WorldSBK hits Portimao this weekend | Preview and AEST schedule

2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship
Round 11 – Portimao

The imminent challenge for all riders at Portimao is a difficult one, at what is arguably the most undulating and intense track layout the riders have to face in this or any other WorldSBK season. The 4.592km long circuit was first used for WorldSBK action in 2008, and has been the scene of several pivotal moments in the championship’s history ever since.

Featuring a very high number of blind corner entries and even a jump over a rise at one particularly busy sector of the track, Portimao also has a very long main straight, approached while already in fourth gear from the exit fo the final downhill curve. The T1 braking area is also downhill at Portimao, adding to the already strong mix of challenges posed by this unique circuit located in the hills behind some of the main holiday resorts of the Algarve coast.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) currently leads the WorldSBK Championship on 504 points as the series heads to the rollercoaster-like Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for the penultimate round of season 2023.  To become the 2023 WorldSBK Champion at Portimao, Bautista must ensure that Razgatlioglu is 62 points or more behind him when they leave Portugal. The series finale is at Jerez four weeks later.

Alvaro Bautista

“I just want to focus on myself and try to get the maximum in all conditions. It’ll be a tough weekend because it’ll be hot. It’s better to think about the important things, the weekend and managing all three days, than the other things. Best way to enjoy the moment and not feel more pressure. I’m not a big fan of combinations or statistics or records, I just think about the present. I know if I do my best, it’ll be a good weekend. In the end, crashes or technical problems are part of the game. You prefer to not have it but it’s a possibility for all the riders in all races. I hope to not make more mistakes like on Saturday at Aragon, but it’s part of the game.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is hot on his heels with 457 points, narrowing the gap to just 47 points at Aragon.

Toprak Razgatlioglu

“I have very good memories here, especially last year. I had a big fight with Alvaro in the Superpole Race. I hope we are fighting with him because it’s one of my favourite tracks. I’m strong here, also Jonny’s very strong. Alvaro, every track we go to, is very strong and we’re fighting together. I’m taking a lot of risks because it looks like I’m now in second position but, if I win all the races and he’s second, he’s again World Champion. I always need more. I’m only looking at winning the races. Maybe he makes some mistakes and the Championship changes again. I’m just focused on my race, trying to win again. A hat-trick won’t be easy because Alvaro is very strong. Jonny’s very strong and my teammate is getting strong. This weekend I will try the jump, especially at the end of FP1. We will see how many metres I jump!”

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) is a legendary figure at Portimao with 13 wins to his name. The Northern Irishman is currently 176 points behind Bautista but remains a force to be reckoned with.

Jonathan Rea

“When I was in Alvaro’s position, you start to think about the gap coming down and how many races are left. With every race that goes by, the gap can be less and less but you see how quick an advantage can swing with a good weekend or bad one. It seems the momentum was all with Alvaro at the beginning of the season, now in the last races, they’ve faced difficulties. It seems to be going against him right now with uncharacteristic mistakes and Toprak’s riding in a good way but you have to win races. The points gap between winning and finishing second means a lot at this stage; it’s all for him to lose. We have to look at our competition to understand our strengths and weaknesses and exploit them at different circuits. This is one that might not penalise our weaknesses as much; we come on in fourth gear, carrying momentum and hopefully around the rest of the track, we can make a difference.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) has had a strong season and has consistently been in the mix for top positions in races. However, his recent appearance at Aragon presented some challenges as faced an unfortunate retirement due to a technical issue. He will be eager to bounce back from this disappointment but, it’s worth noting that Locatelli will face an additional challenge at Portimao as he has a back-of-the-grid start for the opening race due to not adhering to the orange disk black flag during the technical issue at Aragon.

Bautista’s team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a remarkable performance at the recent Aragon Round, breaking through for a solid victory in the opening race there. It’s noteworthy that Rinaldi is also eyeing a competitive ride for the 2024 season, making these remaining races with the Ducati Aruba team all the more crucial as he aims to solidify his reputation as a top-tier rider in WorldSBK.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi

“The pressure being off is an important fact and it helped to ride in a more relaxed way, thinking to ride the bike and nothing else. I feel great; I’ll try my best from Friday morning to have a good weekend and challenge for the podium. We know that in the last seasons, the top three – Jonny, Toprak and Alvaro – are making the difference, as they’re tough riders to beat. To be the only one in two years who has been able to do that is something incredible. I want to join the titanic trio, so I think we need to work even harder and I’m looking forward to having a seat next year to beat them again. Making good results helps but there’s no right decision yet about 2024 because there are details not depending on me. I want to have a good opportunity but also a good proposal. I’m at a point in my career where I can’t ride a bike just for fun or just for money. I need a good background, results and support from the manufacturer, as I’m not 19-years-old anymore, so I need a big project. I’d like a two-year project but not just a move because I need a seat.”

Alex Lowes comes back to the track looking for podiums despite his recent knee surgery. He will first have to check how his knee stands up to the rigours of two free practice sessions on Friday but he is confident that if all is well he will be capable of fighting for podium places.

