WSBK News

Click here for the combined results from day two of the WorldSBK Phillip Island test

Click here for the combined results from the opening day of the World Superbike Phillip Island test

Honda Motor Europe has appointed Chris Pike as its new operations manager in the World Superbike championship replacing the outgoing Marco Chini.

Dorna and the FIM’s efforts to balance the 2018 World Superbike field have come in for criticism from Pere Riba, who believes the decision to further limit the rev limits of successful machines through the year “are not fair, and not clever.”

A fighting fit Tom Sykes believes a winter of recovery and reflection has been ideal preparation for 2018, a year that will see him adjusting his approach for the 26 races that lie ahead.

Jonathan Rea has revealed the fear of defeat is the main motivating factor ahead 2018 as he puts the finishing touches to preparations for a challenge that could result in a record-equalling fourth World Superbike crown.

Kawasaki has revealed its colour scheme in which riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes will compete throughout the 2018 World Superbike season.

Pata Yamaha has officially unveiled its 2018 World Superbike championship squad with the unaltered line-up of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, with the factory Yamaha World Supersport, World Supersport 300 and Endurance World Championship teams also presented at an event at Portimao.

Magny-Cours has secured a deal with World Superbike organisers Dorna to host the French round until at least the 2022 season.

Chaz Davies is aiming to give the v-twin Ducati Panigale R a winning final campaign in the World Superbike championship before it is retired for the Italian manufacturer’s news V4 bike.

The Aruba.it Racing Ducati squad has pulled the wraps off its 2018 World Superbike challenger, the final Panigale R, alongside riders Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri.

Laguna Seca has undergone circuit improvements ahead of the 2018 season including fan amenity updates and a new bridge over the start/finish straight.

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing has launched its World Superbike and World Supersport squads in preparation for the 2018 season and revealed Leon Haslam is lined up for a wildcard outing at the Imola round.

Northern Ireland will host the World Superbike championship from 2019 after the Lake Torrent Circuit secured a three-year deal with organisers Dorna.

Milwaukee Aprilia team boss Shaun Muir has underlined his squad’s predicted 2018 gains by hinting at the Aprilia factory developments made with its RSV4 RF over the winter.

Jonathan Rea says despite curtailed running on the final day of the Portimao test he was able to complete his full testing programme with Kawasaki ahead of the 2018 season opener in Australia.

Leon Camier says he’s gained a confidence boost from the progress made at the pre-season tests at Jerez and Portimao with his new Red Bull Honda package but accepts plenty of development gains are still required to catch the front-runners.

Jonathan Rea has topped the timesheet on both days of the Portimao test for Kawasaki but saw Red Bull Honda’s Leon Camier and Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes close the deficit.

Jonathan Rea has sent out a warning shot to his World Superbike rivals with stunning lap times on the opening day of the Portimao pre-season test as he topped the timesheet by almost half a second from Tom Sykes.

The 2018 World Superbike championship will welcome a small tweak to its free practice schedule with three practice sessions run on Friday plus a new fourth session on Saturday morning before Superpole qualifying.

Loris Baz is gearing up for his World Superbike championship return having joined Gulf Althea BMW as its sole rider for the 2018 campaign and is content with the progress made at the Jerez test adapting back to the series.

Tom Sykes says he’s approaching the 2018 World Superbike championship with a different mindset having grabbed the headlines by topping the timesheet at the second day of the Jerez pre-season test.

Leon Camier has hailed the early 2018 developments his Red Bull Honda squad has made on the Fireblade with chassis and exhaust upgrades at Jerez and will switch focus to race runs at the Portimao test.

Full World Superbike test results from day two at Jerez