Five Brits in WSB entry list
Added on Thursday, January 15th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Five Brits in WSB entry list
The World Superbikes grid will feature 32 riders and five Brits in 2009 after the finalised entry list was released by the FIM.
Tommy Hill, Jonathan Rea, Shane Byrne, Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes will all fly under the Union Jack banner in the 2009 championship in a paddock which appears to have defied the recent financial crisis to hit motorsport this winter.
Of the ten nations represented, only Italy has more riders in next season’s championship with eight riders whilst Spain and also have five riders flying their respective flags.
As far as the manufacturers are concerned, Superbikes has bucked the trend by increasing it manufacturer representation with the addition of BMW and Aprilia.
Kawasaki will provide factory support to Broc Parkes and Makoto Tamada, racing under the Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team banner although it will be Honda who will be best represented next season with eight bikes, including the three-pronged Ten Kate factory effort led by Rea, Carlos Checa and former British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.
Ducati – who recently pulled out the British Superbike Championship, will have seven bikes on the grid including the Xerox Ducati factory efforts ridden by Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio and the Sterilgarda entries ridden by current BSB champion Byrne and Alex Polita.
There will be four Suzuki’s on next season’s grid whilst Tom Sykes will ride one of three Yamaha R1s. Both BMW and Aprilia will focus solely on their factory efforts, entering just two bikes each.
In the World Supersport championship, Cal Crutchlow is the sole British entrant with the Stiggy Honda team.
World Superbikes Championship Entry List 2009
| No | Rider | Nat | Team | Bike |
| 3 | Max BIAGGI | ITA | Aprilia Racing | Aprillia RSV-4 |
| 7 | Carlos CHECA | ESP | Hannspree Ten Kate Honda | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 9 | Ryuichi KIYONARI | JAP | Hannspree Ten Kate Honda | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 11 | Troy CORSER | AUS | BMW Motorrad Team Alpha | BMW S1000RR |
| 15 | Matteo BAIOCCO | ITA | Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 19 | Ben SPIES | USA | Yamaha Motor Italia | Yamaha YZF R1 |
| 23 | Broc PARKES | AUS | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 24 | Brendan ROBERTS | AUS | Guandalini Racing Ducati | Ducati 1098R |
| 25 | David SALOM | ESP | Team Pedercini | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 31 | Karl MUGGERIDGE | AUS | Team Celani Suzuki Italia | Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 |
| 33 | Tommy HILL | GBR | Hannspree Honda Althea | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 36 | Gregorio LAVILLA | ESP | Pro Ride World Superbike | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 41 | Noriyuki HAGA | JAP | Ducati Xerox | Ducati 1098R |
| 44 | Roberto ROLFO | ITA | Stiggy Motorsport AB | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 53 | Alex POLITA | ITA | Sterilgarda Ducati | Ducati 1098R |
| 55 | Régis LACONI | FRA | DFX Corse Ducati | Ducati 1098R |
| 56 | Shinya NAKANO | JAP | Aprilia Racing | Aprillia RSV-4 |
| 65 | Jonathan REA | GBR | Hannspree Ten Kate Honda | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 66 | Tom SYKES | GBR | Yamaha Motor Italia | Yamaha YZF R1 |
| 67 | Shane BYRNE | GBR | Sterilgarda Ducati | Ducati 1098R |
| 71 | Yukio KAGAYAMA | JAP | Suzuki Alstare | Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 |
| 76 | Max NEUKIRCHNER | GER | Suzuki Alstare | Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 |
| 77 | Vittorio IANNUZZO | ITA | Squadra Corse Italia Honda | Honda CBR10000RR |
| 84 | Michel FABRIZIO | ITA | Ducati Xerox | Ducati 1098R |
| 86 | Ayrton BADOVINI | ITA | Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 88 | Roland RESCH | AUT | TKR Suzuki Switzerland | Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 |
| 91 | Leon HASLAM | GBR | Stiggy Motors Honda AB |
Honda CBR10000RR |
| 94 | David CHECA | ESP | Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 | Yamaha YZF R1 |
| 96 | Jakub SMRZ | CZH | Guandalini Racing Ducati | Ducati 1098R |
| 99 | Luca SCASSA | ITA | Team Pedercini | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 100 | Makoto TAMADA | JAP | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX 10R |
| 111 | Ruben XAUS | ESP | BMW Motorrad Team Alpha | BMW S1000RR |
