The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is done and dusted and in the history books. Now, all eyes have turned to 2024 and the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosts two days of testing. Read the preview for the event HERE and follow live timing HERE. On this page, you’ll get key updates from the test and links to other content to enhance your experience of the test.
10:20 – Rinaldi is the first rider to dip into the 1’40s; setting a 1’40.891s. He leads former teammate Bautista by almost two tenths.
10:12 – six riders have ventured out onto track so far: Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), teammate Garrett Gerloff, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Brad Ray (GMT94 Yamaha), Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing).
10:00 – the track goes green for Day 1 of the Jerez test!
09:30 – Monday marked Jonathan Rea’s first day with the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team – check out the first images of his setup day HERE!
After nine seasons with Kawasaki, Jonathan Rea has a new team and manufacturer, and he enjoyed his first days with the team at Jerez
It might take some getting used to, but Jonathan Rea is now working with the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team. Nine seasons in Kawasaki green have come to an end and, already, his new adventure has started. His setup day with Pata Yamaha came on Monday to give us a first glimpse of the six-time Champion in his new colours, while his first on-track day came on Tuesday. Check out the first pictures of the Northern Irishman in his new home in the gallery at the top of this article!
Follow all the latest news and interviews from the Jerez Test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
We logged nearly 300 miles during our two-day First Ride on the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS. (Photos courtesy BMW Motorrad)
On Sept. 28, 2023, BMW Motorrad celebrated the 100th anniversary of its first production motorcycle (the R 32) by unveiling the latest version of its best-selling motorcycle, the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS. With a pedigree that goes back 43 years to the original R 80 G/S, which introduced the Gelände/Straße (“off-road/road”) concept and started the adventure bike revolution, the R 1300 GS is new from the ground up. Only the butterfly valves and a few bolts and connectors carry over from the R 1250 GS.
The alpha and omega of adventure bikes. On the left, the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS Trophy. On the right, the 1980 R 80 G/S.
Development of the R 1300 GS started six years ago – two years before the R 1250 GS was introduced. Having squeezed as much as they could out of the existing platform, which started with the R 1200 GS introduced in 2004, BMW’s designers and engineers knew that taking the R-series GS into the future and maintaining its position in the market required a clean-sheet design.
The new 1,300cc boxer Twin is more powerful yet lighter and more compact. In this cutaway view, the gearbox that was moved from behind to under the engine is visible.
BMW R 1300 GS: New from Stem to Stern
The design objectives were to make the R 1300 GS lighter, more compact, more powerful, and more capable than its predecessor. The only thing that couldn’t change was the engine configuration; the new GS had to have a flat-Twin boxer, but nearly everything else about the engine is new. Displacement increased from 1,254cc to 1,300cc, achieved by a larger 106.5mm bore (up from 102.5) and a new crankshaft that shortened the stroke to 73mm (from 76). Peak horsepower increased from 136 to 145, peak torque increased from 105 to 110 lb-ft, and there’s more torque throughout the rev range, with more than 96 lb-ft available from 3,600 to 7,800 rpm (redline is 9,000 rpm).
The next-gen EVO Paralever front suspension gives the R 1300 GS better control on and off the pavement.
This illustration shows the new timing chain arrangement.
Like its predecessor, the new boxer has air/liquid-cooled cylinders, ShiftCam variable valve timing, and DOHC with four valves per cylinder. The cams are driven by a new timing chain arrangement, with the right cylinder’s timing chain in front of the cylinder and the left cylinder’s timing chain behind the cylinder. Helping achieve the increased power and torque result are revised cam timing, larger valves (44mm intake, up from 40; 35.6mm exhaust, up from 34), and a higher compression ratio (13.3:1, up from 12.5:1).
Enduro Pro mode is part of Ride Modes Pro that’s included in the optional Premium Package. For our off-road test, bikes were also equipped with accessory engine protection bars.
The R 1300 GS has four standard ride modes: Road, Rain, Eco, and Enduro. Optional Ride Modes Pro adds three additional modes – Dynamic, Dynamic Pro, and Enduro Pro – and the two Pro modes can be customized. Each mode has presets for various standard electronic functions, including throttle response, Dynamic Traction Control, cornering ABS Pro, Dynamic Brake Control, MSR (engine braking torque), and Hill Start Control Pro, as well as optional Dynamic Suspension Adjustment.
The base model R 1300 GS comes in Light White with a Sport windscreen. The bikes we rode were equipped with an electric windscreen (the first time offered on a GS) that’s part of the Comfort Package.
