2024 STARTS NOW: the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is already gearing up for what is set to be a sensational season; with a myriad of rider changes, new colours, new riders and even teams for 2024, the post-final round Jerez test was our first chance to sample the action. 34-year-old Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) is one of the biggest names on the grid in 2024 as he returns to racing and he lit up the timesheets on day two. We caught up with his rivals and the established World Superbike guard to see what they’re take on his pace was.

BAUTISTA AND REA LEAD COMMENTS: “I’m impressed… he’s another guy to race at the front”

Reigning double World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) raced against ‘The Maniac’ when both were fighting hard in MotoGP™ and stated that he was impressed: “He’s very fast and he was fast in the past; the problem will be when the race comes because a test is different to the race. I am impressed with his performance as he was really fast. It is nice to have good riders in the Championship.”

With his own switch to Yamaha, Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) commented on Iannone’s excitement after a catch-up with him in pitlane before track action kicked off: “You never know; as I’ve said before, testing is testing and racing is a different story. I spoke with him earlier and it seems like he’s excited to be here, which is really good. It’s a different challenge for him but he’s on a competitive bike. I didn’t see him on track today but he’s already fast, however, everyone knows that. He’s a MotoGP™ winner, he’s got an incredible CV and the expectation is that he’s there. He’s another guy to race at the front so it’s more exciting.”

“HE’S GOING TO BE ANOTHER PAIN IN THE ARSE TO TRY AND BEAT NEXT YEAR” – more reaction

“The question mark is the time he’s had away from the track,” began Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), sharing his thoughts on the #29’s return. “I actually saw him on track and gave him a little thumbs up; I can imagine his life is so much better now with a focus and racing. You’re talking about someone who has won in MotoGP™, made Moto2™ races look easy… there’s nothing else to say. The bike is clearly very good and he’s a fantastic rider, so as soon as he gets a little bit of rust off, it’s another Ducati that’s competing for race wins. Honestly and personally, I’m happy to see him here; welcome to back racing! He’s going to be another pain in the arse to try and beat next year!”

After making his debut in WorldSBK this year, Dominique Aegerter hopes that the Italian isn’t too fast in 2024: “He went quite fast with a 1’39.3. With a Q tyre but you still need to bring it and do it! It’s nice to have competitive riders but in the end I hope they are behind me! They are big names and it is nice to see; we’ll see what happens with all the manufacturers and riders on track.”

“I WAS IMPRESSED ABOUT HIM AND ALSO BULEGA” – Rinaldi weighs in on fellow Ducati stars

Moving to a new team, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing) also commented on how impressed he was, not just about Iannone but Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) too: “Iannone has a great talent. He was really strong on time attack and he doesn’t know our tyre well but he still went fast. I was impressed about him and also Bulega.”

Fastest Ducati of the test, the aforementioned Nicolo Bulega gave his verdict and said that ‘The Maniac’s’ pace was to be expected: “Andrea has an incredible talent and I expected him to be fast. Not like this but fast! He was one of the fastest riders in MotoGP™ so it is normal that he’s fast. He will be a strong rider from the beginning.”

The 2024 title race starts here: keep up with all the action with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After the news that he would ride for Motocorsa Racing in 2024, Michael Ruben Rinaldi got off a strong start with his new team. The #21 showed rapid pace during the two-day test as some of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field remained at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for two days of testing. Rinaldi was one of the riders who stayed in Spain as he got adjusted to his new surroundings for next season.

On Tuesday, the first day of action, Rinaldi posted a 1’40.034s as he finished in second place, and he was on the busiest riders on track with 36 laps on a day where running was limited due to rain falling from around midday onwards. Nevertheless, it was a solid start to the #21’s return to Independent Ducati machinery as he looks to repeat the success that he had the last time he was with an Independent squad, in 2020 with Team GoEleven.

Looking back on his first day with Motocorsa Racing, Rinaldi said: “It was a really different day for me. It was the first day with my new team. Our goal was to check whether the bikes were more or less the same as the factory ones, and actually I was quite surprised because the level of this team and the bike are nothing worse than the factory team. The first lap was nice inside the helmet. We tried to check both of the bikes and the feeling was great. I was able to lap pretty quickly.”

