Day one of testing for the 2022 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship teams and riders at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve concluded got underway at the fantastic circuit overnight.
Jonathan Rea, who was looking to confirm items that he and KRT had tested in two previous tests at Jerez, as well as trying new chassis and electronic components, posted a best time of a 1’40.621s after completing 71 laps on his ZX-10RR.
Jonathan Rea – Image 2snap
Jonathan Rea
“It is nice to get back on the bike, especially at Portimao, which a track I enjoy. After our shakedown test recently in Jerez our biggest target is to reconfirm the positive items we have tested during December and January. That will give us good info, because if we can confirm these items at a couple of circuits, it means we are on the right way. The idea is just to keep building the package. I feel we have definitely improved the bike since last year. I was able to make a long run in Jerez and we found some positives with the bike and my riding style, so it is important to try and maybe focus on getting some information on how the tyres behave and the new items after many laps. This is the first real test where everyone is together – which is always nice to draw some comparisons.”
Jonathan Rea – Image 2snap
Toprak Razgatlioglu ended the day in second place after posting a 1’40.722s and completing 69 laps on his 2021-spec Yamaha YZF-R1 machine. The team has brought electronic updates to the test to try once Razgatlioglu and team-mate Andrea Locatelli got up to speed having not ridden the R1 since Indonesia, as well as some new components to aid with rider positioning on the bike.
Toprak Razgatlioglu – Image 2snap
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed third place on a strong day for the Spanish rider as he returns to Ducati, finishing just 0.132s down on Rea’s fastest time.
Alvaro Bautista- Image 2snap
Although Bautista’s primary aim for the day was to work on finding speed and re-adjusting to the Panigale V4 R, he was able to try out a new swing-arm on his machine as well as a new item around the fuel tank of his bike. Bautista completed 82 laps, the most of the entire field, on day one of his second test with Ducati since re-joining, with a best time of 1’40.753s.
Alvaro Bautista- Image 2snap
Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) comeback from injury sustained in Indonesia culminated in the Portimao test with the Italian finishing in fourth place after day one. The Italian was aiming to try out a new swingarm for his Ducati Panigale V4 R machine and then having to decide whether to stick with the 2021 spec or switch to the 2022 spec swingarm for the upcoming season. Rinaldi’s best time was a 1’41.261s after he completed 81 laps.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi – Image 2snap
Despite a crash at Turn 14 around halfway into the afternoon running, Locatelli was able to finish fifth in the standings with a best lap of 1’41.440s and 70 laps to his name. Like with Razgatlioglu, Locatelli’s main focus throughout the test was getting back on the bike after so long without riding and while the crash cost him some time, he was still able to put in plenty of laps as he racked up a total of 73.
Alex Lowes – Image 2snap
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed sixth place in the standings on day one as he, like teammate Rea, looked to confirm new items as well as test a new component on the rear of his ZX-10RR. The British rider also had new electronic components to try but the majority of the focus was on the chassis. Lowes completed 80 laps on day one with a best time of 1’41.477s.
Alex Lowes – Image 2snap
Just two tenths behind Lowes was rookie Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) on his first day on the Ducati Panigale V4 R as he makes the step up from WorldSSP to WorldSBK. Oettl’s main goal for the day was to understand the bike and team as he prepares for his maiden WorldSBK campaign, with the German rider completing 57 laps on his way to sixth in the standings, with a best time of 1’41.707s.
Philipp Oettl – Image 2snap
French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was seventh in the standings as he got back on his Yamaha YZF-R1 machine for the first time since the end of the 2021 season, with Ponsson trying new components aimed at improving his position on the bike. He racked up 57 laps on day one with a best lap time of 1’43’167s.
Danilo Petrucci was riding a Panigale V4 R as he prepares to take on MotoAmerica this season. Image 2snap
Another rookie, Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team), rounded out the WorldSBK field on his return from a back injury sustained at the 2021 French Round. Riding the Panigale V4 R for the first time, the Sammarinese rider completed 61 laps with a best time of 1’44.053s.
Oli Bayliss crashed at Portimao’s turn five during his first day of testing for the 2022 World Supersport Championship overnight in Portugal. The tumble came only nine laps into his first session on the bike.
Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
Oli was transported to the hospital of Portimao, where medical scans reveal a fracture of lateral malleolus on the right ankle.
Oli will try to recover for the next test scheduled for the 16th-17th March at Misano World Circuit.
The Barni Racing Ducati Panigale V2 of Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
After the confirmation that the injury would have prevented Oliver to take part in the second day of test in Portimao, the team – in agreement with the Australian rider – decided to call Nicholas Spinelli to continue the development of the Panigale V2. Nicholas, who is already experienced with the bike having ridden the twin-cylinder of Borgo Panigale last year in National Trophy, will be on the saddle tomorrow in the second day of test at Portimao.
The Jerez WorldSBK test has wrapped up after two days, with six-time Champion Jonathan Rea topping the time sheets as the only rider to lap in the 1’38s bracket. Only three WSBK riders were in attendence, with Team HRC opting out of day two to save their testing time, after gathering enough data.
Jonathan Rea topped the unofficial sheets with a 1’38.851
After sitting out Wednesday’s running, Rea took to the track around 13:00 local time on Thursday to complete half-a-day of action, going straight to the top of the timesheets with a 1’38.851s. Rea was able to complete 61 laps in his half-day of testing, lapping faster than teammate Alex Lowes by around 1.4 seconds.
