WSBK – A Junior 300 cc category in World Superbike? –

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A Junior 300 cc category in World Superbike ?

WSBK - A Junior 300 cc category in World Superbike? -

The Superbike commission held its last meeting of 2014 last week. In addition to sporting, disciplinary, technical and medical code regulations, the issue of creating a new junior category was discussed…. Not stupid !

The Superbike Commission, made up of Javier Alonso (Executive Director of the WSBK), Ignacio Verneda (CEO of the FIM) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), met at the Dorna premises in Madrid on December 16, 2014, in the presence of Daniel Carrera and Gregorio Lavilla (WSBK-Dorna), Scott Smart (WSBK technical director) as well as Paul Duparc (FIM).

During this last meeting in 2014, it was notably decided that "sporting and disciplinary regulations and the medical code will be harmonized to come as close as possible to the Grand Prix regulations". The complete regulations for the 2015 season will also soon be available on the FIM website..

Regarding the technical regulations, the main lines drawn on June 12 (read) have been approved and two points have been clarified: the first concerns the equivalence between two-cylinder (Ducati and EBR) and 4-cylinder (the others!), Which is still delicate. impossible to fix. Details will be released shortly.

Second problem raised: that of electronics. "For safety reasons, the Superbike Commission has decided to study any individual requests from manufacturers who wish to use their 2014 electronic package, as is, for the first two rounds of the championship, in case any problems arise with the electronic concepts. brought about by the 2015 regulation".

"In this situation, the manufacturer should then make its 2014 electronic package available to all the brand’s private teams, in order not to put them at a disadvantage.", foresees the commission. No brand is mentioned, but the list is limited to two names, since only Ducati and Kawasaki are still of-fi-sky-le-ment entered in World Superbike !

Finally, the last announcement is probably the main one: "the Superbike Commission has approved the formation of a working group comprising representatives of manufacturers interested in the creation of a new junior category"…

300 cc, the birth of a championship

Until now, the "European Junior Cup" served as an antechamber to the World Superbike and its Superstock 600 or 1000 categories in particular. Ridden the first season (2011) on Ninja 250s, in 2012 on Duke 690s and the last two seasons on CBR500RR, the EJC will be contested in 2015 on CBR650F.

Developing according to Honda 79 horses and weighing 173 kg – in its racing version – this new mount seems a little too bad for kids who can register from the age of 14 … Likewise, the character mono-brand of the event does not quite correspond to the spirit of the Superbike acclaimed by the brands: "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday".

The new category, currently under discussion, "would be based on the burgeoning Supersport 300 category and allow multiple engine configurations, while having the objective of becoming an inexpensive launch pad for young talent", considers the commission.

Unlike the Moto3 Grand Prix category where only 250 cc single cylinders are allowed, 300 cc twin cylinders (like the or the) could therefore be measured against 300 cc monos (or possible for example) … flanges ?!

"The category would be present in various national championships and would serve the champions of tomorrow to take their first steps before joining the categories of the World Championship", continue the top officials of the World Superbike.

Roll our dirty pimply kids, charming brown, blond or redheads on real little sports cars and attract them, slowly but surely, to bigger motorcycles, whether they are competition, leisure or road? It is indeed an idea to be explored. Stay connected !

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