Claimed wet weight for the R 1300 GS is 523 lb – 26 lb less than the R 1250 GS. Despite the increase in displacement and power, the engine is nearly 9 lb lighter, while the entire powertrain is more than 14 lb lighter. A new lithium battery shed another 5.5 lb, and reducing fuel capacity from 5.3 to 5.0 gallons saved 1.8 lb. The gearbox was moved under the engine, which was made possible by reducing the number of transmission shafts from three to two. The more compact engine allowed BMW to package everything more tightly and better centralize mass. Even though the engine was moved up to accommodate the gearbox, the bike’s overall center of gravity and weight distribution have not changed.
This is the Trophy variant of the R 1300 GS, which features tubeless cross-spoke wheels. The white cast-aluminum subframe clearly shows the departure from the tubular-steel subframe used on previous R-series GS models. A sheet-metal main frame replaces the former tubular-steel unit.
As part of the GS’s tighter packaging, the previous tubular-steel space frame has been replaced with a precisely formed and laser-welded sheet-metal main frame that uses the engine as a structural component. The tubular-steel subframe has been replaced with a cast-aluminum subframe that is said to be lighter, stiffer, narrower, and more tightly bonded to the main frame. Since the weight of the rider, passenger, and luggage is carried by the subframe, the new design improves stability and riding dynamics.
This illustration highlights the EVO Telelever front and EVO Paralever rear suspension systems as well as the optional Dynamic Suspension Adjustment. Within the black reservoirs are secondary springs that allow different spring rates to be used in on-road and off-road modes.
For three decades, the R-series GS platform has used BMW’s proprietary Telelever front suspension system, which separates suspension forces from steering inputs. The Telelever uses a swingarm that connects the frame to the lower triple clamp through a ball joint. The fork’s stanchions slide within the tubes like on a telescopic fork, but the fork doesn’t control damping; that’s handled by a single central shock between the Telelever’s swingarm and the frame. The tops of the fork stanchions are connected to the handlebar plate via ball joints. As the suspension moves through its stroke, the swingarm moves through an arc, and the upper and lower ball joints compensate for the Telelever’s torsional movement.
As with all Telelever systems, front suspension damping is controlled by a central shock.
The R 1300 GS is equipped with the next-gen EVO Telelever system, which eliminates the ball joints atop the fork tubes and instead uses a metal flex plate between the handlebar plate and the upper triple clamp. The flex plate accommodates the Telelever’s torsional movement but does so with less friction and more stiffness than the ball joints. To further reduce friction, a radial spherical plain bearing connects the upper triple clamp to the steering stem, which is guided within the frame via a cylindrical roller bearing at the top and a deep-groove ball bearing at the bottom. There’s also an extra roller bearing for the ball joint that connects the Telelever swingarm to the lower fork bridge. Increasing the front wheel axle’s diameter from 0.2 inch to 1.0 inch contributes additional stiffness to the front end, and the new axle is 1.7 oz. lighter.
On the previous Telelever system, the tops of the fork tubes connected to the handlebar plate via ball joints. On the EVO Telelever above, the tops of the fork tubes end in caps and the tubes are firmly clamped by an upper triple clamp. The bolt below the right fork cap attaches to the new flex plate that handles torsional movement as the Telelever swingarm moves through its stroke.
There’s also a new EVO Paralever rear suspension. Moving the gearbox under the engine allowed the single-sided swingarm to be made longer for better traction (wheelbase has increased by only 0.2 inch). The EVO system has a stiffer connection between the rear shock and the frame, and the swingarm bearing is arranged off-axis to the rotation of the cardan shaft joint. The driveshaft has larger universal joints, and a longer rear-axle wheel stub makes it easier to remove and mount the rear wheel.
Through a combination of weight loss, chassis redesign, and suspension updates, the R 1300 GS handles fast, twisty roads better than its predecessor.
The optional Dynamic Suspension Adjustment not only electronically adjusts damping depending on suspension mode and conditions, it also automatically adjusts preload to compensate for varying loads. Within the front and rear shocks’ remote reservoirs are secondary springs that allows DSA to use different spring rates for on-road and off-road ride modes.
Two new suspension options are also available. One is adaptive vehicle height control, which lowers seat height from 33.5 to 32.3 inches and can be set to automatically adjust seat height or to stay at the low or high heights. In the other direction, sports suspension, which is designed for aggressive off-road riding, adds 0.8 inch of front/rear travel and firmer damping.
The R 1300 GS has a sharper, more aggressive profile than the R 1250 GS.
