The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship returns to action to start the 2023 season at the TT Circuit Assen during the Pirelli Dutch Round with the first two races of what is set to be a thrilling and unpredictable campaign. With a new manufacturer joining the grid, the reigning Champion moving to WorldSSP, a Champion returning the class and a host of riders aiming to write their names in the history books in 2023, the Dutch Round will kick off the season in style.

DEBUTS AND A RETURNING CHAMPION: Kove debut, Buis is back

The start of the 2023 campaign will mark a historic moment as Chinese manufacturer Kove join the grid with Shengjunjie Zhou (China Racing Team) making his WorldSSP debut, with four manufacturers competing in 2023. The 312RR recently raced in the Spanish championship with Zhou, giving him some experience ahead of his WorldSSP debut. The Dutch Round also marks the return of 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) to the Championship as he looks to make history and he will be joined by Loris Veneman in 2023. Buis has seven WorldSSP300 wins to his name and one more would make him the rider with the most wins in the Championship’s history. Could he make history at his home track.

EXPANDING TEAMS: reigning Champions to two bikes…

After taking Alvaro Diaz to the title in 2022, the Arco Motor University Team have expanded to two bikes for 2023. Ruben Bijman and Gabriele Mastroluca look to pick up where Diaz left off in 2022 by fighting at the front consistently. The AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha squad have also expanded to two bikes with Raffaele Tragni race winner Matteo Vannucci at the team. There are also new teams on the grid: China Racing Team will make their debut with Zhou while Deza-Box 77 Racing Team will debut with Jose Manuel Osuna Saez.

ROOKIES LOOKING TO IMPRESS: hoping for an early impact

There are several other rookies on the grid too with Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) returning for his first full-time campaign alongside Samuel Di Sora. Like Martella, Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo-PI Performances) returns after an impressive one-off appearance in 2022 when he fought for the podium while several riders will make their debut. Clement Rouge (Sublime Racing by MS Racing), Raffaele Tragni, Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) – who was third in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship in 2022 – Mexican Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) and Osuna Saez will all make their debuts at Assen.

RACE WINNERS GO FOR MORE: six previous race winners on track

There will be six riders who have won a race prior to 2023 on the grid this season including the aforementioned Buis. Three one-time winners, Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PI Performances), Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) and Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) will be joined by two-time winners Vannucci and Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing). Will any of these riders be able to add to their win tally, or will 2023 feature new riders standing on the top step of the podium?

WILDCARDS: double Dutch at Assen

There will be two wildcard riders at the TT Circuit Assen and both hail from the Netherlands and both will compete for the same team. Sven Doornebal and Thom Molenaar will both compete for the Molenaar Racing Team at the Dutch Round as they did in 2021 and 2022. Molenaar’s best result is 20^th, in Race 1 in 2021, while Doornebal also has a best result of 20^th which came in Race 1 last year.

Watch all the WorldSSP300 action from Assen in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock heading to the Netherlands and the iconic TT Circuit Assen for the 2023 Pirelli Dutch Round, there will be several home heroes looking to celebrate glory in style. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) leads the charge in WorldSBK but there are several riders in WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 who will represent the Netherland on home soil and look to entertain the Dutch crowd and give them something to celebrate across the weekend.

FLYING THE FLAG: van Straalen aiming to repeat home podium, Ten Kate aiming high

There is only one Dutch rider in WorldSSP in 2023 with Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) flying the flag for the Netherlands at Assen. The Hoogkarspel-born rider claimed two podiums in 2022 including one at Assen where he was fighting with double Champion Dominique Aegerter for victory. He finished second in Race 1 when a red flag was shown just seconds after Aegerter had overtaken the home hero, denying him an emotional victory at Assen. Could van Straalen repeat his podium performance in 2023 or go one better and claim his first World Championship victory?

Aegerter was with the Ten Kate Racing Yamaha team in 2021 and 2022 when he won the Championship in each year and that included success for the team at their home round. He won four races out of four across the two years he was with them but, with Aegerter now in WorldSBK, it falls to Stefano Manzi and Jorge Navarro to aim for victories for Ten Kate Racing. The pair completed a test at the circuit recently and will be hoping this puts them in good stead for the team’s home round.

