ASBK IS Back!

The mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) and Motorcycling Australia (MA) are very pleased to announce the restart of the 2020 ASBK Championship.

After a cracking season opener held at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit back in February, ASBK can now confirm the restart of the championship, which will run over a further five rounds, resuming in July.

Round 2 of ASBK will be held at the world-famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on the 25 – 26 July.

The event is now scheduled as a two-day event in an effort to help reduce the costs and the amount of time teams and riders will be on the road.

Simon Maas, ASBK Sporting Director explains, “We are thrilled to be finally heading back to the track and can’t wait to get going”.

“We choose to restart at Phillip Island because the riders of ASBK know the track well, as it was the last circuit we visited, so they can get up to pace quickly with the reduced schedule.

“In addition, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a world class track – home to MotoGP and WorldSBK, and it makes the implementation of the new COVID-safe protocols more manageable.  

“Like all major sporting codes, ASBK and MA has developed a comprehensive ASBK COVID-Safe Championship Plan based on our Roadmap back to ASBK.

“We extend our thanks and acknowledgement to the Victorian Government – Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions who are supporting Creative, Tourism, Sport and Major Events in Victoria and have assisted in our ASBK COVID-Safe Championship Plan which has made our return to the track possible.”

Due to the current COVID-19 regulations ASBK fans will not be able to attend in July but can still catch all the action via ASBK TV and Live Streaming. The COVID-19 restriction will also require a limitation of the number of personnel at the circuit, so teams and riders will be limited in size. More information on these new requirements will be announced to ASBK teams and riders next week.

ASBK then heads to Northeast Victoria where the iconic Winton Motor Raceway will host Round 3 on 11 – 13 September. ASBK hopes to be able to welcome ASBK fans back to the track to catch all the action, whilst this will be subject to continual easing of COVID-19 restrictions.  

Next on the ASBK schedule, the championship visits the nation’s spectator track – Wakefield Park Raceway on 16 – 18 October, where close battles and tight racing are always assured. Again, ASBK remains hopeful that ASBK fans will be trackside to witness all the thrills and spills.

Round 5 details at this stage remain To Be Confirmed, as ASBK Management continues to review options as COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing requirements make some venues difficult to achieve under some state government regulations. ASBK will continue to monitor developments and further details will be announced to confirm Round 5.

The 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul will come to a spectacular conclusion at the Grand Final round to be located at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, at the 2020 International Motofest.

ASBK is also pleased to announce that all ASBK national championship classes will race at The Bend in 2020, and will also include the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup and YMF R3 Cup support classes.       

“It’s been huge challenge for the ASBK Management Team to rebuild the calendar with different restrictions in each state, and the large amount of new requirements to stage a major event like an ASBK round,” MA CEO Peter Doyle said.

“However we have done our very best to get back up and running to finish the season with as many rounds as possible.

“We are very pleased to get the championship back into action in July and to see the riders back on track.”

ASBK fans can continue to stay update with all the action, via ASBK live timing by Computime on computime.com.au, available throughout the entirety of all rounds.

ASBK.com.au with ASBK partner MotorsportsTV.com.au will bring you every minute of the Sunday race action from all classes on the ASBK Live Stream service.

ASBK TV on SBS HD will provide Free To Air broadcast and race coverage in HD. Whilst Pay TV viewers in Australia and Asia do not miss any of the action by tuning in to ASBK TV on Fox Sports Australia and Fox Sports Asia for each Sunday race day.  

While you wait for the action to recommence, be sure to check out previous ASBK races, features and behind the scenes footage on asbk.com.au

2020 Revised Calendar*

Round 1 – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC – WSBK 27 Feb – 1 March

Round 2 – Phillip Island GP Circuit, VIC – 25 – 26 July (two-day event)

Round 3 – Winton Motor Raceway, VIC – 11 – 13 September

Round 4 – Wakefield Park Raceway, NSW – 16 -18 October

Round 5 – TBC

Round 6 – International MotoFest at The Bend Motorsport Park, SA 20 – 22 November

*All rounds and dates are subject to updated State and Federal Government COVID-19 restrictions and may be altered as required.

For more info about the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship, presented by Motul head to www.asbk.com.au and don’t forget to follow ASBK on Facebook and Instagram.

Pictures by Russell Colvin