With its sharper beak, more integrated bodywork, and new frame and subframe, the styling of the R 1300 GS is a radical departure from the R 1250 GS, so much so that initial reactions were mixed when we posted an announcement online. While styling is highly subjective, the new GS is best appreciated in person; photos don’t do it justice, and I count myself as a fan of the new look.
Replacing the previous asymmetrical headlight is a new X-shaped matrix with LED daytime running lights on the outside and high/low beam in the center. The optional Headlight Pro adds a cornering function.
The R 1300 GS has a more aggressive and aerodynamic profile, with a flatter tank and a slimmer tailsection. Perhaps most controversial of all is the centralized X-shaped headlight that replaces the asymmetrical headlight that’s been a signature GS styling element for many years. The new design was guided in part by new homologation requirements but also by a desire to create a distinctive new look that will be instantly recognizable.
Riding the BMW R 1300 GS
We spent two days riding the R 1300 GS on- and off-road for nearly 300 miles at the global press launch in southern Spain. Over the past 15 years, with thousands of miles ridden on intros, road tests, and nearly a dozen overseas tours, I’ve logged more miles on BMW R 1200/1250 GS models than any other motorcycle. Hands down, the R 1300 GS is the best GS yet. The traits that the boxer-powered GS are known for – engine character, balance, comfort, and versatility – are better than ever. It looks and feels much slimmer than before, and the increased power and torque are impressive.
Our off-road test was brief, but it provided a favorable first impression of how the R 1300 GS handles on rocky, uneven terrain.
Thanks to the stiffer chassis and new EVO Telelever/Paralever suspension, the R 1300 GS feels more stable both on-road and off-road, yet its steering is lighter and sharper. Whereas the previous Telelever setup offered responsive handling but muted feedback, the EVO Telelever sends clearer signals to the rider through the handlebar.
During our off-road test, we rode the Trophy variant of the R 1300 GS with cross-spoke wheels and Metzeler Karoo 4 tires. Balanced and predictable low-speed handling has long been a hallmark of boxer-powered GS models, and the R 1300 GS chugged along happily on singletrack gravel trails and wooded paths. At higher speeds up and down an unpaved road covered in fist-sized rocks, the GS improved upon what it’s known for: handling better off-road than a bike of its size should. Standing on the pegs felt very natural thanks to the slimmer tank and midsection and 1.2-inch-taller handlebar.
With a taller handlebar and a slimmer midsection, the R 1300 GS is well-suited to stand-up riding.
Our off-road test was no more than 10 miles total, primarily just a photo opportunity at an enduro park in a former rock quarry. We made fast runs on gravel, slow runs on rocky singletrack, and chugged up a rocky road to a vista high above the Mediterranean coast – enough for a taste test but certainly well short of a full meal. We’ll have to wait until we get a test bike to do a more thorough assessment of the bike’s off-road prowess.
Dynamic Pro mode was our preferred setting for attacking twisty backroads.
On-road is where we logged most of our miles, everything from freeways to traffic-choked city roads with slippery roundabouts to a 10-course meal of backroads that snaked from the coast up into the mountains and back down again. The GS was responsive and easy to handle in all conditions, but it really came alive on tight, twisty roads in the Sierra de las Nieves range. I was able to push harder with more confidence, especially with the firmer suspension damping in Dynamic Pro mode.
Because the EVO Telelever front suspension is stiffer, it is more stable and also communicates more feedback to the rider.
The added power and torque allow the R 1300 GS to launch forward quickly with a flick of the wrist in almost any gear or rpm, yet the bike doesn’t feel edgy or aggressive. The revamped boxer runs more smoothly, which long-distance touring riders will appreciate. Whether light pulls on the lever or hard squeezes, the GS slows down with precision and power, enhanced by the electronic wizardry of cornering ABS and semi-active suspension.
The R 1300 GS has a more slender tank and midsection, which opens up the cockpit. The tank is also flatter (and 0.3 gallon smaller), and the gray section is padded upholstery that acts like a continuation of the seat.
Not only does the new GS handle, accelerate, and stop better than the R 1250 GS, it’s also more comfortable. At 33.5 inches, its nonadjustable seat height is the same as the low position on the 1250. I’m 6-feet tall with long arms and a 34-inch inseam, and the ergonomics of R-series GS models have always suited me. The 1300’s taller handlebar opens up the rider triangle, which I found agreeable whether seated or standing. We tried two different windscreens, the short Sport windscreen and the electrically adjustable windscreen with side deflectors, and both managed airflow well, the latter providing more protection at any height.
