It seems like no time at all since Marco Melandri put pen to paper to agree to ride for the factory BMW team, but soon he will be lining up to race against the best in the world again in what is arguably the biggest team in the paddock. BMW recently sent out a release featuring an interview with Melandri, a condensed version of which follows here. What were your first impressions of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team? "That it was very big! That was a bit unusual for me in the beginning. But now we are all working together, and trying to use the full potential of all the resources and people av...continua»

For John ‘Hopper' Hopkins 2012 should be the year he embarks on his real SBK career even though he cannot be thought of as a rookie, having been a Stiggy Honda rider back in 2009. Injury has played a part in his career at key times in the past and this season will start in a similar way, with John having had the top two knuckles of the fourth finger on his right (throttle) hand amputated, after several operations to try and save the finger. For some riders this would be a blow to their confidence with the season only a month or so away, but Hopper's comments about this situation say a lot abo...continua»

The Barni Racing Ducati team, runner-up last year with Danilo Petrucci, has confirmed that Eddi La Marra will line up alongside Lorenzo Savadori in the 2012 edition of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. The 22-year-old from the outskirts of Rome has already raced with the Lombardy-based squad during the Winter Trophy held in December at Vallelunga on a 1098R (photo). For the 2012 season, which gets underway in Imola at the start of April, La Marra will be one of the first riders to get his hands on the brand-new 1199 Panigale, with which he will make a first shakedown test at the end of February at...continua»

Telecom Italia and Ducati have extended their partnership to the Superbike World Championship for the 2012 season as the sponsorship agreement between the two companies in MotoGP is extended to the championship-winning Althea Racing Team. TIM, Telecom Italia's mobile telephony brand, will be emblazoned on the fairing and front cowls of Althea Racing's two Ducati 1198s, and on the racing leathers worn by Carlos Checa, current World Superbike Champion, and Davide Giugliano, the young Italian rider who last year won the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. This partnership strengthens the links between the...continua»

Team Pedercini's Leandro Mercado will now not take part in the opening round of the 2012 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island, after the 19 year-old Superbike debutant broke the radius bone in his right arm in a crash on his supermoto bike during a training session last week in Argentina. On Monday "Tati" Mercado underwent an operation to speed up rehabilitation. He will be back for the second round at Imola, scheduled for April 1st, and his place at Phillip Island will be taken by Australian Bryan Staring. Bryan already took part in the race last year with the Italian Team - as a w...continua»

Team Pedercini's Leandro Mercado will now not take part in the opening round of the 2012 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island, after the 19 year-old Superbike debutant broke the radius bone in his right arm in a crash on his supermoto bike during a training session last week in Argentina. On Monday "Tati" Mercado underwent an operation to speed up rehabilitation. He will be back for the second round at Imola, scheduled for April 1st, and his place at Phillip Island will be taken by Australian Bryan Staring. Bryan already took part in the race last year with the Italian Team - as a w...continua»

Althea Racing today took the opportunity to officially present its 2012 World Superbike outfit to sponsors and members of the press at the team's headquarters in Civita Castellana. Later this month the 2011 World SBK Champions will be back in action at the opening round of the 2012 World SBK Championship, but before embarking on what will be an inevitably challenging journey, team manager Genesio Bevilacqua, riders Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano and team members were all on hand to officially launch the season and unveil the new livery of the Ducati 1198 machines. Key sponsors, including r...continua»

The Effenbert Liberty Racing has chosen Sestriere to officially present the team for the 2012 SBK season, which kicks off at Phillip Island on the last Sunday of the month of February. This splendid winter resort, which boasts the distinction of being the Italian town at the highest altitude will, on February 4th and 5th , provide the stage for an event presenting three top SBK protagonists: Maxime Berger, Sylvain Guintoli and Jakub Smrž, their official bikes and, of course, the team management. Not only will the peaks of the Alps of Piedmont be in the spotlight, but also a rendezvous that ha...continua»

The BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team was presented at the Autodromo di Monza yesterday. The Italian Team will compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship with riders Ayrton Badovini and Michel Fabrizio, and in the FIM Superstock Cup with Sylvian Barrier and new team member Lorenzo Baroni. The occasion also provided an opportunity to present to the press the new title sponsor: GoldBet. This year, the Roman rider Michel Fabrizio will make his debut in SBK competition with the BMW S 1000 RR alongside Badovini. Michel Fabrizio will bring with him good experience and can count on a fine re...continua»

Englishman Sam Lowes had a strong full-time introduction to the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2011 and despite not quite winning a race he is thought of as a potential champion in 2012 by many observers. Lowes, now 21-years-old, scored the first of six podiums in 12 races at Phillip Island last year. In fact, he was within a whisker of winning the race overall. So the obvious questions are how has his outlook changed after his first full year and what is possible on his Bogdanka PTR Honda this season? Said Lowes, "Last year was mega but I went into the 2011 Phillip Island race very ine...continua»