The 2024 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship grid will have some major changes in terms of line-up, with the 32 riders now announced in the permanently provisional entry list. Jeffrey Buis takes his #1 plate to KTM for 2024 as he looks to write more WorldSSP300 history, but 31 other riders will look to stop him. Four manufacturers – Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM and Kove – once again will fight for glory. Check out full details of the entry list right HERE.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The full list of names competing in the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has been revealed. 23 riders will take part in the campaign with 12 rounds on the calendar, which starts in Australia in February and ends at Jerez in October. There have been some MAJOR changes to the grid’s complexion with some huge changes at both the factory and Independent outfits and you can see the full permanently provisional entry list details RIGHT here.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The riders scheduled to compete in the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship have been revealed. 32 riders will compete in the Championship next season – including those in the WorldSSP Challenge – as they all bid for glory in the middleweight class. There’s also a new manufacturer on the grid as Chinese outfit QJ Motor race alongside Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Triumph and MV Agusta next year. Check out full details of the permanently provisional entry list HERE.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Several chapters closed at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto back in late October, but perhaps none as significant as the one concerning Jonathan Rea and the Kawasaki Racing Team. The Northern Irishman’s departure from the green team after nine seasons and six world titles marked a veritable end of an era for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. An era which is detailed and honoured in ‘Jonathan Rea: Unrepeatable’, a special long feature now available to watch here. Nine years of excellence told in detail, featuring exclusive interviews, archive footage and much more.

A JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER

Monday, November 3rd, 2014, just a few hours removed from a particularly tempestuous season finale, Kawasaki’s PR team quietly confirmed a story that had been brewing for several months. A young Northern Irishman by the name of Jonathan Rea, with 15 WorldSBK race wins to his name, would be joining the Barcelona-based team from that winter onwards, to partner 2013 Champion and perpetual championship contender Tom Sykes. A few days later, he would already be testing with the green team.

To state that this may be, with the benefit of hindsight, the most consequential signing in the history of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship might even be an understatement. No partnership in 35 years of WorldSBK racing has achieved the level of success that Rea, Kawasaki and the Provec Racing crew have. Before 2015, no single rider had won consecutive titles in the 21^st century; Rea and KRT went on to win six. No rider had reached 60 race wins over their entire career; Rea and KRT’s tally together exceeds 100. As the competition grew tougher, the green ‘dream team’ grew stronger and even more resilient.

A LEGACY RESPECTED BY FRIENDS AND RIVALS ALIKE

The people who lived through these heights – and the inevitable lows – are ever-present throughout this documentary, with team manager Guim Roda and trusted crew chief Pere Riba amongst the key interviewees. Key title rivals also share their thoughts, from old foes like Chaz Davies to the two other members of the famous ‘Titanic Trio’, Alvaro Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Rea’s decision to leave the squad at the end of 2023, one of “the hardest decisions” of his career, opens a new chapter for both sides of the equation. In one key moment of ‘Unrepeatable’, key personnel from both Kawasaki and Yamaha open up on the motivation and process of switching from green to blue – a heart-breaking decision for one side, an unbelievable opportunity for the other.

But the centrepiece of this feature are the words of the 6-time World Champion and WorldSBK legend himself, as he takes one final look back at a legendary period in Superbike history over multiple interviews conducted in the weeks after his departure was confirmed. The ‘Yamaha era’ may well take Rea to new heights – “the best is yet to come”, to quote the man himself – but it’s these nine era-defining seasons which have etched Team #65 and Kawasaki into the minds and hearts of Superbike fans around the world, as well as amongst themselves. Or as Rea succinctly puts it: “there will always be part of my blood that’s green”.

Watch every single one of Jonathan Rea’s races with Kawasaki, and the first steps of his new challenge for 2024, on WorldSBK VideoPass.

Source: WorldSBK.com

The Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest, a new family-friendly event held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from the 22^nd– 24^th of March and which will include all the action from the 2024 Pirelli Catalunya Round, has been formally introduced to the public this Thursday in a press conference in Barcelona. The first three-day tickets to the event, which include full paddock access during the round as well as admission to the circuit for the WorldSBK Supported Test on the 15^th of March, are on sale now at motorfest.com.