On Wednesday, the morning featured limited running, but everyone was busy in the afternoon. The five-time race winner was sixth, lapping 1.359s down on Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) after he set a 1’38.448s to claim top spot. The Italian added another 69 laps on day two, taking his total for the two days to 105 at the Jerez circuit.

On the test, Rinaldi added: “Wednesday we completed many laps, unlike Tuesday. We were able to do many laps and try different things on the bike. I’m quite happy. I was pretty consistent and had good pace with the used tyre. At the end, everybody put on the SCQ, and everything changed. On pace, I think we were strong with the used tyre, so this is the best thing. If we want to improve on time attack, we need to work a little bit more because, at the moment, we’re not that fast. For the rest I’m really happy and satisfied. The team worked really well, we tried different things and the valve they gave to me worked really well. I’m going home for the winter rest with a smile on my face.”

Get set for the 2024 season by delving into the archives and watching classic races using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is over, but paddock personnel remain as busy as ever as the off-season starts. Two days of testing take place before several teams and riders head over to Milan, Italy, for the 80^th EICMA show. WorldSBK will have a presence, in Hall 11P Stand S48, with the famous Paddock Show with several key figures from our paddock scheduled for the event, which takes place for the public from the 9^th-12^th November.

Some Paddock Show activities do take place on the press day, but the majority will be with the public in attendance. There are some team presentations scheduled for the historic show, plus you can get up close to your favourite riders as they attend from WorldSBK, WorldSSP and WorldSSP300. Not only this, but there are plenty of interactive sessions that will allow spectators to take part in at the Paddock Show.

Some of the riders stated to attend in Italy include three-time WorldSBK podium finisher and two-time MotoGP™ race winner Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter, Team HRC’s Xavi Vierge plus 2023 WorldSSP Champion Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) and Turkish star Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), plus a whole heap of riders from WorldSSP300.

Six-time Champion Jonathan Rea will be in attendance with his new Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad – marking one of the first times the public will see him not in green, but in blue following his bombshell move. He will be there with teammate Andrea Locatelli, just days after the pair start their working relationship at the post-round Jerez test. With big names and Champions scheduled, plus some 2024 announcements and team launches in WorldSSP, EICMA is a show not to be missed this year.

Check out information on tickets here and information about the EICMA show here.

Follow all the news and interviews from EICMA 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team will continue with Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin heading into 2024, with the pair stepping up to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. They have been teammates this year in what’s been a challenging season and that relationship will continue into next season as they jump onboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R for Midori Moriwaki’s team.

A RETURN TO SUPERBIKE MACHINERY: Mackenzie back on a big bike

It was announced on Sunday that Hafizh Syahrin and Eric Granado would depart the team and their replacements are now known. Mackenzie, who has tested the team’s bike on a couple of occasions this season, will be at the team alongside Malaysian rider Norrodin. For Mackenzie, it marks a return to Superbike machinery having raced in the British championship. He took 16 wins in his native Britain between 2018 and 2022, and won the 2021 title. He made his WorldSBK debut last year at Donington Park as a wildcard, finishing in the points, before a switch to WorldSSP this season. Despite often finishing outside the points, the #95 was a race winner as he won a mixed conditions race at the Autodrom Most to give Honda their first win since 2016.

MACKENZIE SAYS: “it’s been a dream of mine for a long time”

Mackenzie’s desire to race in WorldSBK has been no secret and in 2024 he will get his chance. Explaining his thoughts on the move, he said: “I’m very happy to step up to World Superbike, as it’s been a dream of mine for a long time. I’ve got a lot of experience in the British Superbike championship, albeit with a different manufacturer, and it’s been good to test the MIE Superbike already this year at Misano. I also completed two tests with HRC at Suzuka to better understand the CBR1000RR-R, and then doing the Suzuka race on another Honda was also very important of course. So, it’s good to have already had a taste of the Honda Superbike and it’s great that the agreement for next season is now in place. I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and thank both PETRONAS and the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team.”

NORRODIN’S CHANCE: Malaysian star steps up to WorldSBK

Norrodin, like Mackenzie, started with the MIE Honda outfit this season and will move in to WorldSBK next year. It will be a return to Superbike machinery for the 25-year-old too after he raced in the Asian Superbike championship in 2022, taking two podiums on the BMW S1000RR. Before this, he raced in Moto2™ and Moto3™, scoring 0 points in the former but taking 102 across three seasons in the latter. Even earlier in his career, he competed in the Asia Talent Cup and within what is now the JuniorGP™ paddock, taking fifth in Moto2™ in 2021.