Jonathan Rea
“Times and positions don’t really matter at this time of the year but it was really nice to get back on the bike. I had felt OK on the bike, and very fast, in the December test. But physically I was not so good after a lot of holiday time at home in the off-season. But after starting my winter training programme with my coach before Christmas I felt much better with the bike. Already we did a race simulation. Because we have some new items on the bike we need to test them with a long run. I was reluctant to do that but when we concluded I felt quite positive. We tested some chassis items here and Pirelli brought a new variation of tyre to try. We had some new electronic items as well. Now we need to re-test again at another track. We will be back in Portimao at the beginning of February. I am excited to go there and see how the 2022 version of our Ninja ZX-10RR works there.”
Jonathan Rea
Lowes spent Wednesday focusing on the front of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR machine before switching his attention to the rear on Thursday as he looked to focus on corner exit improvements. Lowes completed 59 laps and posted a best lap time of 1’40.266s. Both Rea and Lowes were able to test Pirelli’s new-for-2022 SCQ tyre during their Thursday action.
Alex Lowes
“The final day was busy. We had a lot of things to try to get through today, but in an afternoon it was not easy. Some things were better and some things need more attention, but on the electronics side the idea was to go back a few steps to go forward with some of the things I have been struggling with. It was good to get all that information to the guys. Now they will have to work hard before the next test to make a step forward, but it was good test. On the front of the bike we made some modification, with the Showa forks and chassis settings. It felt better, especially entering the corners. In the next test we will focus a bit more on the rear. I enjoyed being back on my bike, and working with the team again was good. I am more happy today than I was yesterday.”
Alex Lowes
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the third Kawasaki rider on track and the final WorldSBK rider on Thursday, as the Frenchman continued his comeback from a scaphoid injury that forced him out of the end of the 2021 campaign.
Mahias had some new components on his bike, with more to come including updates such as the gearbox and aerodynamics. Mahias also tested a new suspension at Jerez as Kawasaki Puccetti evaluates Öhlins suspension. He completed 64 laps with a best lap time of 1’40.542s.
Lucas Mahias was on track with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
The one-day session proved more than worthwhile for the Team HRC squad and its two new riders, Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, as they took to the track with their CBR1000RR-R Fireblades. Continuing to adapt to their new machines, Vierge and Lecuona worked hard with their Team HRC technicians, focusing on all areas of set-up including the electronics, bike geometry and tyre testing.
Xavi Vierge
“It’s been a very good test session indeed, with great weather which allowed us to start early and make the most of the time available until five in the afternoon. We were able to lap very consistently as we continue to adapt to the bike. We worked through many things on the electronics side and with the set-up, while also evaluating the Pirelli Tyres that work differently from the ones I was used to, which took many laps to reach optimum performance. While here, we put in a fresh tyre and had a lot of grip to exploit right away. Overall, I liked the fact that, with everything we tried, I was able to understand the way to go faster. I know the Jerez track very well of course, and this meant it was the best track for me as I start learning about this category. Now it will be important to see what our feeling is like at a different circuit.”
Xavi Vierge
Iker Lecuona
“I’m honestly very happy because I felt really good and strong on the bike. My hand was not yet 100% ready, but I could manage OK and was able to work well with the team. We were able to test everything anyway and complete our entire work schedule. It was an intense day in which we were able to complete many laps of the track, also because we were very lucky with the weather. By the end of the day, I was experiencing some pain in my hand but, all in all, it’s been a really satisfying test so we will save the second day for another time. Now the focus is on preparing for the next session and ensuring that I’m back to full fitness with my hand.”
Iker Lecuona
Unofficial WorldSBK times from Day 2 at Jerez:
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing team WorldSBK) 1’38.851s
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.266s
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’40.542s
Unofficial WorldSBK times after Day 1 of testing:
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.316
Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 1’40.342
Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’40.496
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’40.921
WorldSSP
Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) ended the day on top in the WorldSSP category after completing 45 laps. Running the old bike with a new engine in a hybrid, the Finn posted a best lap time of 1’42.341s as the sole full-time MV Agusta tester on track.
Niki Tuuli – Image courtesy of WSBK
He had been joined on Wednesday and part of Thursday by five-time Champion Kenan Sofuoglu after his nephew, Bahattin Sofuoglu, tested positive for COVID-19 before the test.
Tuuli was followed by Turkish duo Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Kenan Sofuoglu, with the latter switching his attentions to Kawasaki Puccetti in the afternoon.
With a new ruleset coming into force in WorldSSP for 2022, the team drafted in Sofuoglu to test out the new brake systems for the upcoming campaign including a new brake pump and disc.
Sofuoglu took to the track on Öncü’s #61 Kawasaki ZX-6R machine, with the #61 bike completing 85 laps, the most of anyone, with a best time of 1’42.361s. Sofuoglu’s best recorded time, when he was with the MV Agusta machine, was a 1’43.774s after putting 30 laps to his name.
Can Öncü – Image courtesy of WSBK
Yari Montella, who is making his full-time debut in WorldSSP in 2022 for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, added 49 laps to his tally across the two-day test despite a few crashes for the Italian.
He had a tumble at the final corner on Wednesday but was able to re-mount and continue riding, while he also had two more crashes today including one at Turn 10. Despite this, he posted a best time of 1’43.875ss on an eventful two days for the Italian.
WorldSSP rookie Ben Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti)
WorldSSP rookie Ben Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) and team-mate Jeffrey Buis added 44 and 49 laps to their experience respectively on Thursday, with Australian rider Currie riding on track despite a wrist injury he noticed on Wednesday; he had some physio on Wednesday evening to ensure he was able to ride again on Thursday.