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded in spectacular fashion just six weeks ago, but all eyes are already on what is shaping up to be a fascinating 2024. A new umbrella event for next year’s Catalunya Round, the Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest 2024, has been presented today at the Acta Voraport Hotel in Barcelona by local promoter GEMOCAT, alongside the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Dorna WSBK Organization.

WorldSBK rider Tito Rabat and 2017 WorldSSP300 Champion Marc García were present for the unveiling, alongside Josep Lluis Santamaria (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya General Director), Gregorio Lavilla (WorldSBK Executive Director), Berni Faus (Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest Director & GEMOCAT Executive Director) and Guim Roda (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Team Manager).

The 2024 Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest will be held at the Circuit the 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th of March 2024, and will include all the action from the 2024 Pirelli Catalunya Round, including WorldSBK, WorldSSP and WorldSSP300.

Alongside the usual on and off-track action of the WorldSBK, there will be no shortage of entertainment, cultural and gastronomic options available during the 2024 Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest, with all sorts of family-friendly activities scheduled to take place at the Circuit throughout the weekend.

The first 500 three-day tickets are already available for purchase. These tickets include full paddock admission, the opportunity to join the pit-walk on Saturday afternoon, as well as access to the circuit for the WorldSBK Supported Test on the 15^th of March. The 3-day adult pass is available at 49.90€, while is reduced to 19.90€ for children between the ages of 8 and 12. Children 7 or younger may enter for free.

The full ticket allocation for the Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest and the Pirelli Catalunya Round will go out on sale in late January, as well as the full agenda for the three-day event, so don’t miss the opportunity to get your early bird pass HERE.

GREGORIO LAVILLA: “One of the key values for WorldSBK is fan engagement”

Speaking on the occasion, Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, said: “As we gear up for the 2024 Pirelli Catalan Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the collaboration between Dorna WSBK, GEMOCAT, and the Circuit marks a strategic alliance to elevate the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship experience. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, deeply rooted in the motorsport heritage of the region, plays a pivotal role in offering a stunning setting to showcase WorldSBK.

“Beyond the thrilling on-track action, one of the key values for WorldSBK is fan engagement. We are proud to offer a plethora of activities for fans, ensuring an immersive experience. The access granted to fans exemplifies our commitment to fostering a strong connection between our audience with the sport. The Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest, with its family-friendly atmosphere, will encapsulate not only the spirit of competition but also a celebration of motor racing. We look forward to welcoming enthusiasts from around the world to this event and delivering an unforgettable experience that goes beyond the races.”

“I HAD NEVER SEEN AS MANY PEOPLE AS I DID IN JEREZ”

Tito Rabat, who this past 2023 season competed with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team, commented: “The Championship is growing, and you can see that in the circuits. I had never seen as many people as I did in Jerez. It’s true that WorldSBK is more popular in countries like the United Kingdom and France, but everyone is working well to allow it to keep growing. The WorldSBK approach is new for a lot of people who visit the circuits: they can follow the action closely, see if you’re happy or angry after the race, they can see to the winning bike… Everything is much closer. And the grid keeps getting closer, that has given us some beautiful races.”

China Racing Team rider and 2017 WorldSSP300 Champion Marc García echoed those thoughts: “Since I arrived in 2017, the Championship hasn’t stopped growing, in terms of competitiveness, attendance… The Paddock Show is key for this. When I was younger, I really struggled to get pictures with riders, whereas now fans can even join in on the celebrations with their favourite riders and teams. That builds a bond. My friends don’t understand much about motorbike racing, but every time they come to the Circuit they love it so much that they can’t wait to come back.”

Guim Roda, Team Manager for the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK, concluded: “As a team based in Granollers [close the to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya], an event like the Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest is very important for us. We think this is good, not only for the Kawasaki Racing Team but also for all of the technical suppliers around us, most of them based in Catalonia, it will boost the industry and popularise the motor world. We are delighted to help with the promotion of the event and to promote the use of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and to help make the Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest a reference at both a local and international level.

Follow the the WorldSBK pre-season with WorldSBK VideoPass and buy your early tickets for the Superbikes Barcelona Motorfest here!

Source: WorldSBK.com