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Engines are a crucial part of the machines used in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, but the number allowed to be used in a season is restricted for full-time entries. Ahead of the Motul French Round, the latest information has been revealed to show how many engines riders have used, discarded or still have available to use for the first time.

THE RULES: six allowed for the season, penalties if exceeding the limit

The FIM rulebook (article 2.4.8) states the number of allocated engines in a season is calculated by taking the number of rounds in a season and dividing by two (rounding up if necessary). For 2024, this means full-time riders have six engines. The penalty for exceeding this number is defined in section 23 in article 1.21 of the rules: an infringement before the race will mean the rider starts Race 1 and Race 2 from the back of the grid with two Long Lap Penalties.

BMW’S SITUATION: three engines not active for Razgatlioglu

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has three engines considered not active, while two are active. He also has a sixth engine currently that hasn’t been used but is available. Teammate Michael van der Mark has no discarded engines and has used four of his six engines; two remain unused and available. For Bonovo Action BMW, Garrett Gerloff has three used engines and three available to him that haven’t been used yet, while Scott Redding has two used, one discarded and three not used in his pool.

DUCATI’S ENGINES: four used for Bautista and Bulega

Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) is in the same position as van der Mark: four engines already used, two available but unused. For teammate Nicolo Bulega, four have been used with one discarded, leaving him with three used engines available plus two more which have not yet been used. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) is in the same boat as Bautista, while Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) have both used three and discarded none, meaning they have three unused engines in their allocation. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) has had two of his six engines discarded and used another three, leaving one unused in his allowed number.

CONTRASTING NUMBERS REMAINING AT KAWASAKI: Bassani with six engines used in 2024, three of them discarded

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) has used four of his six engines so far this season, with two discarded, meaning he has four engines in total in his allocation (two new, two used). However, across the box with Axel Bassani, it’s a different story. The #47 has already used all six of his engines for the season, three of which have been discarded. It means he’ll have to complete the final five rounds on his three used engines, or he’ll receive a penalty. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) has used four engines in total, three of which have been discarded. Therefore, he has two new and one used engine available.

ALLOCATIONS AT YAMAHA: strong position for the Japanese manufacturer

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) has used four engines and has two unused in his allocation, while Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) is in a similar position: he’s used four, with one discarded, plus two unused; this is also the same for Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has two discarded two of the five he’s used so far and has used another three, with one unused available. Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) has used three engines, with two discarded, while Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) has used four and discarded none.

AT HONDA: no discarded engine across four bikes

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge are in similar situations: Lecuona has used five engines while Vierge has used four, with both having unused components in their allocation. At the Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team, Adam Norrodin and teammate Tarran Mackenzie have both used two of their six engines in total, and also discarded none, giving them the full allocation to play with at the end of the season.

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