“Winning a title is difficult but to defend it is even harder” were the wise, winning, World Champion words from Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as he addressed an enormous Jerez crowd from the Paddock Show on the Saturday of the Prometeon Spanish Round. The Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosted an epic final weekend of racing for the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to go into the off-season in style. However, Bautista’s achievement of successfully defending the crown is not uncommon, although it’s not exactly regular either. So, which exclusive club does he join and who already holds membership?

THE FIRST ONE: Fred Merkel brings false illusions as WorldSBK ignites in 1988

Fred Merkel was the first-ever World Superbike Champion; the American rode for Honda and snatched the title away from Davide Tardozzi and Bimota in New Zealand, 1988, during the final race day of the season. Whilst he’d eventually finish 5.5 points clear of runner-up Fabrizio Pirovano, he’d repeat his success in 1989, again grabbing the Championship lead after Race 1 of the final round, again in New Zealand, this time beating Belgian rider Stephane Mertens and Ducati. Straight off the bat with two titles, this wasn’t a trend that’d continue.

DOUG POLEN’S DOUBLE: 1991 and 1992 for Ducati

Alvaro Bautista is one of just three riders who have won the WorldSBK title in back-to-back seasons for Ducati. Britain’s Carl Fogarty did it twice: the first in 1994 and 1995 before doing it again in 1998 and 1999. However, the first rider to achieve it was American Doug Polen in 1991 and 1992. He absolutely smashed the opposition in 1991, beating outgoing Champion Raymond Roche by 150 points and setting a new record for number of wins in a single season at 17 – only to be beaten by Bautista in 2023 – whilst in 1992, he beat Roche again but only by 35 points this time. Polen was a rarity in the list of Ducati’s back-to-back World Champions; he dominated both seasons and whilst ’92 mathematically went to the last round, it was unlikely he would be beaten. Sound familiar?

KING CARL: two separate occasions cemented history

After his first race win in 1992, Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty moved to Ducati in 1993, narrowly missing out on the title to arch-rival Scott Russell. However, 1994 wasn’t going to be a repeat and he wrapped it up at Phillip Island in Australia after Russell seemingly conceded in the final race of the year. With the #1 proudly displayed, ‘Foggy’ romped clear in 1995 with a certain invincibility about him. Crowned Champion in Race 2 at Sugo, Japan, with three rounds to go, he was in a class of his own.

However, breaking up a winning combination is something the Brit has spoken negatively of since, having learnt from a torrid 1996 campaign where he took just four wins and finished fourth overall in the Championship. 1997 was spent getting back up to speed with Ducati before a wide-open 1998 season saw him take just three race wins but surrounded by huge inconsistencies by his rivals. As low as sixth in the standings at one point, Fogarty pulled together after tough love from team boss Davide Tardozzi to take the title in the final race of the season, again at Sugo, becoming the first triple Champion in WorldSBK. In 1999, it was reminiscent of his 1995 campaign as he smoked the opposition, being crowned Champion at Hockenheim, taking his last race win. Four titles in groups of two, ‘Foggy’ would remain the last to do that for a long time.

REA ENDS THE WAIT FOR #1 TO STAY: a new era sweeps in to master the art of defence

Between Fogarty and 2015, four riders took multiple titles: Colin Edwards (2000 and 2002), Troy Bayliss (2001, 2006 and 2008), James Toseland (2004 and 2007) and Max Biaggi (2010 and 2012). Troy Corser also added to his 1996 crown with a title in 2005; the one common them? None could defend it the second season. So, in 2015, when Jonathan Rea signed for Kawasaki – at the time, the best package on the grid – it was hardly surprising that after the first title, he’d defend it successfully; 2016 was tight in the end at Lusail but he got the job done. However, to go on and win the next four season was something quite remarkable. In that time, he’d become the rider with the most wins in all of WorldSBK, win 84 races in his title-winning years alone and achieve 143 podiums in the same period. All with the #1 too; a rare sight to dominate year on year, let alone do it with the pride and confidence of a #1 slapped on the front of the bike. Even though the stats continued climbing from 2021 to 2023 – years he wasn’t Champion – the golden era in green is one of WorldSBK’s most iconic.

