Category Archives: WSBK

World Superbike Championship

GALLERY: riders take to Barcelona seafront on their bicycles

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has landed in Barcelona for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but some riders took a detour on Thursday to visit the Barceloneta promenade in Barcelona. Six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was joined by 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) for the event on Barcelona’s stunning beachfront. Check out the best images from Barcelona in the gallery at the top of this article!

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Catalunya calls for the challengers of the R3 bLU cRU European Championship

The second round of the hotly contested 2023 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship will get underway this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, alongside the fourth round of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship.

The series’ opening races last month at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ in Assen provided extremely close racing and unpredictable results as the 19 young contenders showcased their talent on board their R3 machines. Italy’s Emiliano Ercolani came out on top in Race 1, with Spain’s Marc Vich and Brazil’s Kevin Fontainha completing the podium.

In Race 2, with several penalties imposed for track limits infringements, the eventual winner was Gustavo Manso – the young Brazilian completing a great comeback after missing Race 1 with an ankle injury. His two compatriots, Eduardo Burr and Fontainha finished second and third. Ercolani took a solid fourth in Race 2, which gives him a six-point title lead heading into Barcelona.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track hasn’t been featured on the R3 calendar since 2021, meaning that for the majority of the field it will be a new experience. In fact, of the 20 riders due to compete this weekend, only Vich and Burr have prior R3 racing experience at the complex Catalan track.

With fair weather expected throughout the event, and the usual fervent Spanish crowd cheering on the stars of the future, it’s sure to be another unmissable weekend of action in the championship.  

Follow the Live Timing via the WorldSBK App, and follow all the news on the WorldSBK website as well as via the Yamaha bLU cRU Official social media channels.

Source: WorldSBK.com

Bautista to hold press conference on Thursday in Barcelona

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship descends on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, all eyes are on Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) ahead of the round. The reigning Champion has been dropping hints about his future in recent weeks and a press conference has been called on Thursday ahead of the round by the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad for Bautista.

Speaking on Thursday at the Pirelli Dutch Round, Bautista first hinted about his future when he said “I don’t have a clear idea about my future.” He was then asked about this in further detail on Friday when he explained his two options beyond the end of this season are staying with his family or the possibility of remaining with Ducati. During his media debrief during the Dutch Round, Bautista reinforced the idea about time with his family becoming more important.

Talks about Bautista’s future come at a time where the vast majority of the grid do not have their futures beyond 2023 in place, with only Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) having a contract for 2024. Now, ahead of track action starting on Friday, Bautista will hold a press conference at 15:00 Local Time (GMT+2) on Thursday.

Keep up to date with Bautista’s press conference on Thursday on worldsbk.com and WorldSBK’s social media channels! 

Source: WorldSBK.com

Lorenzo on Razgatlioglu’s potential MotoGP™ switch: “His talent is so big, he needs to give it a try…”

While the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship had a weekend off between the Dutch and Catalunya Rounds, MotoGP™ was in full swing in southern Spain at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the Spanish Grand Prix. During the weekend, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo sat down to discuss WorldSBK, a potential move to the MotoGP™ paddock for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) as well as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea’s (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) seasons.

ADVICE GIVEN, CHALLENGES LAID OUT: what would Lorenzo say to Razgatlioglu?

Lorenzo claimed three MotoGP™ World Championship titles for Yamaha in 2010, 2012 and 2015 as well as two 250cc World Championship titles in 2006 and 2007 and he spoke about what he would say to Razgatlioglu, as well as laying out the challenges he would face. Razgatlioglu has had two tests on the Yamaha M1 machine, at MotorLand Aragon and Jerez, with the first one heavily impacted by rain. His future, like a lot of the WorldSBK paddock, is not secured beyond the end of the 2023 campaign.

Discussing the advice he would give Razgatlioglu and the challenges the 2021 WorldSBK Champion would face, Lorenzo said: “What can he lose? I think he will always have open doors in WorldSBK to come back in case he doesn’t make it to be a winner or Champion in MotoGP™ but he needs to try. His talent is so big, he needs to give it a try and try to find the best option possible, in the best team he can get. If he’s not good, like Ben Spies for example who wasn’t as good as everyone expected, he can return to WorldSBK.

“I think he will find a way to be competitive on a MotoGP™ bike. It’s a matter of time. Obviously, MotoGP™ bikes have become so complex, you need to manage so many things compared to 20 years ago that all the small details are very important and you need a lot of experience to understand everything and to put together all the pieces to be competitive. He will need some time, but he could not be so aggressive with a MotoGP™ bike compared to a WorldSBK bike, because it’s a completely different type of bike.”

