The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to Donington Park next up and it is a home round for several competitors on the grid. One of these is rookie Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) as he gears up for his first home round as a full-time rider in WorldSBK, at the circuit he made his debut at in 2018. Speaking to the Official Programme for the Emilia-Romagna Round, Ray took part in a ‘Get To Know’ feature and you can read his answers below.

Describe yourself in five words

Relaxed. Funny. Unique. Motivated. Chilled.

Countryside or seaside?

I like being sat at the seaside, but I am a little bit scared of the sea itself, funnily enough. I don’t like not being able to see what’s underneath me. So, I would probably choose the countryside.

What kind of things could you fix on your own bike if they went wrong?

I could do most things, like wheel changes and swingarm changes. I am not bad on the spanners. I have learned a lot from my dad over the years.”

What’s it like to have Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne as your mentor?

It’s like gold dust to have him on my side. Not just for the management side of things but the personal side. He helps me throughout race weekends and to deal with other situations. He wants to give me the easiest way through. He wants to point me in the correct way in life.

You look like some gentle college student but ride like the devil. Has this been remarked on before?

It has been mentioned a few times! Especially when I had big fluffy hair and the glasses on; I don’t look like a normal motorcycle racer. I am a nice person off the track but as soon as I get on track, I want to beat everyone in front of me.

Read the Official Programme HERE and watch more WorldSBK action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is approaching the halfway stage of the season and the future of the majority of the riders on the grid is still yet to be decided. One rider who does not have a contract for 2024 is Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and he provided an update on where he could be next season while watching teammate Alvaro Bautista test the Ducati MotoGP™ machine.

Rinaldi joined the factory Ducati team in 2021 on the back of a stellar season with Team GoEleven, where he took one win and three podiums. He was a winner in his first season with Ducati on three occasions, including two on home soil at Misano, but he hasn’t tasted victory since Race 2 in Barcelona in 2021. In total, he has racked up 16 podiums and three wins for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad, with five podiums coming this season.

He is averaging one podium per round in 2023 and he is set to smash his best tally of podiums for the team which was set in 2021 when he stood on the rostrum seven times. However, while he has shown strong pace throughout the year, he has also had some difficult moments. He was 14^th in a wet Race 1 in Australia, while he was leading Race 2 in Indonesia before finishing fourth. Assen proved difficult for the Italian but he was back on form in Barcelona and Misano, taking three consecutive podium finishes between Race 2 in Barcelona and the Tissot Superpole Race at Misano.

When asked whether there was an update on his future, Rinaldi said: “No, at the moment we’re still talking. I think that I will talk about my future after Imola. For now, I’m focused on Donington and Imola. For sure, after Imola, I will know what my future will be. I want to continue with the team but there are other options on the table. My goal is to remain here and if the team is happy to continue with me, this is my priority.”

The Italian was at Misano to watch Bautista during the reigning World Champion’s MotoGP™ test which was part of a prize for the Spaniard after he claimed last year’s title. Explaining why he went to Misano and that he’d like to see Bautista race in MotoGP™, something which has been discussed with a potential wildcard appearance, Rinaldi said: “I live close to here so I came to watch him and to understand his work and the difference between MotoGP™ and WorldSBK and how he adapted. Actually, I’m quite impressed because he went very well. I would like to see him racing in MotoGP™ because we can understand the level of WorldSBK. I think Alvaro, in this moment, is the best Alvaro of his career. He can be pretty strong also in MotoGP™”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is gearing up for a second visit to Italy in 2023 as the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola returns to the calendar for the first time since 2019. Tickets are on sale NOW and if you purchase before July 13^th, you will receive a discount of up to 5% on tickets that include paddock access; allowing you to get closer than ever to your favourite teams and riders during the Prometeon Italian Round. Make sure you buy your tickets HERE!

