Ex-MotoGP rider Jonas Folger to make WorldSBK debut in Barcelona
Former MotoGP rider Jonas Folger has confirmed he will become the latest rider with experience in the grand prix categories to make his WorldSBK Championship bow with a wild-card outing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
A three-time Moto2 race winner, Folger made his MotoGP debut in 2017 with the Tech 3 Yamaha team and impressed with a number of top ten finishes and a famous run to second place at his home German MotoGP at the Sachsenring.
However, his MotoGP career came to an abrupt halt towards the end of his rookie campaign when he was diagnosed with Gilbert’s Syndrome, a debilitating illness that saps energy and put him out of any meaningful action until a handful of Moto2 outings in 2019.
For 2020 though, Folger is competing in the German-based IDM Superbike series with the Team Benovo Action by MGM Racing Yamaha. Making his debut at Assen last weekend, Folger duly marked his debut with a dominant win in both races.
He will now go ahead and test himself against the world’s best aboard the Yamaha R1 around a Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya he will know better than most as a brand-new addition to the WorldSBK calendar.
“I am really happy to make my debut in World Superbike. It’s a very interesting class and I really like to ride the 1000cc motorcycles.
“With many riders already in this category that I have been racing in the past, the level is really high in WorldSBK. After such a long time not racing in the World Championship, I’m really looking forward to it!”
