Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles.
The championship was founded in 1988. The Superbike World Championship consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities. Each round has two full length races and, from 2019, an additional ten-lap sprint race known as the Superpole race.[1][2] The results of all three races are combined to determine three annual World Championships, one for riders, one for manufacturers and, as of 2024, a Teams World Championship.[improper synthesis? (See discussion.)][3]
The motorcycles that race in the championship are tuned versions of motorcycles available for sale to the public, by contrast with MotoGP where purpose built machines are used. MotoGP is the motorcycle world’s equivalent of Formula One, whereas Superbike racing is similar to sports car racing.
Europe is Superbike World Championship’s traditional centre and leading market.[4] However, rounds have been held in the United States, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Russia, Qatar, Thailand, and South Africa and the series plans on keeping extra-European circuits in rotation. An Indonesian race was also proposed for the 2008 season, but this was later cancelled by the FIM,[5] though it was later introduced in the 2021 season.
The championship is regulated by the FIM, the international governing body of motorcycle racing. As of 2024 the championship is organised by Dorna as well as Liberty Media[6]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Logo since 2022 | |
| Category | Motorcycle racing |
|---|---|
| Region | International |
| Inaugural season | 1988 |
| Constructors | BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha |
| Tyre suppliers | Pirelli |
| Riders’ champion | Álvaro Bautista |
| Makes’ champion | Ducati |
| Teams’ champion | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati |
| Official website | worldsbk.com |
| Current season | |
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Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles.
The championship was founded in 1988. The Superbike World Championship consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities. Each round has two full length races and, from 2019, an additional ten-lap sprint race known as the Superpole race.[1][2] The results of all three races are combined to determine three annual World Championships, one for riders, one for manufacturers and, as of 2024, a Teams World Championship.[improper synthesis? (See discussion.)][3]
The motorcycles that race in the championship are tuned versions of motorcycles available for sale to the public, by contrast with MotoGP where purpose built machines are used. MotoGP is the motorcycle world’s equivalent of Formula One, whereas Superbike racing is similar to sports car racing.
Europe is Superbike World Championship’s traditional centre and leading market.[4] However, rounds have been held in the United States, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Russia, Qatar, Thailand, and South Africa and the series plans on keeping extra-European circuits in rotation. An Indonesian race was also proposed for the 2008 season, but this was later cancelled by the FIM,[5] though it was later introduced in the 2021 season.
The championship is regulated by the FIM, the international governing body of motorcycle racing. As of 2024 the championship is organised by Dorna as well as Liberty Media[6]
History[edit]
 | This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events. (April 2024) |
See also: List of Superbike World champions
The Superbike World Championship began in 1988, being open to modified versions of road bike models available to the public. For many years, the formula allowed for machines with 1,000 cc V-twin engines (principally Ducati, but later Aprilia and Honda) to go up against the 750 cc four-cylinder engines (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki). For the first few seasons Honda won with the RC30, but gradually the twins got the upper hand. Using 1,000 cc V-twin engines benefited Ducati and it was able to dominate the championship for many years, but the 750 cc was second or third each year between 1994 and 1999.[citation needed]
Held under the FIM, the Formula TT from 1977 to 1989 once constituted the official motorcycle World Cup. Having proven itself both popular and commercially viable, it was decided by the end of the 1990 season to end the Formula TT and the Superbike World Championship would succeed it.
From 1993 to 1999 Carl Fogarty and Ducati dominated, Fogarty won the title a record four times and finished as runner-up twice on factory Ducatis. Troy Corser also won the 1996 title and finished as runner-up in 1995, both times on a Ducati.
Realizing that 1,000 cc V-twin engines suited the superbike racing formula more, Honda introduced its own V-Twin powered motorcycle the VTR1000 SPW in 2000. The result was clear right away as Colin Edwards won the championship in the bike’s first year of competition. Ducati regained the title in 2001 with Troy Bayliss. Colin Edwards again reclaimed the title in 2002 on the same VTR1000 SPW bike.
