World Superbike Championship
World Superbike enters its 22nd year in 2010, with its beginnings reaching back to the first race at Donington Park in Great Britain in 1988. Even giving away a potential 250cc to some of the opposition in the first few years of Superbike’s development, Kawasaki was an early winner in the riders’ title chase, thanks to Scott Russell in 1993.The subsequent success of World Superbike racing was not an automatic assumption in the early years, given the existence of the much more established prototype class in Grand Prix racing, but World Superbike’s mix of affordable global racing on road-based machinery was a seductive amalgam for riders, teams and spectators alike.
Rules and regulations have changed to keep pace with changes in the sportsbike marketplace, but Kawasaki has kept a near constant presence in SBK as it has changed over the seasons.
The regulations which limited multi-cylinder machines to a mere 750cc were changed for the 2003 season, but it was in 2004 that this had a first real influence on the championship, and by 2005 1000cc four-cylinder machines made up the vast majority of the grid.
The recent period of stability in the regulations has seen a return to a higher level of strength in depth, and a subsequent greater level of interest from top teams and manufacturers alike.
World Supersport Championship
The 2010 Supersport World Championship season will be the 12th F.I.M. Supersport World Championship season. The season started on February the 28th at the Phillip Island race track in Autralia and will finish on October 3 at Magny Cours, France, after 13 rounds. Supersport regulations are much tighter than in Superbikes. The chassis of a supersport machine must remain largely as standard, while engine tuning is possible but tightly regulated. As in World Superbike, a control tyre is used, although World Supersport regulations dictate that the tyres must be road legal and therefore slicks are not allowed.Talk
Briefing
A meeting of sporting or technical character, generally called by the Race Direction, involving riders and/or team managers.
Marshals
The people responsible for signaling to the riders, by means of special flags, and also for assisting them if they come off the track.
Lap chart
The document drawn up by the timing personnel at the end of the race, showing the placings of each rider at the end of each lap.
Pit-lane
The lane that runs alongside the circuit and that teams occupy to work on their bikes; also the point from which the riders first take to the track.
Race director
The person responsible for ensuring that the Rules are respected, and for ensuring that practice sessions and the race itself run smoothly.
Entry
Registration for a race. An 'Entry List' is published before each race and lists all the riders who have registered to take part, together with the names of their teams, and the type of motorcycle they will be riding.
Age
The minimum age for participants in a Superbike race is 18.
FIM or F.I.M
The International Motorcycling Federation, the coordinating body for international motorcycle racing.
Warm Up Lap
The lap that riders complete before returning to their positions on the starting grid ready for the actual start of the race.
Sighting lap
The lap that riders complete from the pit lane to the starting grid. This lap is not obligatory and riders may choose to push their machines from the pits to the starting grid.
Starting grid
The grid on which riders have to line up to start the race. In Superbike, the starting grid is made up of 4 riders per row. The riders in each row are arranged at intervals, with the fastest in front. Each row is separated by a gap of 9 metres. Positions on the starting grid, determined in qualifying practice and in the superpole session, remain valid for both races in a meeting.
Jump start
Occurs when a rider starts before the starting lights change. Incurs a penalty.
Open paddock
An event that is characteristic of Superbike (and almost unique to it in top level motorcycle racing). On the Thursday before the race, the public are allowed free access to the paddock, where riders hold autograph sessions.
Paddock
The area behind the pits where the various teams park their motorhomes and trucks.
Pit walk
Entry to the pit lane. A privilege restricted to pass holders, who are permitted to visit the pit lane at times when the riders are not busy with practice or racing.
Pole position
The first position on the starting grid.
Free Practice
Practice sessions in which lap times do not count towards determining starting grid positions.
Qualifying Practice
Practice sessions in which lap times count towards determining starting grid positions. Riders are placed according to their fastest lap time. To participate in the race, riders must record one lap no longer than 107% of the pole position lap time.
Protest
The means by which a team can contest the result achieved by a rider from a rival team, generally on the basis of technical or sporting considerations.
Ride-through
An enforced ride through the pit lane at a reduced speed during a race. Used as a penalty for riders who infringe the rules. Riding through the pit lane at a reduced speed (60 km/h) greatly increases lap time compared to a normal track lap.
Lights
Used to signal the start of the race. Lights are also installed at the exit from the pit lane to tell riders whether it is safe to re-enter the circuit or not.
Technical checks
Checks performed on the bikes to ensure that they comply with Technical Rules.
Warm up
The test session held in the morning of the race day to ensure that bikes are set up ready for the race itself.
Wild card
Riders permitted to take part in a specific championship race meeting. The host federation may nominate up to four wildcard riders, and the FIM another two.
