30th Season of WorldSBK
The prestigious championship starts its 30th season
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will reach a landmark year in 2017 as it heads into its 30th season. Fans have been enjoying the exhilarating racing action for three decades, WorldSBK.com takes a look back at some key points of the championship so far.
Kicking off at the famous Donington Park circuit back in 1988, Italian Davide Tardozzi was the first rider to stand on the top step of a WorldSBK podium. American Fred Merkel went on to take the championship trophy for two consecutive seasons aboard Honda’s remarkable RC30.
European domination quickly took over, as the championship entered the French Revolution with Raymond Roche taking the first of his two titles in 1990. This was the first of 17 titles Ducati have won in the series.
Into the late 1990’s the series welcomed the Fogarty Era, as British rider Carl Fogarty became the most successful rider in WorldSBK history - with 59 wins and four World Titles to his name. In 1996 Suzuki entered the title fight with Troy Corser, whilst Honda secured the world title the following season with John Kozinski aboard the RC45. ‘King’ Fogarty came back to his winning ways in 1998; however he was forced to retire with injury in 2000.
A new decade brought in new stars and rivalries. Troy Bayliss and Colin Edwards captured the imagination of the fans with their great rivalry, creating some of the greatest battles the series has ever seen. In order to make the series more about the rider skill than the type of tyre, Pirelli was introduced as the single tyre manufacturer in 2004, the same year James Toseland became the youngest ever winner of the title.
Troy Corser won his second title – nine years after his first one - aboard the powerful Suzuki 1000cc machine before fellow Australian Bayliss returned in the mid 00’s. In more recent seasons WorldSBK has been attracting the likes of former MotoGP™ riders Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa, who went on to win WorldSBK titles. In 2009 Yamaha’s rookie sensation Ben Spies claimed the title and Yamaha’s sole WorldSBK title. Fans are now treated to a surge in British talent, and it will take some strong rivals to stop them.
WorldSBK has raced at over 45 circuits over the years, and continues to add tracks to its calendar, with some – such as Donington Park – remaining on the calendar since the lights turned green for the very first time. On top of this there have been over 20 countries visited in the last 30 seasons, making the championship a well established global sport.
It’s not only WorldSBK which entertains the fans over the weekend, the support series have always been an integral part of the essence of the series. Young talent grows up through the classes and creates their own success stories within the WorldSBK family. From the European Superstock 600 series to the new WorldSSP300 class, there has always been an opportunity to enter a worldwide paddock with WorldSBK.
As the popularity and the talent involved continues to grow, WorldSBK has thrilled with on track action and rivalries for 30 seasons, and it is certainly set to delight for 30 more.
