Last season, WorldSBK came to a close with one of the greatest races I’ve ever seen. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) vs Toprak Razgatlioglu (then Pata Prometeon Yamaha) fighting it out for the win at Jerez was something that, frankly, I still can’t believe! The Turkish star may have lost his final race for Yamaha but it was more like a boxing fight that came down a judges card; we left wanting a rematch.

GENERATIONAL TALENT TOPRAK: “Can he win a title for BMW? He most certainly CAN!”

The rematch won’t happen. Toprak leaving for BMW has created a new dynamic. Arguably, it’s a more exciting dynamic. Can this generational talent do what no other rider in history has done? Can he win a title for BMW? Standing trackside at the Jerez and Portimao circuits throughout the winter the answer was clear; he most certainly can.

BMW has a lot of ground to make up but Toprak looks comfortable with the bike already. Winning a title in year one of a new project will be asking too much but he’ll be winning races very early in the campaign. The engine characteristics and power of the M 1000 RR has suited his style and now he’s fine tuning. Toprak is ready for battle.

NEW IN BLUE: Rea’s quest for title #7 continues… but with YAMAHA

Replacing Razgatlioglu is Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha). It’s amazing to think that the six-time Champion may not have enough stature to fill the hole left by Toprak but that could be the case. Early testing has shown Rea to be comfortable with the bike on longer runs but needing to find some confidence for single lap pace. This weekend will be the first time he has to pull the pin and see where he stacks up on the grid. The Tissot Superpole session will be fascinating for that reason.

WEIGHING IN: New rules, a nagging injury and behind in testing, Alvaro Bautista

With Rea and Razgatlioglu moving to new pastures, it’s easy to think that Bautista will have it all his own way this year. The Spaniard, who is gunning for third title in a row – a feat only achieved by Rea in the history of WorldSBK – will start the year as the clear favourite. The #1 Ducati will bear the brunt of regulation changes for this campaign with Bautista set to carry approximately 6kg of ballast on his bike. A bigger handicap will be his physical conditioning after a serious injury last year. 

Bautista is gradually returning to full fitness but admitted to me that the calendar for this year is “perfect” for a rider recovering from injury: “We have Phillip Island and then a break until Barcelona. Then we have another break before Assen and then Misano. I have some time to get back to normal.” Getting back to normal is ominous for his rivals.

MORE THAN THE TITANIC TRIO: fantastic four or five, maybe six of the best?

The top three have dominated the series over the last two years but will anyone challenge them this year? It’s unlikely over the course of the full season but each weekend we can expect some challengers. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has impressed in testing and the WorldSSP Champion has adapted handily to his Superbike. Partnered up with Bautista, he will expect to contend for podiums in the early rounds.

Yamaha has arguably the strongest stable of riders. Rea, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and teammate Dominque Aegerter are all World Champions. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) is a BSB champion and Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) is a Grand Prix winner. The blue machines will have six riders all expecting to make a big step forward. Rea will obviously be expected to lead the charge but will one of the established Yamaha riders lead the way in Australia? Don’t sleep on Aegerter, a front row man here last year on his debut, despite being ill throughout 2024 testing.

At Kawasaki, the rubble left in the wake of Rea’s departure was cleared to allow Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) to finally become a factory rider. The Italian has a lot of adapting to do so don’t expect much straight away. This will be a learning year for him whereas teammate Alex Lowes will be expected to do the heavy lifting. Lowes switching to Rea’s ex-crew chief Pere Riba has energised the off-season for Kawasaki. They have a new goal and for Lowes, it will be a new way of going about his business with a new crew chief. The ZX10-RR has an extra 500rpm, so we’ll see the impact that makes.

Over with BMW, Razgatlioglu has already established himself as the leader but there’s been tension simmering away behind the scenes. With teammate Michael van der Mark, Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) and his teammate Garrett Gerloff all trying to prove themselves behind the Turkish star, we can expect fireworks. The trio are all competitive animals and know they have what it takes to win races and have been closely matched in testing. BMW have put in a lot of resources and all four riders will take advantage of their progress. Last year, Gerloff finished the year as the leading BMW rider in the closing rounds; he’s motivated to prove his worth again against Redding.