THE PERFECT MATCH: hoping Bautista and Ducati stay together

Bautista made his WorldSBK debut in 2019 with Ducati before switching to Honda for 2020 and 2021. He returned to Ducati in 2022 and he claimed his first WorldSBK Championship last year after a thrilling battle with Razgatlioglu and Rea, with the trio often not separated on track. Bautista’s form has continued in 2023 with the reigning Champion winning eight of the nine races held so far this season.

Lorenzo spoke about the Bautista-Ducati combination, saying: “Having everything match is like when you find the ideal match for you. Everything is easy. His riding style matches completely to the WorldSBK Ducati bike, which is very strong on the straight. He’s very small so he can be so fast on the straight but also be competitive in the corners. It’s a very difficult target for the rest of the teams and the riders so I hope they still stay together for a very long time, because they match perfectly.”

TAKING MORE RISKS: Lorenzo on Rea in 2023

While the race wins in 2023 have been shared between Bautista and Razgatlioglu, Rea has been fighting with them in the early stages of races before dropping back and has three podiums from nine races this season. Despite bringing an engine upgrade for 2023, Rea is yet to stand on the top step of the podium this year and it’s a situation Lorenzo related to when other manufacturers made a bigger step forward.

Discussing Rea in 2023, Lorenzo said: “I was in this situation a little bit in the past, especially in 2011. Honda made a clear step forward with their seamless gearbox that they were so fast on the straight, and I was trying to risk a little bit more with the Yamaha and I had many crashes. I had a terrible crash at Phillip Island and lost part of my finger. Everything becomes more complicated when you need these extra two or three tenths. Like Marquez, with the Honda and it looks like it’s also happened with Rea especially because Bautista and Toprak are very good riders and they have a very strong package. If your bike is a little bit weaker that year and you have very strong rivals, if you want to win, you have to take more risk.”

ON THE CATALUNYA ROUND: “spectators will see a great show”

WorldSBK heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for Round 4 of the season, the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, this weekend. Lorenzo discussed the upcoming round and gave his thoughts on what might happen, as well as taking a trip down memory lane to remember some of the riders he watched when he was younger.

He said: “It’s nice to see WorldSBK again at Montmelo which is a really interesting track. Actually, I really love WorldSBK races. When I was a kid, I was following WorldSBK in the era of Carl Fogarty, Slight, Scott Russell and all these riders. Haga, Corser, Edwards… it was like a golden time for WorldSBK and it looks like now, WorldSBK is growing so much. Interesting races, interesting riders and now, in Montmelo, spectators will see a great show. I’m going to follow the Championship until the end.”

Watch all the action from Barcelona in style LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

2023’s new contender: Locatelli on ‘best year in WorldSBK and life’ and chasing his first WorldSBK win

While race victories have been shared between Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) so far in the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, one rider has been impressing with his strong pace and consistency this season. Andrea Locatelli, teammates to Razgatlioglu, as the only rider to record a top-five finish in every race and challenging for podiums consistently. However, one thing still remains out of reach for the Italian is his first WorldSBK victory and he recently sat down to discuss the 2023 season, his strong start, aiming for a victory and his future.

BOUNCING BACK: difficult 2022, excellent start to 2023…

Locatelli is now in his third season in WorldSBK after he took the WorldSSP title in 2020 in dominant fashion with 12 wins in 15 races. Promoted to the factory Yamaha seat for 2021, he took four podiums in his first season and helped Yamaha to the Manufacturers’ Championship while Pata Yamaha took the Teams’ Championship and Razgatlioglu won the Riders’ Championship. Locatelli was fourth and finished as the highest-placed rookie. 2022, however, proved to be more challenging with only two podium finishes and a mid-season results slump. He ended the season strongly in Indonesia and Australia, with top-six finishes throughout, and has continued that run after three rounds in the 2023 season.

Looking back on 2022 and the start to his 2023 campaign, Locatelli said: “2022 was really difficult for me. Sometimes we lost the base setup a little bit, sometimes I lost the feeling with the bike a little bit. Now, I think we have a really good base setup. I have more experience so I can manage this situation, and this is the big improvement. 2023 started in a very good way. We scored some podiums and I’m really happy. It’s my third year in WorldSBK and I want to try to beat a little bit faster and closer to the front guys and to fight for the podium in every race. The focus during winter was important. We worked very well with Yamaha, we tried new parts on the bike, and we started the season in a very good way. I think I’m having my best year in WorldSBK and in my life.”