FIVE REPRESENTATIVES: a mix of experience across the grid

The WorldSSP300 field features five Dutch riders for the Dutch Round with a wide range of experience between the four. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) returns to the Championship as he goes in search of a second WorldSSP300 title and he is back with the team that he won the Championship with in 2020. He has one podium at Assen and he will be aiming to repeat that in 2023 while his teammate, Loris Veneman, will make his WorldSSP300 debut at the circuit. He did race on home soil last year in the Northern Talent Cup, finishing fifth in Race 2 after a retirement in Race 1. The MTM Kawasaki riders will be joined by Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) who changes teams for 2023 and, with four races at Assen to his name, will be aiming to fight for a first WorldSSP300 podium on home soil.

The two MTM Kawasaki riders and Bijman are joined by two wildcard riders for the Dutch Round as Sven Doornebal (Molenaar Racing Team) is joined by teammate Thom Molenaar. Both have raced in WorldSSP300 in the past, as wildcard riders, and both Doornebal and Molenaar have recorded a best finish of 20^th at Assen. Could their first points finish in WorldSSP300 await as they make their third wildcard appearance in the Championship?

Watch the Dutch Round LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is in full flow with two rounds in the history books, which were the first two rounds of Danilo Petrucci’s (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) WorldSBK career. In a sit-down interview, the Italian spoke about his goals of looking to make history by winning in MotoGP™, WorldSBK and the Dakar Rally, adapting to WorldSBK and his long-term goals of joining a factory team to fight for the title.

CHASING HISTORY: “I could be the only man in the world to do that…”

Petrucci comes into his debut WorldSBK campaign with two MotoGP™ wins to his name, five MotoAmerica wins, four STK1000 victories and a stage win in the Dakar Rally. Should he win a WorldSBK race, he would become the 18^th rider to win in both WorldSBK and MotoGP™, something which he admitted was on his mind when returning to the WorldSBK paddock. If he manages this, he would become the first rider since Nicky Hayden at Sepang in 2016 to win in both Championships. However, he would become the only rider to win in WorldSBK, MotoGP™, STK1000 and in the Dakar Rally after he won a stage in the historic rally in 2022. Petrucci also opened up on his long-term goals in WorldSBK as he looks to become a Championship contender and, potentially, join a factory team.

Discussing the possibility of making history, Petrucci said: “I was still in the USA, doing the last races of the season. We were in talks with Ducati and Barni to make a path to come into WorldSBK and I started to look on Google which riders were able to win in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK. They are all big names. I said I could be one of them and then because I also have the Dakar Rally stage win… I could be the only man in the world to do that. I’m here for this reason in WorldSBK, to at least try to win a race. I would like to join a factory team to see if I am able to win the Championship. I can’t quit my career without trying! I don’t know if I am able to win a World Championship, but I need to try. I have to quit my career thinking I gave it all. This year is to understand whether next year I can do that.”

PETRUCCI’S PATH: “My career has been quite crazy”

Petrucci’s career started out in his native Italy but he soon made a name for himself in the WorldSBK paddock when he made a wildcard appearance at Monza in 2007 in STK600. He spent 2008 and 2009 in STK600 before making the jump to STK1000 where he fought for the title in his second campaign with Barni Ducati. His success there propelled him to MotoGP™ where he spent ten full seasons and won two races. At the end of 2021, he left MotoGP™ full-time, although returned in 2022 for a one-off appearance, and made his Dakar Rally debut in 2022 as well as racing in MotoAmerica.

Looking back on his “crazy” career, Petrucci said: “I’m very happy to be in the WorldSBK paddock again because it’s where everything began. The first time I joined this paddock was in 2007 and it was nice to finally join. I was a wildcard in STK600. I remember the first time I won in STK600 in Valencia in 2009 really well. Then I switched to STK1000 with Team Pedercini and Kawasaki. It was really a big, big jump. 2011 was, for sure, one of the best years for me with Barni. I was able to win my first Championship race at Silverstone. It was really good to win at Imola and I’m really happy to go back there this year in WorldSBK. I have really good memories.

“My career has been quite crazy. I won here in STK1000 which allowed me to go to MotoGP™. I was able to win in MotoGP™ a couple of races. I left MotoGP™ thinking I would go race the Dakar Rally and I would never come back to a World Championship. I won a stage which was totally unexpected, and then I went to MotoAmerica and I almost won the championship. I won many races and then the opportunity came again with Barni. I said: ‘I’m still young, I can’t quit my career without trying WorldSBK!’”

MAKING THE SWITCH: “There are a lot of challenges. I thought it was hard, but not as hard as it is!”