NORRODIN’S THOUGHTS: “it will be a big challenge, but I also know that I’ll be able to learn”

Discussing his step up to WorldSBK, Norrodin said: “First of all, I want to say a big thank you to Midori Moriwaki, to PETRONAS and to Honda. It’s a big decision to jump to World Superbike but it’s a great opportunity for me and something I’ve wanted for a long time. We know that the Championship will be even more competitive next season and so it will be a big challenge, but I also know that I’ll be able to learn and develop so much by taking part. To represent PETRONAS and my country, Malaysia, is a real honour, and I’m truly grateful for this chance. I’ll now focus on training harder than ever to prepare for what I know will be a tough but very stimulating year. I’m very happy and excited for the future.”

THE TEAM’S VIEW: “they will undoubtedly provide a boost to our WorldSBK project”

Explaining the decision to bring in Mackenzie and Norrodin to WorldSBK, Team Owner Midori Moriwaki said: “I’m very happy to be able to announce that both Adam Norrodin and Tarran Mackenzie will remain part of the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team family and will step up to the WorldSBK category, in line with our project to help young riders develop on the international racing stage. Two very fast and talented young riders, they are committed to the task and ready to fight on every occasion. They have already demonstrated this in WorldSSP, with Tarran scoring the team its first win and Adam always battling hard to achieve the strongest possible results, with a best of P5, in what is a very competitive championship. They will undoubtedly provide a boost to our WorldSBK project.”

Watch the 2024 season unfold in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) returned to the track as some of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock remained at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for two days of testing. The #29 was one of these and he enjoyed a strong day two in Spain, running inside the top three on occasions on Wednesday and finishing the day in an impressive fifth place after getting to try Pirelli’s SCQ tyre as well as being able to complete a solid six hours of testing.

STRONG SECOND DAY: running in the top three, finishing P5

‘The Maniac’ was one of the first to venture onto the track when the green flags waved at 10am Local Time, but, with wet patches still on the circuit from rain on Tuesday, completed just an in and out lap. His action really got underway at around midday, as it did for the rest of the competitors, with the sun shining and the track getting drier as the day progressed. In the end, Iannone put in a 1’39.335s to claim fifth, although he was in the top three a couple of times on Wednesday.

Discussing his day, where he completed 69 laps, the Italian admitted he was a bit surprised about his performance: “It was really fun, I enjoyed today a lot. My feeling with the bike improved exit by exit and run by run. It’s really interesting because I’m a little bit surprised about the result, also the feeling with the tyre and everything. We have a lot of work in front of us, but we start from a really good point. It’s good.”

THE GOALS FOR 2024: “we have really big ambitions…”

The 2024 season will mark Iannone’s return to competition after four years away and, after Wednesday’s running concluded, discussed his and the Team GoEleven’s potential for next season as well as where he wants to be in the pecking order. He also expanded on what’s impressed him so far in his two days on the Panigale V4 R and using Pirelli tyres as he looks to be in the best possible shape ahead of his racing return next year.

Discussing ambitions, potential and pleasant surprises, ‘The Maniac’ said: “We have really big ambitions. I want to comeback, but I want to try to comeback at a high level. I want to achieve these results and I want to try to arrive at the top. In any case, I know it’s really difficult because the level is really high. Everybody is close but, I think, for us and the first test, it’s difficult to achieve a little bit more. The bike impressed me on the positive side, and also the tyres. They’re friendly. You felt where the limits of the tyres are and the bike and I think this is a good point.”

Catch up on all the action from day two HERE and watch highlights and interviews from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was one of the stars of testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as he put in a sensational lap on Pirelli’s SCQ tyre to claim second spot on day two of the test, only his second day inside the factory Ducati team and alongside Alvaro Bautista. The #11 does have experience of the Panigale V4 R from tests throughout 2023 but he still put it altogether for a stunning P2 on day two at Jerez during his first days with the team.