HONDA’S WOES: can they turn the ship around?

Honda are still the biggest question mark on the grid; another newly-homologated bike has lots of upgrades but is it any faster? Winter testing didn’t offer much encouragement to Team HRC. These early rounds look set to be difficult and until Honda start to find performance, they will be trying to push forward from the background. It’s a shame because resources are being spent and there are talented people within Honda. Unfortunately for Team HRC, they’ve been the proof of how competitive WorldSBK has become. With the field getting ever stronger – as shown by Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Bulega all joining the grid as rookies – someone has to be at the front and others have be further down the order. This year, it’s harder than ever to predict the order going into any round.

Source: WorldSBK.com

While the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season has its first race in a few days, a few riders from the paddock started racing for the season a bit early with a visit to a karting track. Taking place at Phillip Island, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha), Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) and John McPhee (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) battled it out for early glory as friendly rivalries took hold at the venue. Check out stunning pictures from the event in the gallery at the top of this page.

A NEW ERA BEGINS: watch every single second from Australia LIVE and AD-FREE using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

A new era is here in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, as 2024 promises to be a season like no other before. With huge rider line-up changes, various upgrades across numerous manufacturers and new faces ready to upset the established guard, big numbers and historic moments could all be reached in our first weekend of the season.

333.3km/h – The highest top speed at Phillip Island is 333.3km/h, set in 2023 by Danilo Petrucci.

116/119 – Yamaha are at their fourth match ball to equal Honda for wins. Yamaha are on 116, Honda 119, the latter in the third all-time place. The first two belong to Ducati (420) and Kawasaki (178).

115/116 – Toprak Razgatlioglu is just one podium shy of the 3^rd all-time spot, held by Noriyuki Haga. The first two in this ranking are Jonathan Rea (263) and Troy Corser (130).

75 – Ducati have collected no less than 75 podium finishes at Phillip Island: that is the third highest value in history for a manufacturer on any track after their own 95 Misano podiums and 84 at Assen.

70 – Phillip Island holds the record for most WorldSBK races run (67) and will be the first to reach 70.

39 – If Alvaro Bautista wins a race this season, he’ll become the 5^th rider to win at 39, the first since Max Biaggi set the all-time record at the Nurburgring in Race 1, 2012 at 41 years, 2 months, 14 days.

32 – Ducati is the most successful manufacturer at Phillip Island with 32 wins. They won the last five races run here thanks to Alvaro Bautista.

23 – Australian riders have won here 23 times, the last was in 2008 with a double from Troy Bayliss.

18 – Phillip Island is the home for close finishes: 18 races were decided by less than 0.1 seconds.

14.983s – In 2019, Alvaro Bautista made a stunning debut in WorldSBK, winning his maiden race with a gap of 14.983 seconds over Jonathan Rea, the largest winning margin in a dry race at Phillip Island.

13 – The last rider who won at Phillip Island starting outside the top ten on the grid was Noriyuki Haga; from 13^th in 2009 Race 1, he was P2 after Lap 1. He took the lead after just four laps.

8 – Last year, Bautista became the most successful rider in Phillip Island with eight wins.

7 – Seven riders have claimed their first win at Phillip Island: Bautista in 2019, Leon Haslam in 2010, Ben Spies in 2009, Garry McCoy in 2004, Anthony Gobert in 1994, Kevin Magee in 1991 and Rob Phillis in 1990. The two most recent, Bautista and Spies, went on to take the crown.

3 – If Rea or Razgatlioglu win for their new team, they will join the list of winners for three manufacturers (Troy Corser, Chaz Davies, Anthony Gobert, Eugene Laverty, Stephane Mertens), with the record at four (Marco Melandri, winner for Aprilia, BMW, Ducati and Yamaha).

2 – If Razgatlioglu (27 years old) wins for BMW, he will be the 2^nd youngest winner for the manufacturer after Chaz Davies (26 years old in Aragon, 2013), whilst Rea (37) will be the oldest for Yamaha, whose oldest winner so far is Fabrizio Pirovano (33 years old in Estoril, 1993).

