After a challenging rookie season, Bradley Ray will remain on the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid in 2024 after penning a new contract with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team for next season. It’s the same team he competed with in his rookie season, and he will be with them again as he looks to build on a campaign that provided ups and downs as he adjusted to the WorldSBK-spec Yamaha YZF-R1 in 2023, after claiming the British title with the same manufacturer in 2022.

Ray’s first WorldSBK appearance came in 2018 at Donington Park with the Buildbase Suzuki squad, and he scored points, but he wouldn’t return to the World Championship for another five years. In that time, he claimed the British title in 2022. Between 2017 and 2022 in the national championship, Ray amassed 33 podiums and 11 wins, with nine of those wins and 23 podiums coming in his title-winning year. Before his time in British Superbike, the #28 competed in the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, what was then the CEV paddock in different Championships.

The 26-year-old spent three years in the Rookies Cup, collecting one win at the Circuit of the Americas in 2013 and a further four podiums at Silverstone, Assen, Sachsenring and MotorLand Aragon. His best finish in the standings was fourth in 2014, his final season, before returning to the domestic scene as well as having a few races in CEV Moto2™ and making his Moto2™ World Championship debut in 2015.

His success in Britain earned him a move to WorldSBK in 2022 as a Yamaha rider, linking up with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team for 2023. He took a best of sixth in Race 2 at Imola which was his only top ten of the season, with a shoulder injury forcing him to miss the visit to Most. Despite only one top-ten finish, the Brit finished 19^th in the standings as he missed four rounds compared to his rivals, scoring 19 points. He was one point behind fellow Yamaha rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri at GMT94 Yamaha, who competed at every round.

The team were scheduled to only compete in the European rounds in 2023, and therefore missed Australia, Indonesia, and Jerez – with the Spanish venue a late replacement for Argentina. For 2024, the team are planning a full-season campaign meaning they will travel to Australia for the season-opening round at the iconic Phillip Island circuit to start the new season.

Discussing his renewal with the team and previewing 2024, Ray said: “I’m really happy to sign with Yamaha and Motox again for the 2024 season. I feel like it’s important to get a second year to really blossom and be able to show your full potential! We had some strong races in 2023 together so I’m excited to build on that. I’m super happy to be doing the full Championship too and think this will be very beneficial for myself throughout 2024. I want to say a massive thank you to everyone at Yamaha and Sandro at Motox for giving me a second year and another opportunity to compete in WorldSBK. See you in Australia.”

Team Manager Sandro Carusi added: “I’m pleased to continue on the journey we began with Bradley in WorldSBK last year. His surgery during the season slowed our growth somewhat, but in the first part of the year we showed we could be competitive together. I’m confident, both that he will make a full recovery and that we can achieve positive results in the 2024 Championship.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Black Friday is here and so are some fantastic deals across the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. From discounts on the WorldSBK VideoPass to flash deals at the Official WorldSBK Store, there’s plenty for everyone to get stuck into between November 20^th and 27^th, when the sales and discounts come to an end. Don’t miss out on the stunning deals and subscribe to the WorldSBK VideoPass HERE or browse the WorldSBK Store HERE.

2024 IN FULL: big savings on the WorldSBK VideoPass!

The WorldSBK VideoPass is on sale with a €15 discount, meaning you can grab it for the amazing price of just €54.90. This will mean you can watch the 2024 season in full – with every session broadcast LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED – and not miss a single moment of what promises to be a fantastic season, with Jonathan Rea’s move to Yamaha, Toprak Razgatlioglu’s switch to BMW, Axel Bassani’s jump to Kawasaki plus much more. Not only will you get the full 2024 campaign, but you can dive into the archives too. Watch classic races from years gone by, relive some of your favourite moments and much more.

FLASH SALES: a different discount every day of the week…

At the WorldSBK store, you can grab a week of flash deals to buy your favourite items. From discounts on team wear and merchandise, WorldSBK gear and much more. There will be discounts across the week that last for 24 hours or until stock runs out across merchandise from different manufacturers, from BMW to Kawasaki as well as on items from the SBK® collection. Check out the WorldSBK Store every day from November 20^th to November 26^th to see what’s on sale when and don’t miss out on a brilliant bargain.

Don’t miss out! Check out the deals for the WorldSBK VideoPass and WorldSBK Store and make sure you catch a bargain in the Black Friday sales!