Currie’s best time was a 1’44.606s while Buis, who took part in the final two rounds of WorldSSP in 2021, was around one second slower. Ana Carrasco was also on track at Jerez, testing a WorldSSP machine for the first time, completing 52 laps with a best lap time of 1’47.553s.
WorldSBK 2022 preparations continued at Jerez this week
The Kawasaki Racing Team tested at Jerez this week with Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes in the company of BMW and HRC.
While the KRT line-up is unchanged for 2022, this week was a good chance for Scott Redding to better familiarise himself with the BMW M 1000 RR after leaving Ducati. The Brit had ridden the BMW for the first time a week earlier during a private test at Estoril and after his initial feedback BMW modified the M 1000 RR in relation to ergonomics and basic set-up ahead of testing this week at Jerez.
Scott Redding
Along with Michael van der Mark, Redding and the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team tested engine specifications for 2022, as well as chassis modifications. The direct competitive comparison allowed the team to determine the work direction in preparation for the next test in the new year.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director
“There have been a lot of new things at this test. In general, it has been important to test with all four riders, including the two new additions Baz and Redding, before Christmas. It was good to have all four riders on the same bike on the same race track. We brought a lot of new test items that we either confirmed or evaluated with all four of the in order to get the right direction. With two new riders you of course first to get used to the way they give their feedback and how to transfer their comments but we managed that very well. We then also compared this feedback with that given by van der Mark and Laverty who already knew the bike very well. We have ticked all boxes in our test programme but maybe might do some further laps tomorrow. We gathered a huge amount of information and this is now to be analysed. Overall, we found very good directions and in general, I am very satisfied. We take a lot of positives back home. Now we will have a well-deserved Christmas break but then we will continue to intensively prepare for the season. We are very optimistic looking forward.”
Michael van der Mark
Eugene Laverty who was heavily involved in the development of the BMW M 1000 RR, will be racing with the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team in his third season with BMW. Loris Baz is already familiar with the BMW S 1000 RR, on which he rode in the WorldSBK in 2018, and uses the test to learn more about the M RR as he prepares to join Laverty in the team for 2022.
Eugene Laverty
Loris Baz – Bonovo action BMW Racing Team
“I am happy to be back with BMW and about the opportunity to be back in WorldSBK. I was really looking forward to that test to have a first impression. A December test is never the most crucial one of the season but it’s really important for getting to know the team, to meet the people and for the feeling you are going into the winter with. The test was a lot of work, we did a lot of laps. Also, I was back on the bike after nearly three months and it is never easy when you jump on a bike that is completely different. The test was about understanding how the bike works and also to try to give the best input based on the differences of all the bikes I know. I have riden a lot of bikes in WorldSBK so I was trying to adapt to the bike and at the same time give the right input on what we can improve on that bike. The M RR has a lot of strong points, we just need to put them together to get a bike that works well from a riding side. When you start working with a new bike, you have to switch from one riding style to another but we did a good job, completing over 150 laps. Yes, I am happy. We tried some new parts for next year and mainly a lot of things on the electronics, and with every run we went faster and I felt a bit more confident on the bike. I am satisfied with the job so far.”
Loris Baz – Bonovo action BMW Racing Team
Over at HRC the two new riders, Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, benefitted from excellent weather conditions during this first outing with their new bike and team, an experience that proved positive. The pair were able to make the most of the track time available to them and, despite the sessions coming to a premature end for Iker after he suffered a fall at turn 12 which resulted in fractured little finger.
Iker Lecuona got to familiarise himself with the HRC Fireblade, and also broke a finger in a crash
Leon Camier – HRC Team Manager
“We’ve essentially made a very good start and both Iker and Xavi have adapted very quickly to the bike and to the team – you could sense that they’re highly motivated. The lap times were good right away, but this was not our goal and so we were not pushing for those. It was all about trying to understand the bike, the tyres and the changes we made, which have most related to electronics at this initial stage. Their comments were in line with what we already knew about the bike, and that’s impressive at what is their first test. We used our current bike so that they could understand the base set-up and what we have now, and then they’ll be able to evaluate the updates we’ll introduce next year. Conditions have been very good throughout the whole test, so even though Iker missed the final day, he was able to take advantage of a lot of useful track time and has already completed a lot of work. Of course, we need more time on track with both riders, so that they gradually gain experience. It’s an all-round learning process, but so far everything has been going very well”.
Xavi Vierge
While other teams had new riders and personnel to bed down within their team structures over at KRT is was largely situation normal. Rea and Lowes carried out evaluations of new components and settings on the official Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR to allow the KMC and KRT technical staff to work over the winter break on improving real race performance for the new season which starts in early April 2022.
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea
“The test has been positive and for three days the weather has been good. We concentrated on the chassis side at first, comparing different items with a good result. Johnny gave us very good and accurate information and comments and this helps us a lot to develop things and understand our direction. On the first day we tried something from Showa, something new, and Johnny was also very happy with those items. On the second day we analysed everything and prepared for riding again on day three. We have ten test days during the whole year so we have to save some days for the future tests. On the final day we focused more on the engine side because KMC has been working hard to send us some new material for 2022. We focused with the engine and clutch and Johnny was very happy. The rhythm in terms of lap times was very strong, and we did not use a qualifying tyre. I am honestly very pleased and happy to finish this test in this direction because Johnny was ‘talking’ very deep with the bike and enjoying riding it, and this is very important.”
Jonathan Rea
There will now be a short winter break from track action for the team, with the next scheduled test taking place at Jerez once more, in late January.
