not bad but something we can still improve. We’re looking at little details to have the perfect bike… which is impossible! We didn’t get our proper base setup yet. Different tracks can adjust better.”

KUWATA MOVES ON: no knock-on impact expected

With a change in Honda’s organisation in Tetsuhiro Kuwata moving onto a new role in the company and being replaced by Taichi Honda as HRC General Manager, Escamez shed light on the situation: “This is a natural procedure in the company, which is nothing related and nothing wrong with that. He’ll get another role in the company, then Taichi Honda will replace him. I don’t think it’ll effect much. He’s a guy who’s supported us a lot and we can just say thanks for all his support, his knowledge but it’s not going to be a big change.”

NEW APPROACH “With this new planning and mentality of Honda… it’s going to be much better”

Confirming that working processes and procedures are a bit different and more efficient back in Japan, the new team boss highlighted that eventually, they’ll have better times: “Since this year they’ve improved the willing and the reaction, and working harder than before, maybe it’s not going to be as fast as we’d like but it’ll be much better than before. With this new planning and mentality of Honda, it cannot be an immediate reaction but it’s going to be much better.”

Finally, when asked about whether or not his experience in MotoGP™ – which dates back over 20 years, having worked with the likes of Max Biaggi – can help in WorldSBK and Honda’s project here, he was humorous as well as humble: “I really hope so! Otherwise, there’s no reason for me to stay here! It’s not something you think about, you just trying to give your knowledge from the best ones and I hope it helps us improve or at least be more effective.”

It’s been a tricky opening half a day for Honda in Barcelona, as both riders suffered technical issues at exactly the same time and in the same sector. For full live text commentary of the test, click here!

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The two-day test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will feature several test riders from four of the five manufacturers competing in WorldSBK, with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad bringing in Michele Pirro. The Italian, using the #51 bike, brings a wealth of experience from competing in the Italian Superbike championship as well as helping to develop the Ducati MotoGP™ project, with the Italian testing alongside racers Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Nicolo Bulega.

Pirro’s world stage career began in the 125cc World Championship back in 2003, where he stayed until 2006 before competing domestically in the Superstock class, winning the title on the Yamaha R1. From there, he moved into WorldSSP, taking victory at Imola, before moving to Moto2™ and then MotoGP™. He has taken part in wildcards for the factory Ducati team since a full-time career came to an end, but his primary role has been as the team’s test rider, helping develop the Desmosedici GP to the force it is now. His valuable work was rewarded with a contract until the end of 2026.

Because of his experience in developing the MotoGP™ machine, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati are utilising his skills on the Panigale V4 R. Explaining why, Ducati Corse Technical Coordinator Marco Zambenedetti said: “First of all, we are here to prepare for the round weekend as that’s always important. Fortunately, Barcelona seems to have good weather and is quite a complex and complete track; this gives us the possibility to setup the bike and test something new. Many of the things aren’t visible because they’re more about power delivery and the character of the engine with the new fuel control. There is also the test team that will help us improve the bike with Michele Pirro, who, especially in these areas, we can get the best from his experience in MotoGP™.

Zambenedetti also reviewed the manufacturer’s Australian round, where rookie Bulega won his debut race in WorldSBK and Bautista ended the weekend strongly as he took second in Race 2 after losing out in a last-lap fight with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Although it was a strong weekend for the Bologna-based manufacturer, it wasn’t as strong as the last two seasons where Bautista won five out of six races at Phillip Island in 2022 and 2023.

Discussing the Australia Round, Zambenedetti said: “About Australia, let me say I was positively impressed about Nicolo’s performance. We start to know him and his talent, but I’m impressed at the time it took for him to get to the top with this new bike. He adapted very quickly. Australia is always a friendly track for Ducati, and, in this case, it seems very good for Nicolo. Alvaro was struggling a bit as he tried to recover his confidence with the bike and find a new bike balance with the ballast that has been fixed on his bike. We’re still working on that area to give him the best package possible. I hope being in Barcelona, with all the references he has in his career, will help him and us to understand what the better setup with the ballast is. I’m pretty sure we will make an improvement with respect to Australia, and I hope we will be in the same position as last year.”

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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is underway and after an unforgettable season-opener in Australia, attention is now on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a two-day Supported Test. Every rider is present, along with several test riders, as teams and manufacturers look to maximise their data collection and prepare for the round in perfect fashion. Read a full preview of the test HERE. All times are Local Time (UTC+1).