THE NEXT GOAL: a race win for Locatelli

Four podiums in three rounds in 2023 has Locatelli sitting third in the Riders’ Championship, 14 points behind teammate Razgatlioglu. He has already equalled his podium count from his rookie season and doubled it from last year with the majority of the season to go. He is yet to stand on the top step of the podium but, in 2023, has generally been closer to the race winner than in his previous two seasons. Locatelli will be hoping to claim his first victory in WorldSBK sooner rather than later.

Outlining his further goals, Locatelli said: “I think we made a really good step with the bike and I made a step with the feeling. I want to try to be in front in every weekend. The target is to continue in this way to get more podiums. I would like to win a race! What’s missing is difficult to say because I’m fighting with strong riders like Bautista, Jonny, Toprak and other riders. It’s never easy. I try to be ready in every weekend because, maybe, one time we have a good situation, a good opportunity, so we need to be ready to be there to fight for the win. The gap is not too far from first place. I’m ready and I’ll try to fight in every weekend to be fast and then, I think, we can get the first win.”

THE FUTURE: looking at 2024 and beyond

Locatelli has spent three seasons with the Pata Yamaha squad since winning the WorldSSP title and has had Razgatlioglu as his teammate in that period with the pair often seen working together in free practice sessions as well as the Tissot Superpole session. Talk about the future is already beginning in WorldSBK with pretty much the entire grid out of contract at the end of the 2023 season, including Locatelli and Razgatlioglu.

Locatelli addressed his future in the interview and also spoke about his relationship with Razgatlioglu, saying: “I think it’s a bit early to speak about the future now. We have a lot of races to come. The first part of the season started very well so this is one point for me. We will see what happens. In my mind, I don’t have anything; just keep working and try to get more podiums and try to be fast on track. With Toprak, we have a special relationship inside the box. From the first day, we were always working together. We will see what happens but if Toprak stays with me in Yamaha, I’ll be really happy. In any case, I need to be focused on my objectives and on my side and working with my group.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Pirelli bring new soft compound front tyre for WorldSBK in Barcelona

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rolls into Barcelona for the 2023 Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, Pirelli have unveiled their tyre solutions for the round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and teams and riders will have a new front compound to use throughout. Pirelli will debut a new soft compound front tyre in Barcelona which will be in development throughout 2023 with the aiming of making the SC0 tyre a standard solution in 2024.

NEW FRONT TYRE: SC0 front to debut in Spain

The SC0 soft compound front tyre is the first soft front tyre developed by the Italian company for WorldSBK and is designed to help balance the bike with the soft rear solutions which offers very high grip levels. Each rider will have six of the SC0 front tyres available to them throughout the Catalunya Round, while they will also have eight each of the standard SC1 medium compound and standard SC2 hard compound as well as standard intermediate and full wet tyres in the event of rain; riders will have three sets of intermediates and eight sets of full wets.

DEVELOPMENTS CONTINUE WITH THE SCX: two super soft compounds available

For the rear of the bike, there will be two SCX super soft solutions available. The standard SCX tyre is back, with eight available per rider, while the SCX-A development solution also returns. Named the B0800, it debuted in France last year and was also used in the 2022 Catalunya Round as well as at Mandalika and Assen this season. The SC0 soft compound is also available at the rear with five available per rider while, in the Tissot Superpole session and 10-lap Tissot Superpole Race, riders will be able to use the SCQ extra soft compound. Two full wet tyres are available in case it rains, the SCR1 and SCR2, as well as the intermediate compound.

PIRELLI SAYS: explaining the tyre choices

Discussing the tyres available in Barcelona, Giorgio Barbier, Motorcycle Racing Director at Pirelli, said: “In Barcelona we will witness what, in its way, can be considered a historic debut in these 20 years of Pirelli in Superbike: for the first time ever, the WorldSBK riders will have a DIABLO Superbike in the soft SC0 compound available at the front. After expanding the range in the past seasons with the introduction of rear solutions in soft compounds, such as the SCX in 2020 and the SCQ in 2022, and having worked on the new front SC1 and SC2, we now decided it was time to complete the range also working on a front in soft SC0 compound with the aim to balance the high level of grip offered by the new soft solutions introduced for the rear wheel. The riders have already had the opportunity to test this new front solution, in specification B1148, in the winter tests and in those held in Barcelona at the end of March but this will be the first time ever that they will have it available in a race weekend. The goal, in line with our philosophy of making the tyres used in the World Superbike available to all motorcyclists, is to develop this SC0 during the season and then make it a standard solution, therefore purchasable on the market, in 2024.”

