In the deep background of the WorldSBK championship an important landmark was reached recently , one that may not seem significant until you think what it means for the ‘ upstart ’ production-derived championship to have taken place at 50 different venues .
EXCITING CONTENT
Motorcycle racing , wherever it takes place , is a riot of noise and colour . A spectacle to quicken the pulse . At World Championship level it takes on another significance and level of interest . WorldSBK is a major sport , a significant undertaking . In terms of racing production motorcycles , WorldSBK is where it ’ s at . And in not being MotoGP™ , not being a prototype class , WorldSBK is true a world of its own , and a travelling speed circus that has just set-up temporary camp at its 50th different venue . Yes , that ’ s right , Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic became the 50th standalone venue to run a WorldSBK weekend , just two weeks ago . Navarra , now the 51st on the list of ‘ newbies ’, joins an illustrious group which have hosted at least one WorldSBK round since the inception of the championship itself in 1988 . Yes , lots of tike has passed now since the often rowdy and controversial WorldSBK championship first started , on a cool British weekend in April . It ’ s even quite some time since WorldSBK passed through its untamed teenage years and entered its fourth decade . It has taken over 30 years for WorldSBK to get to 50 in terms of tracks , on all five continents , even if Europe is of course the main continent to host the most rounds . Navarra is the latest and , amazingly in some regards , the seventh Spanish track to host a WorldSBK race . Seven … That ’ s more than any other single country in WorldSBK history . Which is strange as in its early years WorldSBK was a ‘ hard sell ’ in Spain , as MotoGP™ and its Spanish-based rights holders took MotoGP™ up , up , up and away to an even higher cloud on racing ’ s very own Mount Olympus . But , sure enough , this angular layout near Los Arcos is the seventh new track in Spain . Not Iberia in general of course , we mean Spain itself . Portugal has hosted its own races - two more this season at Estoril and then Portimao . Can you , more specifically , guess the other six Spaniards who have worn WorldSBK ’ s gilded clothes ? Chronologically speaking , WorldSBK dramas have played out at Jerez , Jarama , Albacete , Valencia , Motorland Aragon and for the first time only last year , Barcelona-Catalunya . At first it may seem weird that Spain has such a long and varied history in WorldSBK but in a two-wheel crazy country like Spain there appear to be tracks in almost every region . We have not even mentioned Calafat , Almeria , Cartagena , Guadix , Monteblanco … So with so much choice at hand it is at least logical that more tracks would have given WorldSBK a home , however temporary or longlived . A mystery , solved . What will set Navarra apart from some other of the newer tracks in Spain is its use in 2021 as a fully fledged WorldSBK venue , taking our sport to another potential audience , another region . The shortest track on the calendar - by a few metres here and there - Navarra will pump WorldSBK full of fresh adrenaline because let ’ s face it , who does not enjoy
Navarra is the latest and , amazingly in some regards , the seventh Spanish track to host a WorldSBK race .
40