Petrucci’s WorldSBK career is only two rounds old and he has already recorded a top-five finish, in Race 1 at Mandalika, as well as securing top Independent honours. In all six races so far, he has been either fighting for the top ten or well inside it as he continues to adapt to the WorldSBK Panigale V4 R having ridden the Ducati in MotoAmerica in 2022. However, despite the manufacturer being the same, Petrucci has had to adapt to Pirelli tyres after using a different brand in the USA as well as the 10-lap Superpole Race

Explaining how his adaptation to WorldSBK is going, Petrucci said: “My adaptation is going quite well. For sure, WorldSBK is a big challenge for me because everything is new, even if I’m quite experienced. It’s unique in the format. We have three races and one of them, the Superpole Race, is really short and it’s like 10 laps of Superpole. Adapting to the Pirelli tyres, they are really good in performance, but I need to understand them. I still need to learn a lot. Last but not least, the level of the riders here is really, really high. There are a lot of challenges. I thought it was hard, but not as hard as it is!”

Watch Petrucci’s rookie WorldSBK campaign unfold throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

It’s historic. It’s famous. It’s got a legacy that is almost unrivalled. ‘It’ is of course the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands as the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rolls into town for round three of the season. The Pirelli Dutch Round has always been a classic on the calendar and this year promises to be no different. It’s only right that we picked out some of the best Assen classics for you to enjoy ahead of the modern-day thrillers that await this weekend.

Race 2, 1996: the top three split by 0.070s, Fogarty resists Kocinski

After switched from Ducati, where he was Champion in 1994 and 1995, to the RC45 Honda, Carl Fogarty was on the backfoot. However, Assen was ‘Foggy’ territory and since 1993, he’d been unbeaten. Race 1 in 1996 was no different but the Race 2 saw his rivals out to spoil the fun. Heading into the final lap, the British rider had a marginal lead but a golden final sector for Kocinski put the American in a position to pass; he got down the inside of Fogarty but ran wide in the chicane, with ‘Foggy’ pulling it back and getting the power down to the line, whilst Troy Corser put in a big charge too. Fogarty just held on to the roar of the crowd for what would be his final victory with Honda.

Race 2, 1998: Fogarty and Chili come to blows

One of the most iconic showdowns, Carl Fogarty and Pierfrancesco Chili were both going for the title in 1998’s titanic season and with Chili beating ‘Foggy’ in Race 1 at Assen – only the second rider to beat Fogarty there – Race 2 was tense and dramatic. Chili had the lead coming into the final sector, but Fogarty wasn’t going to be beaten again and passed him into the final chicane on the last lap. Chili crashed all of his own accord and by the time Fogarty had got to the same point on the slow-down lap, tempers were flaring. Chili was visibly unhappy, Fogarty was angry in retaliation, Fogarty’s team manager Davide Tardozzi tried to calm the situation and a dramatic press conference followed. Chili went on to talk about the incident in 2021, Fogarty went on to take the 1998 crown.

Race 2, 2004: battle of the youngsters between Vermeulen and Toseland

Chris Vermeulen was a rookie in WorldSBK in 2004, having won the 2003 WorldSSP title with Ten Kate Honda and both graduating to the top class. However, a title challenge was on, and James Toseland was likewise bidding to be an underdog Champion in the shadow of his Fila Ducati team leader Regis Laconi. The last lap at Assen in Race 2 was a classic with the lead changing three times before eventually, it was Vermeulen who kept his title hopes alive, beating Toseland in a true thriller in the Netherlands, giving the Dutch Ten Kate Honda team a WorldSBK home debut to remember.

Race 2, 2007: Bayliss denies Toseland by 0.007s

Assen gave us a true classic in 2007 as two of the greatest went head-to-head for supremacy. Having taken a Race 1 win, James Toseland was aiming to go double Dutch and give the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team a first home double. However, Race 2 saw Xerox Ducati’s Troy Bayliss back in the mix and with only one win in the opening nine races, the reigning Champion was eager to come back strong. Leaving his braking late into the chicane on the last lap, Toseland compromised his exit speed onto the straight, whilst Bayliss got his Ducati 999 F07 driving to the line, pipping ‘JT’ by 0.007s. Both riders sat down and spoke about the moment later in life, with the emotions still as pure as that day.

Race 1, 2009: Spies beats Haga in final lap thriller

The 2009 season was a classic from the start and Race 1 at Assen gave one of the best races of the year. A three-way fight between Yamaha’s Ben Spies, Ducati’s Noriyuki Haga and Honda’s Leon Haslam made for great racing, but in the end, it’d be the title contenders of Spies and Haga who battled. Haga led into the final sector, but Spies surprised the Japanese rider with a stunning pass at the fast Hoge Heide right-hander; Haga tried to retaliate at Ramshoek, but Spies had it covered, braking later into the final chicane and getting the job done –one of the best races in WorldSBK.