CONTINUING TO TEST: WorldSSP riders have different sizes front tyres again

At Assen, an experiment started to evaluate a potential move to WorldSBK-size front tyres in the intermediate class and this will continue in Barcelona. The SC1-A medium compound, from WorldSBK, is available in the 125/70 size as well as the standard SC1 soft compound which is in the current 120/70 size. Also available will be the SC2 medium tyre with three available to riders for this compound, compared to seven each of the SC1 tyres. At the rear, riders can use the standard SCX super soft compound, with seven available, and the SC0 soft compound with six available to use. In case of rain, riders will have the intermediate and SCR1 full wet tyre for both the front and rear.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

STEVE ENGLISH OPINION: have Honda made enough progress?

Since Honda’s official return in 2020 to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, the Fireblade has had one pole position, four front row starts and five podiums. Honda hasn’t led a lap for five years and whilst progress has been made, it’s been slow and steady rather than the steps that many expected. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge have been solid performers but now into their second year in WorldSBK, more is expected from them. Even though they have underperformed, there is a belief around the paddock that they are now close to being able to exploit their package. A strong engine and super concession upgrades to the chassis has put the bike into the ballpark but now it’s time for the talking to stop. Honda needs; results.

PERFECT TIMING: is Barcelona the chance to showcase?

This weekend in Barcelona is a home round for the team, they’re based nearby, and with many of the team and both riders Spanish, this is an ideal opportunity to shine. Last year, Lecuona took pole position and both riders had top six finishes. For Vierge, a podium man in Indonesia earlier this year, he is also returning to a track where he had a Moto2™ rostrum finish. Last weekend, Lecuona was called back up for MotoGP™ action with Honda. A sign of the confidence that HRC has in their young charge and whilst Jerez proved a solid if unspectacular weekend, it was good to see him rewarded for his successes with Honda. The most notable of those successes was seen at last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours.

In WorldSBK, Honda has struggled. They’ve cycled through experienced riders and brought in two rookies. Alvaro Bautista, well on the way to a second WorldSBK title with Ducati, had a miserable two-year stint with HRC. The Spaniard’s high point of his Honda tenure was Catalunya 2021. A Superpole Race podium and fourth in the afternoon was a great return to form for him. That being said, matching that feat this weekend will be almost impossible for Lecuona and Vierge.

DRAWING COMPARISONS: is it BMW who are still ahead of Honda?

Honda and BMW are the most natural comparisons to make in WorldSBK. The manufacturers have put resources in over the last few years but have little to show for it. That being said, BMW’s form since 2020 when Honda returned is much more impressive. The German manufacturer has won a race, with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) at Portimao in 2021, claimed eight podiums and had three pole positions. Their form has been hit and miss but they do have more to show than Honda for their efforts, including beating them in the manufacturers’ Championship last year. The time between now and the summer break features five rounds and it’s critical for teams and riders to make a step. Can you make your bike and package attractive to a top rider? Can you jump onto a more competitive bike? The only way to do that is to have good results and show that there is performance as well as potential.

A CHANCE IN BARCELONA: can Honda outshine BMW?

This weekend is an opportunity for Honda to prove their progress. For the riders, it’s also a chance to stake their claim to the bike for 2024. Lecuona is the better regarded Honda man but since stepping over from the Grand Prix paddock, he has shown only flashes of what’s expected of him. The speed is definitely there but with a package that has underperformed, he hasn’t been able to put his best foot forward. Xavi Vierge has shown himself to be a capable top ten performer who doesn’t make many mistakes. He’ll feel that as a slow burner he’s now ready to show his full potential. 

Now is the time for Honda to step up to the plate. Winning races is the end goal but right now it’s about getting into the top five because Vierge’s podium in Indonesia is their only top five all season. Catalunya has been their best track since returning to WorldSBK in 2020 and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Team HRC.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

PREVIEW: WorldSSP300 goes from Assen to Barcelona with unpredictability in the air

Two weeks on from the start of the 2023 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen and the Championship returns to action for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. History was made last time out in the Netherlands and there was plenty of drama throughout both races. Barcelona has, in the past, been a circuit where races are decided not at the final corner but right at the finish line and, following the last-lap battles at Assen, that could happen again in 2023.