Jonathan Rea
“It has been a really fun two days riding. We structured the test to ride on day one, then have a day off to let the mechanics work on the bike. We got going again on day three. We found out a lot of good information and I am really happy with the team, Showa and KMC for their continued hard work in bringing new parts to test. I had a lot of fun on the bike and we managed to get through everything we had on the list at this test. Now is the important time because we will act on our findings and try to improve and re-evaluate some items again in January. The weather was great at Jerez, quite consistent, and we got a lot of valuable track time in. To be honest, this test was quite challenging mentally because I did a lot of work and I had been off the bike for quite some time. I’m really looking forward to going home now and spending Christmas with my family and just having some downtime. I want to recharge now before I get stuck into my winter training again and look forward to the next test in January.”
Jonathan Rea
2022 WorldSBK Calendar
April 8-10: MotorLand Aragon, Spain (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
April 22-24: TT Circuit Assen, the Netherlands (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
May 20-22: Circuito Estoril, Portugal (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
June 10-12: Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Italy (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
July 15-17: Donington Park, UK (WorldSBK/SSP)
July 29-31: Autodrom Most, Czech Republic (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
September 9-11: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
September 23-25: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
October 7-9: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
October 21-23: Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina (WorldSBK/SSP/
November 11-13: Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia (WorldSBK/SSP)
After an impressive debut season in Australian Superbike on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R, including a sensational race victory in Darwin, Oli Bayliss makes the move to Europe in 2022 to contest the new-look World Supersport Championship with Barni Ducati on a Panigale V2.
Oli Bayliss took a race victory in his debut season of Australian Superbike on the DesmoSport Ducati V4 R – Image RbMotoLens
Oli, along with his three-time World Superbike father Troy, will head to Europe in the New Year and set up their base for 2022 in the ancient city of Ravenna, just an hour up the road from the Ducati factory at Borgo Panigale.
Oli Bayliss with his dad, three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss – Image RbMotoLens
Oli swapped his V4 R for a standard looking Panigale V2 on Monday at The Bend, as his focus now switches from Australian Superbike competition to taking on the new look World Supersport Championship in 2022.
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday
The 18-year-old has a big task ahead of him with learning new circuits and joining a European competition for the first time, but his dad knows a thing or two, is dinkum Ducati royalty, and the pair have been training together for this next adventure for some years.
Oli rode the V2 Panigale at a public ride day at The Bend on Monday
Oli’s arrival in the WorldSSP Championship with the Ducati Panigale V2 comes exactly 20 years after Troy’s first World Championship title with another twin-cylinder Ducati in Superbike, the 996 R.
Troy is happy that Oli will get to race a Ducati Twin – Image RbMotoLens
Ducati is releasing a Panigale V2 Troy Bayliss 20th Anniversary Edition to commemorate that feat and celebrate their history with Troy, as they also usher in a new era of racing with this next generation of the Bayliss family.
Marco Barnabò’s successful Barni Racing Team will be involved in two championships for the first time in 2022 with 20-year-old Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi in WorldSBK with the Ducati Panigale V4 R, and Oli Bayliss in the new look World Supersport Championship on the Panigale V2.
Oli Bayliss rode the Panigale V2 for the first time at The Bend on Monday during a public track-day
The World Supersport Championship has its biggest shake up ever coming in 2022 with the 955 cc Ducati V-Twin going up against, triple-cylinder 800 MVs and 765 Triumphs alongside the regular 600 cc four-cylinder machines that have long been the staple of the category.
There will be two Aussies on the World Supersport grid in 2022, as Ben Currie has also signed for Kawasaki – Image RbMotoLens
Organisers will use a control ECU package to torque-map the individual bikes and then restrict their power and torque at certain revs to try and establish a level playing field. No doubt it will be a bit of a messy affair at first, but this is the new way forward for the category now that so few people buy 600cc four-cylinder Supersport motorcycles, that most manufacturers have now ceased their production. We believe the 600 fours might also be allowed more modifications than they were permitted previously in order to help try and achieve some level of base parity when the season gets underway at Aragon in April.
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLens
Oli Bayliss
“The race weekend wasn’t exactly what I had pictured for my last race weekend before heading to Europe, but it was great to finally go racing again. Congratulations to Wayne for taking the championship and especially to Broc (Pearson) for taking the SuperSport Championship. We train together a lot, so I’m really happy for him. It was great to have Jack alongside us this weekend, it really lifted the event to have him on track and I picked up a few things from him along the way which was great. This year I’ve learnt so much and so I’m excited to take the next step in my career, but before I go, I really want to thank some people. Obviously Mum and Dad, they’re always behind me and I couldn’t do what I’m doing without them and I really appreciate it. Bryan (Hands) and Byron (Draper), these guys have basically been there for every step of my career with advice, support and hard work. They make me more motivated every time I ride the bike. And Ben. He puts in so much time, effort work behind the scenes that no one ever see’s and I’m sure he sometimes thinks no one notices, but we all do Benny, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Oli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday – Image RbMotoLensOli tried the V2 Panigale on for size at The Bend on Monday
The 2022 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship is taking shape with a provisional calendar in place ahead of the new season. Spanning four continents, WorldSBK’s calendar visits a variety of circuits with a fresh feel, ready to host the title fight until season end.
Thirteen rounds are currently on the provisional calendar with one event to be announced (TBA), whilst the final round will be held in Australia at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit but is currently without dates. A supported test will take place on the 4th and 5th of April at MotorLand Aragon, less than a week before racing commences at the venue.