Race 2, 2019: Bautista makes it 11, van der Mark beats Rea on the line

2019 was a stunning season, with Ducati’s rookie revelation Alvaro Bautista on fire as he cruised to victory after victory. Following a snowstorm on Saturday, both full-distance races were rescheduled to Sunday and after a Race 1 win, Bautista aimed for an eleventh straight win at the start of the year, nothing ever seen before. With early laps spent battling Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea, Bautista broke clear on Lap 6 to head of victory, but it was home-hero Michael van der Mark who had a thrilling battle with Rea in the closing stages, before pipping him on the line on the final lap to take second, sending the home crowd wild. Will Bautista and Rea be fighting hard again in 2022?

Race 2, 2022: “It had to happen!” – Razgatlioglu and Rea finally clash and crash

The most recent clap of thunder at the Cathedral of Speed came in 2022, when Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu – after all of their battles in 2021’s title race – finally came to blows and ended in the gravel trap. Running wide but not off track at Turn 1, Razgatlioglu came back on line whilst Rea had already committed underneath him. The two tangled as the lines converged, leading to a spicy post-race debrief session. Perhaps the best rider to sum it up was Alvaro Bautista who narrowly avoided the chaos to go on and win the race: “One day, it had to happen!”

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: you can’t afford to miss these…

Race 2 from 2021 had stories everywhere. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) was taken out by fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) at Turn 1 on the opening lap, whilst Toprak’s teammate Andrea Locatelli led on his way to third and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) taking victory and completing his last triple so far. As well as that, there’s Tom Sykes’ last win from 2018’s Race 2, Sykes battling with Eugene Laverty for the win in Race 2, 2013 and Sylvain Guintoli’s first win in 2012. Dating further back, 2006 saw Chris Walker come from last and in the gravel at Turn 1 to the top step of the podium in a miraculous comeback in Race 1, whilst Troy Bayliss clinched his first title at the track in Race 2, 2001.

Watch more classics this weekend LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Supersport World Championship returns to action at the iconic TT Circuit Assen for round three of the 2023 campaign with the Pirelli Dutch Round, while it’s also the first round for the WorldSSP Challenge competitors. After the drama of Australia and Indonesia, the Championship resumes in the Netherlands with plenty up for grabs across the Championship’s two races over the Dutch Round.

TEN KATE RACING’S HOME ROUND: can Manzi or Navarro put Ten Kate on top?

The Dutch Round marks Ten Kate Racing Yamaha’s home round and the team will also go in search of their 100^th WorldSSP victory with riders Jorge Navarro and Stefano Manzi. Both enjoyed a test at the circuit between the Indonesian and Dutch rounds to prepare in the best possible way for the team’s home round with new items to try, while it was also another chance for Navarro to be on the bike in search of full fitness. Can either take the team’s, and Yamaha’s, first win of 2023 as well as the 100^th in WorldSSP for Ten Kate Racing Yamaha? Another Yamaha rider to potentially look out for is Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) after the Dutch rider narrowly missed out on his first WorldSSP win at Assen last year, after he was overtaken by Dominique Aegerter mere seconds before red flags were shown. Second in Race 1 last year, could he go one better this year?

BULEGA TOPS THE STANDINGS: looking to extend his lead

Two wins and three podiums in 2023 means Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) leads the Championship standings after two rounds, 18 points clear of Manzi. The Italian took third and fourth in Race 1 and Race 2 respectively in 2022 and he will be aiming to build on that in 2023. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) comes into the Dutch Round off the back of his first WorldSSP victory in Indonesia and, with a podium finish at Assen to his name from 2022, will be looking to add to that and close the gap in the Championship standings. Mandalika Race 2 winner, Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) is a race winner at Assen from 2019 and he will be looking to extend his winning run after a strong start to the 2023 campaign.

AIMING HIGH: Triumph and MV Agusta to be in the mix

Both Triumph and MV Agusta will be hoping they are in the fight for victory having been so in Australia and Indonesia. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) has been in the top eight in his last three races at Assen, and four times in his last five outings here, and he has a podium to his name this season. For MV Agusta, Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) is currently leading their charge in his rookie campaign. Although he hasn’t been to Assen in WorldSSP, it’s a circuit he knows very well from his time in the 125cc World Championship, Moto3™ and Moto2™ with a best result of fourth.

