WorldSSP grid gears up for Season Opener with final pre-season test

Grid updates

Changes are abound on the WorldSSP grid for the upcoming season. Adrian Huertas steps into the spotlight, taking Nicolo Bulega’s place at the Aruba.it WorldSSP Racing Team, while Valentin Debise is set to represent the Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team.

Stefano Manzi, the 2023 runner-up, continues his journey with the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate outfit, now joined by Glenn van Straalen. Marcel Schroetter, who secured third place in last season’s standings, remains with the MV Agusta Reparto Corse outfit, alongside Bahattin Sofuoglu. Despite facing challenges in the 2023 season, Can Oncu returns for his fifth campaign with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing outfit. Meanwhile, Yari Montella, a podium finisher in 2023, remains committed to the Barni Spark Racing Team.

Making a return to WorldSSP are Lorenzo Baldassarri (ORELAC Racing VERDNATURA) and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha), eager to build on their past successes.

Exciting debuts await at Phillip Island, with new riders and teams entering the WorldSSP arena. Niccolo Antonelli joins the Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team, while Triumph expands its presence with a second team in the series, WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph, featuring Jorge Navarro and John McPhee.

New regulations

In 2024, WorldSSP undergoes significant scheduling changes. Notably, the grids for Race 2 will now be determined by the fastest laps recorded in Race 1 for the top nine contenders, emphasizing outstanding performances. The Tissot Superpole sessions take place on Friday, after a Free Practice session in the morning. Alongside these changes, the SBK Commission introduces sustainable fuel for both the WorldSBK and WorldSSP categories, commencing from the 2024 season, with a mandatory minimum of 40% sustainable fuel content.

Pre-season insights

During the pre-season tests at Jerez and Portimao, WorldSSP riders exhibited their skills and readiness for the upcoming season. Marcel Schroetter led the pack at Jerez, with Stefano Manzi close behind. Can Oncu showed promising performance. At Portimao, Adrian Huertas maintained his dominance, topping the charts ahead of Niccolo Antonelli.