WSB: 2018 calendar unveiled

Dorna and the FIM have today released the calendar for the 2018 Superbike World Championship, which shall again be contested over 13 rounds beginning in February and ending slightly earlier in October.

As has become tradition, the series will get underway at Phillip Island in Australia late February, before a month-long gap until the second round in Thailand at the Chang International Circuit.

Aragon will again host the opening European round between 13-15 April, kicking off a back-to-back two weeks of racing with Assen between 20-22 April.

The popular venue of Imola will host round five ahead of the series’ heading to its spiritual home of the United Kingdom for the Donington Park round over May Bank Holiday weekend.

Brno makes a welcome return to the calendar between 8-10 June ahead of the now annual visit to Laguna Seca, before the series returns to Europe between 6-8 July for the Misano round.

TOP STORIES

• Honda PCX Electric and Hybrid: The most important bikes ever?
• Gallery: Inside the new Triumph Visitor Experience
• Top 5 flipfront helmets for under £250
• Indian market share hits double figures
• TfL look to raise standard of riders

Once again, there’s a somewhat inexplicable two-month gap before the series resumes at Portimao on 14-16 September ahead of the final European round of the season at Magny Cours at the end of September.

The series then heads to the new El Villicum circuit in Argentina, should it be ready in time, before the season finale in Qatar at the end of October. 

The circuits replaced by Brno and Argentina are Jerez, which was introduced to the calendar as a last-minute replacement in 2017 and could return should the Argentinian round not go ahead, while Brno replaces the Lausitzring round with the German circuit no longer being used for events after being purchased by a private firm. 

Have a browse for your next bike on MCN Bikes ForSale website or use the MCN’s Bikes For Sale App.