Source: WorldSBK.com

A few weeks on from the first 2024 off-season test and several teams and riders are heading back to the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for two more tests, spread out over four days, as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field prepare for next season. The first test takes place on Monday 20^th and Tuesday 21^st for Yamaha, while, on Wednesday 22^nd and Thursday 23^rd, Honda and Kawasaki will take to the Spanish venue.

HONDA’S NEW BIKE ON SHOW: the revised CBR1000RR-R on track

One of the key stories from the upcoming tests is the debut of Honda’s new CBR1000RR-R in Spain. Riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge will be on the machine on Wednesday and Thursday, along with test rider Tetsuta Nagashima, as the Japanese manufacturer look to gather as much data as possible about the new bike before racing begins in February. Speaking at EICMA, Vierge said of the new bike: “Basically, everything is new. It looks really similar, but they changed many things. Unfortunately, we haven’t tried it yet but really looking forward to jumping on the new Honda. We are focused on trying to use more power everywhere. We have a strong engine but, until now, we can’t use all the power at the end of the straights.”

A SECOND TEST FOR REA AT YAMAHA: a look at 2024?

The Yamaha test on Monday and Tuesday will feature Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) on the YZF-R1 machine for the second time as he continues his adaptation from the Kawasaki ZX-10RR to the Yamaha bike. His first test was spent fully adapting to the bike, with no new items that other Yamaha riders were trying, but could this be the test where the six-time Champion starts working with 2024 items? At the last test, he said: “The first day was all about getting familiar with the bike. It was a big shock to ride the bike! The bike’s very user friendly. Step by step, we tried some different things. We made some small setup changes. I’ve been using the current base setting of the R1. At the next test, we’ll really start to try some development parts and things the team have been working with.” His teammate, Andrea Locatelli, will also be at the test meaning the new Yamaha line-up will work together for the first time after the #55 missed the first test at Jerez. ‘Loka’ will have GRT Yamaha’s Damiano Evangelisti as his crew chief for the test, who usually works with Remy Gardner, with Tom O’Kane set to come into Locatelli’s side of the box shortly.

THREE-PRONGED ATTACK FOR KRT:  Marino joins Lowes and Bassani

Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) will continue adjusting to his new bike, the ZX-10RR, at Jerez as he jumps on the Kawasaki for the second time, having tested previously at the same venue a few weeks ago. He will be joined by teammate Alex Lowes as the pair look to push Kawasaki forward to fight for titles once again. As seen often in tests recently, Florian Marino will be on track with the two race riders. He stepped in to race for a unfit Lowes at Aragon this year but has been trusted to carry out development work for the Japanese manufacturer, with that continuing throughout the winter tests.

NORRODIN DEBUTS: Malaysian star gets first WorldSBK taste alongside Mackenzie

The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team will be at the second test of the week at Jerez with new riders Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin, both of whom have been promoted from the WorldSSP squad. Although Mackenzie has been on the CBR1000RR-R before, including at the last test at Jerez, it will be his teammate’s first time on the bike as he prepares for his WorldSBK debut in 2024. The pair have worked together thoroughly throughout the 2023 campaign in World Supersport, so their working relationship is known, with this test giving both riders a chance to understand the WorldSBK aspect of the team more heading into 2024.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Another piece of the FIM Supersport World Championship grid has fallen into place with PTR Triumph Racing announcing their 2024 line-up. British star Tom Booth-Amos will move from Kawasaki to Triumph machinery next year as he links up with the British manufacturer, with the Brit joined by Ondrej Vostatek. The Czech rider retains his place after joining the team mid-season in 2023 to compete on the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS.

Booth-Amos has become a regular top-ten competitor since graduating from WorldSSP300. In 2022, his maiden WorldSSP campaign, he took a best of eighth in the season-ending Australian Round, his only top ten finish of the season. Returning with the Motozoo ME AIR Racing team for 2023, the #69 competed in the WorldSSP Challenge and won it, as well as finishing 15^th in the Championship standings. Alongside this, he ran a dual British Supersport campaign and took second in the standings despite missing a round due to a clash.

Before this, the 27-year-old was in WorldSSP300 for two seasons in 2020 and 2021. He took one win in his rookie season as he finished sixth in the standings, before returning in 2021 to finish as the runner-up. Two wins and eight podiums came in his 13 races that season as he finished behind Adrian Huertas by 66 points.

