Photo: World Superbike
It’s only the middle of the World Championship season – nine out of 15 events done for World Superbike and eight out of 18 in Moto GP after this weekend coming up – but already many rider signings have been completed for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
The Superbike class is a little more unsettled than Moto GP, but at the top of the standings both Kawasaki riders – Jonathon Rea and Tom Sykes – have opted to stay despite a more than testy relationship between the two. Rea has generally been faster than Sykes since joining the team last year, although Sykes and his crew seem to be catching up. The Yorkshireman was said to have a big money offer on the table from Ducati, but opted to stay “at home” where he’s been since 2010.
Ducati has yet to announce riders, although it seems certain Chaz Davies will be staying on. He’s had feelers from some Moto GP teams, and says he’d grab it “if obviously a great opportunity with factory support, factory technicians, turned up in MotoGP – but I’m not going to go and waste my time at nearly 30 years of age to go and try and be happy with a tenth place [team].”
Ducati certainly want to have an Italian to pair with their Welsh top gun, but current rider Davide Giugliano is still plagued with inconsistent performances. If he can keep his act together for the rest of the season he’s probably safe in his seat; otherwise maybe not.
The Honda duo of Nicky Hayden and Mark van der Straten are likely to remain with the Dutch-based ten Kate team, particularly as in 2017 the aging CBR1000RR platform is finally due to be replaced. The existing package can still be quick on a given track or day, but it’s a generation behind the rest of the manufacturers and it’s a real struggle for the riders to be at the sharp end.
Yamaha also will be standing pat with 2014 champion Sylvain Guintoli and Brit Alex Lowes. Guintoli has missed three rounds with a broken ankle while Lowes has been struggling with a broken collar bone, but the bikes – new to the series this year – have already proven fast and reliable, so should be more of a front-running force in 2017 with two healthy riders.
MV Agusta plans to return with Leon Camier, but the company’s perilous financial situation makes a second entry and even on-going development problematical.
Those are the only factory teams running, although BMW and Aprilia are supporting satellite teams, and there are private entries from teams running Ducatis, Kawasakis, and Yamahas making up a decent field of 26 entries. Don’t be surprised if more teams show up in 2017, as there are at least a couple of good riders losing Moto GP rides at the end of the season and they’ll be looking for a place to race.
We’ll recap the Moto GP rider situation after this coming weekend’s event at Assen in the Netherlands.
