Superbike World Championship

FIM Superbike World Championship
Logo since 2022
CategoryMotorcycle racing
RegionInternational
Inaugural season1988
ConstructorsBMW Motorrad, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Riders' championTurkey Toprak Razgatlioglu
Makes' championItaly Ducati
Teams' championItaly Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
Official websiteworldsbk.com
Current season

Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles.

The championship was founded in 1988. The Superbike World Championship consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities. Each round has two full length races and, from 2019, an additional ten-lap sprint race known as the Superpole race.[1][2] The results of all three races are combined to determine three annual World Championships, one for riders, one for manufacturers and, as of 2024, a Teams World Championship.[improper synthesis? (See discussion.)][3]

The motorcycles that race in the championship are tuned versions of motorcycles available for sale to the public, by contrast with MotoGP where purpose built machines are used. MotoGP is the motorcycle world's equivalent of Formula One, whereas Superbike racing is similar to sports car racing.

Europe is Superbike World Championship's traditional centre and leading market.[4] However, rounds have been held in the United States, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Russia, Qatar, Thailand, and South Africa and the series plans on keeping extra-European circuits in rotation. An Indonesian race was also proposed for the 2008 season, but this was later cancelled by the FIM,[5] though it was later introduced in the 2021 season.

The championship is regulated by the FIM, the international governing body of motorcycle racing. As of 2024 the championship is organised by Dorna as well as Liberty Media.

  1. ^ WorldSBK set to welcome new weekend format worldsbk.com, 11 December 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019
  2. ^ WSBK reveals details of 2019 three-race format motorsport.com, 11 December 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019
  3. ^ https://www.fim-moto.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Documents/2024/2024_SBK_SS_SS300_World_Championships_Regulations_-Update_07February.pdf?t=1707819065 [bare URL]
  4. ^ 2005 to mark WSBK revival? crash.net retrieved on September 11, 2007
  5. ^ "Sentul bites the dust". 5 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-08.