1-2 – The last six races here have been won only from the first two spots of the grid.

1 – Only once in WorldSBK history, the podium was composed by riders starting outside the top ten grid spots. That was in Phillip Island 2009, Race 1. Noriyuki Haga won from 13^th, Max Neukirchner was second from 14^th and Yukio Kagayama was third from 11^th.

0.004s – The closest finish in WorldSBK history happened in 2010 at Phillip Island in Race 1, as Leon Haslam won by 0.004s ahead of Michel Fabrizio.

SHORTHAND NOTEBOOK

2023 race winners:

• Alvaro Bautista (Ducati, Race 1, Superpole Race and Race 2)

Last three polesitters at Phillip Island:

• 2023: Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) 1’29.400
• 2022: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) 1’29.815s
• 2020: Tom Sykes (BMW) 1’29.230s

Manufacturer podium places (and wins) in WorldSBK at Phillip Island:

• Ducati: 75 (32)
• Kawasaki: 40 (13)
• Honda: 27 (4)
• Yamaha: 26 (6)
• Aprilia: 15 (6)
• Suzuki: 6 (5)
• BMW: 3
• Bimota: 1 (1)

Key gaps from Phillip Island in 2023:

• Front row covered by: 0.235s
• 1 second in Superpole covered… the top 13: 0.988s
• Closest race gap between 1^st and 2^nd: 2.462s (Bautista 1^st, Rinaldi 2^nd, Superpole Race)
• Closest podium: 3.060s (Bautista 1^st, Rinaldi 2^nd, Locatelli 3^rd, Superpole Race)
• Closest podium of all time: 0.041s (Razgatlioglu 1^st, Lowes 2^nd, Redding 3^rd, Race 1, 2020)

Manufacturer top speeds at Phillip Island in 2023:

• Ducati: Petrucci – 333.3 km/h, Superpole Race
• Honda: Vierge – 332.3 km/h, Superpole Race
• BMW: Gerloff – 330.2 km/h, Superpole Race
• Kawasaki: Rea – 326.2 km/h, FP1
• Yamaha: Razgatlioglu – 321.4 km/h, Warm Up

A NEW ERA BEGINS: follow it all in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Dorna WSBK Organization proudly welcomes Dodge as the Official Car and Official Safety Car for the 2024 season. The iconic American automotive brand is set to join an exclusive roster of partners, adding a new dimension of power and style to the world’s leading production motorcycle racing series.

Dodge will take centre stage as the 2024 WorldSBK Official Car & Official Safety Car. The partnership showcases the perfect fusion of character and speed, with Dodge muscle cars serving as the ultimate 4-wheel counterparts to WorldSBK machinery.

Dodge’s rich history of power and performance, both on the track and the drag strip, will resonate with WorldSBK fans as the thrilling roar of the new Official Safety Car is unleashed.

Two Dodge Challenger SRTs, equipped with the iconic 6.2L HEMI V8 engine producing 717 Hp, will patrol the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rounds, providing a perfect match to the racing Superbikes. This level of performance not only allows for precise assessment of track conditions but also ensures officials can always intervene swiftly.

Completing the Dodge WorldSBK fleet are Durango SUVs, serving as the Race Direction and FIM Safety Officer official cars. The Durango combines high efficiency with practicality, making it an ideal workhorse for the championship. Two specs will be deployed on track: a Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat with a 6.2L V8 engine delivering over 710 Hp and Dodge Durango SRT featuring a 6.4L Hemi V8 producing 475 Hp.

The pinnacle of victory will be marked by the presence of the Dodge brand on the top step of the podium during the prize-giving ceremonies, symbolising the rider’s triumph – a distinctive moment of unparalleled excitement and pure motorsport essence. A third Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye powered by the 807 Hp 6.2L Hemi V8 will also be on display next to the podium.

The Dodge Official WorldSBK fleet is poised to make its debut at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, marking the first European round of the 2024 season. As the engines rev and the partnership unfolds, Dodge and WorldSBK are set to redefine the standards of speed, power, and performance on and off the track.

