PBM Get Dialled In At Croft

Seven times and defending British Superbike champions Paul Bird Motorsport have blown off the  COVID-19 induced cobwebs this week following news that the Bennetts British Superbike Championship is set to start in August.

Former champion Josh Brookes and teammate Christian Iddon followed up a shakedown at Teesside Motorsport Park last week with a fully blown exclusive test at Croft Circuit earlier this week for the Penrith-based squad who won the title with MotoGP exile Scott Redding last year.

Australian Brookes finished a close runner up after winning ten races, including a hat-trick at the final round, so aims to go one better when the series gets underway at Donington Park over the weekend of August 7/8/9th.

Joining him in Paul Bird’s team is new recruit Christian Iddon who is now based in the North East and will  have an identical factory-supported 1000cc VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R at his disposal for the proposed six-round series.

Brookes was BSB champion in 2015 and is the third most successful rider in the history of the series winning 49 races so far. Iddon, meanwhile, was the 2019 Rider’s Cup champion despite having suffered a broken leg during the year.

Both riders enjoyed a very productive day at Croft where they spent time developing the new bikes having been inactive following the worldwide shutdown of sport in March, just as the 2020 season was about to start.

Also on track was Penrith-born driver Frank Bird who was in action in the Ford Focus WRC in which he  won five of the eight rounds of the 2019/2020 Motoring News MSVR Circuit Rally Championship. 20-year-old Frank is combining a season in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for Bentley as well as challenging for honours in various selected events in the Ford Focus WRC.

The revised calendar for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship will be over six rounds, all featuring three races making 18 rounds in total.

Aug 7/9           Rounds 1/2/3               Donington Park (National Circuit)

Aug 21/23       Rounds 4/5/6               Snetterton

Sept 4/6          Rounds 7/8/9               Silverstone (National Circuit) – Behind Closed Doors

Sept 18/20      Rounds 10/11/12         Oulton Park

Oct 2/4            Rounds 13/14/15         Donington Park (GP Circuit)

Oct 16/18        Rounds 16/17/18         Brands Hatch (GP Circuit)
 

There will be a pair of behind-closed-doors tests next month and organisers are hoping to allow spectators at five of the six venues which have been chosen for their logistical advantages but is dependent on the further relaxing of social distancing measures by the Government and guidance from the sport’s governing authorities. Silverstone has already announced their round will be behind closed doors.

Frank’s revised schedule starts next month and is as follows:

July 10/11       Spa (Test)

July 25/26       Imola 3 Hours

Sept 5/6          Nürburgring 8 Hours

Sept 29/30      Total 24 Hours of Spa (Test)

Oct 22/25        Total 24 Hours of Spa

Nov 13/15       Paul Ricard 1000km

BBC Look North presenter Dawn Thewlis attended the test and featured over three and a half minutes of primetime terrestrial television coverage including action and interviews on both their lunchtime news and early evening shows on Thursday.

Extra races headline schedule change for WorldSSP and WorldSSP300

The return of all three Championships will bring more racing action, with additional races in place for the support classes to WorldSBK.

The 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will return to action on the 31st July at the Circuito de Jerez, along with the FIM Supersport (WorldSSP) and FIM Supersport 300 World Championships (WorldSSP300). Both WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 will feature revised weekend schedules starting in Europe, composing of an additional race for each class on Saturday after their respective Tissot Superpole sessions have been completed.

WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole will happen directly before the class’ Last Chance Race, whilst WorldSBK Race 1, WorldSSP Race 1 and then WorldSSP300 Race 1 will follow. The overall event schedule changes mean that now, racing action will begin for all classes on Saturday, with full Championship points awarded in all races.

Both Championships will continue to add exhilarating racing to the WorldSBK class and like in World Superbike, everyone’s safety from both Championship’s is an absolute priority and uncompromising in returning to action. Both classes will follow the same calendar to WorldSBK and with strict guidelines in place, will mean more racing than ever before for the two support classes have ever seen.

Gregorio Lavilla, Executive Director, WorldSBK Sporting and Organisation departments said: “Firstly, it is a great satisfaction that we can announce a safe return to racing for all three classes. The history of both WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 enriches the atmosphere of the WorldSBK paddock, often providing some of the closest racing all season, as well as allowing the stars of the future to flourish on the world stage. 2020 has provided its obstacles but thanks to the hard work, tenacity and determination of all parties involved, we will return to the world’s circuits with all three classes. We now look forward hugely to the recommencement of racing at Jerez, whilst welcoming back all corners of the racing paddock.”

