After missing what is a traditional appointment with the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and its extremely passionate WorldSBK fans in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions, Team HRC is pleased to return to the Italian facility this season and feels confident as it prepares for Round 3, set to get underway this coming Friday.

Factory rider Alvaro Bautista is heading into this next event with a keen desire to demonstrate a potential that has been somewhat under-exploited in the two previous rounds and obtain the kind of results that he knows are within his reach. Leon Haslam also hoped for more at the Estoril circuit, but is confident that the Misano track lends itself well to both his riding style and the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE. During the last 2019 edition, both Bautista and Haslam reached the podium in the weekend’s races.

The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli was inaugurated in 1972 and first featured on the WorldSBK calendar back in 1991. Located on the Rimini Riviera, it has become a classic venue for the production-derived series, the event regularly taking place during the summer season. The track measures 4.226 kilometres in length and comprises 10 right-hand turns and 6 left-handers.

The first free practice session will kick off on Friday at 10.30am local time, while the two Superbike races and the Tissot Superpole race will play out over Saturday and Sunday.

2019 SBK RESULTS:

Race 1 – 1. Rea (Kawasaki); 2. Sykes (BMW); 3. Bautista (Ducati).

Superpole Race – 1. Bautista (Ducati); 2. Lowes (Yamaha); 3. Haslam (Kawasaki)

Race 2 – 1. Rea (Kawasaki); 2. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki); 3. Haslam (Kawasaki)

Weekend schedule (CET):

Friday

10.30 – 11.15 – SBK Timed Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Timed Practice 2

Saturday

9.00 – 9.30 – SBK Free Practice
11.10 – 11.25 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1

Sunday

9.00 – 9.15 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – SBK Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2


Alvaro Bautista 19

“The last race weekend left us with mixed feelings, a tough Friday followed by improved performance and confidence throughout the weekend, despite the extra challenge of having our qualifying time cancelled on Saturday. Still, we feel we left some of our potential untapped there and are looking forward to improving this weekend. We approach Misano with a strong mentality and will work to find the feeling that we had at Aragón. Our main target is to have a bike that is well balanced to suit all conditions and every track. I’m so happy to return to Misano after missing it last season. It’s a track that I really enjoy, and it’s definitely very different to both Aragón and Estoril so we will try to find a good set-up with the electronics, the chassis and everything in order to get closer to the front. One thing that makes me really happy is that we will finally have some fans back in the grandstands. A limited number, sure, but it’s a first step and one we have been looking forward during this long closed-door period”.

Leon Haslam 91

“Misano is always a special race. I’ve heard we are going to have some fans watching and that will be fantastic because the atmosphere is always great in Italy. In the past, we always used to spend some days at the beach with Frankie Chili and everyone there, so I have some very good memories of the place. I really like the track of course and was on the podium last time we raced there in 2019. I’m now looking forward to riding the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE there and working to try and find the good feeling we had this winter”.