Domenico Gostoli, Head of RAM & Dodge Brands Enlarged Europe said: “As Dodge Europe, we have worked hard on this Project and we are proud to start this exciting new cooperation, the first for Dodge Brand in EU: the partnership with WorldSBK is built on a common “performance and race” spirit and fits perfectly with a fan world and an audience of enthusiasts for our Brand. At Dodge we always aim to exceed our limits and reach new heights, putting daily a winning attitude, grit and determination into our work.”

Francesco Valentino, Head of WorldSBK Commercial & Marketing Department added: “Built to take on the road in style, Dodge muscle cars deliver on the promise of their looks with power and acceleration under the hood to match. We are proud and thrilled to welcome Dodge and bring it together with WorldSBK. As a production-based motorcycling series, we identify with Dodge’s tradition of high-performance cars, and the alignment of our values makes for an exciting brand association.”

A NEW ERA BEGINS: watch all the action unfold in 2024 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Based on the information gathered following the WorldSBK and WorldSSP tests at Phillip Island earlier this week and following a report from the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Technical Director, the Race Direction together with the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) have decided that to ensure the safety of all participants, rear tyres shouldn’t be used for more than 11 laps for the WorldSBK class and 10 laps for the WorldSSP class.

Additionally, the race distance for the WorldSBK Race 1 and 2 has been reduced to 20 laps and two extra sets of tyres have been allocated for each rider in both classes.

Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director:

“The circuit has performed admirably with the new asphalt. Whilst rubber is gradually laid down track conditions evolve, which present some challenges. Since the tyres were shipped out in late November to arrive for this opening round, there wasn’t enough time to develop specific tyres tailored to the current asphalt conditions. We have carefully assessed the situation, considering the early track activity following the asphalt being laid out and the two days of testing that we conducted earlier this week. Whilst conditions have certainly improved, they may not have improved enough, especially considering the challenging, fast-paced nature of this circuit layout. In such circumstances, we, in collaboration with Race Direction, the FIM and the Phillip Island GP Circuit, must opt for the safest option, which is of paramount importance.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

It’s the start of a new era in the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and it all gets underway at the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on Friday. It’s the first chance to see how the new era begins with plenty of intrigue heading into the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. WorldSSP action starts the day with their sole Free Practice session at 10:25 Local Time (UTC+11), before WorldSBK Free Practice 1 at 11:20. Friday afternoon is the new home for Tissot Superpole in WorldSSP, with the 40-minute session starting at 14:55. WorldSBK Free Practice 2 is at 16:00. On Saturday, WorldSBK Free Practice 3 is the first action at 10:00, before WorldSSP Warm Up at 10:30. WorldSBK Tissot Superpole is at 13:00 before WorldSSP Race 1 at 14:30 and WorldSBK Race 1 at 16:00. Two Warm Up sessions start the day from 10:30 on Sunday, before the 10-lap WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race at 13:00, WorldSSP Race 2 at 14:30 and WorldSBK Race 2 at 16:00.

A NEW ERA BEGINS: watch every single moment from Australia LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Friday, 23^rd February (all times Local Time, UTC+11)

10:25-11:05 – WorldSSP Free Practice

11:20-12:05 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1

14:55-15:35 – WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

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

Saturday, 24^th February

10:00-10:20 – WorldSBK Free Practice 3

10:30-10:40 – WorldSSP Warm Up

13:00-13:15 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole

14:30 – WorldSSP Race 1 (18 laps)

16:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (22 laps)

Sunday, 25^th February

10:30-10:40 – WorldSBK Warm Up

10:50-11:00 – WorldSSP Warm Up

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

14:30 – WorldSSP Race 2 (18 laps)

16:00 – WorldSBK Race 2 (22 laps)

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is here and with it comes the return of the Predictor Game, which debuted last year. It comes back for 2024 with incredible prizes on offer for both predictions at each round and scoring the most points across the season. The prizes available should be an incentive for everyone to take part, with a Tissot watch on offer for each round and several prizes for the top three who predict the best across the season.

