2023 sees promise from a number of motorcycle racing championships, but perhaps none more so than the World Supersport Championship, which is refreshed for next season.
The reigning and two-time World Supersport Champion Dominique Aegerter has departed the category for 2023 as he heads for World Superbikes, so has 2022 runner up Lorenzo Baldassari. With last seasons two big hitters out of the way it opens the class for other riders to make a name for themselves in 2023.
One of the classic manufacturers in World Supersport is Yamaha, and once again they are gearing up for another successful year in the class. Ten Kate Yamaha, the team who have won the last two World Supersport titles have signed Moto2 star Jorge Navarro and last year’s sixth place WSSP rider Stefano Manzi. Yamaha are also fielding the 2022 World Supersport 300 Champion Alvaro Diaz, Glenn Van Straalen and Maiki Abe, the son of motorbike racing legend, Norick Abe.
Another one of the classic World Supersport manufacturers is Kawasaki, who have not won a World Supersport title since 2016. However, Kawasaki appear to be aiming to reclaim the Supersport crown in 2023 with their stacked rider lineup. Last years third place rider, Can Oncu, will be staying with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team, he appears to be Kawasaki’s favourite rider and their man to bring back glory to them. But he will also be joined on the grid by Adrian Huertas, the former WSSP 300 Champion; Luke Power; Tom Booth-Amos; and Moto3 race winner, John McPhee.
Ducati returned to World Supersport in 2022 for the first time since 2007, it is safe to say in their first year back they did not disappoint. The Ducati riders stood on the podium 17 times between them, but a victory eluded them throughout 2022. But for 2023 Ducati are back again and ready to fight, Ducati’s main man Nicolo Bulega is staying with the Aruba.it squad after a fourth place finish in the Championship last year. For 2023 he will be backed up by Federico Caricasulo, who finished fifth in 2022; Yari Montella, who won the penultimate race of the season on his way to sixth overall in 2022 on a Kawasaki; and once again by Oli Bayliss, the son of World Superbike legend, Troy Bayliss.
MV Agusta displayed their new Supersport bike in 2022 and for 2023 have brought in a big name rider to bolster their chances. For 2023, former Moto2 rider Marcel Schrotter will ride for MV in the Supersport class alongside Bahattin Sofuoglu.
Triumph returned to World Supersport in 2022 and have lost their main man, Stefano Manzi, for 2023. However, World Supersport race winner Niki Tuuli has joined the British team for 2023 and will partner British Supersport graduate Harry Truelove on the world stage.
Honda are also returning to the World Supersport Championship in 2023 with the MIE Honda squad with Adam Norrodin and 2021 British Superbike Champion, Tarran Mackenzie. The CBR600RR will once again be taking part in the World Supersport events.
It is clear that World Supersport has some incredibly talented riders for the 2023 season and will have six manufacturers across the grid so the racing will become even better than before. With the likes of Moto2, Moto3 and British Superbike riders joining the grid the draw to World Supersport is higher than ever.
British fans will most likely be drawn to the class for 2023 with talented British riders like Truelove, Booth-Amos, Mackenzie and McPhee all taking part in the class.
World Supersport nowadays should not just been seen as a support class for World Superbikes anymore but should be taken seriously by all as a competitive racing category.