SVOBODA AT THE DOUBLE: more success for the Czech rider?

Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) claimed his first victory in WorldSSP300 at Assen in Race 1 and then doubled up with Race 2 victory a day later. Not only were they his first wins in the Championship, they were his first podiums, and he will be looking to continue that run in Barcelona. He’s raced there twice, both in 2021, with a bet result of 25th to his name when on Yamaha machinery. Only one previous winner at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is on the grid with Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) aiming to make it two wins at the Spanish venue. It’s a track where MTM Kawasaki have gone well at in the past four wins in six races; can the team make it five with either Buis or rookie Loris Veneman?

AIMING HIGH AFTER ASSEN: looking to return to the podium

Five different riders stood on the Assen rostrum with only Svoboda a repeat visitor last time out. In Race 1, he was joined by Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) and Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) while, in Race 2, it was Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team), who has two top-six finishes in Barcelona, and polesitter Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) joining him. There was a large group of riders fighting for success at Assen and the unpredictable nature of the Championship was on display with more of this to be expected in Barcelona.

BARCELONA PODIUMS IN 2022: looking to repeat success

Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) stunned the WorldSSP300 paddock in 2022 when he recorded a podium finish in Race 1 in Barcelona in his first start as he made his debut as a wildcard. Returning for a full campaign in 2023, after switching to Kawasaki machinery, could Garcia repeat his podium success this year? Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) was another who took a rostrum finish last season and, after showing strong pace throughout 2022 and at the 2023 season opener, the Italian will be looking for his first podium of the season.

LOOKING FOR A 2023 BREAKTHROUGHT: will Barcelona kickstart some campaigns?

In previous WorldSSP300 campaigns, Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) has often had to fight his way back through the field after a disappointing Tissot Superpole result, but Assen flipped that on its head. He took second in Saturday’s Superpole session but two crashes in the early stages of both Race 1 and Race 2 ended his charge. Can Lehmann combine his Superpole speed from Assen with his race craft from 2022 to secure a strong result for KTM?

RIDER CHANGES: Hendra Pratama returns as two riders wildcard

The Sublime Racing by MS Racing team will field Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama at the Catalunya Round alongside Clement Rouge. Hendra Pratama is known by the team from a season in WorldSSP in the bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing squad, while he also has two wins in WorldSSP300 to his name from three campaigns. Two riders will make wildcard appearances in Barcelona with two different teams. Unai Calatayud returns with the Arco Motor University Team at the circuit he debuted at last year, while Ivan Bolano Hernandez joins the Deza-Box 77 Racing Team squad for the Catalunya Round alongside Jose Manuel Osuna Saez.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Ivo Lopes to replace injured van der Mark in Barcelona, ‘successful operation’ already

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will be out of action during the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, after his crash at the TT Circuit Assen just over a week ago. Whilst a successful operation has been undertaken, the Dutchman’s road to recovery will see him miss the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this year, however, he’ll be replaced by 2019 Portuguese Superbike champion Ivo Lopes.

Lopes, from Lisbon, has a wealth of experience, including two Spanish Superbike open class titles, a Moto2™ European Championship win and three Red Bull Rookies Cup podiums. Along with the success, he has a WorldSSP start to his name from 2018 and a Superstock 1000 start from 2013; both came at Portimao but no points were achieved. Currently, he is leading the Spanish Superbike championship after a win and two second places. He’ll become the 22nd Portuguese rider to start a WorldSBK race and the first since South African-born Portuguese rider Sheridan Morais at Estoril, 2020.

“I would like to thank BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team for the opportunity they are giving me at Barcelona. I have always dreamed of racing in WorldSBK, and that dream is now coming true. I know the Barcelona circuit very well, as I do the BMW M 1000 RR. However, the WorldSBK version of the bike is obviously different to the one I ride in the Spanish championship. I will work very hard at the weekend and give it my all to support the team and BMW Motorrad Motorsport as well as possible. I would like to thank them for the faith they have put in me, and also to wish Michael van der Mark a speedy recovery!”

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers spoke about van der Mark’s recovery and looked forward to a new name in WorldSBK: “First of all, we wish Michael a good recovery. It was good to hear that the operation in Groningen was a success. We are in constant contact and he has already made the first small improvements. However, he should take the time he needs to return to full fitness.

