WSBK News

After the factory BMW WorldSBK team officially unveiled their striking new livery last week, the Bonovo Action team led by Garrett Gerloff and Loris Baz have joined them in showcasing their new M 1000 RR machines in a launch at Portimao.

Leon Camier dampens expectations ahead of Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge’s second season in WorldSBK with Team HRC.

Despite making improvements thanks to a raft of new parts, some of which have allowed Iker Lecuona to find more performance during the second half of race simulations during WorldSBK testing, the Honda rider knows that challenging for wins remains out of reach currently.

A hot topic of discussion in WorldSBK has been closed for another season after it’s been confirmed that a minimum combined weight for rider and bike was ruled out.

KRT have unveiled a brand new livery for six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes ahead of the season-opener in just over two weeks time at Phillip Island.

2013 WorldSBK champion Tom Sykes has not lost hope of challenging for victories although ‘one of the secrets to racing is being realistic’, says the Puccetti Kawasaki rider.

Despite speeds of 363.6km/h (225.9mph) being recorded at Mugello last season, a decrease in speed for MotoGP bikes is not expected unless an adjustment is also made to WorldSBK machines.

WorldSBK race winner Michael Van Der Mark is not convinced that the likes of Danilo Petrucci and Remy Gardner are normal ‘rookies’ given their success and experience in other championships.

All WorldSBK champions with Ducati, Davide Tardozzi has called one rider from a list that includes Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Troy Corser and James Toseland a ‘stratospgeric talent’, but who is he referring to?

Although Iker Lecuona ‘felt much better’ at the two-day WorldSBK test in Portimao, the Honda rider remains concerned by the gap to the leaders.

Despite finishing his third WorldSBK test earlier this week, two-time WorldSSP champion Dominique Aegerter remains surprised by the braking prowess of his Yamaha R1 which is ‘something I need to get used to’, says the Swiss rider.

Toprak Razgatlioglu claims to be fully ready for the 2023 WorldSBK season after another strong two-day test in Portimao, albeit one where he finished slower than world champion Alvaro Bautista on both days.

While slower motorcycles being on the same circuit as WorldSBK machinery is the first thing that should change during testing, according to Keith Huewen, the former Grand Prix rider believes Alvaro Bautista was overly critical of Ana Carrasco following their incident in Jerez.

WorldSBK rookie Danilo Petrucci admits he’s ‘still looking for the correct riding style’ after finishing 2.4s down on world champion Alvaro Bautista in Portimao. 

Jonathan Rea was one of four riders to break the existing Portimao WorldSBK lap record during this week’s two-day test, but how that was achieved might be the biggest surprise…

Despite being in ominous form ahead of his WorldSBK title defence, Alvaro Bautista has played down his stunning performance at the Portimao test which saw him break the official lap record.

Alvaro Bautista finished the Portimao WorldSBK test fastest despite a turn seven crash, while Jonathan Rea, Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Toprak Razgatlioglu also went underneath the existing lap record.

Alvaro Bautista’s stunning performance at the Portimao WorldSBK test has continued during the final day after smashing the lap record on race tyres.

Alvaro Bautista was third fastest on the opening day of the Portimao WorldSBK test, after team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Jonathan Rea managed to narrowly pip the reigning champion.

On a day where the Portimao WorldSBK lap record came close to being broken, Remy Gardner signalled his intent by finishing as the fastest rookie by over five tenths.

Quickest on day-one of the Portimao WorldSBK test despite failing to improve with a qualifying tyre, Michael Ruben Rinaldi remains at a loss for his lack of performance over one lap.

One of two WorldSBK rookies making their first appearance of 2023 - the other being MIE Honda rider Eric Granado - Bradley Ray made a solid start aboard the Motoxracing Yamaha as he finished 2.7s down on Michael Ruben Rinaldi.

After finishing second in the opening session of the day, Michael Ruben Rinaldi went one better in the afternoon to end day-one of the Portimao WorldSBK test quickest.

Andrea Dosoli believes the six-rider Yamaha WorldSBK line-up for 2023 is the strongest field of talent it’s had since 2016.