All you have to do is guess the pole time ahead of Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session at every round. Go to the Predictor website HERE, submit your prediction and hope the polesitter is able to match your time to win amazing prizes. You’ll have to submit your prediction before the start of Superpole, so make sure you get it done before the green wave flags for the all-important session.

For each round, there’s a chance to win a Tissot watch thanks to the Swiss company. If you predict the correct Superpole time, and you’re the only person who does this, the watch will be yours. If there are multiple people who predicted the correct time, then a random draw will take place to determine who wins. And, finally, if no one guesses the correct time, the winner will be based on the person who is closest.

Across the season, a ‘league’ will take place with the top three given sensational prizes at the end of the year. Competitors will earn points depending on how close to the pole time they are, with 100 points for getting it right, 60 points for being within 0.250s (either above or below), 40 points for being within 0.500s and 20 points for being within 1 second of the pole time.

The winner of this end-of-season ‘league’ will win two WorldSBK Pit Lounge passes and a hotel booking for a round. The Pit Lounge provides high-level services across all three days of the round, including gourmet cuisine, access to a pit walk, a reserved grandstand and a paddock pass for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Second place will win a Tissot T-Race Chronograph watch, while third place will be rewarded with a Tissot T-Race watch.

Find out more, take part and try to win big prizes with the WorldSBK Predictor Game HERE.

Source: WorldSBK.com

The start of the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship is just around the corner. The roar of the engines will reverberate around the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as 27 riders fight it out for glory at the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. There have been some huge changes to the grid, but everyone has had a chance to prepare for the round thanks to a one-day test that took place at the venue on Monday.

WHAT DID THE TEST TELL US? Montella quick, Caricasulo strong, Manzi rapid

The Official Test in Australia was the only time to compare rivals to each other with interesting results, albeit with the usual testing caveats about programmes being unknown. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was fastest as he went under the lap record, but he was closely followed by Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing). Montella and Manzi perhaps have a slight advantage over ‘Carica’, having raced at Phillip Island on their machines last year, while Caricasulo is still adapting to the F3 800 RR machine following Motozoo Racing’s decision to switch from Kawasaki to MV Agusta. Montella won at the circuit in 2022 for Kawasaki, whereas Manzi is one of the favourites; can either live up to the billing?

A WEEKEND OF NOVELTIES: some big changes on the grid…

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) will race as a Ducati rider for the first time on the back of a strong test day on Monday, as he took P4 despite a crash. He said a podium was his goal but can he replicate Nicolo Bulega’s success from last year Down Under? Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) has made the switch to the Dutch team and will make his debut with them in Australia as he looks to make a step forward, racing alongside Manzi. There’s a new Triumph team on the grid as WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph make their debut with Jorge Navarro and John McPhee, while Tom Booth-Amos will compete with PTR Triumph for the first time, alongside Ondrej Vostatek who stays with the team. Not only are there rider line-up changes, but the Australian Round will feature the debut of a Friday Tissot Superpole session and just one Free Practice outing, providing an extra challenge for the field. The pace in testing was record-breaking partially thanks to a new asphalt, so will we see a new lap record set?

BIG NAMES RETURN, OTHERS MOVE: lots of riders on the move…

2017 Champion Lucas Mahias returns to WorldSSP on a full-time basis with GMT94 Yamaha, linking up with the manufacturer he won the title with seven years ago. A winner at Phillip Island in 2018 with the Japanese brand, can the 34-year-old replicate that success in 2024? After a challenging season in WorldSBK, Lorenzo Baldassarri returns to WorldSSP but this time with the ORELAC Racing VerdNatura squad. A podium in 2022 at the Australian circuit came in Race 1 and ‘Balda’ will be hoping to kickstart his second campaign in the Championship in the same fashion. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) will get his first race on the Panigale V2 under his belt as EAB Racing swap Yamaha for Ducati, while Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha) and Hikari Okubo (Vince64 Racing Team by Puccetti) both return; the latter for the first time since 2021. Marcel Brenner has impressed at times during his WorldSSP campaign and is back for 2024, linking up with VIAMO Racing by MTM as they replace the Ducati-bound Huertas with the Swiss rider.

