News

The start of the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is getting closer with teams looking to maximise their track time ahead of racing getting underway. Three Yamaha teams on the WorldSBK grid are heading to MotorLand Aragon for two days of testing at the venue that will host the season-opening Pirelli Aragon Round at the start of April.

Reigning Teams’ Champions Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK will take to the track for their second test of the off-season with riders Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli. The team looked at electronic and mechanical updates during their first test at the Portimao venue and the team will be hoping to continue this development at Aragon as they looked to defend all three titles won in 2021.

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will make their first appearance of the off-season with their Yamaha YZF R1 machine. After a challenging 2021, American Garrett Gerloff will be looking to rebound strongly for his third WorldSBK season and return to the rostrum; looking to add to his five WorldSBK podiums so far. Looking ahead to the test, Gerloff said: “I am super excited to get back on my Yamaha R1 after four months off the bike. It was way too long and I am hoping for good weather even though it is not looking the best. Anyway, just being again on the bike will be awesome and I cannot wait to see again the whole GRT team, my extended family, again!”

He will be joined on track by Kohta Nozane as the Japanese rider prepares for his sophomore WorldSBK campaign, after making his debut in 2021 with GRT Yamaha. Nozane will be aiming to build on his consistent points-scoring form from 2021 to become a regular top-ten contender after ending the season with seventh place in Indonesia. Previewing the test, Nozane said: “I am thrilled to start this new season. My first year in World Superbike was not easy but I learned a lot and I am ready for the 2022 Championship. We will begin our campaign from Aragon and first of all we will regain confidence with the R1 and planning the job with my crew. I cannot wait to see again the team after a long time.”

The family-run Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha squad will join the track action at Aragon for their second test of the off-season, having tested components in Portimao that had been available to Pata Yamaha and GRT Yamaha throughout 2021. Christophe Ponsson will be back on his Yamaha R1 bike and will be looking to continue from the work completed in Portugal as he looks to become a consistent top-ten finisher.

Reference lap times

Race lap record: 1’49.620s (Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki, 2020)

Pole lap record: 1’48.458s (Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki, 2021)

Circuit lap record: 1’48.458s (Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki, 2021)

Fastest Yamaha in Tissot Superpole, 2021: Garrett Gerloff, 1’49.185s

Fastest Yamaha race lap in 2021: Garrett Gerloff, Race 1, 1’50.367s

Watch the action unfold throughout 2022 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!