News

On Monday, the WorldSBK.com team revealed the first two things it has been most excited about for this year. Now we resume our journey…

An all-new look to World Supersport
There is an overhaul to the FIM Supersport World Championship. New technical rules (including an exclusion from the regulations of traction and anti-wheelie control) are aimed at major cost saving for the teams, as the bikes are now prepared in a similar way to their counterparts in important national championships; this will help local teams to compete as wildcards at their home rounds. A new class within the overall category – the FIM Europe Supersport Cup, kicking off in Aragon next weekend – will follow the same technical regulations and allow selected teams to feature on the grid at European rounds, promoting their young talent at minimal cost while giving them a chance to challenge regular riders on the world stage. Furthermore, although no qualifying tyres are used, the introduction of the Superpole format to World Supersport has intensified things further still on Saturdays.

Nicky Hayden on the grid – and other newcomers
No rider has ever won titles in both WorldSBK and MotoGP. Nicky Hayden hopes to become the first. The American, MotoGP World Champion of 2006, is on a two-year contract with the Honda WorldSBK Team. He may have gained worldwide fame for his 13 years in Grand Prix racing, but his move to WorldSBK brings him back to his roots, having clinched the AMA Superbike title in 2002. He is not the only newcomer, though; the Czech Republic’s Karel Abraham has also moved across from MotoGP, while BSB title winner Josh Brookes is determined to challenge.

Catch up on some reading with Monday’s first part of Key Points for 2016.

Part 3 will be available on WorldSBK.com on Wednesday…