Discussing his move to Triumph, Booth-Amos said: “I can’t thank Simon and Triumph enough for bringing me into the team for next year; I’ve been working hard for this kind of opportunity in my career for a long time, and we know PTR Triumph Racing has a strong package to offer. After the year I’ve had, I think this is the perfect way to move into the future and it’s exciting to be working with a British manufacturer with a British team. Hopefully we’ll be able to get out soon and try the new bike – I’m really looking forward to next season and seeing what we can do together.”

He will be joined by Czech rider Ondrej Vostatek for his second full season in WorldSSP, although he has appeared on and off in the Championship since 2021. He took two points finishes in 2021, his rookie year, with his best result at Most when on a Yamaha. He returned in 2022 for a full campaign with the MS Racing Yamaha WorldSSP squad, taking two tenth places at Estoril as his best. This year, he replaced Harry Truelove from the Czech Round onwards as he took points in five races out of the ten he competed in.

Reflecting on his re-signing with the team, Vostatek said: “It was a great opportunity to race with PTR Triumph Racing last year, and we made great progress. For the first two races I found it quite hard, but I started to work with my mind and tried adapting my riding style, listening to everyone around me, and I was able to take my first points. I improved in every race so far, so this gives me a lot of motivation to keep working on myself, improving the riding on the bike and I believe we can achieve good things next year. I really see a big potential in the bike, not just for a top 10 but to win a World Championship. I think everyone in Triumph and the team wants to be on the top step and I will do everything I can to help them achieve it. With PTR Triumph Racing we already have some good memories in this short time. I like those guys, they are amazing, they are working really hard and I’m really looking forward to 2024. My objective is to be in the top 10 in every race, but of course we want to push further than that to be the best we can.”

Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “We are really pleased to announce our PTR Triumph Racing line-up for next season. Ondrej Vostatek completed a number of races with us towards the end of last year, and we saw a fantastic progression with him. I’m really confident that the work we’ve done with him so far is better than any testing we could have done to put ourselves in a really good position for the 2024 season. Ondrej is a great guy to work with; he’s just 19 years old and we’re really looking forward to seeing him progress further. We’re very optimistic of a good season for him. We’re also excited to sign Tom Booth-Amos. We’ve been watching him all year, and he’s a quiet guy until you get to talk to him; he’s so focussed and so concentrated on doing his best to be able to challenge for a win, and that’s what we want as a team. Winning is our goal too and it’s what our bike is capable of. It’s a really strong line-up for next season, and we’re really happy to be working with Triumph Racing on their whole racing programme from the British Championship, to the TT and so on. As PTR Racing, it’s an honour to be working with Triumph and we’re looking forward to going racing next year.”  

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Source: WorldSBK.com

While the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is planning on visiting two new circuits in 2024 – Balaton Park in Hungary and Cremona in Italy, both subject to homologation – it’s a chance to take a look at the new venues while also diving into WorldSBK’s history a little bit. While the two circuits will be new, the two countries will not be with both having a rich history of World Superbike action in the past. Check out the full provisional 2024 calendar here.

A RETURN TO HUNGARY: a new venue but a warm welcome back

WorldSBK’s planned visit to Balaton Park in 2024 will mean the circuit would become the second Hungarian track the Championship has visited. Between 1988 and 1990, the Hungaroring was a staple on the calendar with Fred Merkel winning four of the six races, Adrian Morillas winning one and Raymond Roche winning the other. In total, three manufacturers – Honda, Kawasaki, and Ducati – claimed victories in Hungary. Will they be able to add to that total in 2024, or will Yamaha and BMW become Hungarian winners?

BALATON PARK: a new venue for WorldSBK

Situated near Lake Balaton and just an hour’s drive away from the stunning capital city of Budapest, the circuit is a newly-constructed 4.115km venue with six right-hand corners and 10 left-hand turns. It has fast, flowing corners, chicanes and a hairpin as well as technical sections to give a big challenge to the teams and riders when they get to taste the track for the first time in 2024.

MORE HISTORY FOR ITALY TO WRITE: will Cremona add to this?

Italy has a rich history in WorldSBK, with Ducati going through a strong run of success right now. Six different circuits have hosted WorldSBK in the country – Misano, Mugello, Vallelunga, Monza, Pergusa and Imola – with Cremona set to become the seventh. The country has 107 wins in WorldSBK, most recently through Michael Ruben Rinaldi, 422 podiums and two World Championships – courtesy of Max Biaggi in 2010 and 2012. Italy has hosted 157 WorldSBK races in the past and has two circuits – Misano and Cremona – on the 2024 calendar.