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship/

FIM Supersport and Supersport 300 World Championships

2020 Provisional calendar, UPDATE: 19 June

After the forced stop in place due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship can finally restart. After discussions with the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), Governments, Circuits, paddock personnel and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO), a provisional calendar for the 2020 season can be confirmed.

The Championship’s return will initially be held without public and with a limited media presence, although the situation is subject to specific government mass gathering guidelines and will be updated in due course.

7/31-8/2 Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, Spain

8/7-9 Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal

8/28-30 MotorLand Aragon, Spain

9/4-6 MotorLand Aragon, Spain

9/18-20 Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain

10/2-4 Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France

10/9-11 Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina*

11/6-8 Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, San Marino*

TBD Donington Park, United Kingdom**

TBD TT Circuit Assen, The Netherlands**

TBD Losail International Circuit, Qatar**

*Event to be confirmed

**To Be Determined

Rea And KRT Renew Record-Breaking Partnership

Five-time FIM Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea will continue his record-breaking partnership with Kawasaki and KRT after signing a new multi-year contract.

Rea has won five consecutive WorldSBK championships as a KRT rider, starting in his first Kawasaki year in 2015. The most successful WorldSBK racer in history, the vast majority of Jonathan’s championship points and race wins have been earned while riding Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR machinery creating a legend in the process.

With one race win under his belt already this season, at the only 2020 round to be held so far in Australia, Rea’s competitive nature is as strong as ever as he goes for title number six. Signing his new contract demonstrates his intention to build on and extend his winning streak well beyond this current season.

Jonathan’s ambition is as sharp as ever, especially after confirmation of his new contract with the most successful modern day WorldSBK manufacturer and team in the paddock. His close connection with Kawasaki and KRT is now globally understood and accepted, and in many ways he has become “the face of Kawasaki racing”.

The full support of his wife Tatia, his children and his entire family have been an important element throughout his glittering career, during all the good and more challenging times. The mutually beneficial relationship with his team, one which Jonathan has helped nurture, is an integral part of their combined success.

With current championship leader Alex Lowes already signed with Kawasaki beyond 2020 KRT has moved early in its rider choices for the next era of its overall WorldSBK campaign.

Jonathan Rea, said: “I am super happy to sign a new contract with Kawasaki and KRT. What we have achieved together is incredible. Our success is driven by a great team and of course the base of the project – our Ninja ZX-10RR. I will keep working hard, together with my crew, the engineers at KHI to be in the best condition every single race. This period away from racing has reignited a burning desire to keep winning and continue to improve my skills and the package of our bike. Racing never stands still and all the riders and manufactures are continuing to improve – we must do the same. Now we can fully focus on our 2020 WorldSBK season where racing will restart soon. I want to thank Kawasaki, the team and all my sponsors for their continued support and this great opportunity.”

KRT Team Manager, Guim Roda, said: “Everyone in the team is delighted that Jonathan will be with us again. In racing we cannot assume anything until it is completed so we are very happy that JR65 has confirmed his future with Kawasaki and us. Everyone involved understands that this is a long-term project and that continuity and success go hand-in-hand. As a rider Jonathan has incredible talents that are very rare. For sure, to keep him as part of KRT gives us a chance to create yet more WorldSBK and racing history. His pit crew and everyone at KRT are delighted to continue this hugely rewarding professional and personal journey together.”

Steve Guttridge, KME Racing Manager, said: “Since Jonathan signed his first deal to race with us in 2015 it has been a dream partnership. Kawasaki as a group had our full focus on extending our relationship into the future. This season, his sixth with us, means that JR is very much part of the Kawasaki family and his record-breaking partnership with the Ninja is revered by our competition and has amazed our fans worldwide. Jonathan – together with his great crew, the team and our engineers – once more has the perfect combination for success. JR’s professionalism, approach to racing – and particularly his mentality – have helped us as a manufacturer to define our blueprint to racing success. Together we aim to continue rewriting the history books and breaking records together. The whole Kawasaki family and Kawasaki fans worldwide welcome the new multi-year agreement with Jonathan and we are excited to witness the next chapter of this amazing story unfold.”

Jonathan Rea WorldSBK Statistics

World Champion 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019

2020: Races 3, Wins 1, Podiums 2, Superpoles 0

Career Race Wins: 89 (74 for Kawasaki)

Career Podiums: 170 (128 for Kawasaki)

Career Poles: 23 (19 for Kawasaki)

Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics

Total Kawasaki Race Wins: 148 – second overall

Total Kawasaki Podiums: 437 – second overall

Total Kawasaki Poles: 88 – second overall