…BUT SOME THINGS STAY THE SAME: Oncu back to his best, MV Agustas looking to build…

Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) missed a lot of 2023 through injury but a podium at Jerez to end the season, plus surgery in the winter, leaves him hopefully in good stead for 2024. With some upgrades to his ZX-6R for this season, the Turkish star will be aiming to repeat his podium success from 2022 and 2023 in Australia. Sticking with the Turkish contingent, Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) is back for his third year in WorldSSP and aiming to build on his race-winning 2023 campaign while teammate Marcel Schroetter goes in search of a first one. Home hero Oli Bayliss is back with the D34G Racing WorldSSP Team and he will be hoping to secure a maiden WorldSSP podium on home soil, with Bayliss always strong at Phillip Island. Anupab Sarmoon returns for a second season with the Yamaha Thailand Racing Team, this time joined by Krittapat Keankum, while Yeray Ruiz secures a maiden full campaign with VFT Racing Yamaha.

ROOKIES SET FOR DEBUT: Antonelli leads 2024’s rookie class

Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing) will make his WorldSSP debut in Australia after a podium-scoring campaign in the FIM Moto2™ European Championship. He was due to make his debut alongside Piotr Biesiekirski, but the Pole had a crash in testing at Turn 2 and was ruled out of action due to a concussion and facial trauma. The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda team will field two rookies in Kaito Toba and Khairul Idham Ben Pawi, while Tom Toparis (Stop & Seal Racing) makes a wildcard appearance for the first time since 2019; on that occasion, he finished 11^th at Phillip Island.

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

Source: WorldSBK.com

The moment we’ve all been waiting for; the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is finally here. The testing stops, the off-track talking halts and the on-track talking takes over. From Australia in February to Spain in October, 36 races at 12 circuits around the world will see how the new era of WorldSBK takes shape. History beckons on multiple fronts and it all starts Down Under at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Time and time again, this circuit has delivered the goods and 2024 won’t be any different. From the closest finish of all-time to emphatic debut wins and rookie sensations bursting onto the scene, all those stories – and more – are possible this weekend and to frankly, we don’t know where to start!

HEAVYWEIGHT HEADLINES: the big day nears for the movers and shakers

Let’s start with the obvious; there’re major changes on the grid with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) switching from Kawasaki and replacing Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who left the Japanese brand to join BMW. Both have been fast in testing, with Rea getting stronger all the time whilst before heading to Australia, Razgatlioglu led the way at Portimao. However, in the Official Test at Phillip Island, whilst Toprak was still fast, Rea didn’t seem to be quite at ease and suffered a highside at Turn 11 on Tuesday. Just days before the season starts, it’s the knock that the six-time World Champion didn’t need.

Behind the two giants – although in front of them at various stages in testing – two of the star rookies: Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven). Bulega steps up as reigning WorldSSP Champion and has topped more tests than anyone else throughout pre-season, whilst ‘The Maniac’ is back after four years away and returns to a circuit where he’s always gone well at before in MotoGP™. Flying high and right on Bulega’s case on Tuesday at the test – despite both suffering crashes at Turn 4 – Iannone has been one to watch, lighting up the timing screens. He really isn’t just a big name to make up numbers, he means business.

THE ESTABLISHED STARS IN THEIR USUAL COLOURS: Bautista to turn testing form around?

So, what about the reigning World Champion? Well, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) hasn’t had the easiest ride of things coming into 2024. An injury sustained in the very first pre-season test at Jerez in November has left him with neck and shoulder pain all the way through until Phillip Island. As well as that, there’s a 6kg ballast to be added to his Ducati Panigale V4 R due to the new weight rules and a general struggle to get used to that in testing, Bautista hasn’t topped a single test. However, of the nine races he’s had on Ducati at Phillip Island, he’s won eight of them – the only he didn’t win being a flag-to-flag in 2022’s Race 1. Don’t be surprised if he’s right back where you’d expect him to be on Saturday.

