Superbike returns to the Old Continent

After the first two rounds held on the other side of the world, the eni FIM Superbike World Championship is ready for its debut on European soil, with the third round of the season to be held this weekend at MotorLand in Aragon.

The Spanish circuit, which made its competition debut in 2011, will be used for the first time in WorldSBK in its 5.078km FIM configuration, with two left-hand corners leading onto the pit straight.

Many champions are expected, some to confirm the good things they have shown in these first two races of the season, some to make up for a less than successful debut.
Starting from the leader, on this very track, last November, Jonathan Rea made his debut aboard the Kawasaki Racing Team's ZX-10R, the same one with which he is leading the standings with almost full points.

Last year, on what can be considered the home track of the Akashi team in WorldSBK, it was Tom Sykes who took the race double, as well as the Tissot-Superpole, in both cases ahead of his then garage partner, Loris Baz.
Unlike Rea, the former 2013 world champion did not have a happy start to the championship, with only one podium finish to his credit.

Another protagonist of this start to the season is Leon Haslam, who is going through a splendid moment of form and, together with Jordi Torres, is demonstrating the competitiveness of the new RSV4 RF, despite the regulatory changes that came into force this year and the abandonment, at least in “official” Superbike form by Aprila.

Expected for a high-level test on the "home" track is not only Torres but also the other Iberian riders Nico Terol (Althea Racing Ducati), David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki), Santiago Barragan (Grillini SBK Team) and Roman Ramos ( Team Go Eleven Kawasaki).

To further strengthen the Spanish army for the next two rounds, there will also be Xavi Fores, called to replace the injured Davide Giugliano after the "new" retirement from racing of Troy Bayliss.

Completing the overview of the protagonists that we will see on the track starting from free practice on Friday 10 April, Alex Lowes is determined to continue in the wake of the first podium of the season, achieved three weekends ago in Thailand, while the Pata Honda standard bearers Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark will try to take that step forward which would finally allow them to enter the fight for the top-3, while awaiting the Dutch team's home round, scheduled for the following week in Assen.