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Last year when the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock went to the Cremona Circuit, there were question marks and uncertainty about the venue. Less than twelve months later and the Italian track is one that the paddock is excited to visit again. Full grandstands and a hat-trick of home wins for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) created an atmosphere that rivalled any other venue on the calendar. This week it needs to live up to that billing again...

SHORT AND SWEET: a challenge like no other

At less than 4km in length Cremona is a short circuit but it brings plenty of challenges to the table. Riders can hustle a bike in places but in others it’s easy to override and make a mistake. The final sector of the track is unique with the heavily banked final corner presenting a challenge unlike anywhere else in the season. 

THE TOP TWO HEADING TO CREMONA: can Bulega bounce back?

Last year, Ducati dominated the weekend, although it’s worth noting that Razgatlioglu was ruled out through injury, and while Petrucci did the winning, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was the fastest rider in Tissot Superpole. The Italian rider will be out to dominate this weekend and continue his superb start to the campaign. Over the course of the opening nine races of the season he has unquestionably been the fastest rider in WorldSBK. The Champion standings show a 21-point lead over Razgatlioglu, but the Turkish rider knows it hasn’t been that close. This weekend will be a big test for Razgatlioglu and BMW. The previous round, the Dutch Round at Assen, was a disaster for ‘El Turco’. The fact that he closed down Bulega’s points lead papered over the cracks but a double retirement for Bulega meant that he left a lot of points at the table. BMW won’t be able to rely on similar luck this weekend.

ON THE TOP STEP: Locatelli heads home on a high

Bulega’s retirements opened the door for Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha). The Yamaha rider took a fortuitous but well-deserved race victory last time out. Locatelli has been knocking on the door for a win in recent years and his consistency and speed was rewarded at Assen. This weekend he’ll have a home crowd cheering him on and with his tail up he’ll be confident of a strong performance. The upgrades to the Yamaha helped Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) stand on the podium at Assen and this weekend Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will make his comeback from injury providing he is passed fit on Thursday. The six-time World Champion has been eager to get back on track and worked tirelessly to get himself fit again. The winter was spent rebuilding his confidence and he looked primed for a good campaign. He wasn’t expecting to wait until May for his season to get underway but with Cremona and Most coming in quick succession he’ll be race fit before long. 

BAUTISTA'S GOAL: get his campaign back on track

While Rea is hoping for his season to get underway, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) is hoping to get it back on track. Race 1 crashes in the last two rounds, and a non-score in the opening Tissot Superpole Race of the season, have left the double Champion 50 points adrift of his teammate in the standings. Ducati is now very clearly Bulega’s team but for Bautista the question remains about his future. Will he want to keep racing, and will Ducati view him as being their future racer? This weekend in Cremona and the next couple of months will determine Bautista’s future. He still has the speed to be a factor in WorldSBK, but his employment opportunities will dwindle the longer it takes to win again.

WorldSBK has moved past the quarter mark of the season. We know what to expect at the front but as Locatelli and Yamaha showed at Assen there is more than just Bulega and Razgatlioglu at the fore.

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