WorldSSP CHALLENGE RIDERS BEGIN THEIR CAMPAIGN: WorldSSP300 Champion debuts in WorldSSP

The WorldSSP Challenge begins at Assen and it will mark the WorldSSP debut of 2022 WorldSSP300 Champion Alvaro Diaz (Arco Yart Yamaha WorldSSP) as he graduates with the same team that took him to the 2022 World Championship. Yuta Okaya (Prodina Kawasaki Racing WorldSSP) also makes the step up in 2023. Maiki Abe (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha), son of the late, great Norick Abe, makes his WorldSSP debut, as does Luke Power (MOTOZOO ME AIR RACING TEAM) this season while Tom Edwards (Yart – Yamaha WorldSSP Team) will take part in his first full campaign. In terms of returning riders, Federico Fuligni (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) returns to WorldSSP on Ducati machinery, Maximilian Kofler (D34G Racing) sticks with Ducati but switches teams to be alongside Oli Bayliss while Tom Booth-Amos (MOTOZOO ME AIR RACING TEAM) sticks with the same team for a second campaign.

RIDER NEWS: injury updates and wildcards

Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) missed the Indonesian Round through injury but he is aiming to be back on a bike, subject to medical clearance, at Assen along with Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) who was injured in the same crash; Montella was riding at the recent Catalunya Test. In terms of wildcards, there is only one for the Dutch Round as Simone Corsi (Altogo Racing Team) makes his WorldSSP debut after 12 seasons in Moto2™.

Watch every moment of action from the iconic TT Circuit Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After a lengthy pause since round two, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back in action at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, the northern-most circuit on the WorldSBK calendar. In recent years, this has been a happy hunting ground for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) but with a rough start to the year, he’s not as guaranteed for success as previous years, whilst the Ducati Panigale V4 R – which has won five of the opening six races – could make it 400 victories in World Superbike for the legendary Italian brand.

700 – With at least a rider on the podium in the three Assen races, Ducati will reach the milestone of 700 races on the podium, as they stand now at 697. Ducati has already celebrated a podium-related milestone last year in Most, when they reached 1000 podium places. Ducati’s best opponent is Kawasaki, at 405 races on the podium.

540 – Jonathan Rea has taken 540 points at Assen: an all-time record. His best rival is Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) with 411 at Donington.

400 – With 397 race wins, Ducati has its first shot at the milestone of 400 at Assen.

48 – 48 different riders have qualified on the front row at Assen since 1992, with the 50^th possible this weekend. On the current grid, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), teammate Jonathan Rea, Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), teammate Michael van der Mark, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Tom Sykes and Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) have achieved it. In WorldSBK history, Donington Park has the most at 55.

35 – Assen is a home for British wins: no less than 35 out of 62. The next country for wins at Assen is Australia on nine, the last of which came with Troy Bayliss in 2008 with a dominant double.

23 – Rea can equal and surpass his all-time record of podiums on a given track in WorldSBK, 24, set at Aragon and at Portimao. He has 23 Assen podiums; Tom Sykes is his best rival with 17 Donington Park podiums.

20 – No less than 20 different riders have won a WorldSBK race at Assen but just three of them are present in the 2023 field: Rea, Bautista and Sykes. Interestingly, double Champion Troy Corser is not among the 20, despite having run 30 races here and finishing on the podium seven times.

17 – 17 wins for Rea at Assen: the absolute record for a rider on any given track.

14 – The last of the two Assen Yamaha wins came 14 years ago, with Ben Spies in Race 1, 2009.

5 – Rea has not climbed on the podium in the last five races: that’s a rare occurrence, as the last time he went for such a podium-less streak was nine years ago: seven from Donington Park Race 1 to Portimao Race 1, 2014.

4 – Sykes holds the record for Assen poles: 4. Corser (1995, 1999, 2006), Pierfrancesco Chili (1998, 2003, 2004) and Rea (2010, 2017, 2021) are his nearest rivals.

2 – Only two riders managed to get a maiden WorldSBK win at Assen: Chris Walker (Race 1, 2006) and Sylvain Guintoli (Race 1, 2012).

1 – Only one rider was able to win a dry race here starting outside the top five on the grid: that was Jonathan Rea in 2017 in Race 2, from ninth.

0.002s – The closest WorldSSP300 finish in history came at Assen in Race 2, 2022: Hugo De Cancellis took a career-first win by 0.002s ahead of eventual Champion Alvaro Diaz.

