News

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship garage doors will be opened for the first time in 2017 at Circuito de Jerez next week from 24^th – 25^th January, ahead of a month of testing. 12 WorldSBK, World Supersport and European Superstock 1000 teams will be present in Andalucía, and it will be their first chance of the year to understand what progress will need to be made before Round One in Australia.

Next week we will see teams return to Jerez for a two day test; with many keen to get out on track as soon as possible to collect data, with just over a month to go before WorldSBK goes down under. Kawasaki Racing Team, Aruba.it Racing –Ducati, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team, Milwaukee Aprilia, Althea BMW Racing Team, Barni Racing Team, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, and Honda World Superbike Team will be present at the test. All these WorldSBK teams will have different aspects to test, varying from new bikes to a new team structure. It will be an interesting insight into what we are to expect ahead of the 2017 season, with over half the teams out on track.

On top of these WorldSBK teams, Southern Spain will welcome WorldSSP’s CIA Landlord Insurance Honda, GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, Orelac Racing VerdNatura and the STK1000 Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team. A jam packed two days of testing will build anticipation, and riders will be greeted with a busy track.

Just day’s later teams will travel to Portugal as the WorldSBK series returns to the Autódromo Int. do Algarve; this could be the chance for teams to get some data which could be pivotal in September. Taking just one season out from competing at the Portuguese circuit, advances have been made on the WorldSBK machines over this last season, meaning any new data collected will be crucial. MV Agusta Reparto Corse will be present at their one and only test before travelling over to Australia, meaning it will be an important two days for Leon Camier and PJ Jacobsen.

Milwaukee Aprilia are putting in the miles as they take their newly structured team to the Algarve and will build on what has been learnt so far over the pre-season. Barni Racing Team and Althea BMW Racing Team will again make an appearance as Guandalini Racing look to take their first steps of the New Year.

The WorldSBK series gets one final chance to test in Europe, returning to the Circuito de Jerez for the first two days of February - from the 1^st to 2^nd. Before flying over to Australia for the highly anticipated season opener, Kawasaki Racing Team, Milwaukee Aprilia and Guandalini Racing make the final steps ahead of the official test.

2017 will fully get underway in Melbourne for the Official Phillip Island  Test on 20^th-21^st February, days before the opening Free Practise which commences on 24^th February. All teams will be present over this test, and it will give us a glimpse of what action we may be treated to across the weekend.