The FIM Sportbike World Championship is the paddock's newest category, and while Championship leader David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI), has already caught the eye of a team in the WorldSSP category, the highly anticipated title fight is nearing its conclusion. All three WorldSPB titles- the Riders’- the Teams’ – and the Manufacturers’ Championships could be decided at the EICMA Italian Round’s Cremona Circuit; however, several hungry riders like Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) are looking to push the fight for the crown on to their final round of the season at Jerez.
SALVADOR LOOKING TO SHUT THE DOOR
After back-to-back wins at Misano and Aragon, Salvador was kept off the top step of the podium at Magny-Cours, meaning that while he lost four points to Artigas, who now sits in P2, he has a 30-point lead coming into the first two of the final four races this year. Cremona Circuit will be a relative wildcard, as the #38 and many of the grid’s riders haven’t competed here in other competitions. Look for him to get out in front early, with his standout one-lap pace, as he's dominated Fridays so far this season with a stunning four consecutive pole positions. Artigas has been up around the podium fight all season but has found something relatively recently with two wins and a P2 over the last six races. He won’t give an inch to his countryman, and if he can keep the #38 from outscoring him by 20 or 21 points – depending on results – he will push match point to Jerez.
TORRES WITH A PRAYER FROM P3
Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) sat in P2 after Race 1 at Magny-Cours; however, an unfortunate Race 2 crash saw the #34 pass him, and now Torres finds himself 51 points back from his teammate. To keep his title hopes intact, he will need to prevent the #38 from taking points on him, so teammates or not, look for him to give the #38 a run for his money. Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) is the last rider with a mathematical shot at the title; if he can take more than 24 points on the Spaniard across both races, his title dreams will remain possible at Jerez. The Australian Yamaha rider has been one of the hottest riders on track recently; after no podiums in the first three rounds, he’s taken four over the last three. Results from Aprilia’s Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) have taken a step back recently after DNF woes at Aragon and Misano, but look for him to close out the season strong after his emphatic win at Most. Six points behind the Italian, Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) missed the action at Magny-Cours with a shoulder injury suffered during a wildcard Euro Moto appearance at Assen during the summer break, and will hope to return to action and end his season atop the Suzuki GSX-8R on a high note pending his medical check on Thursday
THIN MARGINS IN THE TOP TEN
Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) now sits in seventh after continuing his hellacious tear of strong form; after no finishes better than P7 all season, he’s managed four podiums and a Magny-Cours win over the last three rounds. Just two points behind Buis, if he keeps up this form, he could be a threat even to Vannucci up in P5. Only seven points behind the Brit, Belgian rider Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) returned to the top six in Race 1 last round, his first time with a result as strong since Assen, if he wants to move past Buis and Seabright ahead of him, or prevent himself from falling behind Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) just eight points back, he will need to find some of the early-season pace that saw him win at Assen in that round’s Suzuki double. While his Race 1 win at home in Misano was a nice confirmation of pace after a podium at Most, Magny-Cours was a struggle for the Italian. He landed P14 and P20 over the round’s pair of races, far behind the rider in tenth in the Championship standings, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki), who impressed with a P2 in Superpole, before bagging P5 and P6 on Saturday and Sunday. Like the riders ahead of them in the latter half of the top 10, with such slim margins, it will be a make-or-break couple of races to come at Cremona.
TONN TO BE REVIEWED FOR RETURN
Phillip Tonn (Kove Racing Team 109) has missed much of this season after a hand injury at Most and a subsequent infection to the wound, but the German is eyeing a return at the Italian circuit and will be reviewed before the round. If he is ruled fit, he will ride out onto pit lane alongside Spanish teammate Benat Fernandez, who was crowned Red Bull Rookies Cup Champion on Sunday at Austria’s Red Bull Ring. Fernandez will look to close out his World Sportbike season’s final two rounds in a similar successful fashion at lights out on Friday After missing the Acerbis French Round with injury, Arai Agaska (ProGP NitiRacing) is hoping to return as well pending a medical revision pre-round. Riding as the round’s only wildcard, Italian rider Manuel Rocca (Team Rosso e Nero Moto Club) will compete on a Triumph Daytona 660.
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