Latest News

The FIM and Dorna today announced that from 2019, the WorldSBK class will see action in three races at each event. A sprint race is to be added on Sunday morning, in addition to the two full-length races held on Saturday and Sunday. 

The addition of a sprint race will mean a revised race schedule for each WorldSBK weekend, with races moved to different time slots to make room for the races. Race 1 will be held on Saturday, as it currently is, but the start has been moved back to 2pm European time, which is the more traditional time for racing, and the slot in which MotoGP also races. On Sunday, Race 2 will be a sprint race, starting at 11am, followed by Race 3, the normal length race, at 2pm.

The realignment of the race start times will help race organizers, who felt that the racing day was too short, with many fans leaving immediately after the WorldSBK class was finished. A longer race schedule is meant to give fans more value for their ticket money. The start time shift has been made possible by the changes to the F1 schedule, which now starts their races at 3:15pm European time, opening up that 2pm slot for both WorldSBK and MotoGP.

Though the schedule switch had been widely trailed, the FIM and Dorna press release raises more questions than answers. There is no mention of how the grid is to be set for the Sunday races, for example, and whether the current format with the grid for Race 2 being set in part by the results in Race 1 will be maintained, either for Race 2, or Race 3. There is no mention of whether Race 2 will have an impact on the grid. 

More importantly - and more interestingly - there is no mention of either the duration nor the points distribution for the sprint race. We have no idea whether the current Grand Prix system - 25-20-16-13-11-10, then 1 point less for each position down to 15th place - will be maintained for the sprint race. If it is, then it would send points tallies for the season through the roof, but it would not necessarily mean that the title would decided earlier. The points differentials would be bigger, but there would still be a lot of points on the table at the end of the season, with 75 points on offer each weekend, if the system were to be maintained as it is.

There is also no word on how long a sprint race is supposed to be. At the moment, WorldSBK races are roughly 90-100km in length, so for example 21 laps of Assen. The WorldSSP300 class has races of between 50 and 60km, or 12 laps of Assen. We have no clue as to whether the WorldSBK sprint race would be longer or shorter than that. Make the race too short, and it leaves little time for riders to escape their grid positions. Make it too long and it is hard to see how the outcome would be any different to a normal race.

There is also the question of additional risk. The experience of races shortened due to red flags is that they tend to be far more hectic affairs, with riders taking more risks. Will riders take more risks, making them more likely to crash, if they  know there is a second, full length race on Sunday afternoon? That question will most likely only become apparent when the racing starts.

The reason for adding a third race is simple. Dorna is trying to increase the popularity of the series, and raise interest by making it more exciting. Whether this is the correct path or not is not immediately obvious.

The FIM / Dorna press release appears below:

Three races set to be introduced into WorldSBK race format in 2019

New era for the premier class on the horizon

Looking ahead to 2019, FIM and Dorna WSBK Organization have announced some updates to the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race day schedule, which will welcome three races held over one weekend for the first time in the series history.

Sticking with the now traditional Race One on Saturday at 14.00h, this will open the weekend and will be the same duration. For the first time ever, Sunday will see the dawn of a short sprint race format at 11.00h. The weekend will conclude for the WorldSBK class with Race Three at 14.00h with usual duration, for all rounds held inside Central European Time.

Preparing for what is set to be a sensational weekend full of pure WorldSBK action, Dorna WSBK Organization and the FIM are working alongside riders, teams, manufacturers, circuits, broadcasters and sponsors to ensure the best format is decided throughout the 2019 season. Nail-biting and enthralling races will be guaranteed as we welcome the WorldSBK weekend into a brand-new era with a whole new experience for fans and viewers the world over.

Daniel Carrera, WorldSBK Executive Director explains: “To bring in a third ‘sprint race’ into the WorldSBK format for 2019 is something we have been planning for a long time now, so we are delighted to see the plans coming together. We are committed to bringing exciting races to the fans year on year, and we think the addition of a sprint race will add to the WorldSBK experience. We are continuing to work on the final adjustments and hope to bring more details in the near future.”

The second half of 2018 is turning into a repeat of 2017: Dovizioso vs Marquez

Pol Espargaro was back in fine style, until he fell and rebroke his collarbone

Dark days for Movistar Yamaha at the moment

Story of the race: Jorge Lorenzo went down at Turn 1, and blamed Marc Marquez for it. Race Direction disagreed

Taka. Teammate Cal Crutchlow has fine words for Nakagami

Aragon proved that the Suzukis are closer than ever. Local boy Alex Rins lost out to Andrea Iannone, though

Head down and work. That's all Johann Zarco can do with what he has

Steady progress for stylish Jack Miller, until a gearbox issue gave him vibration

Next year on a Yamaha. Wonder what Franco Morbidelli thinks of that now?

