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Last time out at Sepang International Circuit saw the WorldSSP grid shuffle as Italian Ayrton Badovini took his first win. Joined on the podium by local hero Zulfahmi Khairuddin and Brit Gino Rea, the wet but drying track saw none of the key title rivals up until Round 6 finish on the podium. The next stop is sure to mix things up once again, as the long straights and sweeping corners of Sepang are replaced by the classic parkland circuit of Donington Park in Derbyshire.

Kenan Sofuoglu, reigning Champion and points leader in the series once again after Imola, put on a calm performance in Sepang to ensure he came home with points in tricky conditions. Concentrating on his title rivals instead of his position within the Race in Malaysia, the Turk finished ahead of key rivals Randy Krummenacher – his teammate – and Jules Cluzel. Of those the Turk considers his biggest threats in the search for another WorldSSP crown, only American PJ Jacobsen finished ahead of Sofuoglu in Sepang. The Championship leader won the race at Donington in 2015, too, beating Jules Cluzel over the line by just under a second. Confidence for the most experienced Puccetti rider will be high going into Round 7 at the British parkland circuit.

Kenan Sofuoglu’s rookie teammate Randy Krummenacher, after a sterling start to the season, had less confidence in the wet as the Swiss rider rode the Kawasaki around Sepang for the first time in the conditions. Fast in the dry and setting a new Best Lap that was then only marginally bettered by his veteran teammate, Krummenacher does count on less experience at Donington but has raced at the circuit before, in the 125 World Championship, and will be eager to go toe-to-toe with the Turk once again.

MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel was second at Donington in 2015 and has already won races and set pole positions in 2016 as the traces from his big crash in Jerez last year are slowly fading. The French rider has a good podium record at the track and experience of Donington dating back to before his days as a regular winner in WorldSSP, and will be looking for the same pace in the UK that saw him take a spectacular win in Buriram ealier in the season.

Honda rider PJ Jacobsen, although P5 in the standings after Malaysia, has shown his speed once again in 2016. Expensive crashes in Aragon and Assen when leading mean the American can be said to have fewer points than his pace on track should have earnt, and a calm ride in Malaysia shows the Honda World Supersport Team rider has learnt lessons from his experience. After coming home P5 in Sepang, the number 2 bike was the first of the pre-season favourites for the title to cross the line and Jacobsen is recovering his momentum well.

Local heroes are easy to find on the WorldSSP grid. After last season saw Kyle Ryde take a stunning podium as a wildcard, this year contemporaries such as Kyle Smith and Gino Rea will be attempting to get on the rostrum too as Ryde adjusts to a new team and bike at Schmidt Racing Team. Assen winner Kyle Smith and now twice-podium finisher this season Gino Rea have both had difficult starts to the season, before finding some momentum and traction to haul in the points. Both great riders in the wet, British weather could help out the local heroes too. Reigning national Supersport Champion Luke Stapleford also had a good outing as a wildcard at Donington in 2015, and will be hoping to repeat the feat on his Triumph – the same machine he rode at the track in 2015, and the one on which he won the national crown.

With the crowd sure to be behind them, the WorldSSP race will see the local talents pitched against the classic names at the top of the table, as the lights go out at noon (GMT +1) in the one-off schedule for #UKWorldSBK at Donington Park.