“At the same time, we welcome Ivo Lopes to WorldSBK. We have known Ivo for a long time in the Portuguese and Spanish championships, where he has repeatedly shown what he is capable of on the BMW M 1000 RR. We are pleased to be able to give him the opportunity to go racing in the World Championship. On the whole, we are excited about the Barcelona weekend. The test there at the end of March was very productive. We hope we can back up the progress we saw at Assen, particularly with Scott claiming his best result of the season so far, at Barcelona.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

PREVIEW: opportunity awaits as WorldSSP descends on Barcelona in 2023

Two weeks on from the dramatic Pirelli Dutch Round, the FIM Supersport World Championship heads south west to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the 2023 Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, the fourth round of 2023’s season. At a circuit that has thrown up plenty of surprises in its short presence on the calendar, with weather impacting races, will there be more shocks to come in the fourth Catalunya Round? With only one repeat winner at the circuit, and no previous winners on the grid, who will grab the land of opportunity this time around?

A YAMAHA CIRCUIT… SO FAR: will Yamaha’s Barcelona run come to an end?

Yamaha have won every race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since it joined the calendar. In 2020, Andy Verdoia taking a shock victory in Race 1 in wet conditions to become the youngest ever winner in the class, Andrea Locatelli winning Race 2 to become Champion, Randy Krummenacher’s and Manuel Gonzalez’s last career wins in 2021 and Dominique Aegerter doing the double last season. In 2023, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) leads the way with four wins from six races while Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) has one and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who won’t be in Barcelona, has also won a race. With no Yamaha victories so far this year heading into a track where they’ve enjoyed so much success, could their Barcelona fortress conquered, or will offer a retreat and act as a turning point in the 2023 campaign?

THE NEXT TARGET: from the podium to a win

Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) is second in the Championship standings and top Yamaha; he’ll be hoping to claim Yamaha’s first win of 2023. He has a best finish of third at the circuit, from last year when on the Triumph, and he knows the circuit well from his time in the MotoGP™ paddock. Three manufacturers are in the top three of the Championship with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) third and, after his first WorldSSP podium last time out at Assen, will be looking for his first win of the year. With four top-eight finishes in his last five races at the circuit in Moto2™, it’s a circuit he knows well and will be aiming to convert this into his first WorldSSP victory.

LOOKING TO SPRING A SURPRISE: never say never in Barcelona

Whilst the wins have been shared between Ducati and Kawasaki so far this season, five of the six manufacturers on the grid have stood on the rostrum. Dynavolt Triumph have a podium finish courtesy of Niki Tuuli’s third place in Race 1 at Mandalika and he was again in the top five at Assen. With a podium already to his name at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in 2021 with MV Agusta, could he help Triumph to a first win of 2023?

Honda will be looking to score big points again as the only manufacturer yet to score a podium this season with riders Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE HONDA Team) and teammate Adam Norrodin, while Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was strong here last year and took fifth place in Race 1. He’s also a race winner here in WorldSSP300 from 2021, so the Turkish youngster will be full of confidence heading into the Catalunya Round despite a crash from the podium battle last time out at Assen. After a wretched start to his season with just an eighth-place finish to his name, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) will aim to return to the fore this weekend – although he’ll serve a double Long Lap Penalty in Race 1.

HOME HEROES: will Navarro or Huertas shine in Catalunya?

There are two full-time Spanish riders on the 2023 WorldSSP grid and both are looking for strong results on home soil. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) has had a tough start to his WorldSSP career after making the switch from Moto2™ and suffering from injuries at the end of that season. However, Catalunya is a circuit he’s gone well at in both Moto3™ and Moto2™; winning the 2016 Moto3™ Catalan Grand Prix and taking third in Moto2™ three years later. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) made his return from injury at Assen and was back in the top ten in Race 2 with eighth place and he will have high hopes for the Catalunya Round although he is yet to stand on the podium in Barcelona; his best result is fourth in WorldSSP300 in 2021.

WILDCARDS AND RIDER LINE-UP CHANGES: news ahead of the Catalunya Round

There will be a few changes to the grid in Barcelona with wildcards and replacement riders coming in. Swiss rider Baris Sahin, who made his debut in Catalunya in 2021 and was a replacement rider in Argentina last year but did not race following a highside in FP2, will wildcard in Barcelona with the MDR Offitec Yamaha squad. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was declared unfit following the crash at Assen with Montella, as was Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) following a Free Practice 1 crash. The Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team will field two bikes in Barcelona, with full-time rider Andrea Mantovani joined by one event rider Adrian Fernandez Gonzalez.

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Source: WorldSBK.com