Bulega stormed to the top of the timesheets with around two hours to go on day two as one of the first riders to use the SCQ tyre. He set a few laps in the 1’39s bracket before becoming the first rider to hit the 1’38s. He set a 1’38.903s before he improved again in the closing stages to a 1’38.726s, lapping three tenths away from pacesetter Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who overhauled him shortly after Bulega set his lap, and only around a tenth slower than teammate Alvaro Bautista’s pole time from last weekend’s Spanish Round.

It marked a strong start to the 2023 WorldSSP Champion’s time at the factory Ducati team, but these two days were not the first time he’s been on the Panigale V4 R. He’s had several tests with the race bike before, but this was the first time working with Bautista in the box as he got up to speed ahead of his WorldSBK debut in 2024.

Reflecting on his first test with the team, Bulega said: “It was a very good test but unfortunately, we didn’t ride a lot during these two days. On day one, we only did 20 laps and today only half a day. I’m happy because I didn’t ride a lot, but I was already fast. This was important. I’m happy because I was fast, but I was only at 85%. I’m learning the bike, learning how to speak with my new team so it’s important for me to ride a lot of kilometres with this bike.”

In WorldSSP, the softest tyre riders are able to use is the SCX which is also available in WorldSBK. However, unlike WorldSSP, World Superbike riders can use the SCQ tyre when it is in the tyre supplier’s allocation. With the tyre at Jerez, the reigning WorldSSP Champion was able to get his hands on it and try it for the first time. He was full of praise for the work Pirelli do but admitted he still had some work to do to understand that tyre.

Discussing the SCQ tyre, Bulega said: “Honestly, like always, Pirelli are doing an incredible job with the tyres. I tried the SCQ, and I felt good. A bit difficult to understand because with a lot of horsepower, you have to understand the character of the tyre. Anyway, I’m happy because I was fast. We can improve, obviously, but it’s a good starting point.”

Catch up on all the action HERE and watch highlights and interviews from the test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the fastest rider over the course of the two-day test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, setting the quickest time on both days. On the second day, the Australian put in a lap that was under than the pole time from the recent Prometeon Spanish Round to claim top spot and, speaking after the day’s action concluded, the #87 revealed that “there was a bit more I could’ve done” despite being almost three tenths clear.

On the opening day of action, the 2021 Moto2™ Champion set a 1’39.837s to claim top spot but he improved on this massively on day two. Using Pirelli’s SCQ tyre, Gardner put in a barnstorming lap of 1’38.448s to finish in P1, almost three tenths clear of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The Yamaha rider’s time would’ve put him on pole position at Jerez last weekend by two tenths, to show how rapid his speed was during the test.

Despite his strong pace, Gardner believed there was more to come from him after a few mistakes on his fastest lap cost him time. Despite this, it continued his run of strong form over after enjoying one of his best weekends of his rookie season at Jerez. He was P4 in Race 2, equalling his best result, as he ended 2023 on a high.

Looking back on the test, Gardner said: “It’s been a positive test. The pace has been really good over the two days, with the race tyre and obviously today, at the end, we put in two SCQs and did a really great lap time. There was a little bit more I could’ve done. I made a few mistakes on that lap but quite happy with the two days went. It wasn’t a perfect lap, but it wasn’t bad. More than the lap, I’m happy with the improvements we’ve made over the two days with what Yamaha have brought.”

Yamaha lost Toprak Razgatlioglu for 2024 but replaced one Champion with another as Jonathan Rea joined the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team. Although not in the same team, Gardner was keen to learn from the six-time Champion as well as see what the Northern Irishman can bring to the manufacturer, as they look to win back the title they last won in 2021.

Discussing Rea’s arrival, Gardner said: “Jonny surprised me with how fast he got on with the bike. That shows the experience he has. I’m really excited to see what Jonny can bring to the table and help develop the bike, and also for me to learn off Jonny. With so much experience, you can always learn something. Really great to have Jonny with Yamaha.”

Catch up on all the day two action HERE and watch interviews and highlights from the test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After a disrupted day on Tuesday things were more of the same on Wednesday morning until around midday local time, when the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders took advantage of a drier track to complete, for the most part, around six hours of valuable running time at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was again the quickest rider as he used an SCQ tyre to full effect, while Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) put in their own impressive times on day two.