THE HISTORY BAUTISTA CAN MAKE IN 2024: could it be a third of many firsts?

So, after #TheReturn in 2022 and #TheDefence in 2023, what could 2024’s theme be? Well, whilst we wait for whatever concept it is, the 39-year-old stares down the barrel of making history. No Ducati rider has ever won three World Championships in consecutive years. In fact, the last time they won three titles in a row was in 1994, 1995 and 1996 but that was with two riders: Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser. As for Champions who have won three straight titles, Jonathan Rea is the only one – and he won six consecutively, which is a long way away from being beaten, of course all with the #1 too. Bautista became the first Spaniard to defend the title, thus eyes up history to become the first rider to make it three on the bounce. So, whether he becomes #TheMagician, #TheHeavyweight or the obscurely named #TheGrandfa from his MotoGP™ wildcard at Sepang, if he goes on to make it three on the spin, his place in history is secured.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

In the record books, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship celebrated 35 wonderful years of racing in style as records were smashed round upon round. Whilst Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) may have headlined throughout, plenty more were headlining as WorldSBK’s numbers were overhauled throughout the season. We put the biggest landmarks below.

6000 – After a third place in Race 2 at Imola, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) became the first rider ever to rack-up 6000 points in his WorldSBK career. His total amount at the end of the season was 6172.5, of which 4593 were achieved with Kawasaki.

400 – Ducati took a 400^th WorldSBK win at Assen in Race 2 with Alvaro Bautista; their tally at the end of 2023 was 420.

100 – With second in Race 1 at Imola, Toprak Razgatlioglu took his 100^th WorldSBK podium. He goes into 2024 with 115 to his name

59 – Alvaro Bautista finished the season by taking a 59th career win, all of which are with Ducati. This means he was won more races for Ducati than anybody else – including in the MotoGP™ paddock.

27 – A new record for wins in one season for Bautista, with 27. A total of 31 podiums means that he only stood on the podium four other times if he didn’t win.

27 – 27 laps led in his WorldSBK career for Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) but still no win. 13 of those laps were led in 2023, the most he’s led in a season. The record for laps led without a win is 45, held by Davide Giugliano.

23/9 – Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took a ninth podium of 2023 at Portimao in Race 2 with P3, the most he’s had in a single season. It was his 23^rd, equalling Akira Yanagawa.

20 – Like Bautista with wins, Razgatlioglu set a new record for P2s in a single season: 20.

19 – Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was a substitute rider in the factory BMW team at Imola and scored points in Race 1, giving him the biggest interval from his first points-scoring race in WorldSBK to his most recent: 19 years, 11 months and 18 days from Brands Hatch Race 2, 2003 and Imola Race 1 2023.

17 – 17 riders achieved a top six finish in 2023, surpassing 2019’s tally by one and thus setting a new record of top six finishers since the three-race format was introduced. This was last achieved in 2016, whilst the outright record for top six finishers in a single season is 1991 with 31.

16 – 16 riders were covered by less than a second in Superpole on two occasions in 2023, a joint-record. Assen saw the top 16 covered by 0.946s and Portimao welcomed the top 16 covered by 0.974s. 2023 is the only season where 16 riders were covered by less than a second in Superpole on two occasions, a new record in WorldSBK.

15 – 15 crashes for Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in 2023, more than anyone else in WorldSBK.

14 – Jonathan Rea’s winning career extended this year to 14 years, one month and eight days, the longest of all-time in WorldSBK. A win at Donington Park or later in 2024 will see him become the first rider in WorldSBK to have a winning career of over 15 years in World Superbike.

12 – After a 12-year wait, America returned to pole position at Magny-Cours, courtesy of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), who took his and the team’s first pole. The last occasion before Gerloff was John Hopkins in 2011 at Silverstone. Gerloff would go on to finish top BMW in his debut season with the manufacturer.

12 – Another 12-year Superpole stat: for the first time in over 12 years, when Troy Corser was fourth at Monza in 2011, an Australian was on the front row after Superpole with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) taking P2 at Most.

8 – Eight podiums for Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in 2023, four-times his tally from 2022 and double his 2021 rookie season tally. Scoring 327 points and finishing fourth, it was his best WorldSBK season to-date.