Flags
Green flag
Track free. Shown without waving at each flag marshall post during the first lap of every practice or warm up session, and during the sighting lap and warm up lap. Also shown at the first flag marshal post where the track is free after a post displaying a yellow flag. When the pit lane is open, a green flag is waved at the exit.
Vertical yellow and red striped flag
Surface grip on the section of track where this flag is displayed is reduced by reasons other than the weather. Shown without waving.
White flag
Light rain is falling on the section of track where this flag is shown. Shown without waving.
Vertical yellow and red striped flag + white flag with diagonal red cross
Rain is falling on the section of track where these flags are shown. Shown without waving.
Blue flag
Waved to inform a rider that he is about to be passed. During practice, the rider who receives this signal must hold his line and gradually slow down to permit the approaching rider to overtake.
During the race itself, this flag tells a rider that he is about to be lapped, in which case he must permit the faster rider to overtake at the earliest opportunity.
Also waved at the various flag marshal posts to indicate the presence of a hazard on that section of track, and inform riders that they must slow down and prepare to stop if necessary. All overtaking is prohibited until a green flag is shown.
During the race itself, this flag tells a rider that he is about to be lapped, in which case he must permit the faster rider to overtake at the earliest opportunity.
Also waved at the various flag marshal posts to indicate the presence of a hazard on that section of track, and inform riders that they must slow down and prepare to stop if necessary. All overtaking is prohibited until a green flag is shown.
Black and white chequered flag
Denotes the end of the practice session or race.
Yellow flag
Waved at each row of the starting grid to show that the start has been delayed.
Also waved at the various flag marshal posts to indicate the presence of a hazard on that section of track, and inform riders that they must slow down and prepare to stop if necessary. All overtaking is prohibited until a green flag is shown.
Penalties may be incurred for infringements of this rule. During practice, the time for the lap during which the infringement occurs may be cancelled. During the race, a ride through may be imposed. In certain cases, more severe sanctions may be applied, including fines and suspension for a number of races.
If different tyre manufacturers were allowed to compete, this gap could probably be narrowed even further, but this would certainly mean higher participation costs for Superbike. That is why the organisers of Superbike have opted for a single tyre supplier.
Also waved at the various flag marshal posts to indicate the presence of a hazard on that section of track, and inform riders that they must slow down and prepare to stop if necessary. All overtaking is prohibited until a green flag is shown.
Penalties may be incurred for infringements of this rule. During practice, the time for the lap during which the infringement occurs may be cancelled. During the race, a ride through may be imposed. In certain cases, more severe sanctions may be applied, including fines and suspension for a number of races.
If different tyre manufacturers were allowed to compete, this gap could probably be narrowed even further, but this would certainly mean higher participation costs for Superbike. That is why the organisers of Superbike have opted for a single tyre supplier.
White flag
A non-competing vehicle (generally an assistance vehicle) is on the track. Waved at a flag marshal post to indicate that the vehicle is to be found on that section of track. Riders may pass the vehicle but not overtake other riders. If the vehicle stops, white and yellow flags are shown at the flag marshal post for the relevant section of track.
Black flag
Used to instruct a rider to stop at the pits. Displayed at all flag marshal posts together with the number of the rider in question. The rider thus identified must return to the pits at the end of that lap and may not re-enter the race. Only displayed after the rider's team has been notified of the decision to stop the rider.
Black flag with orange circle (diam. 40 cm)
Used in conjunction with a rider's number to inform that rider that his motorcycle has developed mechanical problems that could endanger him or other riders, and that he must therefore leave the track immediately.
Green light
Lit at the exit from the pit lane to indicate the beginning of a practice session, warm up session, sighting lap or warm up lap.
Flashing blue lights
Flashed at the exit from the pit lane throughout the practice session and the race itself.
Red flag with red lights
If the race is stopped, a red flag is shown at all flag marshal posts and the red lights are lit over the track. Riders must return slowly to the pits.
If the pit lane is closed, a red flag is displayed without waving at the exit, and the red light is also lit. Riders may not leave the pit lane under these conditions.
The red flag is also shown at the starting grid at the end of the sighting lap and the warm up lap, and may also be used to prevent access to the track.
Red lights over the track are used to hold riders at the start of the race.
If the pit lane is closed, a red flag is displayed without waving at the exit, and the red light is also lit. Riders may not leave the pit lane under these conditions.
The red flag is also shown at the starting grid at the end of the sighting lap and the warm up lap, and may also be used to prevent access to the track.
Red lights over the track are used to hold riders at the start of the race.
Yellow board with rider number
Displayed at the finishing line to show that a rider has been penalised and must perform a ride through.
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