GARDNER LEADS THE WAY: #87 goes quickest again, Rea P5

Yamaha had enjoyed a strong showing at the Spanish Round last weekend and that’s continued into day two of testing. Once again, Gardner was the lead rider on the YZF-R1 machine, and the fastest of everyone. His time of a 1’38.448s was two tenths away from the all-time lap record and under Bautista’s pole time from Saturday as he led the field by 0.278s. Teammate Dominique Aegerter was in tenth place despite his strong pace on day one, with the #77 having a Turn 1 crash. It provided a small disruption to his day, but he was able to return to track action on his second bike. Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) had another fruitful day on his first appearance with Yamaha, finishing in third place and lapping in 1’39.179s with his last lap of the day as he continued adjusting to the R1. Brad Ray (GMT94 Yamaha) had a quietly strong day as he finished inside the top ten, setting a best time of 1’40.007s and lapping the Jerez venue 59 times. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was second in the WorldSSP field, joining Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) and finishing six tenths back.

ROOKIES LEADS DUCATI’S CHARGE: Bulega impresses, Iannone shines

Bulega was one of the stars on Wednesday as the #11, on only his second day as a factory Ducati rider, posted a 1’38.726s using Pirelli’s SCQ tyre. His time was only a tenth down on teammate Alvaro Bautista’s pole lap from just a few days ago. Both riders tested from 14:00 (Local Time, GMT+1) onwards to use half-a-day of their allocation. In total, Bulega completed 52 laps while Bautista, who had a focus on the 2024 ruleset, was in seventh place with a best time of 1’39.962s, which included a long run on the SCX tyres as he racked up 48 laps. Elsewhere, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was fifth on his Panigale V4 R. Lapping in 1’39.335s, the #29 had been as high as third on a couple of occasions before other riders usurped him as he completed 70 laps. ‘The Maniac’ was one of the first to take to the track in the morning but his meaningful running came in the afternoon. Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s (Motocorsa Racing) life back at an Independent Ducati continued with sixth on Wednesday as he lapped 1.359s down on Gardner’s best time, completing 69 laps. In WorldSSP, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was the fastest of two competitors. He completed 77 laps as he set a 1’42.470s.

LOWES ON TOP AT KRT: the Brit’s inside the top four

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) continued to be the lead KRT rider at the test as he finished in fourth with a 1’39.211s. The #22 had some different rpm limits to test as the team looked to 2024, while there were also what he described as “lots of ideas” to try between now and January ’24 before it all gets pieced together. Teammate Axel Bassani was around two seconds slower than his teammate as he adjusts from the V4 R to the ZX-10RR machine, with the #47 racking up 54 laps. Between them, Lowes and Bassani completed more than 120 laps to gain important information heading into their next test.

REDDING THE FASTEST BMW: #45 leads teammate Gerloff, the American crashes

Just two BMW riders took to the track during the two-day test, with Scott Redding making his Bonovo Action BMW debut alongside new teammate Garrett Gerloff. It was the #45 who finished as the lead rider for the German manufacturer as he took tenth place with a 1’40.291s, around half-a-tenth quicker than his teammate. The #31’s day was disrupted by a crash in the final 30 minutes at Turn 3 with the bike brought back to the pits on a truck. His best time was a 1’40.334s to take 11^th place. The American had hoped to work on some setup items on day two of the test following yesterday’s limited running.

MACKENZIE BRINGS UP THE FIELD: re-adapting to the WorldSBK bike

Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) continued to be Honda’s sole representative at Jerez. He completed 39 laps on Wednesday as a crash at Turn 1 – which caught out a few riders during the day – hampered his running. The #95’s best time was a 1’42.110s to take 13^th place as he continued his readaptation to the CBR1000RR-R machine, having raced in WorldSSP throughout 2023.

The order from day two at Jerez:

1. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’38.448, 61 laps

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’38.726s, 52 laps

3. Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 1’39.179s, 68 laps

4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.211s, 68 laps

5. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) 1’39.335s, 69 laps

6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing) 1’39.807s, 69 laps

7. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’39.962s, 58 laps

8. Brad Ray (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’40.007s, 59 laps

9. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’40.103s, 67 laps

10. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’40.291s, 47 laps

11. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’40.334s, 66 laps

12. Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’41.346s, 54 laps

13. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) 1’42.110s, 38 laps

Catch up on all the action from day two HERE and watch highlights and interviews from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship remaining at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for two days of testing, it gave some riders the chance to evaluate the new 2024 regulations. One of these was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with the double Champion looking at next year’s rules, including adding weight to his Panigale V4 R. After Wednesday’s action had concluded, the #1 explained how his team were working with the additional weight and how it impacted him on track.