7 – Seven wins across his last two years for Kawasaki, Rea’s win tally in 2022 and 2023 is just fractionally better than his last two years with Honda, with five in total in 2013 and 2014. For the last quarter of 2013, he was out injured.

3 – Three new podium finishers in WorldSBK in 2023: Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) with P3 at Mandalika in Race 2, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) with P3 in Donington Park’s Race 2 and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) with P2 in the Superpole Race at Jerez. Aegerter became the 130^th in WorldSBK history and after Race 2, the 105^th to achieve more than one.

2 – For just the second season in his full-time WorldSBK career, Jonathan Rea won just one race. The other season was in 2013. His sole win then came at Silverstone, this year it was at Most; both served as his first wins at each track.

1 – Aegerter’s two podiums on the final race day of 2023 at Jerez saw him become the first Swiss rider to achieve a podium in WorldSBK.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

There is your chance to get involved with the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and have your own artwork potentially feature on the cover of the Official Programmes throughout the 2024 season. In partnership with Artaporter, a call for digital artists and illustrators has been launched under the “WE MAKE EXCITEMENT” tagline to allow followers of WorldSBK to get involved in the Championship and create work that could be seen online and around the world next year.

The covers will have to follow themes for inspiration such as energy, racing, street, passion, speed and excitement and the chosen design will feature on the front of each programme, becoming the first thing fans see when they get their hands on them. Social media will also play a role, too, with the final three selected covers going to a vote to decide which one will feature on each programme.

This is a chance for fans to be involved in WorldSBK and have their create artwork and abilities showcased in a World Championship, while also providing a challenge to those who wish to take part as well as creating even more engagement for WorldSBK’s fans around the world. The call for artists will run from the November 28^th 2023 until the August 27^th 2024, with each round’s programme having deadlines within that time frame.

For more information and to get involved, click HERE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After a tantalising close to the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season, three-time World Champion, three-time MotoGP™ runner-up and MotoGP™ Legend Dani Pedrosa spoke about an array of things related to WorldSBK and the myriad of changes to come. From riders changing teams, new regulations, a familiar face returning and the overall spectacle of the World Superbike show, the 38-year-old Spaniard shared his views.

ON REA’S SWITCH TO YAMAHA: “It’s a change that will motivate him to restart and try and go head-to-head with Bautista”

Six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea moves to Yamaha in 2024 – for those of you that have been living under a rock for the last few months – and Pedrosa is keen to see how it will go: “It’s going to be a very interesting start of the year for WorldSBK next season, particularly after Jonny changed after so much winning with Kawasaki. I think now it’s a change that will motivate him to restart and try and go head-to-head with Bautista. So far, Toprak’s been very strong on that bike, so now, Jonny has a chance again to fight for the Championship. We’ll see how determined he is this winter to prepare for the fight.”

TOPRAK GOES TO BMW: “He’s spectacular… we’ll see if he can handle the BMW the same as the Yamaha”

With Rea replacing Razgatlioglu, the 2021 World Champion heads to BMW, although Pedrosa isn’t as optimistic with Turk’s switch as he is with regards to Rea’s move: “Toprak with BMW is going to be interesting too; at the beginning, it could be difficult for him as it’s not as good at the moment. I think he’ll struggle a bit at the beginning but he’ll have to find his way to see how he can make the difference up. Toprak is always very nice to watch! He’s spectacular and he has some really aggressive moves into the turns! We’ll see how he can handle the BMW the same as the Yamaha.”

BAUTISTA’S ADDED WEIGHT: “It’ll play a big part”

A hot topic coming into 2024 is the rider reference weight of 80kg, which will mean those under it will need to add weight to the combined package of rider and bike. This means Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will have a heavier bike than before: “We must add to this that there’s the rule change. For Alvaro, he’ll need to ride with a heavier bike than usual. Let’s see how that plays out on track. I think the engine is strong but at the same time, when you change the rules so drastically with added weight, it’ll play a big part. Let’s see how the Ducati guys handle this, to try and make the bike work in the same way as before.”

