2018 MEDIA GUIDE 2 | Dear Media Friends and Colleagues, We are delighted to present the WorldSBK Media Guide for the 2018 information regarding teams, riders, bikes, results, statistics, circuit season, complete with all information needed throughout the MOTUL profiles, rules and regulations than ever before. Supporting your passion FIM Superbike World Championship, accompanying you for what is set and work across the 13 Rounds of the Championship, this Guide will to be an exhilarating season. With new riders, new regulations, new continue to help you in producing that much appreciated coverage. sessions and new circuits there is plenty to provide excitement for 2018. Due to the devotion and professionalism from all parties involved, the On top of this, the series maintains the Pure Experience provided for fans MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues to reach pure On and Off Track. motorsport success, and we take this opportunity to extend our thanks to WorldSBK continues to bring fans of the world’s fastest production- the Media in all forms. based motorcycle series new and exciting initiatives, keeping them on We are delighted to continue to offer the popular Pure Media the edge of their seats and ensuring the fans are fully installed at the Experiences for 2018, an initiative which provides members of the media heart of the action. By introducing new rules and regulations into the with the opportunity see behind the scenes of important elements of championship, it will allow even more riders to be fighting at the front of the Championship and to understand how the prestigious series works. the competitive field which brings more parity into the class. You will be guaranteed a warm welcome from our Communications We have once again produced the Media Guide as an all-inclusive Department over the course of the season, as we hope to provide the reference book for all Media Representatives, which contains more best working environment possible. Thank you for your continued dedication and support! All the best, WorldSBK Communications Department | 3 WorldSBK riders 4 | | 5 6 | MEDIA OFFICE REGISTERED OFFICE: Dorna WSBK Organization S.r.l. : Viale Luca Gaurico 9-11, Narcís Monturiol 2, 08960, Sant Just Desvern - Spain 00143 Rome - Italy Tel. +34 934 738 494 HEADQUARTERS: WorldSBK Communications Department Dorna WSBK Organization S.r.l. Via Sudafrica 7, [email protected] 00144 Rome - Italy SPANISH BRANCH: Dorna WSBK Organization S.r.l. Sucursal en España: Narcìs Monturiol, 2 08960 Sant Just Desvern Barcelona – Spain | 7 CONTENTS Quick guide WorldSBK riders 5 Information 10 WorldSBK riders 30 WorldSSP riders 74 WorldSSP300 entry list 106 European Superstock 1000 entry list 110 Rounds 114 Yamaha Finance Australian Round 116 MOTUL Thai Round 118 Pirelli Aragón Round 120 MOTUL Dutch Round 122 Pata Italian Round 124 Prosecco Doc UK Round 126 Acerbis Czech Round 128 Geico US Round 130 Pirelli Riviera de Rimini Round 132 Portuguese Round 134 French Round 136 MOTUL Argentinean Round 138 Qatar Round 140 Stats and Results 142 Key Rules 160 Tools 176 Manufacturers 182 8 | 1 INFORMATION 10 | | 11 BROADCASTERS 2018 EUROSPORT BEIN SPORTS FOX SPORTS ESPORT 3 SKY SPORT FLOW SPORTS MEDIASET OSN FOX LATIN AMERICAN ESPN BRASIL CHANNELS SPORT TV ITV SPILER TV J SPORTS TELEDEPORTE TVE SUPERSPORT SERVUS TV SBS AUSTRALIA 12 | | 13 14 | Born in 1988, the World Superbike championship began with the and Troy Bayliss, were able to battle for the title into the ethos of bringing production-based motorbikes to the track. millennium, attracting worldwide coverage. Following this growth Appealing to the ordinary bike fan, the series’ popularity grew in popularity, WorldSBK now welcomes more than half a million rapidly as it attracted big personalities who allowed the sport to trackside spectators every year. grow and be shaped into what it is today; one of the world’s most As Pirelli came in as single tyre manufacturer, James Toseland prestigious bike racing series. became the youngest World Superbike champion in 2004 with Starting with Fred Merkel taking back-to-back championships Ducati, holding off Frenchman Regis Laconi before Australian aboard the Honda RC30, the series continued to progress into pair Troy Corser and Troy Bayliss continued to reign in 2005 and the ‘glory years’ - birthing stars still around today. With over 17 2006. Housing some of the greatest on-track battles seen in different World Champions crowned since the series’ inaugural motorbike racing, the international paddock became even more season 31 years ago, the ever-changing grid and thrill of racing renowned in the world of motorsport. have kept fans and riders captivated ever since. Although an active manufacturer in the series since it began, The early 1990’s saw the American Dream live on - despite Yamaha took their