10:48: Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) is now fastest ahead of the #54, with 0.134s separating the duo. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is P3.

10:40: A new name at the top of the timesheets as Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) takes P1; he’s the first rider in the 1’42s bracket as the times drop.

10:33: Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) leads the way with a 1’43.543s, a couple of tenths ahead of Scott Reddung and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing).

10:18: Bradley Smith is also on track, as are Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team),

10:00am: the green flag waves and we’re underway in Barcelona. First out is Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) followed by Florian Marino (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), on Alex Lowes’ #22 machine, shortly after 10am.

Source: WorldSBK.com

Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) is delighted to welcome the China Endurance Festival (CEF) into the SBK® Roadway programme. This strategic collaboration between CEF and DWO aims to integrate Chinese motorcycle sports into the global arena.

Established in 2023, the China Endurance Festival is dedicated to creating a unique celebration for Chinese motorcycle enthusiasts. The festival, highlighted by a thrilling 4-hour endurance race, offers a fair and highly entertaining platform for manufacturers, teams, and motorcycle enthusiasts. Beyond the race, CEF serves as a test field for leading motorcycle companies to showcase new products and advance technology.

The success of CEF in 2023 has garnered recognition from DWO, prompting the official inclusion of CEF in the SBK® Roadway project for 2024. DWO’s SBK® Roadway is a long-term initiative designed to facilitate the seamless integration of emerging talents and manufacturers into WorldSBK.

In the upcoming year, CEF will collaborate closely with DWO to elevate the festival’s content throughout the series’ four rounds. In addition to the four-hour endurance race, a noteworthy addition will be the CEF Women’s Cup, showcasing a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the sport — a cause that aligns with WorldSBK’s involvement in supporting the upcoming FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship.

The CEF is the third competition to be included in the SBK® Roadway programme after the FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup and the Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Latinoamarica.

Source: WorldSBK.com

It’s back! Some of the craziest, most entertaining and closest World Championship racing you’ll likely see comes from the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship. It’s always a land of opportunity but this year, there’s a clear group that should fight for the title and those who will have flashes of brilliance. We’ve (somehow) slimmed it down to five favourites and five outsiders for title success – if you disagree, take a look to the entry list here and let us know your thoughts!

THE 5 FAMOUS ONES: AN ESTABLISHED GUARD IN 2024

#1 Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing)

The reigning Champion is the only rider in WorldSSP300 history to win the title twice but both times have been in the established title-contending MTM Kawasaki team. For the Dutchman, it’s a change to the Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing team for 2024 as searches to become the first triple Champion and the first for KTM. With the #1 proudly shown, he’s an obvious and clear favourite.

#26 Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki)

Taking over Buis’ place in the MTM Kawasaki team is Mirko Gennai, who won the last two races of 2023 and finished third overall. The most successful Italian in terms of wins joins an established Championship front-running team and history can be made at Round 1. He could be the first rider to win three races in a row as well as first rider to win back-to-back races with different manufacturers

#23 Samuel Di Sora (ARCO MotoR University Team)

Going into a sixth season of action in the class, Samuele Di Sora is a veteran; the Frenchman will be keen to show that he’ll be one to watch in 2024, having won races in the last four seasons, although he struggled in 2023. A new challenge for him in 2024 with a switch to Yamaha and a team that’s previously won the title, can he hit the ground running in Barcelona, one of his favourite tracks?

#91 Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha)

The #91 Italian was a star in 2023 with a race win, podiums and numerous battles putting his name in the title chase despite a mid-season dip. He’s one of just two of our selected ‘favourites’ to remain with the same team and continuity in the class can be the difference at the start of the season. The best-placed Yamaha from 2023 is sure to be right in the mix but can he make the difference?

#7 Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki)

The second MTM Kawasaki to feature on the list for very good reasons. An Aragon winner from the fifth row of the grid and strength shown at various other points, Veneman – the son of WorldSSP podium finisher Barry Veneman – was strong in the second half of 2024. He scored the fourth-highest amount of points from the final four rounds and finished P8 overall; a dark horse for sure.

THE 5 EMERGING STARS: COULD THE FAVOURITES BE OVERTHROWN?

#53 Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki)

He was a double winner at the first round last year at Assen and thus Championship leader but a poor second half of 2023 left a bittersweet taste for Petr Svoboda. The 21-year-old hopes consistency from the first half of last year carries on to become the first Czech World Champion in the class.