SHORTHAND NOTEBOOK

2022 race winners:

• Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki, Race 1, Tissot Superpole Race)
• Alvaro Bautista (Ducati, Race 2)

Last three pole-sitters at Assen:

• 2022: Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) 1’32.934
• 2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’33.842
• 2019: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) 1’34.740

Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Assen:

• Ducati: 81 (28)
• Honda: 39 (15)
• Kawasaki: 30 (15)
• Yamaha: 22 (2)
• Aprilia: 9 (2)
• Suzuki: 5

Key gaps from Assen 2022:

• Front row covered by: 0.687s
• 1 second in Superpole covered… the top four: 0.954s
• Closest race gap between 1st and 2nd: 0.103s (Rea 1st, Bautista 2nd, Race 1)
• Closest race podium: 0.300s (Rea 1st, Razgatlioglu 2nd, Bautista 3rd, Superpole Race)
• Closest Assen podium of all-time: 0.070s (Fogarty 1st, Corser 2nd, Kocinski 3rd, Race 2 1996)

Manufacturer top speeds at Assen, 2022:

• Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 302.5 km/h, Superpole Race
• Honda: Xavi Vierge – 300.8. km/h, Superpole Race
• Kawasaki: Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes and – 298.3 km/h, Superpole Race and Race 2
• Yamaha: Andrea Locatelli – 298.3 km/h, Race 2
• BMW: Scott Redding – 299.1 km/h, Race 2

Watch all the 2023 season unfold chapter-by-chapter with the comprehensive WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returning to action at the iconic TT Circuit Assen, tickets for the Pirelli Dutch Round are still available to purchase so you can enjoy all the action from the Cathedral of Speed. With WorldSBK, WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 all in action, joined by the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship and the Northern Talent Cup, there will be plenty of on-track action for fans at the track to enjoy and you can purchase your tickets HERE.

With the five different classes taking place throughout the weekend, there will be no shortage of on-track action from Friday to Sunday to watch at the circuit, but the on-track action is not the only reason to buy tickets. Buying a ticket will get you access to all the grandstands and general admission areas, but it will also give you access to the Paddock and the Paddock Show where several activities take place including the podium ceremonies. The Paddock Show features interactive activities, quizzes, and chats with riders as well as Meet ‘N’ Greet sessions. All of these activities are included with your ticket to the Dutch Round and there are several activities per day for fans to enjoy.

Purchase your tickets for the 2023 Dutch Round HERE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship bursts back into action at the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round, the third round of the 2023 campaign. WorldSBK and WorldSSP action resumes while the WorldSSP300 campaign gets underway at the cathedral of speed; plus, the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship and Northern Talent Cup will be in action. The action starts on Friday for WorldSSP300 at 09:45 Local Time (GMT+1) with Free Practice 1, followed by WorldSBK at 10:30 and WorldSSP at 11:25. In the afternoon, it is the same order with WorldSSP300 at 14:15, WorldSBK at 15:00 and WorldSSP at 16:00. The first race day on Saturday gets underway with WorldSBK Free Practice 3 at 09:00 before diving straight into Tissot Superpole: WorldSSP300 at 09:45, WorldSSP at 10:25 and WorldSBK at 11:10. Racing gets underway at 12:40 with WorldSSP300 Race 1, followed by WorldSBK Race 1 and WorldSSP Race 1 at 14:00 and 15:15 respectively. On Sunday, the three Warm Up sessions start the day from 09:00 before racing resumes at 11:00 with the WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race. WorldSSP Race 2 begins at 12:30 followed by WorldSBK Race 2 at 14:00 and WorldSSP300 Race 2 at 15:15.

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

Friday, 21^st April (all times Local Time, GMT+1)

09:00-09:30 – Northern Talent Cup Free Practice 1

09:45-10:15 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 1

10:30-11:15 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1

11:25-12:10 – WorldSSP Free Practice 1

12:25-12:55 – Yamaha R3 Championship Free Practice

14:15-14:45 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 2

15:00-15:45 – WorldSBK Free Practice 2

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

17:00-17:30 – Yamaha R3 Championship Superpole

17:45-18:15 – Northern Talent Cup Qualifying

Saturday, 22^nd April

09:00-09:30 – WorldSBK Free Practice 3

09:45-10:05 – WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole

10:25-10:45 – WorldSSP Tissot Superpole

11:10-11:25 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole

11:45 – Yamaha R3 Championship Race 1 (10 laps)