Two of 2021’s new venues remain; Indonesia’s Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit and the Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic both made successful debuts in 2021 and will welcome more memories in 2022. All dates, events and spectator attendance are subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions that derive from the corresponding governments and authorities.
Like 2021, the first nine rounds of the Championship take place across Europe; MotorLand Aragon starts the season for the second consecutive year from the 8th – 10th of April, before the TT Circuit Assen moved to round two from the 22nd – 24th of April for the Dutch Round. The Circuito Estoril hosts round three from the 20th – 22nd of May, whilst the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” welcomes WorldSBK to Italy for round four from the 10th – 12th of June and the Emilia-Romagna Round. Donington Park follows next for the UK Round from the 15th – 17th of July, with WorldSBK and WorldSSP the two classes in attendance, the only European round without WorldSSP300.
Round six will come from the Autodrom Most from the 29th – 31st July for the Czech Round, before a summer break takes place. The French Round remains in the first third of September as the seventh round taking place across the 9th – 11th, followed two weeks later by the Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, before the Portuguese Round two weeks after that at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve from the 7th – 9th of October, which brings and end to the WorldSSP300 season.
The final three rounds of the Championship will take place outside of Europe with Argentina being the first at the Circuito San Juan Villicum from the 21st – 23rd of October, before the Indonesian Round at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit takes place. The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is on the provisional calendar but has yet to be assigned dates, closing the season for the first time since 1996. A 13th event is to be announced, with dates and venue to be communicated in due course. The non-European races will feature only WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes.
WorldSBK Executive Director Gregorio Lavilla
“Firstly, it’s great to unveil the 2022 WorldSBK calendar so soon after the thrilling 2021 season has finished. WorldSBK will bring a refreshed Brand Identity for 2022 and we look forward to the season after two challenging seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A 13th round will take place and we have some options for where this event could be, whilst it will be great to welcome Australia and the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit back to the calendar, this time closing the season. The date is to be confirmed due to logistical challenges that require further analysis. I am pleased to welcome back two of 2021’s new circuits: the Autodrom Most and the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit. We look forward to another fantastic season of WorldSBK action.”
2022 WorldSBK Calendar
April 8-10: MotorLand Aragon, Spain (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
April 22-24: TT Circuit Assen, the Netherlands (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
May 20-22: Circuito Estoril, Portugal (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
June 10-12: Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Italy (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
July 15-17: Donington Park, UK (WorldSBK/SSP)
July 29-31: Autodrom Most, Czech Republic (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
September 9-11: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
September 23-25: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
October 7-9: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal (WorldSBK/SSP/SSP300)
October 21-23: Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina (WorldSBK/SSP/
November 11-13: Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia (WorldSBK/SSP)
The minimum age for participation in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship will be increased from 15 to 16 years, in order to have more mature, experienced riders;
The maximum number of riders permitted in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship and Supersport classes will be limited to 30 contracted entries plus two wild cards.
In 2023, the age limit of the new FIM Supersport World Championship will be increased from 16 to 18 years old.
These changes formed part of a comprehensive change to minimum ages across a wide spectrum of FIM World Championships.
Maximum time to qualify for the race
To qualify for the race, the riders will have to achieve a maximum time of 105% (reduced from 107%) of the fastest rider in their class.
Airbag equipment for all riders
The use of an Airbag system will become compulsory in all the classes (until this year it was highly recommended).
Dedicated transponders for all riders of the Supersport and Supersport 300 classes
In order to be able to distribute urgent information to the riders via their dashboards, specific and dedicated transponders will be on board each motorcycle.
This equipment is already in use in the WorldSBK and MotoGP classes.
Reduction of tyres in the SBK class
The maximum number of tyres used per weekend in the WorldSBK class will be reduced from 24 to 21.
This will be the subject of a separate press release.
Supersport “new generation” class
The Technical rules for the renewal of the Supersport class have been approved. The philosophy guiding these new rules was to find better balances (capacity / power / weight ratio) and to offer new machines that can compete in this new generation “Supersport” class. The technical rules will be presented shortly.
Helmet analysis after a crash or a head injury
It was found essential to permit the expert technical examination of helmets post incident to formally declare, as necessary, the helmets unusable with the appropriate recording of this information and also to facilitate the ongoing FIM Helmet Project. The helmets of all riders taken to the medical centre for assessment following a crash must be retained by the medical personnel or CMO for control by the Technical Director or Technical Stewards before being returned to the rider or the team manager.
In the event of head trauma, including concussion, the SBK Commission agreed to facilitate further development of the FRHP programme and to allow the development of the next FIM FRHPhe-02 standards for helmets for 2025. The helmet will be sent to the FIM Laboratory at the University of Zaragoza for an expert examination and a non-destructive analysis. The Helmet manufacturer will be allowed to attend this analysis. After inspection, the helmet can be returned to the rider, the team or the manufacturer.
A further Electronic SBK Commission will be held before the year’s end to ratify the 2022 FIM Superbike, Supersport & Supersport 300 World Championship Regulations.
A regularly updated version of the FIM SBK Regulations which contains the detailed text of the regulation changes may be viewed shortly on the FIM website.
Who is the Superbike Commission?