BMW R 1300 GS: The Every Bike
State-of-the-art technology has always been an important aspect of the GS. The R 1300 GS has more standard features than before, including the electronic rider aids listed above along with a 6.5-inch TFT with connectivity, tire-pressure monitoring, heated grips, cruise control, handguards with integrated turnsignals, Keyless Ride, a 12V socket, and a smartphone charging compartment with a USB port.
2024 BMW R 1300 GS Triple Black
Since the R 1300 GS is the continuation of its best-selling model line, BMW Motorrad tried to ensure that almost any customer preference will be satisfied. Four model variants are available:
The base model R 1300 GS has a Sport windscreen and a 33.5-inch seat height, and it comes in Light White with a two-tone black/gray two-piece rider and passenger seat.
The Triple Black variant has a black-on-black color scheme, an electric high windscreen with side wind deflectors, comfort seats, comfort passenger footpegs, and a centerstand.
The Trophy variant has a red/white/blue Racing Blue Metallic colorway as well as a high rider’s seat (34.2 inches) and a Sport passenger seat that give the appearance of a one-piece rally seat.
The Option 719 Tramuntana variant has an Aurelius Green Metallic paint scheme and special finishes, a gold anodized handlebar, cross-spoke wheels with gold rims, and a rear luggage rack.
2024 BMW R 1300 GS Option 719 Tramuntana with optional Vario luggage, which now has internal lighting
There are three options packages:
The Premium Package adds lean-sensitive Headlight Pro, Dynamic Suspension Adjustment, Shift Assistant Pro, Riding Modes Pro, Sport Brakes, Central Locking, preparation for navigation, a chrome-plated exhaust manifold, Vario side and top case mounts, handguard extensions, and the new radar-enabled Riding Assistant, which includes Front Collision Warning, Active Cruise Control, and Lane Change Warning.
The Comfort Package adds an electric high windscreen, a centerstand, a Comfort passenger seat and footpegs, and a luggage rack.
The Enduro Pro Package adds handlebar risers, engine protection bars, an enduro aluminum engine guard, short enduro handlebar levers, GS adjustable rider footpegs, an exhaust mount for single seat, adjustable foot brake and gearshift levers, large frame guards, and narrower turnsignal stalks.
The left switchgear still includes the excellent Multi-Controller wheel. Above the menu button is a new “burger” button (that’s what the icon looks like) that works in conjunction with the up/down rocker switch to assist with menu navigation.
And there are more than 60 individual options and accessories. Depending on how the R 1300 GS is configured, there are seven seat heights to choose from ranging from 31.5 inches to 35 inches. There are four different suspension options to choose from: Series (manual adjustment), DSA (Dynamic Suspension Adjustment), DSA + Sport Suspension, and DSA + Adaptive Vehicle Height Control. There are different windscreens, footpegs, levers, protection bars and guards, wheels, and a dizzying area of luggage options.
The new look may take some getting used to, but this is the best GS yet.
By completely overhauling the R-series GS platform, BMW Motorrad risked alienating some of its core customers and possibly jeopardizing sales of its flagship motorcycle. But it’s also no surprise that the most powerful, capable, and sophisticated R-series GS made its debut during BMW Motorrad’s 100th anniversary. It’s the perfect motorcycle to carry the marque into its next century.
After a lot of speculation about his future, Michael Ruben Rinaldi now knows who he’ll be racing for in the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The Italian will make the move from the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad to Independent outfit Motocorsa Racing as the team opt for the five-time race winner. It means the #21 will continue his association with Ducati despite leaving the factory team as he replaces Kawasaki-bound Axel Bassani.
MOVING TEAMS, SAME MANUFACTURER: Rinaldi opts for ‘same but different’
Rinaldi has exclusively spent his WorldSBK career with Ducati machinery. In 2018, he was with the Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team and finished 14th in the Championship, taking a best finish of sixth at Brno. The following year, he was with the Barni Ducati outfit and finished one place higher in the standings before his breakthrough season in 2020. A new team beckoned, this time Team GoEleven, and he claimed his first win and podiums at MotorLand Aragon.
This helped him earn a factory seat at Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, first alongside Scott Redding and then Alvaro Bautista. Between 2021 and 2023, he claimed four wins and 20 podiums for the team as well as helping them to win the Teams’ Championship in 2022 and 2023, and the Manufacturers’ Championship in the same years. For his seventh season in WorldSBK, Rinaldi will stay on the Panigale V4 R but with Motocorsa Racing as he looks to help the team continue their success.