There are other riders who haven’t changed teams but have shone extensively in the build-up to the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) has been in mighty form and after a podium at the track last year, will Phillip Island see him contend for a first win? Then, there’s Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who was P3 in Portimao’s test and in podium contention in Australia last year, although an upgraded ZX-10RR will leave him hoping that he can convert it this year. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has been fast throughout testing and now, with him being fully fit, he’s hoping to be right with teammate Toprak as BMW make strides to the top. There’s also Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) who is keen to get going and he believes he’ll be far more competitive this year at Phillip Island than last, given that he’s got a year of valuable experience under his belt. Having ended 2023 so strongly with a pole in France and podium challenges, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) hopes he can return to the rostrum in 2024 at the track where he debuted at in 2020.

NEW HONDA READIES FOR DEBUT: Lecuona and Vierge gear up for 2024 challenges

Whilst the new Honda may feature split throttle bodies, a lighter crank and refined aero package, both Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and Xavi Vierge have yet to find a base setup. Both were comfortably inside the top ten last year at Phillip Island and hopefully for them, the track’s new surface will help them in their quest to find more grip, something they’ve struggled with throughout pre-season. For Lecuona himself, he crashed at Turn 11 and missed the afternoon of testing on Tuesday and had his arm in a sling, so his 2024 hasn’t got off to an ideal start. Also with the new Honda is Britain’s Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONIAS MIE Racing Team), who will look to mix it with the factory outfit on occasion, whilst he’s got Adam Norrodin as a teammate for 2024, the Malaysian stepping up to WorldSBK.

DARK HORSES: Phillip Island’s unpredictability could be favourable

The home crowd will be cheering for Remy Gardner (GTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the Australian ready for a second season and hoping to be a regular challenger in the top five. Teammate Dominique Aegerter comes into 2024 having not tested besides the Official Test just days ago due to illness but he was on the front row during his debut last year. Two podiums at the end of the year will spur him onto big things for this year. Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) may be chasing a first win in his career and living the dream as a factory rider but he’s still adapting to Kawasaki machinery. Perhaps a race about tyre management could bring him into play? Don’t forget, he was fourth last year in Race 2, just holding off Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha), who has also left the Ducati family. He’s shown good potential already on the inline four of Yamaha.

Both were behind Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing) last year on the factory Ducati but the #21 has replaced Bassani at Lorenzo Mauri’s team for this year and will hope to be competitive from the start. Don’t discount Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) or Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) for surprises either, with Ray at Phillip Island for the first time and Rabat with a factory-spec Kawasaki.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The talking stops and soon, the action will begin for the contenders of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, who will go for glory in a frenetic season. The Official Test has concluded and many riders are now working exclusively for the weekend, with the first points of the season up for grabs. With the new track surface at Phillip Island in Australia, many riders spent the day working on race distance and tyre management, although the proof will be in the pudding as to whether or not their homework will pay have paid off.

RAZGATLIOGLU VS BULEGA: trading blows for lap record honours

It was a busy day for BMW, who continued to try various swingarms. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), like throughout other tests, was right in contention. He wasn’t sure what exactly to expect at Phillip Island but was fast, particularly in the middle sectors. However, outright pace wasn’t the target for BMW as both Toprak and teammate Michael van der Mark worked on chassis balance, in order to preserve tyre life as best as possible. There were also new strategies being tried for engine braking, although chassis and front-end material is fixed. Continued work on engine strategy, electronics and swingarm went on all day. Toprak went all-out at the end of the day and smashed the lap record, snatching it from Bulega to make it a 1’28.511. Van der Mark slipped down the order, finishing in 14^th.

Once again at Ducati, a day of two halves. Nicolo Bulega was absolutely sensation in FP1 and became the first WorldSBK rider to lap the track in the 1’28 bracket with a 1’28.890. He did suffer a crash at Turn 4 however but was unharmed. He then turned on the coals during the final ten minutes of testing action, gobbling up the lap record to set a 1’28.585 although he would finish in P2 overall. However, Alvaro Bautista suffered a slightly faster crash at Turn 6 and still isn’t comfortable aboard his machine on his way to P7. Not a consistent threat throughout the day inside the top ten, team boss Serafino Foti stated that it was more of a case of wait and see for the double World Champion with regards to how he’s feeling with his nagging injury. The plan across Ducati’s box was to get used to the new track surface at Phillip Island and understand how the tyre reacts, although Foti stated that he has no concerns over race pace. Bautista has won eight out of the nine races he’s took part in for Ducati at Phillip Island, Bulega was a winner for them in WorldSSP last year.

