beIN SPORT
Six manufacturers (Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki) are involved in the 26th edition of the Superbike World Championship, which starts on Phillip Island, Australia, track for the fifth successive year.
Kawasaki Racing Team's Tom Sykes will be favored this season after finishing second by less than a point to Max Biaggi, who retired after winning last year. France's Loris Baz again joins Sykes with KRT.
Marco Melandri is expected to challenge, along with BMW second rider Chaz Davies, who had a strong debut season last year. Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini will lead Alstare Team, riding Ducati. MR-Racing Team's Max Neukirchner will also go Ducati. Eugene Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli are paired with Aprilia. Italian Davide Giugliano of Althea Racing Team and Michel Fabrizio of Red Devils will also go with Aprilia. Also competing will be Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea (Honda); FIXI Crescent Suzuki, in its second season, will have Jules Cluzel and Leon Camier; Alexander Lundh and Federico Sandi, in their first full World Superbikes campaign; and Vittorio Iannuzzo and Ivan Clementi (both BMW S 1000 RR).