IANNONE IS BACK IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: “He has the capabilities and the speed to be up front, fighting for victory”

Pedrosa battled with Andrea Iannone from 2013 to 2018 in MotoGP™ and is a rival the Spaniard knows well, tipping him to be in victory contention in 2024 as ‘The Maniac’ gears up for a return with WorldSBK being his new home: “We’ll see how he goes! Racing with Ducati, he will have a good chance to race at the front and race for victories. However, long-term, I don’t know if can be ready to fight for the Championship because he’s been away for a long time. I think he has the capabilities and the speed to be up front, fighting for victory.”

OFF THE SCALE RACING: ““I hope to see more like the last round!”

The closing topic is the general spectacle of WorldSBK, which has enjoyed an 11% growth in fans in 2023 as well as some of the fiercest racing in the Championship’s 35-year history: “I hope to see more like the last round at Jerez! Bautista vs Razgatlioglu, fighting corner-by-corner for first position. I think this kind of racing creates to a lot of fans and it’s exactly what we want to see. I always love watching the racing and it’s always been a fantastic show.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Six high-profile rookies took to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid in 2023, with multiple world and domestic titles between them to create arguably one of the strongest rookie line-ups ever. Now, with 2023 in the history books, it’s time to look at how the group fared during their first full seasons in WorldSBK. From podiums to a point-less season, there were celebrations and despair in a mixed campaign for our rookies.

PETRUCCI ON THE PODIUM: difficult start, strong end

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was one of the highest-profile rookies to make the move to WorldSBK after a season in the USA. It was a challenging start to the Italian’s season as he struggled to make the top ten, leaving him questioning whether it was the right move. However, a breakthrough on home soil at Misano allowed ‘Petrux’ to fight for the podium even if results didn’t come that weekend. They soon did though, with third at Donington Park followed by a double podium at the Autodrom Most. The #9 finished the season seventh in the standings, the top rookie in 2023.

MAKING HISTORY: Aegerter secures Switzerland’s first podiums

Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) rider spent two seasons in WorldSSP, winning the title in both 2021 and 2022, before graduating to WorldSBK with Yamaha. He narrowly missed out on a debut pole position in Australia as he threatened the top five positions immediately, before crashes and an injury disrupted his season. He ended the year strongly with a double podium at Jerez in the Tissot Superpole Race and Race 2 to just pip teammate Remy Gardner to top spot in the GRT Yamaha pecking order.

GARDNER CLOSES IN ON A ROSTRUM: a best of fourth builds nicely into 2024

Like teammate Aegerter, Gardner ended the season strongly with a whole host of top-six finishes in the final five rounds. A mid-season lull where he struggled to crack the top ten until WorldSBK hit the Autodrom Most, where two top-six finishes kickstarted a run of form that lifted him into the top ten in the Championship standings. Fourth was the #87’s best result, coming at Jerez in Race 2, as he took ninth in the standings – only one place behind his teammate.

A CHALLENGING YEAR: Baldassarri misses out on a top ten

Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) finished as runner-up to Aegerter in the 2022 WorldSSP season and followed him into WorldSBK for 2023, linking up with the GMT94 Yamaha squad who returned to WorldSBK. It proved to be a challenging year for both team and rider, with ‘Balda’ securing a best result of 12^th on three occasions – on home soil at Misano and to end the season strongly at Jerez. However, the #34 is currently searching for a seat for 2024 with the team drafting in Philipp Oettl for next year.

RAY INTO THE TOP SIX: potential on show

Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) made his WorldSBK debut in 2018 but returned in 2023 for a full-time campaign with Yamaha for 2023. He secured one top-six finish this year, at Imola, as he scored 19 points in his rookie season, finishing one point and one place behind Baldassarri. The Brit missed one round through injury at the Autodrom Most, and also only competed in the European rounds, but returns for the same team next year with a full-season campaign planned.

DIFFICULTIES FOR GRANADO: injuries impact rookie season

After a one-off appearance in WorldSBK in 2020, Brazilian star Eric Granado returned in 2023 for a full season with the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team. It was a difficult year for the Brazilian as he missed several rounds through injury, and the #51 did not score points during his first full campaign, while teammate Hafizh Syahrin did. His best result was 17^th on two occasions, in Race 2 at Assen and in the Superpole Race at Most.

