2011 WSB calendar

[Allyc85]

The 2011 World Superbike Championship calendar

February 25-27 – Phillip Island, Australia
March 25-27 – Donington Park, UK (Europe)
April 15-17 – Assen, Netherlands
May 6-8 – Monza, Italy
May 28-30 – Miller Motorsports Park, USA *
June 10-12 – Misano Adriatico, San Marino
June 17-19 – Motorland Aragon, Spain
July 8-10 – Brno, Czech Republic
July 29-31 – Silverstone, UK
September 2-4 – Nurburgring, Germany
September 23-25 – Imola, Italy
September 30-October 2 – Magny-Cours, France
October 14-16 – Portimao, Portugal

Why is the championship so heavily biased to Europe and why has there been no round in Japan in the last few years? Surely the jap manufactures cant be happy with this?

[Rod Richardson]

I'm in the process of putting the combined road racing calendar together for 2011 series of international interest but am waiting for the dates for the World Endurance, Irish, Spanish CEV Buckler, German IDM and American Pro series although I haven't searched for them for a couple of days.

Cheers............6 weeks to Dakar Argentina-Chile

[Mach24]

The 2011 World Superbike Championship calendar

Why is the championship so heavily biased to Europe

Cost cost & more cost!

[racer69]

Surely the jap manufactures cant be happy with this?

How many of the WSB teams running Japanese bikes are actually official japanese works teams, aren't most of them (Ten Kate for example) just funded by the European arms of the companies?

How much the Japanese care about it was i think shown by Suzuki's attitude to Alstare this year anyway.

I do miss the Sugo round though, all the wildcards used to create a very interesting event. Japanese Superbike isn't so strong these days though, so that perhaps plays a reason too.

[NinjaMaster]

It will be interesting to see if the Phillip Island round remains at the beginning of the season if MotoGP is also shifted early in the year. I can't imagine the Victorian state government being too happy having MotoGP, WSB and F1 all within a month or so of each other.

[Wim_Impreza]

Cost cost & more cost!

You can't really say now it is a WORLD championship. 2 weekends outside Europe is a joke. In my opinion Miller Motorsports Park is a very boring track and they will race again on a Monday. Sugo was great as a Japanese ground and I also don't understand why they don't go again to there.

I also don't understand why the Superstock classes don't go to Donington. That track is much more interesting to watch than the new Silverstone.

[Mach24]

You can't really say now it is a WORLD championship. 2 weekends outside Europe is a joke. In my opinion Miller Motorsports Park is a very boring track and they will race again on a Monday. Sugo was great as a Japanese ground and I also don't understand why they don't go again to there.

I also don't understand why the Superstock classes don't go to Donington. That track is much more interesting to watch than the new Silverstone.

What truly makes a World Championship? The countries competed in or the list of competitors.

I do agree a few more trips across the pond would be a good thing for exposure, but at what cost? If the quality of the competition was good enough you could hold 13 round in one country. Just a thought....

I agree Toole (Miller) and Silverstone are boring tracks and Stock should be at Donny. As for Japan, Sugo was normally a pretty ordinary affair. Visiting a great track in the US and Japan would only enhance WSBK I would think.

[Wim_Impreza]

What truly makes a World Championship? The countries competed in or the list of competitors.

A World Championship must go to more than 2 countries outside Europe and have some more riders outside of Europe in my opinion. In the Grand Prix races it is now very bad with almost only chances for riders from Spain and Italy or riders who are ride in a Spanish or Italian team. More competitors outside Europe are welcome too, there aren't that much riders outside Europe in the last years in a World Championship. Only Australia and USA have some good riders, but Japan didn't have much riders in a World Championship in the last years.

[Mach24]

With regards to riders from other nations, unfortunately this has all changed. There was a time where the best riders were chose to provide the team with an prospect of victory. Now riders are picked because they bring funding to the team in the form of hard cash or sponsorship. Newly crowned Australian Superbike Champion, Bryan Staring has just scored a ride on Pedecini's SStock Kawasaki whilst the underperforming Roberto Rolfo has once again secured a Superbike ride with the same team. I can tell you they did not choose Rolfo because of his potential to win a championship. In the past someone like Staring may have been promoted straight to WSBK and been competitive at the front of the field, with the potential to grow. These stories are fewer and further between now. Even in the Aussie domestic championship we are starting to see pay riders for the first time.

Unfortunately the landscape has changed, whilst riders with Ruben Xaus's proven track record continue to get the good seats and potential new champions are banished to the back blocks, the championship will remain the same.

The exception to this has been the Brits in recent years with some youngsters being picked up for top rides, but this would most likely be based around TV deals (Note: I'm not taking a shot at the Brits, they are all good. Just pointing out they are the flavour of the month).

In my view WSBK is still miles ahead of GP in as much as good racing and depth in the field, but it is all headed in the same direction. Both World Championships could do with a more diversified field.

[Corny]

Why Assen so early can't believe it, there could be snow then