A NEW CHALLENGE: “the bike feels different especially in the fast corners”

The newly-announced rules for 2024 include a new weight system, where riders under the reference weight of 80kg have to add 50% of the difference. The reigning double Champion said previously that he would like to try the new rules, especially when it comes to weight, and he was able to start that on the second day of Jerez test. The Spaniard finished the day in seventh place after setting a best lap of 1’39.362s, 1.5s slower than Remy Gardner’s (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) fastest time, as he completed 58 laps.

Expanding on how he and Ducati worked towards the new regulations, Bautista said: “Today, we were focused on the 2024 regulations especially with the weight. We tried many solutions with the weight. Putting some weight on some areas of the bike, also trying inside the engine, and did many tests to understand how the bike’s working. It’s not easy because when the bike’s working well, if you add 7kg, the bike feels different especially in the fast corners. We made some distribution to have more data and we got that data for this winter to try to work and try to see what could be the base for starting 2024.”

WHERE THE DIFFERENCE COMES: fast corners, but anywhere else?

With the Ducati star now able to talk about the difference the additional weight makes, he spoke about the differences he felt on the Panigale V4 R compared to when he was riding without it. In his first answer, he alluded to feeling different in fast corners and he was later asked where else on track he might feel a difference, such as under acceleration, or if it makes bringing updates and changing the setup more difficult.

Discussing this, he said: “I didn’t feel a difference on acceleration, I think it’s more the inertia I feel on the fast corners. Especially here at Jerez, the fast sector, I felt it was more difficult. But on acceleration, there’s not a big difference. Also under braking, there’s maybe more inertia to stop the bike but, for me, I struggled more in the fast corners. At the moment, there are no updates from Ducati. We are focusing on this. They now have a lot of data from today and they have to analyse and play with the setup of the bike. We didn’t touch anything on the bike, just put the weight and changed the area where we put the weight. Now we have to start to think about the setup to have a better feeling with the bike.”

Catch up on all the day two action HERE and watch interviews and highlights from the Jerez test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) made his on-track return on Tuesday at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as he debuted with his 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship team. Linking up with Independent Ducati outfit Team GoEleven, ‘The Maniac’ was one of several Ducati riders at the test as he looked to get a good feeling with the Panigale V4 R ahead of his WorldSBK race debut which will come at Phillip Island next year.

BACK ON TRACK: Iannone with GoEleven for the first time

Iannone completed 26 laps on day one at Jerez as he rode the Panigale V4 R for the first time in WorldSBK spec. His best time was a 1’41.922s as he finished in 11^th place, with the riders choosing not to test after midday local time as the rain started to fall; but not heavy enough to gain any valuable wet weather running. The #29, sporting a helmet that read “I’m back”, was 2.085s down on Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) at the top of the timesheets, while he was six tenths down on Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – the Ducati rider closest to him.

Evaluating his first day with the team, Iannone said: “I’m really happy. I exited the pitlane to ride a race bike and this is a really good feeling for me. Unfortunately for the weather today but, in any case, I felt very comfortable with everybody, in the paddock and especially in the team. Here in the garage, the feeling is really good. I think today is a little bit of everything, a bit confusing! After a long time, I’ve come back and the feeling with the bike is really good. At Jerez, on the first lap, I thought ‘wow, one more time I’m at this track!’. The first five laps were just fun.”

DAY TWO PLAN: weather dependent… 

With the weather interrupting day one, all eyes are on the skies overnight and on Wednesday morning to see what running will be possible. The hope for everyone is to have dry weather and get a full day of running in but as noted from FP1 on Friday for the Spanish Round, the circuit can take a while to dry out. Iannone addressed what his plan is for the second day of action but stressed that it would depend on the weather.

Expanding on the testing programme, Iannone said: “We will decide on our plan later but it’s good if we ride. We only have 10 days of testing and so maybe we don’t use one because I need track time in the dry. We’ll see the weather and the condition of the track when I arrive. The most important thing right now is that we are here, and we have the possibility to ride. This is the best feeling ever.”

Catch up on the key moments from day one HERE and get instant reaction and highlights using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com