THE NEWEST ITALIAN VENUE: Cremona set for WorldSBK debut

With such a history of WorldSBK in Italy, the Cremona circuit will only add to that. With a list of changes already outlined to the circuit, the venue is already preparing for its debut on the world stage. Currently at 3.702km, the track features 13 corners in total with six to the right and seven to the left. Will Ducati be able to claim victory on home soil, with the circuit situated in the region of Lombardia, or will other manufacturers deny them?

OTHER NEW VENUES IN RECENT YEARS: Mandalika and Most provide thrills and spills

Several circuits have made their WorldSBK debut in recent seasons, including the Mandalika and Most venues. Both have provided epic moments, with Mandalika deciding two titles in three years and Most giving some epic and unforgettable racing at the sharp end of the field. Will Balaton Park and the Cremona Circuit be able to give WorldSBK more unbelievable moments when the paddock descends on them?

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Source: WorldSBK.com

MotoGP™ Legend Andrea Dovizioso discussed several topics relating to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship when he visited the iconic EICMA show recently. From the ‘Titanic Trio’ battling hard throughout 2023, huge changes in the 2024 rider line-up with Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu moving manufacturers, and Andrea Iannone’s return to action. He also expanded on how he thinks Michael Ruben Rinaldi will get on following his switch to Motocorsa Racing, providing insight into his mentality ahead of a return to an Independent team.

ENDING THE YEAR WITH EPIC SCRAPS: Dovizioso on the ‘Titanic Trio’

The 15-time MotoGP™ race winner reflected on the end of the year, which featured some incredible battles between Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Razgatlioglu when he raced for the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team, with the pair notably having incredible battles at Portimao and Jerez to conclude the season, which the Italian reacted to. He also spoke about Jonathan Rea and Razgatlioglu’s respective switches to Yamaha and BMW respectively as they look to stop Bautista’s incredible run of success.

On the ‘Titanic Trio’, the fights and their futures, Dovizioso said: “It was very strange and weird because to see two opposite riders battling, it was very difficult. Opposite because the bikes were very different, and the riding style was very different. So, to see that battle was very strange in my opinion. The battle was between two big talents. It was nice. I’m happy for Alvaro because I know him very well, how good he is, and I think he’s been one of the top riders in MotoGP™ with his riding style. I’ve never battled with Toprak, but I think he’s so talented. I like him as a person. I don’t know a lot about him, but I spoke with him, and he seems like a nice person. I think, with BMW, in two years, Toprak can change the situation a bit and become competitive with BMW. I want to Rea do well with Yamaha. I don’t know if Jerez was a real test because Yamaha did very well during the round. I don’t know if that bike works well at that track. I think he has to try it at a different track to understand the real potential of the Yamaha. I think they have to work a bit to really step up and battle with Ducati.”

MAKING THE SWITCH: discussing Rea’s Yamaha move and Razgatlioglu’s BMW transfer

‘Dovi’ is no stranger to switching between bikes through his MotoGP™ career, having raced with Honda between 2008 and 2011, Yamaha in 2012 and 2021-22 and Ducati between 2013 and 2020. He’s one rider who can give his thoughts on the huge changes on the 2024 WorldSBK grid, with four factory teams having a change in their line-up.

Dovizioso said: “They have to do this. Rea with Kawasaki, there wasn’t the feeling anymore. I don’t know how competitive the bike is, but the feeling wasn’t that good like in the past for Rea to battle for the Championship, so he needed a change. Even with Toprak, I think the situation was comfortable at Yamaha but, with him, he needed to change because he needed a bit more support. I don’t know if BMW will be good enough to really step up and fight for the Championship, but they have a good organisation to push. If it works, I don’t know. We will see in the future. The change has been good for everybody.”

IANNONE’S RETURN: “I think everybody knows his talent”

One of the key topics heading into 2024 is Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven). ‘The Maniac’ has been on track with his Independent Panigale V4 R at Jerez, when he showed strong pace immediately, and the interest now is to see how fast he is with more tests and mileage under his belt before the season-opening Australian Round. Having raced against the #29 in MotoGP™, the three-time MotoGP™ World Championship runner-up gave his thoughts on Iannone’s return to action.

