2012 WSBK

World Superbike released its 2012 official testing schedule Monday that includes four dates - two pre-race tests, and two post-race testing.

The WSBK test schedule announcement arrives days before the new winter testing ban, which forbids World SBK testing from this Thursday, Dec. 1, through Jan. 15, 2012. This ban is part of the new 2012 WSBK rules.

The 2012 testing will begin the Monday before the season opener at Phillip Island, Australia. This pre-race testing session will occur Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 at the Australian track.

Two post-race tests will follow, a new initiative "to help save the participating teams some budget, yet continue machine and Pirelli tire development." These tests will occur the Monday after raceday at the Imola round (April 2), and the Motorland Aragon round (July 2).

And because Moscow Raceway is a new venue on the 2011 World SBK schedule, the series will hold an additional pre-race test there on Wednesday, Aug. 22, before practice starts for the Russian round.

World SBK reports that "By doing these tests the teams will not have to spend any significant extra money on the logistics, but merely add a few days to their overall travel plans for races that their team will be attending in any case."

2012 World Superbike Test Dates:

• Phillip Island, Monday/Tuesday, Feb. 20-21 (pre-race)
• Imola, Monday, April 2 (post-race)
• Motorland Aragon, Monday, July 2 (post-race)
• Moscow Raceway, Wednesday, Aug. 22 (pre-race)