The iconic Imola venue returns to the WorldSBK calendar after last hosting a round in 2019 and it promises to be a special event: Ducati head into their second home round as reigning Champions and lead the Teams’, Riders’ and Manufacturers’ Championships in 2023 after five rounds. WorldSBK, WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 will be providing the on-track entertainment at Imola but paddock access tickets will give you the chance to experience WorldSBK in the heart of the action.

Paddock access means fans can get closer than ever to the teams and riders while you’ll also be able to enjoy the Paddock Show and podium celebrations, which take place in the heart of the paddock. With interactive games, entertainment and meet and greet sessions, this is not something you’ll want to miss. Make sure you purchase your tickets for the Italian Round and enjoy a discount of up to 5%!

Purchase your tickets for Imola HERE and enjoy the phenomenal WorldSBK action in person!

Source: WorldSBK.com

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship gets ready for a return to the historic Donington Park circuit next week, we’re gearing up for the Prosecco DOC UK Round by looking back at some incredible moments. After a wildcard masterclass in 2000, a final lap showdown in 2007 and teammates going head-to-head in 2014, now it’s time to look at Race 2 in 2018 with first victories and podiums celebrated in the United Kingdom.

The 2018 WorldSBK Championship had enjoyed an open start to the season, with four different winners from the first five rounds and whilst reigning triple Champion Jonathan Rea had the lead of the Championship by 47 points, it wasn’t a clear-cut certainty that he’d sweep to a home double at Donington Park. Ducati’s Chaz Davies would be doing all he could to chase the Kawasaki down, whilst double winner from Round 1 at Phillip Island, Marco Melandri, also aimed to get back to winning ways at a circuit he knew well. Donington Park specialist Tom Sykes had nine wins there and was aiming to make it ten – or perhaps someone new could come to the fore?

In a hectic Race 1, someone new did come to the fore in 2014 World Supersport Champion, Michael van der Mark. The Dutchman rode a fantastic first race to clinch a first WorldSBK win and the first for the Netherlands. It was likewise the first for Yamaha since 2011, with Paul Denning’s team ending the Japanese manufacturer’s win drought. Surely though, they couldn’t do it all again on Sunday during Race 2, could they?

As lights went out for Race 2, van der Mark, having won Race 1, was having to come through from ninth on the grid. He was already fifth by the end of the first lap as the leading group began to form. Van der Mark’s Pata Yamaha teammate Alex Lowes was the long-time race leader as he chased a first win, whilst Jonathan Rea, Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori and rookie sensation Toprak Razgatlioglu on the Puccetti Kawasaki all got in the mix, with van der Mark working his way to through the group. On Lap 18, it was time for van der Mark to bolt as a lap after Rea hit the front, he cleared teammate Lowes at Turn 1 at Redgate, before diving through at the Melbourne hairpin to lead.

However, with all the battling, Toprak Razgatlioglu had brought his Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-10RR into contention and closed in by over a second, as he eyed up a first podium in the WorldSBK class. On Lap 20, van der Mark began to edge clear whilst Razgatlioglu attacked Lowes at the Old Hairpin and sliced his way into third, but he wasn’t done there. Eight tenths behind Rea with three to go, Toprak closed by two tenths a lap before attacking Rea on the last lap, passing the factory Kawasaki rider and Championship leader at the Old Hairpin. Van der Mark went on to seal a magical double whilst it was Razgatlioglu who announced himself in a big way by toppling Rea on the final lap.

Watch more classic duels as well as the duels of 2023 LIVE with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) left his mark at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” after completing two days of testing in Italy on the Desmosedici GP machine. He tested on both Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a prize for winning last year’s MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship title but key figures at Ducati were left impressed after Bautista adapted quickly and showed rapid pace despite not chasing a lap time.

Bautista completed a total of around 100 laps across the two days and set a best lap time of 1’32.590s during his fourth stint on Day 2. The time came on the seventh lap of that run as he used the soft tyres, although there was no time attack for the reigning World Superbike Champion. Despite not looking for a time, his performance across the two days left Ducati happy as he adjusted quickly to the MotoGP™ machine which requires a different style to ride.