Alex Lowes

“I’m excited to get back on the bike this weekend at Portimao. I’ve been working hard since my operation to get myself back to fitness. Portimao itself is a great race track that I really enjoy riding at. As long as it goes well on Friday in the opening practice sessions, and my knee is feeling good after the surgery, I expect to be strong. The goal as always is to be fighting at the front with the aim to return to the podium places.”

Team HRC and factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have high hopes for the eleventh, and penultimate, round of the 2023 Superbike World Championship. The latest Spanish event, a home round for both factory riders, brought consistent results for the duo, with Lecuona scoring a double sixth place finish on Sunday and Vierge a seventh and eighth place. Both are confident that they can build on that momentum as they head almost immediately into another race weekend.

Vierge currently places eighth in the championship standings and Lecuona thirteenth within twenty points of his team-mate. Both riders will be looking to maximise their points on Portuguese soil as they strive to improve their overall position in the classification.

Xavi Vierge

“I spent a couple of days at home after the Aragón race, the advantage of living within driving distance, and now we focus on Portimão a track that I like very much and that has a unique layout. In the pre-season tests, we were very fast here, and were particularly strong in terms of race pace. So we will try to harness the data we collected back then and the effective work method we used in the garage at Aragón, and see if we can get closer to the front.”

Iker Lecuona

“After Aragon, I am really happy and I say the same to my manager when we travelled to Valencia. I needed one weekend like that. I’ve struggled a lot all season, with many crashes and many things that I don’t understand well. The best race was the first one in Australia and until this moment, I struggled every weekend and I can’t enjoy. We had something different on the bike at Aragon and after this weekend, with three top ten finishes and two top six results, I’m really satisfied. It was a motivation for me. About my future, we need to wait. I’m happy here and I can say I’ll stay with Honda but we will see when we can say something. I understand that I can put my mind to the things that I can manage. Things I can’t manage, like a third person, I can’t do anything.”

Remy Gardner has closed to within five-points of his team-mate Dominique Aegerter and is on the verge of working his way into a top ten position in the championship.

World Superbike Championship Points

WorldSSP

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) sits on the cusp of WorldSSP glory this weekend at Portimao. Leading the Championship with 408 points, Bulega has put in a season of exemplary performances, including his recent double of win at Aragon. With only 4 races remaining and a maximum of 100 points available, the Italian rider’s pursuit of the Championship is within reach.

Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), currently trailing Bulega by 85 points with 323 points to his name, faces an almost insurmountable gap to the Championship. Realistically, his chances of claiming the title are extremely slim, and a perfect storm of events is needed to change that. Nevertheless, Manzi remains a fierce competitor and he’s the only rider from the top three in the standings to have won a race at Portimao.

As for Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who currently occupies second place in the standings, his focus now shifts to delivering a solid performance in Portimao, aiming for a podium finish and accumulating valuable points. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team), holding fourth place with 210 points, may not be in immediate contention for the Championship. However, he remains a formidable presence on the track, especially at Portimao, where he has tasted victory in the past.

John McPhee will again sub in for Oli Bayliss on the D34G Ducati but there are still two Aussies on the grid this weekend, Tom Edwards and Luke Power.

World Supersport Championship Points

WorldSSP300

As the WorldSSP300 Championship reaches its thrilling conclusion, all eyes turn to the Pirelli Portuguese Round at Portimao, the ultimate arena for the 2023 season. The anticipation is palpable as riders prepare to take on the challenging Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, knowing that this is their last opportunity to make their mark on the Championship standings. At the forefront of this intense battle are the top three contenders, and their Championship points and permutations have created an electrifying atmosphere.

Leading the pack is Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki), a name that has consistently dominated the season. Buis has amassed an impressive 194 points and claimed seven podium places including four wins. The current Championship leader has never won at Portimao. However, what makes this round truly captivating is the tantalizing prospect of Buis securing the Championship title in Race 1 at Portimao if he maintains a gap of 25 points or more to Perez-Gonzalez.

Currently trailing Buis is Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) with 164 points and Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) with 147 points. While the points gap between them and Buis seems substantial, the Championship permutations reveal that the title race is not decided yet. Buis can clinch his second WorldSSP300 title in Race 1 at Portimao if he secures a top position and certain conditions align in his favor. The battle for supremacy promises to be intense, with every rider aiming to end the season on a high note and with an eye on the Championship trophy.

World Supersport 300 Championship Points

WorldSBK Portimao Schedule
(AEST)

2023 FIM Superbike World Championship Calendar
Date	Circuit	WSBK	WSSP600	WSSP300
24-26 Feb	Phillip Island	X	X
3-5 Mar	Mandalika	X	X
21-23 Apr	Assen	X	X	X
5-7 May	Catalunya	X	X	X
2-4 Jun	Misano	X	X	X
30 Jun-02 Jul	Donington Park	X	X
14-16 Jul	Imola	X	X	X
28-30 Jul	Autodrom Most	X	X	X
8-10 Sep	Magny-Cours	X	X	X
22-24 Sep	Aragón	X	X	X
29-Sep-01 Oct	Algarve	X	X	X