Our photo from the WorldSBK event in April 2018 – now a continuation after snow in the following year and the pandemic-related cancellation 2020 for the coming season receives new hope.

Calendar variant 2 also officially for WorldSBK – Assen in July

It was clear early on that starting the season in Assen in April would pose a risk. With regard to any doubts after the publication of the first provisional WSBK calendar by FIM and Dorna, the focus was not initially on the corona pandemic. Specially the weather can play a bad trick in the north, as it became clear on site in 2019. The mutations and a new tightening regarding Corona now made a step necessary, without which the event in Assen would probably have been canceled. But, Dorna and the organizers found an opportunity for high summer to be on save side, what’s indeed positive for the fans. Our picture of Assen from 2018 fits perfectly with the modified calendar again.

Our photo from the hotel in Assen, when on Saturday, April 13, 2019, the first WorldSBK race had to be canceled and was postponed to Sunday.

The modified calendar with still many question marks

Except for the postponement of Assen, nothing has changed yet. There are still many question marks in the calendar and behind dates that have already been set. Overseas races remain questionable, as we already emphasized at the end of November when the calendar was first published. Therefore, a few more European races and possibly double events can be expected instead. Of course, there is currently still a question mark behind Portugal, because the pandemic was particularly bad there again. Basically, all events and dates are only provisional in order to emphasize it at this point.

BMW the big profiteers

After having waived testing since Estoril in October 2020, the BMW team and their riders are among the big beneficiaries of the postponement of the season opener. From the start of the test, which is currently planned for March 4th and 5th, to the first originally planned event, the time for the development of the brand new M-1000 RR would have been far too short. In this respect, the BMW drivers can relax a little because their starting position has improved significantly as a result of the Assen shift.

Jonas Folger (left) and Eugene Laverty – the two drivers of the 2 new BMW private teams are lucky, the start of the season has been postponed (© WorldSBK).

The provisional test plan until spring

Portimao test: 4th – 5th March
Jerez test: 9th – 10th March (Honda only)
Misano test: 15th – 16th March
Estoril test: 24th – 25th March
Barcelona test: March 31st – 1st April
MotorLand Aragon test: April 12th – 13th