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A Champion will return to the FIM Supersport World Championship grid in 2024, with Lucas Mahias linking up with GMT94 Yamaha for next season. Mahias won the 2017 title on the Yamaha YZF-R6 machine when running with GRT Yamaha and will hope his return to Yamaha can provide some of the success he experienced before, while GMT94 Yamaha will hope Mahias’ arrival can return the French outfit to winning ways.

Mahias made his WorldSSP debut in 2014, completing two races and finish fourth in Qatar. That earned him a full-time seat for 2015 with a hit-and-miss year; taking one podium and three top-four finishes but only finishing four races. Nevertheless, his potential was on display and, after a few races in STK1000 and WorldSBK in 2016, he returned in 2017 for his second full campaign. It would prove to be his title-winning year after a stunning season.

Eight podiums in 12 races, including two wins, propelled him to the top of the standings ahead, 29 points clear of Kenan Sofuoglu. He returned in 2018, again with the GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team, and almost defended his title as he was defeated by Sandro Cortese. He finished fourth in 2019 and was second in 2020, both with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing outfit, before graduating to WorldSBK with the same team.

Two seasons with the Independent Kawasaki outfit gave a best result of seventh in the Tissot Superpole Race at Donington Park in 2021, before losing his full-time ride with the team and switching to the Endurance World Championship. However, he remained in the paddock in 2023 with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, competing 10 races in WorldSSP as Can Oncu missed out through injury and also three in WorldSBK as he stood in for Tito Rabat.

For 2024, the Frenchman will return to the class where he’s enjoyed so much success. 29 podiums, including nine wins, have come for Mahias in WorldSSP since his debut while he’s also taken eight pole positions. He will be hoping his return to Yamaha machinery allows him to add to these stats in 2024, while GMT94 Yamaha will hope the 34-year-old can gave the team their first win since Jules Cluzel won at Mandalika in Race 2 in 2021.

Discussing his return to WorldSSP, Mahias said: “I am extremely happy to join GMT94 for 2024. It’s a team that I know well having raced with them several times in endurance and scored some points which helped to clinch the title in 2016. I also won with them in the French Supersport Championship. I want to thank Christophe and all his partners for believing in my potential as much as I believe in them. We have all the cards in hand to have a great season.”

GMT94 Yamaha Team Manager Christophe Guyot added: “We are delighted to welcome Lucas Mahias. After the podiums scored with Corentin Perolari in Australia, Valentin Debise (twice in France) and by Jules Cluzel (23 podiums and 7 wins) with GMT94, we are consolidating our commitment to take national categories to the top of the World Supersport. Lucas will rely on a team that will be able to bring together the skills of members and riders from different backgrounds to win and share. Lucas’ talent, energy and ambition are the assets that will motivate an entire team and raise the hopes of the young French generation.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team completed their first off-season test with both riders at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on Wednesday and Thursday, with Tarran Mackenzie joined by Adam Norrodin for the first time on WorldSBK spec machinery. The duo, who were with the same team in WorldSSP, were running the old Honda machine during the test and both reviewed the test at the end of day two, with Mackenzie detailing where he was looking for improvements and Norrodin providing a fitness update.

MACKENZIE RETURNS TO SUPERBIKE MACHINERY: “There still some things I need to learn”

The Brit has plenty of experience of Superbike machinery, having raced in the British Superbike championship and won the title before joining the WorldSBK paddock, with the MIE Honda team in WorldSSP last year. He’s also tested their CBR1000RR-R on a few occasions throughout 2023 and he spoke about where he would like to improve on the Fireblade over the next tests, ahead of a maiden WorldSBK campaign, while also revealing his hopes to have the new machine at their next test.

Looking back on the test, Mackenzie said: “Day 2 was good; the conditions were a little bit better. It helped me a lot, I improved a little bit and had some more understanding. There are still some things I need to learn but we are on the old bike; hopefully, for the next test, we have the new bike which will change some things. I haven’t had so much time on a Superbike with traction control, only really at the Suzuka 8 Hours, so it was nice just to understand that side of it. I still need to understand and learn a lot, but the lap time was a little bit better. It was the last test of the year, but hopefully at the Portimao test in January we can make a step.”

