World Superbike
Series Portimao test line-up
World Superbike official test line-up brimming with talent The first official tests of the new SBK season get underway at Portimao between January 22 to 24 and the entry includes both riders and teams of the highest quality and quantity. With ...
Published: Jan 24, 2010, 8:11 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
World Superbike official test line-up brimming with talent
The first official tests of the new SBK season get underway at Portimao between January 22 to 24 and the entry includes both riders and teams of the highest quality and quantity.
With some privateer teams still to confirm their final plans for 2010 there are already well over 20 top level riders in SBK this year, on machinery from seven different manufacturers, all of whom will be going all out to fight for wins during the 13-round season.
The Aprilia Racing squad of Max Biaggi and Leon Camier will be in Portugal for the January tests, while the Ducati Xerox squad of Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio are now both seasoned campaigners, few more so than last year's runner-up Haga.
Carlos Checa and Shane Byrne are a very high class Althea Ducati duo, with more Ducati runners set to be confirmed soon. It will be the first chance for each of these two proven WSBK race winners to test after their recent team launch in Italy.
Yamaha has two world champions in its line-up, former double Superbike winner James Toseland and last year’s Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow, Both James and Cal will test in Portugal - the same track where each had their first taste of Yamaha Superbike power at the end of last year.
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders Jonathan Rea and Max Neukirchner have been confirmed in the entry for some time, and like many of their rivals they will be returning to the scene of one of their recent tests. Broc Parkes is another top-level rider back for more SBK action, this time with Echo CRS Honda.
BMW, so welcome in their rookie year of 2009, will field no less than four machines in 2010, with two official BMW Motorrad bikes in Portugal this weekend, ridden by Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus.
Suzuki has two full-time riders confirmed for 2010, both in the Alstare set-up, with Leon Haslam and Sylvain Guintoli returning to Portimao on the very latest development of the GSX-R1000.
Kawasaki, having redoubled its efforts in the winter months, now has Chris Vermeulen and Tom Sykes on its books, and each will run at the forthcoming tests. The Pedercini Kawasaki team has recently confirmed America’s Roger Lee Hayden as one of its planned two riders for the new season.
In the Supersport World Championship most of the top riders will also be testing in Portugal. Crutchlow’s promotion to the top category and Yamaha’s scaling down of its Supersport effort – the chief protagonists of last season – mean that the title chase is sure to be wide-open once again, as has always been the tradition of the championship. The main men to watch in this early test session will be multiple champions Hannspree Ten Kate Honda with Kenan Sofuoglu and Michele Pirro, Parkalgar Honda with Eugene Laverty, Kawasaki Motocard.com with Joan Lascorz and the Triumph ‘super-team’ of Chaz Davies, Jason DiSalvo and the returning Sebastien Charpentier.
-source: wsbk
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ducati 2010 season preview
Next article Silverstone to host British round
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Eugene Laverty
Laverty hospitalised after crash in farewell WSBK race
World Superbike
World Superbike
Phillip Island
Laverty hospitalised after crash in farewell WSBK race
BMW rider Laverty out of Assen WSBK round due to injury
World Superbike
World Superbike
Assen
BMW rider Laverty out of Assen WSBK round due to injury
Laverty replaces injured Sykes at BMW for Jerez WSBK
World Superbike
World Superbike
Jerez
Laverty replaces injured Sykes at BMW for Jerez WSBK
Latest news
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 3 h
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
3 h
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
4 h
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
10 h
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe