2010 SBK Season Preview

Click video to watch the 2010 WSBK season preview. There are currently 25 full-time World Superbike riders scheduled to join what looks set to be the most exciting and evenly matched two-wheeled contest of all in 2010. From Aprilia to Yamaha and all points in between, the seven competing manufacturers will field riders who are not only proven winners, but capable of taking more silverware at some stage this season. A look at the competing riders' past records is proof enough of the high-class field.

There are two former SBK Champions on display in 2010 - James Toseland and Troy Corser - plus another four riders (Max Biaggi, Andrew Pitt, Chris Vermeulen, and Cal Crutchlow) who have won FIM World titles of some kind. There are also two previous Superstock 1000 Champions, Michel Fabrizio and Vittorio Iannuzzo.

In terms of previous SBK race winners, 13 of the current line-up have won at least one WSBK race, and four are former MotoGP race winners. Domestic titles litter the paddock in the SBK class in 2010, from the likes of Leon Camier, Shane Byrne, Roger Lee Hayden and others. A full list of the 2010 riders confirmed so far follows below, with their career highlights following.

APRILIA
Leon Camier - BSB Champion 2009
Max Biaggi - four time 250GP champion, 4 SBK wins and 33 podiums, 13 MotoGP wins.

BMW
Troy Corser - two SBK titles 1996 and 2005, 33 race wins and 128 podiums.
Ruben Xaus - 11 SBK race wins and 35 podiums
Andrew Pitt - one SBK race win, two Supersport World Championship wins
Roland Resch - Suzuki Cup Champion 2008

DUCATI
Noriyuki Haga - 41 SBK race wins with 106 podiums
Michel Fabrizio - Superstock 1000 Champion 2003, 3 time SBK race winner
Carlos Checa - two time SBK race winner, two MotoGP race wins
Shane Byrne - two SBK race wins, 2003 and 2008 BSB Champion
Jakub Smrz - one SBK podium
Luca Scassa - one Superstock 1000 race victory, CIV Superstock Champion

HONDA
Jonathan Rea - two SBK race wins, three Supersport World Championship race wins
Max Neukirchner - two SBK race wins, ten podiums
Vittorio Iannuzzo - European Superstock 1000 Champion 2002
Broc Parkes - five Supersport World Championship race wins, 23 podiums.
Makoto Tamada - three SBK race wins, two MotoGP race wins.

KAWASAKI
Tom Sykes - one SBK podium, three BSB race wins
Chris Vermeulen - Supersport World Champion 2003, ten SBK race wins, one MotoGP race win, seven MotoGP podiums
Roger Lee Hayden - 2007 AMA Supersport Champion
Matteo Baiocco - 2003 European Supersport Champion

SUZUKI
Sylvain Guintoli - one BSB race win, one 250GP podium.
Leon Haslam - six podium places, sixteen BSB race wins, 54 BSB podiums

YAMAHA
Cal Crutchlow - Supersport World Champion 2009, British Supersport Champion 2006, one SBK podium
James Toseland - Two SBK Championship wins 2004 and 2007, 16 SBK race wins and 57 podiums.