Explaining why he thinks it could be difficult but that he wouldn’t be shocked if he was quick, Dovizioso said: “I think it’s good for the Championship. I think everybody knows his talent so I wouldn’t be surprised if he is very fast. To stay at the front and battle to be on top, it’ll be difficult because the level is high, and I don’t know how difficult it is to come back after four years. I’m interested to see how he does.”

RINALDI BACK AT AN INDEPENDENT TEAM: pressure off means a chance to thrive?

‘Dovi’ is good friends with five-time race winner Rinaldi, with the #21 often speaking about how his friend has helped him with training. At EICMA, the MotoGP™ Legend discussed how Rinaldi’s move to the Independent outfit could prove beneficial for him and outlined what he believes the Italian will be able to achieve in 2024 with the pressure off as he’s no longer in the factory team.

When asked whether less pressure could help Rinaldi, the 2004 125cc World Champion said: “That’s for sure. Rinaldi’s problem was Alvaro. He was so strong, and I know Michael, and I know what it means to be in the factory team. Like every Independent rider thinks, the factory team gives you the possibility to win. On one side yes but it’s not reality. Michael realised that. I think he will have a chance next year to stay at the top because he will have the same situation as the factory bike, or similar, so if he approaches the season in a relaxed way, which is difficult, he can be in the top five every week.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Glenn van Straalen will link up with Ten Kate Racing Yamaha for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign after inking a deal with the Dutch squad. The three-time podium finisher remains on the Yamaha YZF-R6, where he has spent most of his career, but switches to the reigning Teams’ Champions Ten Kate Racing alongside already-confirmed Stefano Manzi, completing the team’s line-up for next season.

Van Straalen made his WorldSSP debut in 2018, which came after one full season of WorldSSP300 action where he took a podium – he also achieved this on his debut in 2017 for his only race of the year. He retired from both WorldSSP races that year but returned in 2019 to take a best a best finish of 14^th. In 2020, the Dutchman tried his hand at WorldSSP300 for a half-campaign, with a best of tenth, before returning to WorldSSP in the same year. Another half-season followed in 2021 as he took four top-tens in nine races before a breakthrough season in 2022.

He scored two podiums in 2022 with the EAB Racing Team, the team he spent all of his WorldSSP career with bar 2020, including narrowly missing out on a dream first win on home soil at Assen. He was overtaken just seconds before the red flags came out by Dominique Aegerter and, with the race completing enough distance for the results to stand, finished in second. His second podium that year came at Mangy-Cours, also with second while his sole podium in 2023 came on home soil at Assen with third.

For next year, the 23-year-old will join Ten Kate Racing Yamaha alongside 2023 runner-up Manzi as the team look to defend the Teams’ Championship title they’ve won every year since 2021. The Hoogkarspel-born rider will replace Jorge Navarro after the Spaniard had a difficult rookie season following his switch from Moto2™, with van Straalen and Manzi aiming to keep the titles flowing into the Ten Kate Racing Yamaha squad.

Discussing his excitement to race for the iconic team, van Straalen said: “We can finally announce that I will be at the start of the World Supersport Championship in 2024 with Ten Kate Racing. During the past two seasons I have shown my speed on a Yamaha, I am confident that with Ten Kate Racing’s knowledge and experience I can go for a podium finish every weekend next season. That is ultimately our common goal, I’m looking forward tremendously to our first test. Besides Ten Kate Racing, my thanks also go to Yamaha Motor Benelux, Branche Nederland, and Yamaha Motor Europe. Together with the people around me I will work hard in the coming winter to make this collaboration a success. With this announcement, we hope to attract interest from several more parties.”

Team Manager Kervin Bos added: “We are extremely happy and proud to sign a Dutch talent. We are aware of Glenn’s potential and that is also the main reason we have worked so hard on this. The importance for Dutch motorsport is great and we hope to set a trend for the future with this move. As indicated earlier, a lot has to happen to make this a reality. The contracts have been signed but both parties will need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the coming period. We hope to maximise our time for this in the run-up to our home race in Assen, the third weekend of April. We are extremely proud to be able to do this together with our partners and Dutch companies, we cannot wait for our team presentation where we will introduce our riders and present Ten Kate Racing’s vision for the future. I expect we will surprise people with what our bike will look like.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Almost 600,000 spectators witnessed the thrilling action throughout the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed his second title despite fierce competition from Toprak Razgatlioglu as he raced for the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK outfit during his final season in blue. With the title decided at the final round of the season, fans came in their droves to watch the action unfold and witnesses incredible fights, intense rivalries, and a lot more during an unforgettable year.