The Superbike Commission, is composed of Messrs. Gregorio LAVILLA (Dorna, WorldSBK Executive Director), Franck VAYSSIÉ (FIM), Andrea DOSOLI (Yamaha), Paolo MARCHETTI (Kawasaki), Gigi Dall’Igna and Marco ZAMBENEDETTI (Ducati), Marc BONGERS (BMW), Brian GILLEN (MV Agusta), in the presence of Jorge VIEGAS (FIM President), Paul DUPARC (FIM, Secretary of the meeting), Scott SMART (FIM WSBK Technical Director), (Dominique HÉBRARD (FIM CTI Sporting Manager).
2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Round 13 Indonesia, Mandalika
After day one at the all-new track, it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) who set the benchmark in both FP1 and FP2, the Turk looking to build on a successful Friday to clinch the Championship and defeat Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Both riders are in the fight for the title, and it could be the battle we’ve been hoping for.
Razgatlioglu got down to a strong pace straight away, despite being a little bit late to his pit box at the start of the session. However, he was unflappable and unstoppable, taking to the circuit and going quicker than his morning time, before concluding the day on top with a 1’34.230. On fine form at a brand-new track, Razgatlioglu stole a march and is the firm favourite going into the remainder of the weekend, just under two tenths clear having sported a 1.5s advantage in the morning. On the other side of the garage and aiming to end his rookie season well, Andrea Locatelli did many laps with Razgatlioglu as he set about learning the circuit and was inside the top three for most of the session before finishing eighth overall.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – P1
“Today we start very fast! Also, I’m feeling very good and I like this track, it is fun to ride. I’m very happy for this last race of the year also because Indonesia is a Muslim country and the feeling is a little like home, I’m really happy for this! Now, I’m feeling that we are ready to race, but we will see tomorrow, I try again, I’m fighting again. We will see, everybody is fast, everybody improves and they will also try their best, but tomorrow we only try to win.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
After losing more than 20 minutes in the pits in FP1 during the morning, Jonathan Rea was out to make amends in FP2 and the afternoon session. The Ulsterman, fighting for a seventh successive title but 30 points down on Championship leader Razgatlioglu in the standings, had a much stronger FP2 session and led sporadically in the opening stages. However, he was demoted soon after but remained a solid feature inside the top three, chipping away in each sector and making incremental improvements to finish second overall.
Jonathan Rea – P2
“The track is nice, the layout is nice, but it is just quite dirty out there, especially off line. FP2 was a big step compared to FP1 with a lot of rubber laid down. The layout is very good and it has a different character. The last corner is a bit like Termas in Argentina. T1 feels almost like Donington. Turn Two to Three is like a smaller version of Misano T1 and T2. The middle sectors are really fast and they are where you make the lap time. If the bike is working a little bit better then you carry all that speed through. I spent more than half the session in the pitbox this morning which had a knock-on effect to learn the track. But in FP2 I think we did a positive job to find a good rhythm and the bike is working OK. There is still margin to improve in some areas, so I am quite optimistic to fight tomorrow in Race One.”
Jonathan Rea
Back in action and returning from injury, teammate Alex Lowes finished day in seventh despite an early fall at Turn 2 and hopes to help his teammate out throughout the weekend.
Alex Lowes – P7
“The plan was to get as many laps in as possible at this new circuit. We managed to achieve that. In the afternoon we did plenty of laps and we tried a couple of things working with the tyre options. The front tyre seemed to be a little bit critical on tyre wear but this afternoon it was a little bit better. As the track improves, in terms of more rubber being laid down, the grip will be a bit better. The layout of the track is really good and it is enjoyable to ride. The section from Turn Three all the way to Turn Ten has a lot of changes of direction. It’s a relatively fast section, which is good fun to ride. For a first day it has been really good. I am really happy to be here in the Mandalika Circuit and I’m looking forward to some improvements tomorrow.”
Alex Lowes
The battle for top Independent is to be fought this weekend and currently leading the fight by 14 points, Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was back to his old self, inside the top three throughout the day and finishing third come the chequered flag at the end of the afternoon. However, Gerloff hasn’t got the battle won just yet, as Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) had a strong opening day. The rookie Italian is in good form and finished the day in tenth overall. Come the races, it promises to be an intriguing battle.
Garrett Gerloff – P3
“Awesome Friday here at Mandalika. The track was a bit dirty this morning, but it soon cleaned up and in the second session it had a lot of grip. It seems like this circuit was made on purpose for our Yamaha R1, and everything is working really well. We made some setup changes too today, taking a little bit of a different direction, and I really like them. I think we have a strong package for tomorrow. I am excited to come back in the morning and see what happens.”
Garrett Gerloff
It was a strong session for Honda as Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) blasted up the order in the closing stages of FP2 to go fourth, having been sixth in FP1. It wasn’t the most straightforward day for the Spaniard though, as he had technical problems at the start. He was in fine form though, with a strong time at the end of FP2 putting him as one of the front-runners.
Alvaro Bautista – P4
“Riding at Mandalika is a lot of fun, the track offering a bit of everything, with strong braking and fast corners. There are still a couple of places where I don’t have a clear idea of the best reference points, but generally it’s a fun track. This morning we lacked a little grip, especially through turn one and another couple of corners, but the conditions gradually improved and we were able to set some good times in the afternoon. We worked on the gearbox and the feeling was positive, and we have two rear tyres for the race but choosing is difficult right now because the track will definitely change again tomorrow. It’s just a shame I didn’t digest my food well between sessions, as this left me with stomachache both during FP2 and afterwards when I got off the bike. Stomachache and a headache that I hope will disappear quickly after some rest so that I can be one hundred percent tomorrow and ready to take full advantage of this enjoyable track with our bike“.