first title in 2009 with American rookie a French Revolution - as Raymond Roche gave Ducati their Ben Spies after a hotly-fought season long battle with former first WorldSBK crown. Doug Polen and Scott Russell took MotoGP™ rider Max Biaggi. Battles between Biaggi and the the honors respectively for Ducati and Kawasaki ahead of experienced Carlos Checa emerged in the following seasons, the ‘Fogarty Era’. That saw the popularity of World Superbike before we entered the ‘Kawasaki era’, seeing both take world skyrocket and allowed it to establish a firm fan base who still titles. flock to circuits today, as close and edge of your seat racing Dorna Sports took over of the rights to the series in 2013 and became the basis for this ever popular series. WorldSBK has continued to go from strength to strength. With ‘King’ Carl Fogarty made his mark on the series from 1994 with four different classes coming to blows every weekend, the series Ducati’s 916. The Brit secured four world titles, as well as facing provides some of the closest racing action in the world, with stiff competition from the likes of Honda’s Colin Edwards and seven manufacturers now taking to the grid to put on one of the Suzuki’s Troy Corser. The trio, along with Ducati’s Neil Hodgson greatest shows on earth. | 15 From 2013, British rider Tom Sykes led a resurgence for the in 1999 to become the FIM Supersport World Championship. green machine of the Kawasaki. The Japanese factory have Fans were treated to an array of different manufacturers battling dominated the series for the last five seasons, despite clear for the title in the early years, and Stephane Chambon was the competition from Sylvain Guintoli and Aprilia in 2014. It’s first FIM title holder for Suzuki in 2000. Yamaha took their turn been the Kawasaki lineup of Sykes and Jonathan Rea who at glory at the turn of the millennium – Jorg Teuchert was able have been taking control of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World to take those honours - before Andrew Pitt took Kawasaki to Championship we have today. the top in 2001. Astonishingly, the series then saw a fourth Becoming the first rider to take back to back titles since Fogarty, manufacturer stand on top over all, with Frenchman Fabien Foret Rea now has three consecutive titles to his name, securing his riding the Honda to glory in 2002 with Ten Kate. third in dominant style with two rounds of the 2017 season Australian domination entered the field in 2003, with Chris remaining. Making history, Rea looks unstoppable as he begins Vermeulen victorious in 2003 before Karl Muggeridge mirrored his journey for his fourth title but faces stiff competition from his heroics a season later. Records were then made in 2006 team-mate Sykes and Chaz Davies on the Ducati Panigale R as Sebastien Charpentier became the first rider to take back which is in its final year. to back WorldSSP titles. However, it wasn’t long before Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu came onto the scene, taking the 2007 crown. 2008 saw Andrew Pitt make his return to the top with Ten Kate Honda, and in 2009 World Supersport became one of the most fiercely competitive series as four manufactures were capable of fighting for podium finishes. A season-long battle Unmissable action is provided for fans once again as World between Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty emerged, with Supersport continues to be the main support class for Crutchlow crowned champion on his Yamaha YZF-R6, ahead of WorldSBK, but the Championship provides its own world class Laverty on his Parkalgar Honda. racing worthy of its own accolade. With a permanent entry list of In 2010 it was a new decade but experienced champions, as 23 riders, all capable of putting up a strong fight, the grid is one Sofuoglu took his second title with Ten Kate Honda; despite which will stir up all levels of drama. tense competition from Joan Lascorz with Kawasaki and Welcomed into the paddock as a European class, it became a Eugene Laverty on the Parkalgar Honda, Sofuloglu clinched the World Series in 1997 with Paolo Casoli taking this first crown crown by only a handful points in the final round. British riders for Ducati in 1997, before it was taken under the FIM’s umbrella continued to filter through the ranks, and 2011 saw Chaz Davies 16 | bounce back from a tough season opener to take the title in a welcomed even more drama, with Sofuoglu sidelined following highly competitive year. a massive crash around the French circuit of Magny-Cours, 2012 welcomed the true beginning of the Sofuoglu era, as the and Frenchman Lucas Mahias was able to take advantage of former champion returned to the series with Lorenzini Kawasaki his championship lead on board the Yamaha YZF-R6, and was and in turn became the most successful rider ever in the class.