WSBK Race Report
After three 2010 World Superbike rounds and six races, WSBK has now had eight riders who have stepped on the podium.
The latest rider to join the podium gang is James Toseland, swelling into the ranks of top 2010 production-based SBK racers: Leon Haslam, Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa, Noriyuki Haga, Jonathan Rea, Michel Fabrizio and Cal Crutchlow.
There have been four race winners this season, first Haslam, then Checa, then a double-win for Biaggi, and most recently a win came along for Noriyuki Haga at Valencia. Biaggi and Haslam now have two race wins each in 2010.
Riders of Suzuki, Aprilia, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha machines have already put in podium performances, which accounts for five of the seven competing manufacturers this year.
With ten rounds and 20 races still to go, there are many opportunities left for all the riders and manufacturers with podium ambitions.
In contrast, two motorcycle manufacturers, Yamaha and Ducati, have primarily dominated MotoGP, in the last few years with riders like Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo filling many of the available podium spots.
Yamaha won 10 MotoGP races in 2009, Ducati won 4 and Honda won 3. In 2008, Yamaha won 10 races, Ducati won 6 and Honda won just 2 races. Ducati also won a whopping 11 races in 2007 with Yamaha claiming 4, Honda taking home 2 and Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen logging the only ever 800cc Suzuki MotoGP win.
The 2010 World Superbike Championship point standings, after the first 3 of 13 rounds, are as follows: 1. Haslam 123; 2. Biaggi 105; 3. Checa 80; 4. Haga 79; 5. Rea 60; 6. Toseland 50; 7. Guintoli 50; 8. Fabrizio 46; 9. Corser 46; 10. Crutchlow 41
The WSBK manufacturer’s point standings across the seven are: 1. Suzuki 123; 2. Ducati 107; 3. Aprilia 105; 4. Honda 61; 5. Yamaha 57; 6. BMW 47; 7. Kawasaki 13