A ROLLERCOASTER 2023: rapid pace mixed with misfortune
While Rinaldi has shown incredible speed throughout 2023, with nine podiums to his name – more than any other season – there’s also been some misfortune too. A technical issue at Assen on Friday hampered him all weekend, while he also crashed out of podium contention on home soil at Misano, plus had three separate opening lap incidents at Donington Park. However, with his rostrums and race win – the only rider outside the Titanic Trio to win this year – his speed was displayed on multiple occasions, and he’ll have a chance to show this against next year on the Independent Panigale V4 R.
STK1000 CHAMPION AND MORE: Rinaldi’s pre-WorldSBK success
The 27-year-old spent two seasons each in STK600 and STK1000 before joining the WorldSBK grid. Second in 2015 in STK600, finishing behind Toprak Razgatlioglu, with the pair both running Kawasaki machinery, earnt them a seat in STK1000. In 2016, the Italian was sixth before his rivalry with Razgatlioglu reignited as they fought for the title. This time, the Rimini-born star came out on top to secure the crown ahead of the 2021 WorldSBK Champion.
IN RINALDI’S OWN WORDS: “A new team, new people and one great goal… this is why Motocorsa is the right choice”
Looking ahead to his new challenge, Rinaldi said: “2024 starts today! A new team, new people and one great goal… this is why Motocorsa is the right choice. It would be complex and undoubtedly reductive to explain in so few lines all the reasons why Motocorsa and I chose each other and together decided to undertake this great challenge for the 2024 season. I would therefore like to use just two words: PASSION and AMBITION. Key words that were, from the first meeting with Lorenzo Mauri, the essence of a clear message that he wanted to convey to me, wanting me to be at the centre of a solid and competitive project to stay and aim, with a free mind, even higher. A vision that matches perfectly with what I am looking for… a team that has the same passion as me for this sport, the ambition, the desire, and the spirit of sacrifice that are needed to achieve great results. For this reason, I am very happy, and I can’t wait to start working with the team to create an excellent base on a technical level and a positive environment within the garage that can be productive and stimulating. I want to thank Lorenzo Mauri and Team Motocorsa, Vittorino Mesaroli and Mesaroli Spa, Ducati and all the sponsors who made this project possible.”
2024 starts now! Catch up on the latest news and interviews from the two-day Jerez test on Tuesday and Wednesday using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
The sun’s set on the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, but it’s also already rising on the 2024 campaign. Just days after Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was crowned Champion for the second consecutive year, teams and riders are back in action at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the first off-season test of the year and it will be one of the most important ones. With new regulations coming in for next year, and a whole host of rider line-up changes, this test could be one of the most fascinating to keep an eye on.
FIRST LOOK AT REA IN BLUE: six-time Champion makes Yamaha debut
Following his shock move to the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad for 2024, Jonathan Rea will make his debut with the team at the Jerez test. He spent nine seasons with the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK and Yamaha will become the third manufacturer he has competed for. His works gets underway straight away with the team, linking up with his new team including former teammate Andrew Pitt as his crew chief from Tuesday. Rea will be the only Pata Yamaha rider on track, with Andrea Locatelli not testing. The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team are keeping the same line-up for next season, with Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner staying, and they will also test this week. At GMT94 Yamaha, Brad Ray has been drafted in to test for the team, with his usual Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team not at the season finale, while his future is still up in the air.
IANNONE’S RETURN: ‘The Maniac’ is back on track
Andrea Iannone’s future was a long-rumoured topic, but it was announced that he would compete with Team GoEleven and his first appearance with the team will be at the Jerez test. After four years away from competition, ‘The Maniac’ will return to World Championship level in WorldSBK next year on an Independent Panigale V4 R, but his first outing with the team comes as soon as Tuesday when he jumps on the bike at Jerez.
BASSANI’S FACTORY TEAM DEBUT: first time for the #47 at KRT
With Rea’s move to Pata Yamaha, an opening came up at the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK squad. This was filled by Axel Bassani, who moves across from Motocorsa Racing to join a factory team for the first time. His debut in green will be at the test as he tries the ZX-10RR for the first time. He’ll be joined by new teammate Alex Lowes, with the Brit remaining with the team heading into the 2024 campaign.
A NEW FACE AT DUCATI: Bulega joins the double Champion
Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) celebrations are on hold – temporarily, at least – so he can test. He said on Thursday that some of the test will be dedicated to the new 2024 regulations, albeit not with a full ’24 machine, and he will be joined by his new teammate for the first time. Nicolo Bulega was announced as a factory Ducati rider for 2024 and the reigning WorldSSP Champion will debut with the team for the first time, although it’s not his first time on the Panigale V4 R. The 23-year-old discusses what he expects from 2024 in a special Champion interview, which you can watch here.