REA CRASHES, LOCATELLI SHINES: two contrasting sides from Yamaha

It was a day of two sides for the Pata Prometeon Yamaha team too; the headline was that Jonathan Rea suffered a big crash at Turn 11, a lowside coming through the corner. Rea was already down field at the time and didn’t look comfortable when leaving the medical centre. As for FP2, he was one of the last riders out, initially doing a short stint. He was outside the top ten with more than an hour to go, with the plan at the start of the day to try some more new items and finalise the package for the weekend. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was in good form at a circuit he loves, a constant threat in the top five as he looked to work on tyre life and race simulations, with his base setup already confirmed from previous tests. The Italian finished in third going into the weekend, Rea was stuck in 15^th.

THE MANIAC IS RIGHT THERE: Iannone storms ‘The Island’ as racing return nears

He’s always gone well at Phillip Island but even Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) may have had reason to be surprised with his Official Test display. He was magnificent on ‘The Island’ as he got to understand the track surface and how the tyres react, as well as some electronic work. He was leading at points and barely dropped outside the top five all day, finishing P4 overall. Fellow Independent Ducati stars were also fast, such as the #21 of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in P6, #14 of Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in P11, as he and the squad ready for their first taste of WorldSBK action. He did suffer a fall at Turn 10 but was fine; then, there was Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who was also on top at points and a regular feature in the top ten throughout the day before finishing 12^th at the end of running.

GREEN SIGNS: Lowes and Bassani find form

A promising day was completed for Kawasaki, with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) right in the thick of the action in both the morning and the afternoon session. Eighth in the opening session, the #22 actually went faster in the afternoon, a time that put him second provisionally, showcasing that the collaboration between him and crew chief Pere Riba, as well as Kawasaki’s upgrades – particularly with electronics – are paying dividends. Whilst not as high as he’d have liked to have been, teammate Axel Bassani also made gains and was closer to the front than at any other point during testing and likewise set his best time in the afternoon session. Both had the aim of working over long distance. Lowes was fifth at the end of it all with Bassani tenth, although both were briefly inside the top five at the same time during the afternoon session.

LECUONA INJURED: Honda’s woes continue Down Under

Honda’s day couldn’t have started any worse for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). The Spaniard was hoping to make up for lost test time from Portimao in a bid to find a base setup for the new bike but instead, his day ended in the gravel. A highside at Turn 11 left him out of action for the remainder of the morning and the entirety of the afternoon, with his arm in a sling. For Vierge, he chipped away and his race pace – as ever – seemed more promising than his one lap pace. The #97 was 16^th, whilst Lecuona relied on his FP1 time to be 19^th overall, leaving Honda with plenty of work going into the weekend.

BEST OF THE REST: Redding strong as Gardner shows potential

Over at the Bonovo Action BMW team, Scott Redding and Garrett Gerloff were also working on tyre management and race pace; Gerloff suffered a technical issue at Turn 1 earlier in the day but got back out, although he was one of only two riders who didn’t improve in the afternoon. Scott Redding said he didn’t know there was a new surface until he arrived to the circuit and that the plan was out of the window when the testing day was put all onto one. However, he went well in the afternoon and was second-best BMW in P7, P8 overall. He was one place ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was P9 come the end of running, whereas teammate Dominique Aegerter was 13^th.

Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) suffered tech issues in FP1 and was 17^th overall, whilst Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) took 20^th ahead of Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) and his teammate Adam Norrodin. Mackenzie crashed at Turn 3, leaving his bike badly damaged although he was able to walk away.

Top six on combined times, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’28.511s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.074s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.324s
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +0.490s
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.700s
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +0.702s

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Source: WorldSBK.com