12:40 – WorldSSP300 Race 1 (14 laps)

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (21 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP300 Race 1 (18 laps)

16:15 – Yamaha R3 Championship Race 2 (10 laps)

17:15 – Northern Talent Cup Race 1 (14 laps)

Sunday, 23^rd April

09:00-09.15 – WorldSBK Warm Up

09:25-09:40 – WorldSSP Warm Up

09:50-10:05 – WorldSSP300 Warm Up

11:00 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race (10 laps)

12:30 – WorldSSP Race 2 (18 laps)

14:00 – WorldSBK Race 2 (21 laps)

15:15 – WorldSSP300 Race 2 (14 laps)

16:15 – Northern Talent Cup Race 2 (14 laps)

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Cathedral of speed, a place of timeless classics. New and old, modern or vintage, multi-generational or for the first timers; everyone who visits the TT Circuit Assen knows just what kind of special place it really is. An atmosphere few can rival, let alone match, on a hallowed turf where memories, battles, clashes, crashes, rivalries and celebrations have all been born, this is a place where history has been made for over 30 years. The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Pirelli Dutch Round will be no different. A title race alive and kicking, stars struggling as new contenders emerge and manufacturers making one small step up but one giant leap in competitivity, this weekend promises to have it all. And in the very real chance of an unpredictable result, there’s only one explanation: ‘it’s Assen’, and these things happens here.

PENDULUM SWINGING: Bautista vs Razgatlioglu in the title race

Whilst it may be Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who leads Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in the Championship standings by 37 points, don’t count any unhatched chickens just yet. Bautista won Race 2 last year and two races in 2019, so he’ll be in the mix again as the Ducati Panigale V4 R continues to make strides, but Razgatlioglu was right there last year. Not a circuit that is naturally suiting Toprak, but indeed one that suits his bike, could Assen be the place where he picks up a first full-race victory? Four podiums from the last six Assen races (with Race 2 being unlucky for the Turk in both years with collisions), are we set to see an Assen showdown at the chicane to remember?

CATHEDRAL OF DREAMS? Maiden wins, home-hero set to shine or something else?

He’s third in the Championship and without a race win, despite finishing inside the top five in all races so far and with three podiums to his name, but can Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) convert his previous Assen success onto the top step? A maiden podium with third in 2021’s Race 2 followed up by a fine second in Race 2 last year, the trend says that an in-form Locatelli could be one to watch. He’ll certainly be in the fight for the podium. Or perhaps, there’ll be some magic from home-hero Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Keen and hoping to step on the rostrum at home, van der Mark always find a step on home turf. Podiums in the past for Honda and Yamaha, can he now deliver a first rostrum of the year for BMW? Perhaps it will be a weekend to remember for Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) – fourth in the standings and yet to take a podium, but at a circuit he goes well at (never outside of the top ten in WorldSBK), it may well be his time to shine.

17 ASSEN WINS: Discard Rea and Kawasaki at your own peril

He’s the master of Assen, with more race wins at the historic Dutch venue than anyone else at any other circuit. In fact, Jonathan Rea’s (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) win tally at Assen is so high, he’d be 16^th in the all-time WorldSBK win rankings with them alone. This season hasn’t gone to plan for Rea, with a bike that’s being pushed to its absolute limits and, in Rea’s own words, “our bike has been very similar for a few years now… we need more.” However, if there’s one place that the #65 can return to the top step, Assen may well be that place. Even in 2022, when in the end, the title was missed by nearly 100 points, he was a dominant force in the Netherlands. Teammate Alex Lowes also enjoys Assen and had it not been for two technical DNFs last year, would’ve had a solid round himself. Elsewhere for Kawasaki, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will be hoping for a turnaround in form with the European season now underway, at a circuit he took his last win at in 2018. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) goes for points, whilst there’s a fifth Kawasaki on the grid with Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing) returning.

DARK HORSES TO WATCH: Honda’s step forward, Rinaldi a contender?

One of the stand-out stories from the previous round at Mandalika was Xavi Vierge’s (Team HRC) big step forward to his first WorldSBK podium, and he’s hoping to carry that form onto Assen, where he’ll be fully fit, unlike last year. Teammate Iker Lecuona was rapid during testing at Aragon and Barcelona during the break, but a big crash on day two in Barcelona left him injured – albeit in good spirits and back to the circuit for the afternoon. He took a first podium at Assen last year, and hopes for the same again this year, perhaps even more. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was within striking distance of victory in Indonesia but a red flag hampered his chances and eventually cost him a podium. His step forward has been clear, and Assen has seen him show strengths before.

