Action-packed WorldSBK summer leg commences at Donington Park

Embarking on the summer chapter of the 2023 season, the Prosecco DOC UK Round will be held at Donington Park, the historic venue that witnessed the inaugural WorldSBK event 35 years ago. It will mark the first of three rounds scheduled for July.

DID YOU KNOW? 

Ducati has won in all the tracks of the current calendar. They have won at least once as late as last year (excluding the returning Imola, where Ducati last won in 2017), but at Donington Park, their last win came in 2011 (Carlos Checa).

DONINGTON PARK’S HOT SPOTS WITH ALEX LOWES

T1/ “Donington is a track of two halves, but a great track – a lovely track to ride. I will just touch the limiter in fourth, and then go down to second gear for Redgate. As you brake you just let the bike slide a little bit so that the back of the bike goes into the entry of pit lane, just to open up the corner a little bit. The hardest part of Redgate is not to go in too early, as it has a late apex on the run down to Hollywood. You have to start tipping in just before the end of the white line at the pit exit, basically.”

T9-10/ “The straight has got a little jump in the middle, so you can’t relax too much there. I lean the bike as it wheelies, to stop it wheeling too much, and use a lot of rear brake. The Esses, just like the final corners, is all about hard braking. ”

T11/ “The straight into the hairpin is not a straight at all. It sort of goes around and then you have to make quite a lot of effort to go back to the left so that you are braking upright. Get it stopped, down to first, a little bit downhill and always a good place to pass. And always lots of action! ”

WorldSBK | KEY STAT

14

In Misano, Alvaro Bautista became the first rider in WorldSBK history to secure 14 wins out of the first 15 races of the Championship. With the second half of the season still to come, he is now aiming for the all-time season record of 17 wins currently held by Doug Polen (1991) and Jonathan Rea (2018 and 2019).

What to look out for in Donington Park

All eyes will be on Alvaro Bautista, the current Championship leader with an impressive 298 points. Bautista will be eager to extend his lead and continue his dominant form at Donington Park, a track where Ducati has not won since 2011. The 2022 WorldSBK Champion made the most out of the three-week break after Misano to ride the Desmosedici GP at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” during a two-day test in Italy as a reward for his 2022 WorldSBK title success.

Toprak Razgatlioglu, with just one win under his belt in the 2023 season, will be aiming to regain his form. Having won five of the last six races at Donington Park, the Turkish sensation will be eager to add more victories to his name in his final season with Yamaha.

Six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea has yet to secure a victory this year. Racing on familiar territory with his Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Rea will be determined to put an end to his winless streak and make a statement in front of his home crowd. He participated in a private test at MotorLand Aragon prior to the UK Round.

Currently third in the Championship standings, Andrea Locatelli will be eager to overcome his previous struggles at Donington Park and secure a top 3 finish, with his last podium achieved at the Catalunya Round.

Donington Park has undergone significant work since last year. The resurfacing of the 2.5-mile circuit, the first in over 20 years, aimed to eliminate undulations, improve drainage, and enhance corner camber, while also promoting sustainability by repurposing materials for other areas of the circuit.

WorldSSP charges into Donington Park for Round 6 of the 2023 season

What to look out for in Donington Park

Leading the World Supersport Championship charge is Nicolo Bulega, who has been in strong form with four pole positions, six wins, and a strong podium record. Bulega established himself as the rider to beat at Donington Park, a track where he has never won so far.

Second in the Championship standings with 161 points, Stefano Manzi will race for the first time with Yamaha at Donington Park. Building on his recent triumph in the previous Misano race, he aims to secure his third WorldSSP race victory, and progressively close in on Bulega in the overall standings.

MV Agusta’s Marcel Schroetter will race for the first time at Donington Park with World Supersport. The German Rookie, who has displayed consistent performance in 2023 achieving several top positions, is still aiming for his first win in the category.