Serafino Foti, the Team Manager at Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, said: “To be honest, it’s been a really good test because Alvaro did a really good job. He was quite fast. I’m surprised. He actually got the feeling really quickly. This surprised me. It’s not easy to jump to MotoGP™ from WorldSBK and get this feeling. Now I understand why he makes the difference in World Superbike. From my point of view, he’s on another level. We were impressed for the performance and the approach. Now I understand really well. Of course, we have a good bike, but he makes the difference.”

The test was with the Aruba.it Racing team that has run wildcards with Michele Pirro across 2022 and 2023, with Pirro, Ducati’s test rider, also at the test. Marco Palmerini, the Ducati Test Team Manager, was on site and he was able to give his views on the test. He admitted he was ‘surprised’ by how quickly Bautista was able to adapt but described it as ‘exciting’.

Palmerini added: “It was really exciting because Alvaro was really fast from the beginning. He’s adapted to the riding style which performs the best for MotoGP™ and coming from a different kind of bike, this was really surprising. It’s very difficult to change from WorldSBK to MotoGP™. You have different tyres and brakes. In half a day, Alvaro immediately understood how to ride with these tyres, and he started using the brakes exactly as he needed to do.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) two-day test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” concluded on Wednesday as he racked up the laps on the Desmosedici GP. Taking advantage of the break between rounds in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, the reigning Champion took to the Italian circuit for the second of two days of action. The first day allowed Bautista to get used to the machine before making some modifications on Day 2.

On Tuesday, Bautista completed more than two MotoGP™ race distances during his time on track for his first time on the Ducati Desmosedici GP since 2018. The test has been considered a prize for claiming the 2022 WorldSBK title after a season-long battle with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), with the Ducati rider claiming the title with a round to spare in Indonesia. He’s also started his title defence in style, with 14 wins in the first 15 races.

Like on Day 1, the Spaniard completed several stints throughout the day as he increased his mileage on the MotoGP™ machine. He started his first stint at around 09:10 Local Time (GMT+2) for nine laps, before taking to the track around 40 minutes later for another eight laps. A third run got underway at around 10:30 for eighth laps, before another started 50 minutes later. Just after midday, the 38-year-old returned to the track for a 14-minute run. Six runs were completed in total as he added another almost 50 laps to his total, while he tried the soft, medium and hard compounds that are used in MotoGP™.

Track temperatures reached about 50 degrees Celsius on Day 2 as Bautista tried different combinations of tyre compounds as part of his programme, including new and used tyres. The Spaniard also completed a couple of practice starts around the halfway stage of the day to get as much as experience as possible on the Desmosedici GP, while he also had a narrower fuel tank on Day 2 when compared to Day 1.

Reflecting on Day 2, Bautista said: “I’m so happy because from yesterday to today, I improved my feeling on the bike a lot. We started with a good feeling on the bike but on the second day, I felt much more comfortable and much more like I’m used to riding this bike. I enjoyed it a lot and it was so nice to work with all the guys here. Step by step, we made small changes on the bike to make it more for me and my riding style, and to be more comfortable. I’m really happy with this test.”

“The programme was that on the first day, we’d just get a first impression on the bike and the second day, we made some modifications especially with the ergonomics. I asked to have a higher and narrower seat, but it was not possible. I asked for a narrower fuel tank. They had it in the factory, so they brought it for the second day and it definitely helped me be more comfortable on the bike. We started to touch the setup of the bike a little bit, to adapt it to my style, and to go together in the same direction. All the small changes we made felt better and better and gave me more confidence on the bike. Today, we tried different tyres. We compared the soft and hard on the front. The feeling was quite good, better than I expected. On the rear, we saw the difference between the soft and medium tyre.”

