Runner-up to Bayliss last year, and the second of the former WSBK champions present in 2007, is Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's
James Toseland. Last season saw the young Briton brilliantly rebuild his career, after being sacked by Ducati, and he now carries Honda's hopes for its first title since
Colin Edwards in 2002.
Toseland, who turned down a
MotoGP ride for a shot at his second title, will be joined by former grand prix rider Roby Rolfo, who has been given a golden opportunity for WSBK success after moving from a privateer Ducati team. The Italian has been steady in testing, but will be expected to improve race-on-race as he adjusts to the CBR1000RR.
Completing the three former WSBK champions is double champion
Troy Corser, who lost his Suzuki seat to Biaggi after a tough 2006 - but was quickly snapped up by Yamaha Italia. The Australian thus has a point to prove, while the re-signing of another WSBK legend,
Noriyuki Haga, means that Yamaha has high hopes of fighting for the 2007 crown.
In the PSG-1 Kawasaki camp,
Regis Laconi and
Fonsi Nieto return with the latest version of the ZX-10R, each predicting their best ever season on four-cylinder machinery. Ducati's former title runner-up Laconi has the better long-term SBK formbook, but the ever-improving Nieto is tipped by some to be not far away from race-winning pace this season, with increased support from the Kawasaki factory.
Outside of the five factory supported teams, Honda are impressively armed with Steve Martin and
Michel Fabrizio on DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR machines, while a new name in SBK racing, Alto Evolution Honda, will field 2004 World Supersport champion
Karl Muggeridge and former WSS race winner Josh Brookes.
Ducati will support former SBK race winner
Ruben Xaus on a Team Sterilgarda 999F06, plus the new talents of Jakub Smrz (Team Caracchi Ducati SC 999F05) and Dean Ellison (Team Pedercini 999RS). Ellison has competed in SBK races before, as a wild-card at previous British rounds, but 2007 will mark his first full season.