THE OVERALL PICTURE: big attendances across the board

A total of 593,369 spectators came to watch the WorldSBK title fight unfold throughout the year as the Championship travelled to nine different countries around the world. Each Round was attended by an average of just under 50,000 people each to highlight the attraction of WorldSBK and the stunning action on-track, as well as the off-track entertainment and being able to get close to your favourite riders at the podium ceremonies and at the Paddock Show. Overall, this is a growth of 8.22%.

THE MOST-ATTENDED EVENT: magical Misano and the Ducatisti celebrate

WorldSBK rocked up to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the fifth round of the season, and it was one the passionate Italian fans won’t forget. Bautista took his fourth hat-trick of the 2023 season at the time on his manufacturer’s home soil, with Ducati running a special yellow livery in Race 2 as they took a nod to the past. The 70,815-strong crowd also got to cheer a double podium for Bautista’s teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, a first rostrum of 2023 for Axel Bassani at Motocorsa Racing and Danilo Petrucci’s (Barni Spark Racing Team) breakthrough weekend, even if the results didn’t reflect his pace.

BIGGEST GROWTH: huge increases at events

There were two events in 2023 which recorded attendance growth of more than 40% this year. At Most, a round which will live long in the memory thanks to the incredible Bautista vs Razgatlioglu fight, there was a 45% increase compared to last year. And then, at Jerez, there was another huge increase compared to the last time WorldSBK visited there without restrictions in 2019. A massive 42% increase in spectators was recorded for the season finale, which was the host of one of the best races ever as the top two in the Championship passed each other 38 times in the last ten laps.

OTHER NEWS: increases all round

While Most and Jerez headline the increase in spectators thanks to their incredible swell, there was also good news at other circuits. Across the season, venues recorded a higher attendance compared to before with the values ranging from between 4.4% to 15% as fans flocked to watch the stunning WorldSBK action throughout the year.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) wrapped up the FIM Supersport World Championship title in stunning fashion at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with victory in Race 1. Following on from his 2023 title success, the Italian star sat down to discuss his incredible success. From being in a difficult moment when he joined Aruba Ducati in WorldSSP, to fending off his rivals and his team being ‘like a home’, the #11 opened up about his journey to becoming a World Champion and much more in an in-depth interview.

BULEGA REVIEWS 2023: “we are World Champions, and this is the most important thing”

Bulega joined WorldSSP for the 2022 season and was immediately on the pace as Ducati returned to the Championship, introducing the new Panigale V2 machine. He took nine podiums in his rookie season, before a first win came at the start of the 2023 season. From there, the #11 didn’t look back as he took 16 wins in total, and 14 when this interview was conducted, wrapping up the World Championship with three races to go. Victory in Race 1 at Portimao handed him the crown as he fended off Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) despite the Italian’s best efforts.

Reflecting on his title success before the season-ending Spanish Round, next year’s factory Ducati rider in WorldSBK said: “My team did an incredible job. They worked very hard on the bike. I enjoyed these two years a lot. Our goal was to win the Championship with me and my team and, in the end, we did it. We are World Champions, not ‘only I am World Champion’. It means a lot of things. To be World Champion is something that cannot happen every year. It’s something special. It’s a season that I will remember for all my life. I am very happy.

“Until Jerez, I won 14 races and Ducati won 15 in total. It means that me and my team are making the difference. People can think what they want but, in the end, we are World Champions, and this is the most important thing. I think I had an incredible package but maybe we are the only ones to bring out the best from this bike. Thanks to all my team because they gave me an incredible package. Not only the bike because it was important to have a good bike, but they gave me everything to be World Champion.”

THE SECOND CHAPTER: “maybe it was the second chance of my life…”

The Italian’s journey to being crowned was not an easy one. He won the CEV Moto3™ Junior World Championship in 2015 and took two podiums in Moto3™ in three full campaigns. Both came in 2016, at Jerez and Motegi, before he moved to Moto2™ for 2019. A best Championship finish of 17^th followed before he made the switch to WorldSSP, where he wrote the latest chapter of his illustrious career by being crowned World Champion.

