Every day is a learning day, apparently. So, whilst the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is on a well-earnt summer break after eight rounds, take a look through some of the biggest takeaways from the year so far. Whether it’s the title fight, Kawasaki’s plight, a new star’s might or the transfer market’s dynamite, we hope you find this recap a delight. Take the plunge below!
THE TITLE RACE ISN’T OVER: Bautista leads as Razgatlioglu’s momentum builds
OK; you may have a license to say ‘well, that’s stretching it’ but hear us out; after Imola’s Race 1, the gap between Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was 98. In just four races, that was halved to 49 and it could’ve been 44 after Race 2 at Most if it wasn’t for a tyre failure whilst leading for the Turk. Yes, it was wet, yes it was a flag-to-flag, yes Bautista crashed etc, but these are all things that can happen in racing. Sometimes, its rider error, other times bad luck, some occasions with slightly more favourable conditions, the list of variables goes on. That’s why the Championship isn’t over yet. Razgatlioglu has had good momentum of late and been able to fight with Bautista longer into the race and he’s shown he can beat him. Magny-Cours is up next, a track he loves – can a surprise come his way there?
KAWASAKI’S STRUGGLES ARE REAL: podium the target most rounds
After the two overseas rounds, it would have been easy to say that when we get back to Europe, the form will level out. In some ways, it has done; Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) hasn’t suffered in the same way he did in the dry of Australia and Indonesia, but he’s not bounced back straight into victory contention either. The aging base of the ZX-10RR has seen Rea ride more on the limit than ever before, sometimes over the limit in his bid to make up the shortfalls of his machine. However, podiums have been achieved and in the drizzle of Most’s Race 1, an intermediate tyre choice saw him take a first win of the year. He’s back in third place in the Championship standings but the package is no longer a Championship challenger; Rea has a contract for 2024 to stay with Kawasaki but rumours are growing about a possible move to Yamaha. Time will tell.
BASSANI’S STEP FORWARD: confirmed pace for the #47, a win only a matter of time?
From unsung hero to race win contender, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) has been having a phenomenal 2023. A real revelation for Lorenzo Mauri’s team, he’s been competitive at almost every round. A first podium of the year came at Misano, but it was on the second trip to Italy where he really shone. A race leader in both full races at Imola, most notably the second race where he battled with Toprak Razgatlioglu for victory, the #47 has been a joy to watch at times. At the same time, with more race pace, has come an improved Friday and Saturday, meaning the 24-year-old Venetian is becoming more of a full package. In the last four rounds, he’s scored the fourth-highest number of points, whilst he’s comfortably ahead of the second factory Ducati of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with 207 points to Bassani and 147 to Rinaldi. The two’s rivalry has also spiralled in 2023, with a particular high point in Barcelona. Bassani’s goal is to win a race; with four rounds and 12 races to go, he’s one to keep an eye on.
PETRUCCI’S PROGRESS: from first thought woes to podium celebrations
After the opening two rounds of 2023, Danilo ‘Petrux’ Petrucci wasn’t sure if it was the right decision to make a return to World Championship action, but now, he’s sure it was the correct move. The double MotoGP™ Grand Prix winner has mounted the podium on three occasions: the first at Donington Park in Race 2, which led to fabulous scenes of celebration for team boss Marco Barnabo, whilst the second and third were a P3 and P2 at Most, the latter after a final lap battle with Jonny Rea. Petrucci has shown he’s competitive and whilst the first win eludes him for now, he’s improving with each outing on the bike. Upcoming rounds will be key if he’s to win before the year ends, whilst Bassani is 52 points ahead of him in the standings.
HONDA AND BMW STRUGGLE: a familiar story, but improvements are coming
It’s been a tricky 2023 for both Honda and BMW, for different reasons. A podium gave reason to celebrate for Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and the rest of the Honda camp, but they’ve not looked like repeating that at any point since. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) has suffered more crashes than in the same period of 2022 and hasn’t repeated his podium achievement of 12 months ago either; he was also injured in a crash with Petrucci at Misano, but Honda’s results haven’t shown the step they’ve made. For BMW, it’s been slightly different; Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) was uncompetitive at the start of the year and unhappy too, with just six top ten finishes in the opening 15 races. Then, form turned around at Donington Park with a P4 in Race 2, whilst he was fast again at Most, but no podiums. As for teammate Michael van der Mark, the Dutchman was in good form at Mandalika before a big crash, whilst another massive incident at Assen side-lined him until Most. Both are in a fight for fourth in the Manufacturers’ Championship standings and are bringing upgrades at the upcoming Aragon test; for BMW, they’ll introduce their super concession.
THE TRANSFER MARKET IS OFF THE SCALE: silly season but when the rumours are plausible…
If you’d have said at the start of 2023, start of the racing season or even, the start of the Imola WorldSBK weekend that there are rumours about Jonathan Rea moving to Yamaha, you’d probably be laughed out the paddock. However, the rumours have been put to all concerned and whilst being clear that they are rumours, there’s talk of change for the six-time World Champion – who is “thinking a lot right now” into summer. Then, there’s the second factory Ducati seat, with Rinaldi seemingly surplus to requirements and with his future not clear. We move to BMW, who have already signed Razgatlioglu, but are yet to commit to who his teammate will be, with both Redding and van der Mark apparently contracted for next year and keen to stay, whilst Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has a place confirmed to stay where he is. Honda haven’t spoken much but with Iker Lecuona doing more MotoGP™ racing, is it something he’s looking for in his future?
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Source: WorldSBK.com