WSBK News

Michael van der Mark says he faced the toughest race conditions he's encountered at the Suzuka 8 Hours during his stints helping the #21 Yamaha Factory Racing Team to a fourth consecutive victory, while securing his own fourth win at the event.

PJ Jacobsen gave an honest review of his steep learning curve having been a late call-up for the factory Honda team at the Suzuka 8 Hours having narrowly missed out on victory.

Jonathan Rea has been left frustrated by his Suzuka 8 Hours crash which dented his Kawasaki Team Green’s victory hopes but still feels positive having demonstrated the team’s strong pace at the iconic event.

The #21 Yamaha Factory Racing Team has survived a frantic Suzuka 8 Hours to defend its title with Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark sharing rider duties with the absence of injured team-mate Katsuyuki Nakasuga, creating history with a fourth consecutive victory for the team.

Bradley Ray feels his #12 Yoshimura Suzuki Motul squad can take the fight to the factory Honda efforts at the Suzuka 8 Hours but concedes fighting with the Kawasaki and Yamaha teams may prove difficult.

Jonathan Rea has followed up yesterday’s lap record at Suzuka by securing pole position for the #11 Kawasaki Team Green for this year’s iconic endurance race with #33 Red Bull Honda with Japan Post slotting into second in front of defending champions Yamaha.

Alex Lowes feels his #21 Yamaha Factory Racing Team’s gains in consistency with its race pace puts the team in a strong position to defend its Suzuka 8 Hours crown despite the lap record pace from Kawasaki on Friday.

Jonathan Rea says he wasn’t expecting to blow away the previous Suzuka qualifying lap record by almost a full second but feels the lap will ultimately not prove to be too important given the challenge of the eight-hour endurance race.

Jonathan Rea has smashed the Suzuka 8 Hours pole position lap record in his second qualifying session as Kawasaki sends out a warning to its factory rivals.

Defending Suzuka 8 Hour champions Yamaha Factory Racing Team has started quickest on the opening day fractionally ahead of the factory Kawasaki squad.

Kawasaki has officially announced that Leon Haslam will be team-mate to reigning World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea for the 2019 season. As rumoured, Haslam takes over from countryman and former champion Tom Sykes, who was recently confirmed as leaving the team.

The Pata Yamaha squad has re-signed both Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes for the 2019 World Superbike championship, confirming an unchanged line-up for next year.

PJ Jacobsen has been promoted to the Red Bull Honda with Japan Post rider line-up to replace the injured Leon Camier, while Randy de Puniet has taken the American’s vacant role at MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO Honda entry.

Kawasaki has confirmed Tom Sykes will leave the team at the end of the 2018 World Superbike championship after nine years at the Japanese manufacturer.

Leon Camier will miss the Suzuka 8 Hours after suffering a vertebra fracture during testing for the iconic endurance event with the factory Red Bull Honda with Japan Post squad.

Michael van der Mark felt he couldn’t find a big enough advantage to fight back against Jonathan Rea in the hunt for victory in race two at Misano but was still content with second to strengthen his third place in the championship.

Jonathan Rea says he feared his Misano double victory would be wrecked after struggling to cut through the pack during race two.

Full WorldSBK qualifying results from Misano

Full WorldSBK FP4 results from Misano Jonathan Rea has demonstrated rapid free practice pace in the final session to send out a warning to his World Superbike rivals at Misano.

The third free practice session at Misano was effectively scratched out by rain at the Italian circuit with only Jordi Torres and Leandro Mercado completing laps while the order remained unchanged to see Lorenzo Savadori end the day on top for Milwaukee Aprilia.

Full WorldSBK FP2 results from Misano Lorenzo Savadori has shot to the top of the practice times in the second session at Misano leading a Milwaukee Aprilia 1-2.

Full WorldSBK FP1 results from Misano Jonathan Rea has kept hold of top spot following his dominant double victory at Laguna Seca last time out during the opening free practice session at Misano.

Tom Sykes says he’s optimistic heading to Misano thanks to strong reference points to work from with the Kawasaki ZX-10RR from previous success at the Italian circuit.

Jonathan Rea says he’s eager to go into the summer break with momentum and feels fresh for the Misano round this weekend.