The Superbike World Championship (WSBK) Introduces an "Anti-Bautista Law" with a Minimum Combined Weight for Bike and Rider.

Published by Stree Missile on 13/10/202313/10/2023

Ever since Álvaro Bautista joined Ducati in the Superbike World Championship (SBK), his dominance in the category has sparked controversies and accusations of an advantage due to his lightweight. Now, SBK will implement a new rule starting in 2024 that establishes a minimum combined bike-rider weight, in response to complaints from other competitors, which some have dubbed the "anti-Bautista law." This measure is just one of several novelties in SBK's long-term rule changes.

During his time with Ducati, Bautista has been a fierce and dominant competitor in SBK. However, his success has been a subject of debate due to his lighter weight compared to other riders. Rivals like Scott Redding questioned why there wasn't a minimum weight limit for riders in SBK. This discussion led members of the Superbike Commission, which includes representatives from Dorna, the FIM, and the MSMA, to consider rule changes.

The "anti-Bautista law" will come into effect in 2024 and will establish a minimum weight for the combined bike-rider. Although Bautista expressed his disagreement with those who called for a weight adjustment, the rule will be a reality in the upcoming season. Meanwhile, SBK's rule changes address other aspects, including environmental awareness and safety.

They will control fuel flow through a meter on two bikes from each manufacturer. This data will be recorded during training and races to define the values that will apply from 2025. Additionally, the fuel tank will have a maximum limit of 21 liters, and RPMs will be frozen during the season, with limits on revolutions per minute set before the season begins.

Regarding the crankshaft and balance, they can be modified within 20% more or less of the homologated weight during FIM verification inspection. The control points to calculate the concession tokens will be done every two events instead of three. The overall approval of the concessions will be one month before the test, with a detailed final approval arriving 14 days before the technical control of the event.

These changes are being implemented in a context of transformations in SBK, aiming to balance competition, enhance safety, and promote environmentally friendly practices in the championship.