DEBUT FOR NORRODIN: still searching for fitness

Malaysian star Norrodin missed the last couple of rounds after being injured in a crash at Magny-Cours, with the test also his first time on the CBR1000RR-R as he prepares for a maiden campaign in WorldSBK. While he admitted he still wasn’t at full fitness for the test, he outlined what his target was for the test and also explained how he’ll be working over the winter to get back to 100% fitness ahead of the team’s next test.

Explaining his two-day test, Norrodin said: “Unfortunately, I am still not 100% fit and so I wasn’t totally comfortable with my shoulder while riding. The target for the test was to build feeling with the bike, which we did, but my physical condition limited how many laps we could complete as I have little power in my arm and get fatigued after only a short run. I’m continuing with physio and rehab, but it’s going to be a long process, so now I want to visit my doctors back in Malaysia to see what else we can do to speed up the recovery process. A big thank you to the team anyway, as they’ve worked really hard this week. My focus over the next weeks is my physical recovery – I want to do all I can to better prepared for our next test in January.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in the history books, it’s time to reflect on what was an epic season. The Official WorldSBK Yearbook, covering the 2023 season, is available from December 5th but you can pre-order now from the WorldSBK Store and you won’t want to miss out on it. Going into fine detail about the season, featuring stats and results and a chapter-by-chapter look at the 12 stunning rounds that made up the 2023 season.

From Phillip Island in Australia in February to Jerez in Spain in October, 2023 had it all. There were unforgettable races, incredible battles, stunning saves, and costly crashes as the riders battled it out for World Championship glory. In the end, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) prevailed over 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu to claim his second title in as many years. It was decided at the final round of the season, with so many stories to tell about it. The annual goes into detail about each round to give you more insight than ever before.

There’s also dedicated chapters to each World Champion from inside the WorldSBK paddock. Bautista’s defence is documented, as is Nicolo Bulega’s (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) rise to glory as he took the World Supersport crown in stunning fashion. Plus, there’s the story of how Jeffrey Buis, then at MTM Kawasaki, made history by becoming the first rider in WorldSSP300 history to win a second title.

The machines in WorldSBK are a fundamental part of the production-based Championship and the Yearbook allows you to explore them in stunning detail with technical specifications. BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha have all searched for glory and you can explore more about their incredible machines in the book. There’s also a section dedicated to Pirelli, the Championship’s sole tyre supplier, as they continued to innovate in WorldSBK.

The book will be a permanent reminder of the season just gone, which will be etched into WorldSBK history after an epic fight on track. Don’t miss your chance to dive deep into the 2023 campaign.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was one of a handful of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders to hit the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on Wednesday and Thursday as the Spaniard tested Honda’s vastly upgraded CBR1000RR-R machine for the first time. The #97, like teammate Iker Lecuona, was full of praise for the new bike after his first outing with it although outlined where there could be some improvements before racing gets underway in February.

JEREZ TEST OVERVIEW: “we really feel the strong points!”

Vierge was at EICMA when the bike was unveiled and immediately pointed out that, while it may look similar, there were a lot of differences internally as the Japanese manufacturer look for gains in WorldSBK. The one-time podium finisher explained how he felt when got on the new bike after testing it for the first time, stating that they were riding a base setup without changing too much while also feeling the strengths of the new CBR1000RR-R straight away.

Giving a review of the test, Vierge said: “We are happy. It has been a really good two days of testing and track conditions have been really good, so we can do many laps. The first test has been more about adapting ourselves to the new bike. We didn’t want to change too much. We rode with the base setup that they prepared for us Tetsuta in Japan. The first impressions have been really good. The bike looks similar but there are many changes. We really feel the strong points. At the moment, we can’t take enough advantage about the new strong points but it’s just the beginning; we didn’t change many things on the bike, we just did laps to see how everything works. Really happy and now we have some weeks to analyse all this data and to prepare a new plan for Portimao. We have another day before the winter break.”

