BIKECIRCUITWSBK - SSP

Following a flurry of announcements, Crash.net give you the definitive list of confirmed signings for the 2009 World Superbike Championship.
If there is one thing our forum has proved in recent weeks, it is that next year's World Superbike Championship is destined to be one of the most competitive, and hotly anticipated, of all time.

With various rider changes, two new manufacturers joining the fray and a grid that will be full to bursting when it forms in Australia next March, WSBK 2009 has the potential to overshadow MotoGP next season - at least in terms of numbers anyway!

Indeed, we at Crash.net have calculated a total of 24 confirmed riders for 2009, while we expect at least another eight or nine to commit to the grid before Phillip Island rolls around.

It means we could have a full-time grid of around 32 riders in 2009 - and that is before we even consider wild-cards. Plus, with seven manufacturer teams, at least five Brits and a myriad of talent on the grid this year, some very accomplished names are going to be finishing outside the top ten overall next season.

With no team retaining exactly the same line-up as 2008 (at least, unless Suzuki confirm
Fonsi Nieto some time soon), we thought we should recap on who has landed where in the big shuffle, as well as offer our own ideas as to who else could appear on the grid in 2009:

WSBK 2009 Confirmed Signings

Ducati Xerox
Noriyuki Haga
Michel Fabrizio

Yamaha Italia
Ben Spies
Tom Sykes

Ten Kate Honda
Carlos Checa
Ryuichi Kiyonari
Jonathan Rea

Alstare Suzuki
Max Neukirchner
Yukio Kagayama

Paul Bird Kawasaki
Makoto Tamada
Broc Parkes

BMW
Troy Corser
Ruben Xaus

Aprilia
Max Biaggi
Shinya Nakano

Team Sterilgarda Ducati
Shane Byrne
Alessandro Polita

Stiggy Motorsport Honda
Leon Haslam
Roberto Rolfo

Althea Honda
Tommy Hill

Pro Ride Racing Honda
Gregorio Lavilla

Celani Suzuki
Karl Muggeridge

GMT Yamaha
David Checa

YZF Yamaha
Katsuyuki Nakasuga


Unconfirmed Speculation - subject to change

Alstare Suzuki
Fonsi Nieto

DFX Corse Honda
Regis Laconi
Lorenzo Lanzi
Matej Smrz

PSG-1 Corse Ducati
Ayrton Badovini

Guandalini Ducati
Jakub Smrz

Pedercini Kawasaki
Sheridan Morais

Boulder Motorsport Ducati
Jake Zemke

Celani Suzuki - 2nd bike unconfirmed
Xavier Simeon
Chris Seaton

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