Meanwhile, it’s back to the scene of his first top five for BMW for Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who has had a difficult start to 2023. Also hoping to give BWM something to cheer about is Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), whilst teammate Loris Baz awaits to be confirmed fit or not. Don’t discount Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) either, with the German showing strong at Assen last year.

STRONG OUTSIDERS: rookies set to bring the fight, Brad Ray in action

It’s a stacked field for WorldSBK in 2023 and there’re big names right the way through. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) won four out of four WorldSSP races over the last two years and will be keen to demonstrate top ten potential in WorldSBK, as will teammate Remy Gardner. The Australian is back at a familiar track and after a charge through the field in Race 2 at Mandalika – far from his peak physical fitness following illness on Saturday – he’ll hope to challenge for top positions. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) is top rookie in the Championship and will look to put his Assen experience to good use; he led at Assen in MotoGP™ back in 2017, on his way to second, behind Valentino Rossi – who took his last ever win. Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) and Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) both hope for a step forward, as does Granado’s teammate Hafizh Syahrin, whilst Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) makes his highly anticipated debut at a track he knows.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship kicked off last February at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia but, starting at Assen, the WorldSSP Challenge riders will compete in the European rounds of the season. Among them will be reigning WorldSSP300 Champion, Alvaro Diaz (Arco Yart Yamaha WorldSSP). Ahead of his debut in WorldSSP, Diaz spoke about his feelings heading into the new challenge and his goals for 2023.

Diaz is the fifth WorldSSP300 Champion in six seasons, and he claimed the title last year with record-breaking consistency, taking two wins and 11 podiums in 16 races. The Valencian rider admitted that he is “so focused on the new category” that he was forgotten “quite a few moments of 2022.” He said: “Last year was incredible, I have many memories. As we are very focused on the new bike and the new category, there are many things that I have been forgetting.”

In 2023, Diaz will go from a category where practically all the races are decided on the last lap to a totally different one and with more overtaking through corners. The Spanish rider did try a WorldSSP machine after his title-winning season concluded when he wildcard in the Spanish championship. He explains: “The change from WorldSSP300 to WorldSSP is very big, it has absolutely nothing to do with the other category. As for the line, the WorldSSP300 machine is all about cornering, while the WorldSSP bike is the other way around; you have to brake very hard, make the V-turn, lift the bike up and give it full throttle.”

Despite the great change in riding style, the WorldSSP rookie explains how important it is that his team, the Arco Yart Yamaha WorldSSP squad, accompany him in his new challenge. He was with the team in 2022 – without Yart, when the team was known as the Arco Motor University Team – and will remain with them in 2023. He added: “It is a team that has been supporting me for five years. We complement each other very well. We understand each other, we know each other, and we have decided that together we can achieve it again. My team also collaborates with Yart, who will give us support, and together we will prepare the bike as well as possible and I will give my best. I believe that we can achieve good things together.”

Several months have passed since the 2022 season ended and the Valencian rider has explained that, while he has not been able to train as much as he would have liked, he has been able to get to several Spanish circuits to train albeit not on his race bike. He said: “We have trained little compared to what I would have liked. I did the last race of the Spanish championship. As soon as we finished at Portimao, we went to Jerez, and there were good results. Then we have done several tests at Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona but it is not the same bike as the one I will compete with at Assen. It is more of a street motorcycle, not so prepared. We used the same suspension as in WorldSSP, and I felt very comfortable and set good times, so I look quite strong.”

A week ahead of his debut in WorldSSP, Diaz claims the first race will be a return to reality because he hasn’t competed for a long time but also that he can’t wait for his WorldSSP debut. He said: “In the first race, the objective is to understand each other well, to make everything clear and, above all, to finish in a good position; to show from the beginning that I am a fast rider. I think I can get a top ten with no problem.”

Diaz also outlined his goals for the entire 2023 campaign in his rookie WorldSSP season. He added: “The objective is to gradually learn, because it is a new motorcycle, a new category… We have clear objectives, such as try to be in the top five in the last races or in the middle of the season. But, in the beginning, you have to test the bike, the Championship and your rivals. You have to see what a 19-lap race is like because, until now, we id 13 in WorldSSP300 and one race has nothing to do with another, especially in terms of managing tyres. In the last few races, let’s see if a podium comes.”

Watch Diaz’s rookie WorldSSP campaign unfold using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com