Alvaro Bautista
Teammate Leon Haslam reiterated Honda’s strengths, finishing in sixth overall. Both riders will leave the team after the weekend, with Bautista heading back to the factory Ducati team, whilst Haslam’s future is to be confirmed.
Leon Haslam – P6
“The situation with my shoulder is frustrating because it looks like the circuit suits the Honda and I’m really enjoying the track, but I need to be able to make 21 laps and not just one. Unfortunately I’m in some pain after surgery, so we need to make a plan with the Clinica to see how we can manage the situation this weekend. That said, today’s lap times aren’t bad, and we’re just a few tenths from the front, time that I think we’re losing through the last two corners. So I feel competitive over most of the lap and now we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. The layout and flow of the circuit is great, and the Honda likes this kind of track as I’ve said, so it can be an exciting and enjoyable one for us, shoulder depending”.
Leon Haslam
Fifth place went to Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with the British rider having a solid but unassuming start to his Pirelli Indonesian Round. Redding was outside of the top ten going into the final stint of the session but put together some strong times to elevate himself up the order. He leads Ducati’s charge this weekend, as the Italian manufacturer are just 16 points behind Yamaha in the manufacturers’ Championship standings. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was 11th overall and will aim to find something to put himself back into the mix for the rest of the round.
Top BMW honours went to Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with the Dutchman coming to what is a second-home round, with him having Indonesian heritage. Van der Mark took ninth overall and was a feature inside the top ten at various points, something that shows good signs on Friday for someone who hasn’t always been in the top half of the leaderboard after day one. Teammate Tom Sykes returns for his final weekend of racing in the team, with his future also unconfirmed. The 2013 World Champion took 13th overall as he bedded himself back in, although he did suffer a crash at Turn 6 in FP1. Both BMWs hope to end their season strongly, with it being the M 1000 RR’s first in WorldSBK.
One of the bigger surprises during Indonesia’s opening day was Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), with the Spaniard coming on strongly and even featuring inside the top three at points through FP1. Finishing 12th overall, he was the best Independent Kawasaki, less than three quarters of a second behind Razgatlioglu’s top time. Next Independent was Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was likewise looking good, ahead of Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven). The Welshman is in his swansong weekend and was 15th on day one, ahead of Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team), Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha) and Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) and Oliver Konig (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) brought up the rear, with Konig finding more than four seconds compared to his FP1 time, following a crash at Turn 2.
WorldSBK Combined Friday Practice Times
Pos
Rider
Bike
Time/Gap
1
T. Razgatlioglu
Yamaha YZF R1
1m34.230
2
J. Rea
Kawasaki ZX-10RR
+0.174
3
G. Gerloff
Yamaha YZF R1
+0.225
4
A. Bautista
Honda CBR1000 RR-R
+0.230
5
S. Redding
Ducati Panigale V4 R
+0.349
6
L. Haslam
Honda CBR1000 RR-R
+0.371
7
A. Lowes
Kawasaki ZX-10RR
+0.528
8
A. Locatelli
Yamaha YZF R1
+0.647
9
M. Van Der Mark
BMW M 1000 RR
+0.708
10
A. Bassani
Ducati Panigale V4 R
+0.724
11
M. Rinaldi
Ducati Panigale V4 R
+0.727
12
I. Vinales
Kawasaki ZX-10RR
+0.742
13
T. Sykes
BMW M 1000 RR
+1.181
14
K. Nozane
Yamaha YZF R1
+1.186
15
C. Davies
Ducati Panigale V4 R
+1.206
16
L. Mercado
Honda CBR1000 RR-R IN
+1.361
17
C. Ponsson
Yamaha YZF R1
+1.407
18
T. Rabat
Kawasaki ZX-10RR
+1.620
19
S. Cavalieri
Ducati Panigale V4 R
+1.706
20
O. Konig
Kawasaki ZX-10RR
+4.692
WorldSBK Championship Points
Pos
Rider
Man.
Points
1
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Yamaha
531
2
Jonathan Rea
Kawasaki
501
3
Scott Redding
Ducati
465
4
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
Ducati
278
5
Andrea Locatelli
Yamaha
270
6
Michael Van Der Mark
BMW
236
7
Alex Lowes
Kawasaki
213
8
Garrett Gerloff
Yamaha
213
9
Axel Bassani
Ducati
199
10
Alvaro Bautista
Honda
180
11
Tom Sykes
BMW
167
12
Leon Haslam
Honda
134
13
Chaz Davies
Ducati
131
14
Kohta Nozane
Yamaha
54
15
Loris Baz
Ducati
53
16
Tito Rabat
Kawasaki
50
17
Lucas Mahias
Kawasaki
44
18
Eugene Laverty
BMW
40
19
Isaac Vinales
Kawasaki
35
20
Christophe Ponsson
Yamaha
31
21
Leandro Mercado
Honda
26
22
Jonas Folger
BMW
21
23
Samuele Cavalieri
Ducati
12
24
Marvin Fritz
Yamaha
6
25
Loris Cresson
Kawasaki
3
26
Andrea Mantovani
Kawasaki
2
27
Luke Mossey
Kawasaki
2
World Supersport
Krummenacher left it late in the second 45-minute session to go to the top of the timesheets as he posted a 1’36.726s, finishing 0.182s clear of his nearest rivals to post the fastest time of the day; with every rider setting their best lap time in the afternoon after the first morning session. Krummernacher’s Swiss compatriot, Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was second with a 1’36.908s; the two Swiss riders the only riders in the 1’36s bracket. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) claimed third place as the lead Kawasaki rider, more than three tenths away from Krummenacher’s pace.
Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) had set the fastest time in Free Practice 1 and had been at the top of the timesheets throughout FP2 before being overhauled by Krummenacher, Aegerter and De Rosa, eventually claiming fourth place. Federico Caricasulo (VFT Racing), competing for his third team in 2021, claimed fifth place ahead of his former teammate, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha), who rounded out the top six. Caricasulo had a technical issue and a crash at the end of the first session.
WorldSBK-bound Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) found plenty of time to move into seventh place in the combined classification, with Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) in eighth. Finnish rider Tuuli lost some track time in FP1 as he looked to take to the track, but responded in both sessions to claim eighth place. South African rider Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. Yamaha WorldSSP Team) claimed ninth place ahead of teammate Peter Sebestyen in tenth.
Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 11th in the combined standings as the Turkish rider looked to get off to a strong start at the new venue, with Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) in 12th. Debise had a crash in FP1 after a highside at Turn 5, but he was able to re-join the circuit following his crash.
Spanish rider Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) claimed 13th place, eight tenths away from Debise, as his adjustment to WorldSSP continues following a mid-season step up from WorldSSP300. Finland’s Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) was 14th with Swedish rider Christoffer Bergman (Wojick Racing Team) rounding out the top 15.
Estonian rider Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) was 16th ahead of home hero Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in 17th; the Indonesian just 0.010s away from Soomer as well as a tenth clear of Andres Gonzalez (VFT Racing) as he returned to WorldSSP following his debut last time out in Argentina. Daniel Valle (Yamaha MS Racing) is another returning rider and he finished in 19th place, ahead of Dutch duo Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) and Jeffrey Buis (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti); van Straalen having a highside in the closing stages of FP2 at the Turn 2 and 3 complex.
MIE Racing Honda has announced a two-rider line-up for the 2022 Superbike World Championship season.
As well as confirming Argentinean Leandro “Tati” Mercado after their first season together, Team Principal Midori Moriwaki has welcomed Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin to the ranks of the MIE Racing Honda Team.
Midori Moriwaki – Team Principal
“We are extremely happy to confirm two strong riders like Leandro Mercado and Hafizh Syahrin, thus doubling up on our line-up for the 2022 World Superbike season. “Tati” has been great this season, always maintaining a positive and determined attitude, despite some challenging moments for the team, and making an important contribution to the solid progress we have made over the year. He is fast, determined, and experienced and, by extending our collaboration, we will bring continuity to our project. We have been following Hafizh’s career over the years, ever since he ran his first wildcard race in the Moto2 World Championship on a Moriwaki bike (Malaysia 2011) at just 16 years of age. He is one of many strong riders to have emerged from the vibrant and competitive racing scene on the Asian continent, where motorcycling is a much-loved and extremely popular sport. Hafizh is very talented and competitive and will be a very valuable addition to our team and the Superbike World Championship.”
27-year old Syahrin, who hails from Selangor district, is about to conclude his sixth season in the Moto2 World Championship and has also completed two seasons in the MotoGP class, in 2018 and 2019. Now set to debut in WorldSBK on a Fireblade, Syahrin will find a strong and experienced team-mate in Mercado, who will embark on his second season with Moriwaki’s squad.
Hafizh Syahrin
“I would like to thank the team, Midori Moriwaki especially, and Honda for the belief and trust they put in me. I am sure we will be able to work well together and hopefully produce good results. I will do my very best as always. This will be a new challenge for me, and I am enthusiastic about getting started! I would like to thank all the sponsors, my family, friends, and the fans as well for their continuous support – I know everyone is as excited as I am! Bring it on! Thank you everyone”.
Mercado has managed to bag 21-points across season 2021 and is currently ranked 21st in the WorldSBK Championship with one round still remaining.
Leandro Mercado
“I am very happy to continue with the MIE Racing Honda Team and with this project in the Superbike World Championship. I think we have done a good job this year and made consistent progress, but we still have more to do and more to give! We can, and must, get better results and for this reason it is important to be able to continue working on this project, which gives me so much motivation. I want to thank Midori Moriwaki for believing in me, the whole team for the great work they do, and the sponsors for their support. For my part, I will give 100% to continue our growth”.
Oli Bayliss broke through for his first Australian Superbike race and round win in Darwin back in June – Image Rb MotoLens
Oli recently turned 18 after breaking through for his maiden Superbike victory in the Australian Superbike Championship at Darwin earlier this year on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R.
A young Oli Bayliss on the podium with parents Troy and Kim at Portimao in 2008 – Image 2snap
Ducati recently released a 21st anniversary special edition V2 Panigale to commemorate the first of Troy’s three World Superbike Championship victories and it is on just such a machine that Oli will contest the new look World Supersport Championship with in 2022.
Oli Bayliss in action on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R at Hidden Valley earlier this year where he took his first Superbike victory – Image Half Light
The arrival in Europe of the youngest of the Bayliss clan will be eagerly watched, but Oli has his feet firmly on the ground, is very well liked amongst his peers here in Australia, and I am sure will prove just as popular as his dad was, and still is!
Oli will join Barni Racing’s new World Supersport effort as the long running Superbike team expands into the new look Supersport Championship. Oli’s team-mate will be 20-year-old Luca Bernardi.
Up until now the Supersport class has been bound by regulations to incorporate 600cc four-cylinder, 675cc three-cylinder and 750cc twin-cylinder machines. As the market has so significantly changed in recent years and moved away from the motorcycles that did make up the category, 2022 will see the Supersport class open up to include 955 cc twins and 765 cc triples.
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