Looking back on his path to success, the 24-year-old said: “When I won the Junior World Championship in 2015, everybody was speaking about me as the next MotoGP™ Champion. Too many things that I didn’t want to hear. They gave me more pressure and I didn’t need it at that time, I was too young. I was 16 years old, in my first year of the World Championship. I was just having fun with my bike. Maybe I was not ready to feel a lot of pressure. When you arrive at one point where you are not enjoying riding motorbikes, or going to the race circuits… this is what happened to me. The last two years in Moto2™ were especially bad for me. I was coming to this Championship in a bad situation and mentality because I was not ready to race.

“When I came to this paddock, and WorldSSP, I knew inside that it was my last possibility to be a professional rider. For me, maybe it was the second chance of my life. When I came to this team, I felt at home from the first test. I remember the first test in November 2021 and the first time I entered the garage to see the new faces and new guys to work with. I remember it very well because, when I went to sleep the same night, I was thinking, ‘Today was very good and I think there are a lot of people that I like’. This was very important. They welcomed me like it was a home. Every time, I needed something, they tried to help me; not only at the race track but also at home. I think, for a rider, it’s very important that when you stay away from home a lot during the year, when you stay in the garage with your team, it’s very important that it feels like home.”

BULEGA’S FUTURE: racing alongside Bautista in WorldSBK

For 2024, Bulega will partner Alvaro Bautista at the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team after earning the vacant seat at the factory Ducati squad. The WorldSSP Champion has already got his hands on the Panigale V4 R, having tested it on a few occasions including the post-Jerez test, but previewed what to expect from him in his rookie campaign and how racing alongside the reigning World Superbike Champion will benefit him as he adjusts in his rookie campaign.

Bulega said: “In 2024, I expect it to be difficult. The DNA of the V4 R is similar to my V2. A lot of things I had in my V2, felt good on the V4. I hope to be fast also with that bike. I’m happy because I’m going to WorldSBK with the best team with the best teammate. I think I can learn a lot from Alvaro because he’s doing an incredible job with the Panigale V4 R. I hope to be able to learn a lot from him, checking his telemetry, and I will try to understand a lot of things and then, maybe, in 2025 we will be fast.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

After all the expectations ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix and his wildcard, it wasn’t what the majority had imagined for reigning double WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista. The Spaniard came through for P22 in the Tissot Sprint and in the main Grand Prix on Sunday, had a steady and consistent race to finish in P17. Starting from 22^nd on the grid, he didn’t make progress but rode a solid pace to finish the race, taking profit of incidents ahead of him. He finished 2.5s behind fellow WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona on the LCR Honda.

BAUTISTA’S FIRST WORDS: “I’m not making excuses”

Talking about why he struggled so much, Bautista confessed that his WorldSBK testing crash left a lingering injury: “It hasn’t been an easy weekend; I’m not using excuses but after the last WorldSBK race, we did a test and I crashed. I hurt my neck and collarbone. I felt pain but after two or three days, it disappeared. However, here from FP1, I felt like I didn’t have enough power in my left arm. I worked with the physiotherapist but it didn’t improve. It got worse and worse day by day and I was struggling a lot to make force with it.

“My crew chief, checking the data compared to other Ducati riders, said ‘why are you so fast like the others in the right-hand corners but you lose almost one second in the left corners?’ but the reality is that I couldn’t ride how I wanted. Again, it’s not an excuse; I’m very angry with myself because I couldn’t enjoy my riding at 100%. The good thing is that the Championship is done; I’ll go back to Spain and have a check on why I lost the power and try to get better in the winter.”

THE INJURY: “It seems the muscles are very compressed… it’ll be nice if I can come back again”

Explaining the injury in more details, a frustrated Bautista said of exactly what the issue is: “The pain is in the neck; it seems like the muscles are very compressed and they touch the nerves of my left arm, so maybe when I stress the arm, I lose the power. The neck is quite a critical zone so I’ll check well and try and recover as soon as possible. It’ll be nice if I can come back again at 100% but now the main thing is to recover well and then see in the future.”

IN CONCLUSION: “This was 90% of the problem… I couldn’t push or do my best”

Speaking in his debrief and going further, the #19 said: “This was 90% of the problem. The other 10% was the confidence and the setup; with this problem though, what you do with the bike is difficult to understand. I couldn’t push or do my best so it’s a bit frustrating that having this chance, I can’t use it.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com