REDDING’S FIRST APPEARANCE WITH BONOVO: a new start for the Brit
Scott Redding stays with BMW but switches to the Bonovo Action BMW team from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team squad, and his first appearance with the Independent outfit will be at the Jerez test. The #45 will be alongside new teammate Garrett Gerloff on the M1000RR, with the American in imperious form right now. The factory BMW team are saving their first test for December, when Toprak Razgatlioglu will join Michael van der Mark at Portimao and then Jerez. Yamaha Motor Europe’s Road Racing Manager, Andrea Dosoli, explained before the Spanish Round why the #54 won’t test before then.
MOTOCORSA WITH RINALDI: a new home for the Italian
His move to Motocorsa Racing was announced on Monday, and on Tuesday Michael Ruben Rinaldi will make his debut with the team. After losing his factory ride to Bulega, the #21 went in search of a new seat and stuck with familiarity, while also making a change. He’ll keep riding the Panigale V4 R machine but with the Independent Motocorsa Racing outfit, aiming to repeat the good times he enjoyed the last time he was on an Independent V4 R.
Follow all the latest interviews, news and reactions from the test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
The last chapter of the year is in the books; the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s 2023 season came to a dramatic close and it got the classic head-to-head it deserved. The debriefs were awash with stories from the epic battle and the farewells within teams, making these hot headlines from Jerez muy picante!
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “To beat Toprak, you have to attack; you can’t defend… one of the best races in WorldSBK”
Champion on Saturday, Bautista spoke of the fight for title #2 all season: “Toprak congratulated me and I said to him, ‘thanks’ because he had an amazing season. With the numbers I have this season, 25 victories, he still kept the Championship alive until the last round. That means he had an incredible performance. He didn’t make mistakes. To have a rival like him is always difficult because you cannot make mistakes, you can’t relax in some races and lose some points because, this year, every chance I had to try and fight for victory, I tried until the end because I knew that maybe five points here or there, in the end, to beat Toprak, you have to attack. You can’t defend. This year, I never thought about being conservative. Otherwise, Toprak is always there. It’s incredible to have a rival like him because he keeps you focused on the season; you cannot relax anytime. I congratulated him because he did amazing and thanks for all the show me and him put on.”
Then, the epic Race 2 battle which saw over 30 overtakes between himself and Razgatlioglu: “I like to win without penalties but it’s a rule that everybody knows. Anyway, I’m not happy for the win, I’m happy for the race. We battled really hard, and we did everything. We were aggressive but correct, respecting each other, I think it’s one of the best races in WorldSBK! It’s even better than Portimao Race 2. At Portimao, the overtakes were in one corner, then the next lap the same corner. Here, it didn’t matter which corner! Normally, I ride by keeping a margin of risk. I didn’t have this problem so I could ride like I wanted. I tried many passes, tried defending and tried attacking without caring about whether I made a mistake. In the fight, he had more chance to win the battle because the way he made the corner, for the battle, is better. Maybe for performance, it’s not, but for the battle, his way to do the corner is better.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “We need to improve; it’s why I’m going to BMW… I think there’ll be many wins”
Reflecting on his final season in blue, Toprak Razgatlioglu summed up the immense battle with Bautista: “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t really strong. Alvaro was always strong especially at the beginning, winning many races. We kept fighting with him. I’m happy everything finished in the last round. In general, I enjoyed a lot this year. I’m always focused on winning the Championship, but I finished in second. I’m sad for this but everybody could see I tried more than 100% every race. I enjoyed today. We are fighting, just sometimes you need luck.”
Ahead of his BMW move, he stated that there could be “many wins” in 2024: “We need to improve; it’s why I’m going to BMW. To try to improve and start to fight again with Alvaro and maybe Jonny. I’m still young, we’re always learning. This year, I was learning how to fight a strong rider, a fast bike and I learnt. I hope next year, we improve the bike. I have more power. I’m riding like a Yamaha style; I think there’ll be many wins. I just need to ride like my style, and this is very important for me.”