#9 Emilio Ercolani (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team)

The reigning Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Champion makes his move to the big stage and will be keen to show that he’s got what it takes to fight for the top spots. He was first and second in Barcelona last year on his way to the title so it seems a good place to start a new challenge.

#22 Marc Garcia (China Racing Team)

A year in the class for Kove with two top eights means 2017 WorldSSP300 Champion Marc Garcia aims to regularly challenge for top fives and podiums. A title tilt may be hard but this is WorldSSP300 – if you’re new to the class, after Race 1, you’ll understand what we mean! Anything can happen…

#31 Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team)

A top ten finisher in the Moto3™ World Championship, it goes without saying that Italian rookie Elia Bartolini will be a force to be reckoned with in 2024. He should be fast from the start but nothing is confirmed; with Sandro Carusi’s team featuring heavily, expect something special from the squad.

#47 Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project)

FENTOOOON… we just had to. Three fastest laps in the last six races of 2023 and always building in confidence, Seabright earns himself on a list of riders to keep a close eye on this year. The British rider, with ten top ten finishes last year, continues with the same team, a good base for 2024.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: THOSE BOUND TO SURPRISE AND RISE

Narrowing anything related to WorldSSP300 down to ten is always difficult and there are plenty of riders who can promise a strong campaign in 2024. Indonesian brothers Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP Racing) and Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) are both winners in the class and always fast, whilst Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) is back after a year out and clinching the IDM Supersport 300 title in 2023.

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) has hopes of more podiums, Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Kawasaki Racing) is back full-time in 2024 after his wildcard wins and Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Racing) was building well at the end of 2023. Julio Garcia Gonzalez (Kove Racing Team) has had a podium in the class and wants a first for the Chinese manufacturer, whereas third-placed in the Yamaha R3 Euro Championship Kevin Fontainha (MS Racing) also graduates and represents Brazil with Enzo Valentim AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by MS Racing and teammate Gustavo Manso.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

A few weeks on from a memorable MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season-opener, the engines will roar again – this time, for a two-day Supported Test – as the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya welcomes WorldSBK machinery. Taking place on Thursday 15^th and Friday 16^th of March, the entire WorldSBK field will be in Spain as they look to continue strong form or forget a disappointing trip Down Under while everyone will want to prepare for the Pirelli Catalunya Round. Some questions were left unanswered after Australia – will the test provide answers or give a clue as to what to expect in the round?

FIRST CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK: a crucial test coming for the field

After Australia proved tricky, some riders will hope to use this test to kickstart 2024 properly. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a disaster in Australia, scoring no points on his Yamaha debut and being declared unfit after a Race 2 crash. He’ll be back on track at the test and hoping to solve the chatter issues that plagued him Down Under. It’ll be a vital test for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge too, after Honda struggled at Phillip Island. HRC have drafted in test rider Tetsuta Nagashima to help with their development, while PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda team duo Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin will be present too.

TIME TO FIX TECH ISSUES? Important days for BMW

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a strong Australian Round but a technical issue in Race 2 showed there could be some vulnerabilities there – it was also an engine issue that halted Toprak’s first ever run with the bike at Portimao back in December. The two-day test gives BMW a chance to work on the issue and prevent a reoccurrence for the #54 as well as teammate Michael van der Mark, plus Bonovo Action BMW duo Garrett Gerloff and Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW). They’ll also have test team riders Sylvain Guintoli and Bradley Smith on track as they look to develop the M 1000 RR for both the round and the future.

AIMING TO CONTINUE STRONG FORM: on the front foot leaving Australia

Championship leader Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and current #2 in the title race Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) were the two winners Down Under and the Catalan Test will give them a chance to prepare for the round in the best possible way, while respective teammates Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will feel they have a bit of work to do, with Bautista taking P2 in Race 2 in Australia. Kawasaki will also have test rider Florian Marino on track and Michele Pirro will test for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad. Elsewhere, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) were on the rostrum in Australia and will hope the test gives them a chance to repeat this feat in Barcelona. Expect Iannone to be fast in Barcelona, with ‘The Maniac’ always good in low-grip conditions historically.

COMPLETING THE FIELD: hoping to look good in Barcelona

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) both enjoyed a decent first outing with their new teams in Australia, and Catalunya is a circuit both know well. Rounding out the field will be four Yamaha riders with Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) preparing for only his second test of 2024 alongside teammate Remy Gardner while Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) aim to make a step after a challenging Australian Round. Yamaha are the only manufacturer to not have a test rider in Barcelona, with the others utilising extra rider resources to gather as much data as possible.

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Source: WorldSBK.com