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We all hoped that the Covid situation the world endured in 2020 , and which reduced our Championship weekends to eight in all , would not be continued into 2021 .
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WorldSBK Executive Director , Gregorio Lavilla
WELCOME
Welcome to the opening round of the 2021 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship , at the gloriously-appointed MotorLand Aragon . The ongoing realities of the global pandemic mean that we still cannot welcome spectators to the event in person but we and all our partners are fully committed to making the weekend as immersive and exciting for those watching from home as we can in these unavoidably strange circumstances . Hence this new-style Official Race Programme , in a digital format , adding another element in making our fans feel part of the scene . Of course , we all hoped that the Covid situation the world endured in 2020 , and which reduced our Championship weekends to eight in all , would not be continued into 2021 . We have not quite reached the stage of normality yet but we are undaunted in our desire for WorldSBK not just continue this season but thrive , no matter what . Although several restrictions beyond our control remain in place , and partly thanks to the proven efforts involved in keeping an exciting Championship going to an exciting climax last season , we are now starting what we expect to be a full 13-round Championship for 2021 . We hope that everyone can now enjoy all the hard work that has been put in behind the scenes to start the season at MotorLand Aragon this weekend . WorldSBK first came to MotorLand in 2011 and it has been a permanent feature on the calendar ever since . This is a tremendous modern race venue in all regards , which also makes it a highly popular choice for testing . There have been some small changes to the circuit layout used since 2011 but what has remained through all 11 previous WorldSBK rounds - two in 2020 after all ! - at MotorLand is the paddock ’ s affection for such a wonderful modern facility . It is matched by the commitment of MotorLand to make each WorldSBK weekend as successful as possible . This will be the first time that this circuit has started the Championship season off . It is also the first time the racing has started quite so late in the year . Rest assured this WorldSBK weekend should be as intensely contested as any , as will the subsequent races through the season . Five major manufacturers in WorldSBK , plus others in the Supersport classes , will again all fight for the podium places with competitive machinery , primarily because of their own efforts , but also the work put in by FIM / Dorna in arriving at largely settled technical and sporting rules . Nine new full-time riders in the WorldSBK class , and a grid of well over 20 hopefuls - even in the middle of a global pandemic - show just how compelling WorldSBK is and how much things have moved forward since that first MotorLand Aragon WorldSBK Round in June 2011 . I offer sincere thanks to all our competing manufacturers , teams and riders , plus our sponsors and partners , the National and Local governments , the FIM , circuits , marshals , volunteers , support staff and our own personnel from Dorna for all pulling together in such challenging times and put on what I am sure will be a great weekend of racing . Here ’ s to a thrilling full season of competition from this weekend until the last round in November .
Welcome to 2021
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