News

Of all the championship classes in the WSBK paddock in 2011 the Superstock 600 category is the one where predictions and pre-conceived ideas have been overturned most often.

In six races we have had no fewer than six different winners, from six different teams, including one wild card rider (Giuliano Gregorini - RCGM Team Yamaha, at Misano). There have been race winners from five different countries - France, Australia, USA, Italy and the Netherlands. There have been wins from three different manufacturers - the usual candidates from Yamaha and Honda and now the first Kawasaki win since 2006.

In short the class has been electrified by new talent and old values of low cost and easy participation, hence the top seven riders are covered by 43 points, the leader Romain Lanusse (MRS Racing Yamaha) is only 13 points up on second place rider Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Yamaha). Silverstone race winner Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) is third, Brno Race winner Dino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) sits fourth, only two points behind Day. Riccardo Russo (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) has yet to win a race but his Silverstone third place puts him ahead of Assen race winner Michael van Der Mark (Ten Kate Junior Team Honda).

With the same four rounds left to run as every other class there is nothing in the current form book to say any of the top riders are sure of their final positions yet, especially in a division where the rules of engagement - and even the main protagonists - change every single week. It's been a particularly entertaining Superstock 600 season so far, and we can expect much more of the same as the final races unfold.