After the two-day test, the World Championship leader’s focus once again shifts to WorldSBK. Round 6 is fast approaching with Donington Park the next venue as Bautista looks to write his name into the history books. It’s a venue he has yet to win at, but he did take second place there last year. Will Bautista be able to continue his winning form as WorldSBK hits the halfway stage of the season, or will his rivals be able to close the gap in the UK?

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With a three-weekend gap between rounds in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) is using his time to test the Desmosedici GP machine at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”. The test has been considered a prize for Bautista’s incredible 2022 title success but key figures from Ducati, including Bautista, have been speaking about the possibility of a wildcard.

The Aruba.it Racing squad have wildcarded in MotoGP™ in 2022 and 2023 when they’ve raced with Michele Pirro, Ducati’s test rider. His most recent wildcard outing was at Mugello where he finished in 15^th place in the Sprint and 16^th in the Grand Prix. While the second half of the WorldSBK season ends in Argentina in mid-October, there are still five MotoGP™ rounds after that where there could be a potential race for Bautista.

Speaking during the test, there was no confirmation about a wildcard happening for Bautista but there was also no denial. Both Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager, and Marco Zambenedetti, Ducati Corse Technical Coordinator, spoke about the possibility and both reiterated that WorldSBK was the main focus for the reigning Champion.

Zambenedetti, when asked about a wildcard, said: “First of all, everything depends on the feeling that Bautista has. The main goal is for him is WorldSBK to keep the number 1 on the fairing. Nobody knows. At the end of the Championship, if there is the time, we will see.”

Dall’Igna added: “It’s honestly too early to know. The season is really long, and we will probably arrive at the end really exhausted. We will see. This is not our target at the moment. For sure, I think that he could do quite well with the bike but honestly, I don’t want to think too much about that. I would like to see him smiling when he jumps off the bike and that’s it.”

Bautista was also asked about the possibility and, while he also did not confirm whether he would get a second MotoGP™ test or a wildcard outing, he did reveal his preference for where it took place if he had to make a choice. Like Dall’Igna and Zambenedetti, Bautista was focusing on his WorldSBK title defence but did explain his preference and why he would like to race there.

Bautista said: “At the moment, doing a wildcard is not in my plans. I did a test. Now we have to be focused on the next three rounds because they are very close, and we need to be concentrating on them. We’ll see. I don’t know if maybe Ducati will ask me to do another test or not but, at the moment, there aren’t any plans for the future. After our Championship finishes, there are a lot of races for MotoGP™. At this moment, I’m not thinking about a wildcard. If you tell me you have to do one wildcard, which track would you like to race… maybe Sepang is a good track. I like it and there are long straights.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Five manufacturers are battling it out for glory in the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship including Kawasaki. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes have taken the Japanese manufacturer’s ZX-10RR machine to five podiums in the first five rounds of the season, with Kawasaki sitting third in the Manufacturers’ Championship. The bike features some intricate details and you can check these out in the gallery at the top of this article!

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Source: WorldSBK.com

After two classic races to start the week, featuring Neil Hodgon’s wonderful wildcard victory and a last-corner showdown, this time it’s time to travel to 2014. With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to Donington Park next time out, we’re taking a look at some incredible classic races from the iconic circuit. Race 1 in 2014 turned into a battle of teammates for victory – will there be more in 2023 when WorldSBK visits for Round 6?

2014 was shaping up to be a thrilling season and as the Championship headed to Donington Park, reigning Champion Tom Sykes had work to do as he trailed Ten Kate Honda’s Jonathan Rea by four points in the Championship after the Ulsterman’s double win at Imola. However, Sykes was a circuit specialist, having done the double the year before on his way to the crown. Uncharacteristically, Sykes was down field in 2014, with the Kawasaki rider only managing seventh place on the grid on Saturday, making for a mountain to climb during Sunday’s races.