COMPARING MACHINES: “felt a little strange in the beginning… there’s a lot of room to improve”

The #97 has been with Honda for two seasons, scoring one podium in that time in 2023, but was able to provide a comparison of where the improvements have come on the new machine. Despite admitting to feeling “a bit strange” when getting on the 2024 model to start with, the Spaniard quickly adjusted to it. At the end of the test, Vierge outlined where he felt the biggest change was in comparison to the 2023 model.

He explained: “I started with the old bike and when I jumped on the new bike, I immediately felt some strong points compared to the old bike. We had two years with the old bike so, at the beginning, I felt a little bit strange in some areas. During these two days, I was able to adapt and start to feel better. Right now, we are going a little bit faster than with the old bike, but the good point is that with the old bike, we always feel like we’re on the limit and we don’t know how to go faster, with this bike it’s like there’s a lot of room to improve. We need to understand the direction to follow to take profit from all the new things.”

MORE TO COME: always searching for gains

Whether it’s a new bike or an old one, every manufacturer and rider will be searching for improvements. Vierge explained one area where they could make more gains, saying: “The electronics are quite different so I think we can make a big step forward with that. The bike has, compared to last season’s bike, a lot of traction and drive but we are missing a little bit of that. We’ll try to use the electronics to find the edge grip earlier.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

A few teams from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship gathered at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for two more days of post-season testing, with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) trying the new Honda CBR100RR-R Fireblade for the first time at the Spanish venue. The #7 spoke about his first thoughts of the bike following the test, with the Spaniard giving it rave reviews following substantial upgrades made by Honda.

REVIEWING THE TEST: “in terms of chassis, electronics, engine… everything changed a lot”

The Jerez test marked the first time both Lecuona and teammate Xavi Vierge were able to get on the new bike, which was unveiled at EICMA recently. Lecuona looked back on the two-day test full of positivity after getting on the new machine, which features upgrades up and down the bike as the Japanese manufacturer look to become regular podium contenders and race winners as soon as possible. At the test, there was work done on both the 2023 and 2024 bikes to compare the two before all eyes turned to next year’s competitor. 

On the test, Lecuona said: “I’m really happy because it’s a big surprise about the step and the bike that Japan brings us. It’s a big surprise. In terms of chassis, electronics, engine… everything changed a lot. We made a good step in a few areas, and in other areas we are still struggling a little bit that we need to understand better. What is true is that we needed to learn about the feeling of the bike a lot in these two days. I needed to change my style a lot to go fast. Even with the SC0, the performance was amazing. The tyre wear is really good for us; we could never do these laps at the end of the race. Really happy about this.”

DAY 1 BETTER THAN DAY 2? “on the second day, I struggled to understand the bike more”

Lecuona has been competing in both WorldSBK and MotoGP™ for the last few weeks, standing in for Alex Rins at LCR Honda as he continues his recover. His latest Grand Prix exploit came on Sunday at the Qatar Grand Prix before travelling to southern Spain for the two-day test. With the 23-year-old also in Malaysia recently, which he flew to from the season-ending Spanish Round at Jerez, he admitted he still had work to do to understand the bike.

Lecuona added: “I’m very tired from all the travelling so on the second day, I struggled more to understand the bike. We tried to do our best in terms of electronics, where we need to do work compared to last year to understand more new things. I’m quite happy but still we need to improve, we need to understand this new bike. I think it’s a really good step. Let’s see in the next test how it is.”

NEW CREW CHIEF: “his methods and mentality, the way he works, I like the whole package”

Lecuona will have a new crew chief for 2024 with Tom Jojic, formerly crew chief to Kenny Roberts Jr, Hiroshi Aoyama and Bradley Smith in the Grand Prix paddock, joining the team in place of Pete Jennings. Jojic was at the test working for the first time with the #7 at the Jerez test, with Lecuona revealing his thoughts on his new right-hand man.

The Spaniard said: “Really happy with Tom because I feel that he has a lot of experience in MotoGP™. His methods and mentality, the way that he works, everything… I like the whole package. I feel the experience. He’s a really good guy. He’s similar to me: when it’s time to work, he’s working but he likes to joke a lot, smile a lot so I think he’s really good and positive for all of us. For now, I can say that I’m really happy to work with him.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com