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “It’s not the ending we deserved”
It really was a story of what could have been for Jonathan Rea, who crashed out of the lead in his final race for Kawasaki: “Off the lights, I thought ‘f**king hell, this is feeling good.’ The bike with different margins, I just overstepped it a bit at Turn 2. The bike got a little bit squirrely going in and instead of just relaxing the front brake and blowing the corner a bit, I really committed to make the corner with a lot of angle and down I went. It’s not the ending we deserved. I wanted to finish in the right way. Three laps after I crashed, I saw Guim on the pitwall and he was signalling to me something but I didn’t know if I was to come in or stay out! I pictured it finishing with a podium; that would have been nicer but then I wouldn’t have had the moment in pitlane with all the staff.”
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “We never let the bad talk get inside the group”
The journey in factory red is over but Michael Ruben Rinaldi is upbeat regardless: “For me, as an Italian rider, being in the factory Ducati team is special. These three years were amazing for me. I want to thank the Aruba team and Ducati because, even if there were some bad moments, we were a team and we faced that as a team. We never let the bad talk get inside the group. It was really helpful for me to improve as a person and as a rider.”
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll watch the fight between Toprak and Alvaro’… no room at the party for me!”
With a perfect view of the fight for victory, Danilo Petrucci spoke about how he couldn’t quite get on terms with Bautista or Razgatlioglu: “A top five is always good when you have the chance to see the fight between Toprak and Alvaro so close, but you can’t start the first lap in 11th or 12th place. Today, I pushed as much as I could and I faster than in the Superpole Race. I did three or four laps in the 1’40s to get back to the top three, but when I got there, I said, ‘maybe now I’ll watch the fight between Toprak and Alvaro. I thought it might have been a good day but when I got there, there was no room at the party for me.”
Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team): “Toprak did an amazing job with how he fought with Bautista”
A double podium on Sunday – the first Swiss rider to achieve a rostrum in WorldSBK – Dominique Aegerter spoke of the titanic fight: “The emotion was from hungry to disappointed and 30 minutes later, I was very happy! It’s not so easy on a Sunday to keep focus. It’s hard and we achieved our best result in WorldSBK, so I’m very happy. I don’t know what the problem was. We didn’t have time to check it. I was thinking about the podium in the Superpole Race, but I didn’t know if it counted as a real podium or not! A podium is a podium, but I wanted to do it again in the long race. We had a great pace. Jonny and Toprak went, I think, too fast for this long race in the first five laps. I was close to Bautista, and he didn’t have the confidence; he made some small mistakes. I was not sure if I should overtake him or not. Toprak did an amazing job with how he fought with Bautista.”
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing): “I lost fifth in the Championship… I’m not happy for that”
Despite taking the Best Independent Riders’ title, Axel Bassani couldn’t hold on to P5 in the standings: “Three guys tried to put me down! Gardner, Michael and Gerloff. But we won the Independent Riders’ title with a really difficult weekend. I finished Race 2, so I’m happy for that. For sure, before this weekend, my goals were to finish in the top five in all three races and it didn’t happen. I’m not happy. I lost fifth in the Championship after 35 races where I was in that position. I’m not happy for that, but I’m happy for best Independent rider and also the team as we’ve won it two years in a row. Three years I’ve been alone in the box. I think everything will be different for 2024 because I’ll have a teammate; for me, this is strange! I’m really happy to go with Kawasaki, a really good team. Jonny was doing good races so I think we can do a good job.”
2024 AWAITS: enjoy back all the classics from seasons gone by and gear up for next year with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
All eyes in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship have turned to 2024 already. With new regulations coming into force for next year, the off-season tests will be crucial in getting everything right before racing resumes. The 2024 Australian Round kicks off the season in late February but there will be plenty of track action before then as teams use their test days.
The first test comes days after the 2023 season concluded. With the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosting the season finale, several teams have opted to stay in Spain to complete two days of testing on October 31st and November 1st. It’ll be the first look at 2024, with Jonathan Rea at the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team, Andrea Iannone with Team GoEleven as he returns to competition next year and Nicolo Bulega’s first public appearance with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad.
A few weeks later and Jerez hosts another two-day test on November 22nd-23rd, before Portimao gets involved at the start of December. Toprak Razgatlioglu will make his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team debut at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on December 4th, joined by Michael van der Mark, before the team head to Jerez for two testing days straight after on the 5th and 6th.
There’s a bit of time off for everyone before, once again, venturing to the south of Spain and the iconic Jerez circuit. This time, the dates are January 24th and 25th for the test as it takes place just a month before the start of the season. Then, a few days later, there’s another two-day outing but this time at Portimao, taking place on January 29th-30th.