As lights went out for Race 1, it was a hectic start to the race as the Aprilia’s of Sylvain Guintoli and Marco Melandri swapped paint continuously through to the Old Hairpin, whilst Suzuki’s Alex Lowes hit the front for the first time in his rookie WorldSBK season. Further down field, Tom Sykes went backwards off the line and was way down in 11^th place whilst Championship leader Rea was in and around the top six. As Sykes’ teammate Loris Baz challenged for the lead, Sykes himself set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 2 and was inside the top ten, clearing Toni Elias.

On Lap 5, Sykes was now ninth whilst Loris Baz took the lead. Sykes then made short work of those ahead of him, going from ninth to sixth in just one lap on Lap 8, before passing Rea for fifth place on Lap 12. He then got ahead of Marco Melandri for fourth place on Lap 13, before inheriting a top three placing when Davide Giugliano, the pole-sitter, crashed out at the Foggy Esses on Lap 16, chasing an elusive first win. Sykes caught up to Lowes and got ahead on the backstraight on Lap 17. He now had his eyes on Baz and with just over three laps to go, Sykes hit the front. Baz came back through at the Old Hairpin and covered his teammate off, with the battle now fierce, as the Brit came back through on his teammate at the Melbourne hairpin. Baz had another go on the penultimate lap at the Old Hairpin but ran wide, leaving Sykes to come through and then pull away for victory, to return to the top of the Championship tree. Baz made it a Kawasaki 1-2 whilst Alex Lowes got a maiden podium in third.

Watch more classic races in style and watch this season’s classics LIVE in 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) returned to MotoGP™ machinery during a two-day test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” with the Ducati Desmosedici GP machine. Sharing the bike with Ducati’s test rider, Michele Pirro, Bautista was on track during the first half of Day 1 for his first MotoGP™ action since 2018 as he tested the machine that currently leads the Manufacturers’, Teams’ and Riders’ Championships in the MotoGP™ paddock.

Bautista’s first time on track lasted from 09:00 Local Time until 13:00 as he got four hours on the Desmosedici GP during the first part of the day to get re-accustomed to the MotoGP™ machine after four seasons away from the Grand Prix paddock. During this time, the reigning WorldSBK Champion completed numerous stints.

Bautista completed around 60 laps across Day 1 as sunny weather greeted the reigning World Superbike Champion. Bautista revealed his goals for the test ahead of action beginning as he declared that his feeling on the bike and having fun would be the most important thing while on the Desmosedici GP machine, but he completed around 60 laps, or more than two full-race distances in MotoGP™ during his first half-day on the MotoGP™ machine.

His first three stints were nine laps, not including his in and out laps, as he searched for a good feeling on the bike. His fourth stint was a bit shorter than the first three, lasting only 13 minutes, but he was back out on track 15 minutes after returning to the box. The next stint was a 12-lap run for Bautista which concluded just before 12:00 Local Time (GMT+2).

Reflecting on Day 1, Bautista said: “I don’t have in my mind anything because, in the end, in my whole career, this is my first time having a real test with a factory MotoGP™ bike and team. This is something amazing. I’ve never had this chance in my life. I raced at Phillip Island five years ago, but it was like ‘you race this weekend’, so I didn’t prepare for that. I’m so happy to ride this bike again. The feeling from the first lap was really good. I understood the bike very well. I’m having a lot of fun.

“The adaptation is going really well, maybe better than I expected. My last time was in 2018 and now the bikes are very, very different. I didn’t really have a fresh memory from that time but, even if I had, the bike now is completely different especially on the aerodynamic side. After many years in WorldSBK, it felt even more different because the bike is stiffer, the tyres are stiffer, and everything is different. I expected a worse adaptation but, from the first few laps, I started to feel good on the bike and understood how to ride this bike.”

Speaking after Bautista’s morning concluded, Ducati Corse Technical Director Marco Zambenedetti said: “His feelings are different, of course, especially the engine is different and the tyres. I’ve seen a very fast adaptation to the different tyres and the bike. His lap times have been positive after just a couple of runs. He’s really fast. Honestly, I’m curious to see where he wants to go in these two days!”

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Source: WorldSBK.com