2002[edit]
Main article: 2002 Superbike World Championship
Colin Edwards won his second championship in what was arguably the most impressive comeback in the history of motorcycle racing. The season started with Troy Bayliss winning the first 6 races and by the end of race 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca he had 14 wins and was leading the championship by 58 points. Race 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca was the start of Colin Edwards‘ comeback, he went on to win all 9 remaining races and (aided by a race 2 crash for Bayliss at Assen) Edwards won the championship at the final race of the season at Imola. The final race of the season saw both riders fighting wheel to wheel for the entire race. The race is known by fans as the “Showdown at Imola”.
The manufacturer’s championship was won by Ducati. During these years the Superbike World Championship reached the zenith of its popularity, with global fan and full factory support.[7]
2003[edit]
Main article: 2003 Superbike World Championship
In 2003 the FIM changed the rules to allow 1,000 cc machines (twins, triples or four-cylinder) to race. Rule changes in MotoGP to allow four-stroke engines meant that the Japanese manufacturers focused their resources there, leaving the Superbike World Championship with limited factory involvement[8] (only Ducati and Suzuki).
2003 also saw the entry of Carl Fogarty’s Foggy Petronas FP1. The bike was developed under the previous regulations and was powered by a three cylinder 900 cc engine. With most of the field running Ducati motorcycles, the championship received the derogatory title “the Ducati Cup”.[7][9] The factory Ducati Team entered the only two Ducati 999s in the field, taking 20 wins from 24 races in a season where all races were won by Ducati. Neil Hodgson won the title on a factory Ducati.
2004[edit]
Main article: 2004 Superbike World Championship
In an effort to create a more competitive field in 2004 organizers announced a series of changes to the championship. The most significant was that from 2004 the teams have had to run on Pirelli control or ‘spec’ tyres. The decision to award the control tyre to Pirelli was controversial. The Pirelli tyres were considered to be below the standard of Dunlop and Michelin that most of the teams had been using. Dunlop looked to take legal action against the decision[10] while Pirelli claimed that Michelin and Dunlop were also asked if they would be interested in the one-make tyre rule contract.[11] Partly as a result of the control tyres, Motorcycle Sports Manufacturer Association (Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) announced that no MSMA teams would participate in the Superbike World Championship, later modifying their statement allowing Ducati to participate.[7][9]
A few privateers chose to run Japanese bikes in 2004. Ten Kate Honda with Chris Vermeulen as its rider, won races and actually contended for the title that eventually was won by James Toseland and Ducati.[12][13]
2005[edit]
Main article: 2005 Superbike World Championship
Following Ten Kate Honda’s success Japanese motorcycles made a return in 2005 with major teams from all four Japanese manufacturers run through teams ran by European importers.[9] Troy Corser won the 2005 championship, giving Suzuki its first Superbike World Championship title.
2006[edit]
Main article: 2006 Superbike World Championship
2006 saw the return of Australian Troy Bayliss to the Superbike World Championship after three years in MotoGP. The combination of Bayliss and Ducati proved unstoppable and they dominated the season, winning 12 races. Honda-mounted James Toseland and Yamaha’s Noriyuki Haga battled for second with the British rider coming out on top. Defending champion Troy Corser on a Suzuki was fourth. 2006 gave the feeling that the Superbike World Championship was ‘back’ following the years of decline in 2003 and 2004.[9]
2007[edit]
Main article: 2007 Superbike World Championship
With MotoGP machines reduced in capacity from 990 cc to an 800 cc maximum displacement, 1,000 cc Superbikes, both at World Championship and top national championships (AMA Superbike and British Superbike) become the largest capacity bikes (but not the most powerful) being road raced in 2007. While superbikes remained two or more seconds per lap slower than MotoGP bikes at most tracks where both raced, they had equal or more power.[14][15] Troy Bayliss attempted to defend his title, riding once again a Ducati 999. Though 999 production ended in 2006 and the bike was replaced by the Ducati 1098, Ducati produced 150 limited-edition 999s at an elevated race specification to satisfy homologation requirements. Bayliss’ main rivals in his title defense included former MotoGP rider Max Biaggi riding a Suzuki, 2004 champion James Toseland riding a Honda and Noriyuki Haga riding a Yamaha.
The combination of some uneventful races in MotoGP[16][17] and some exciting[18] races in SBK saw the championship’s popularity increase even more.