Of course, before the 2024 Australian Round, there’s an Official Test at the historic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which takes place for WorldSBK and WorldSSP teams on February 19th-20th before the season starts on February 23rd-25th.
Confirmed testing dates
October 31st-November 1st – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
22nd-23rd November – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
December 4th – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
December 5th-6th – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
January 24th-25th – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
January 29th-30th – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
February 23rd-25th – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
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Round 10 of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will feature racing across three series: WorldSBK, WorldSSP, and the FIM Women’s Motorcycling World Championship. A five-year contract was signed between the Lombard circuit and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO), which secures their place in the Championship from 2024 to 2028. It was designed by Jarno Zaffelli’s Studio Dromo, which has a reputation for its work on prominent racetracks.
Located just south of Milan, Cremona Circuit is now set to undergo the homologation process and is actively preparing for this significant event by implementing several important modifications and improvements, including:
Track Layout Enhancements: Changes to the layout of the track, with a notable focus on turns #11, #12, and #13.
High-Quality Resurfacing: Refurbishing specific areas of the track with quality materials to enhance the track’s condition.
Track Length Extension: An extension of approximately 90 meters to the track’s length to enrich racing dynamics.
Spectator Facilities Expansion: Construction of new grandstands and public areas to accommodate the ever-growing WorldSBK fan base
Modern Race Direction Facilities: The addition of a contemporary structure to house offices for Race Direction and support staff to manage the entirety of the event effectively.
Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, said: “WorldSBK is thrilled to introduce Cremona Circuit to the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The addition of Cremona to our calendar marks a significant milestone and we’re fully committed to delivering top-quality racing experiences to our fans. This five-year agreement stands as a clear testament to that unwavering dedication as we’re looking forward propelling this venue onto the global scene.”
Alessandro Canevarolo, Cremona Circuit CEO added: “We are really happy, excited and hyped for this new great challenge. It will be an opportunity to take an extra, important step to grow, and with great satisfaction bring back the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to Lombardy, missing for ten long years. After some negotiations, we immediately got to work to make the necessary changes for hosting this major event. Together with the management, the goal is to create an event that can showcase the area, the region and represent Italy in all its values. The goal has been clear ever since I started this adventure eight years ago. We started from afar, facing every moment with great spirit, passion, and dedication. Only in this way were we able to fulfil the big dream: seeing the Superbike World Championship race on the asphalt of our Cremona Circuit.”
2023 might be in the history books but 2024 starts soon: follow the off-season action using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season concluded at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto and, after, the paddock headed to the gala to celebrate this year’s winners and Champions. From the three Riders’ Champions to the award victors, success was on show at this special event. Check out incredible pictures from the prize giving gala in the gallery at the top of this article!
2023 is over but 2024 starts straight away: get all the latest interviews and highlights from the Jerez test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
While the focus of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s visit to the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto was on the title battle and emotional farewells, one rider was quietly making a small bit of history. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) had been threatening to have a weekend full of good results all season and he was finally able to put it together during the Prometeon Spanish Round as he took second in the Tissot Superpole Race and third in Race 2.
The #77 was strong in the build-up to the races and took a front row start in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session, but he was unable to convert that in Race 1 due to a technical problem. It looked like the Tissot Superpole Race had gone the same way when his primary bike suffered an engine blowout, causing a red flag, but the Swiss star was able to take to the track on his second machine and finished in second for his first WorldSBK podium.
In Race 2, the double World Supersport Champion started from the front row, and he was able to go with the leaders as they battled it out for victory, finishing just a few tenths away from Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). He had dropped behind the charging Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) but the #21 fell back in the latter stages of the race, promoting Aegerter back into third.
Looking back on his weekend, Aegerter said: “It was amazing to finally take my first WorldSBK podium. We worked very hard with all the crew and team; they did a fantastic job. It wasn’t such an easy season. We started quite well, then I had some problems with arm pump, got crashed out and my shoulder was painful for a long time. This morning when I was second, it was a big pressure released. I was close to Bautista, and, at one point, I was thinking that maybe I could close the gap! I said I wanted to take my first podium and finally I got it. It was very emotional.
“Bautista and Razgatlioglu are very experienced. Me also, but not in WorldSBK. I think you could see that many tracks we went to this year, it was difficult to set up the bike with all the electronics than at tracks we already tested at. We were here at the start of the season, so we started at a higher level. To fight with them in Race 2 was fantastic. It was nice to see them fighting, I didn’t really want to make a strange mistake, because I enjoyed the battle!”
2023 is over but 2024 starts soon! Keep up to date with videos, interviews and highlights from the Jerez test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