And then there were four

Squad goals for Petrucci: lose more weight, conserve the rear tire, try to match his teammate next year

If you'd like to have very high-resolution (4K) versions of the fantastic photos which appear on the site, you can become a site supporter and take out a subscription. A subscription will also give you access to the many in-depth and exclusive articles we produce for MotoMatters.com site supporters. The more readers who join our growing band of site supporters, the better we can make MotoMatters.com, and the more readers will get out of the website.

If you would like to buy a copy of one of these photos, you can email Cormac Ryan Meenan

If you'd like to see more of Cormac's work, you can follow him on Twitter or Instagram, or check out his website, cormacgp.com.

Another new feature on the site starting this week. After every round of MotoGP, the immensely talented Cormac Ryan Meenan of CormacGP will be supplying a selection of photographs from that weekend's event. If you'd like to see more of his work, you can follow him on Twitter or Instagram, or check out his website, cormacgp.com.

Flying on Friday and Saturday, but when the grip went, so did Maverick Viñales' chances of a podium

Miller Time

Alvaro Bautista reflects on his performance

Marc Marquez gets physical

Jorge Lorenzo came to Misano with a plan. But Andrea Dovizioso had a better plan

"The best bike on the grid". The universal verdict on Ducati after Misano

A race in Italy means a special helmet for Valentino Rossi. But only us old hands can remember the movie this one was based on

Speed thrills

A good result for Dani Pedrosa, but a long way back from the front group

Peek-a-boo

Next year's bike will be easier, Franco

A happy man, is Paolo Ciabatti

If you'd like to have high resolution versions (4K) of the fantastic photos which appear on the site, you can become a site supporter and take out a subscription. A subscription will also give you access to the many in-depth and exclusive articles we produce for MotoMatters.com site supporters. The more readers who join our growing band of site supporters, the better we can make MotoMatters.com, and the more readers will get out of the website.

If you would like to buy a copy of one of these photos, you can email Cormac Ryan Meenan

Things are going poorly for Romano Fenati. His actions during Sunday's Moto2 race at Misano, when he reached over and squeezed Stefano Manzi's front brake, are having far-reaching repercussions. 

On Sunday, the FIM Panel of Stewards penalized Fenati with a two-race ban. On Monday morning, he was sacked from his current Moto2 ride by the Marinelli Snipers Racing Team. On Monday afternoon, he also lost his 2019 ride with the MV Agusta Forward Racing Team. 

More was to come on Tuesday. First, the Italian motorcycle federation FMI revoked Fenati's racing license for all sporting activities in Italy. This also renders him ineligible to compete in any international or world championship events, as international racing licenses are also issued by the national federation, which in Fenati's case is the FMI. He has been invited to a hearing on 14th September, at which he will have the right to representation by a lawyer.

Then, the FIM, the international motorcycling federation, summoned Fenati to the FIM headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to explain his actions. In a press release, shown below, FIM president Vito Ippolito summoned Fenati to the FIM to here his side of the story, before considering further action against the Italian.

This seems outside of the normal course of events for disciplinary proceedings. Fenati could be referred directly to the FIM's highest court the International Disciplinary Court (CDI). If issued a penalty by the CDI, Fenati would have two more avenues for appeal. 

It may not come to that. Today, Fenati told the Italian paper Il Resto Del Carlino that he intended to withdraw from racing, at least for the foreseeable future. He would complete his studies, and perhaps go and work in his grandmother's hardware store.  He accepted his error - "I did the stupidest thing of my life" he told Il Resto Del Carlino - but insisted his intention had not been to harm Stefano Manzi. 

Fenati had received death threats since the incident, he said. The press coverage of the incident had been overwhelming, even making the evening news in countries in which motorcycle racing is a niche sport. That coverage, and the outrage generated in online echo chambers, had whipped up some individuals so far as to make threats against Fenati's life.

Whatever the outcome of the FIM hearings, Fenati's racing career is at best on hold for a period of years rather than months, and at worst, finished permanently.

The FIM press release appears below:

The FIM summons Moto2 Rider Romano Fenati to FIM HQ

Following the incident in the Misano round of the FIM Moto2 Grand Prix World Championship on Sunday 9 September involving Moto2 rider Romano Fenati, the FIM President has summoned the Italian rider to the FIM Headquarters in Mies (Switzerland) to explain his conduct.

In view of the egregious and shocking nature of Mr Fenati’s act, the FIM took the time needed to reflect serenely on the incident, which has prompted strong emotions throughout the world of motorcycling and beyond.

The FIM has decided to summon the Rider to FIM HQ (Switzerland) in order to discuss the situation with him before taking any action the FIM may consider appropriate.