24 entries for World Superbike grid

FIM release provisional grid for the 2012 World Superbike season

THE FIM has issued the entry list for the 2012 World Superbike championship, showing 24 full-time riders for the 25th anniversary of the series.

Six manufacturers will be represented in the 2012 season, with the majority of the spots on the grid taken up with seven Ducati bikes, but there will also be five BMW riders, four Kawasaki, three from Aprilia and Honda and two Suzukis.

2011 champion, Carlos Checa has opted to continue with his number 7, instead of racing with the number 1 plate.

For 2012 there is a healthy compliment of rookies in the series including; Chaz Davies, Raffaele De Rosa, Leandro Mercado, Lorenzo Zanetti, Hiroshi Aoyama and Davide Giugliano. BSB runner-up John Hopkins also returns to the World stage, stepping up with Crescent Suzuki.

One notable absentee is Noriyuki Haga, who has so far been unable to secure a ride for the 2012 season. The Japanese rider was rumoured to be taking a ride on-board a Ducati, but there have also been talks of Haga trying for rides in BSB and in Japan and retirement has also been hinted at for the veteran.

2012 World Superbike entry list:

3. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia RSV4 Aprilia Racing Team
58. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia RSV4 Aprilia Racing Team
7. Carlos Checa ESP Ducati 1098R Althea Racing
34. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati 1098R Althea Racing
50. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Ducati 1098R Team Effenbert Liberty Racing
96. Jakub Smrz CZE Ducati 1098R Team Effenbert Liberty Racing
33. Marco Melandri ITA BMW S1000RR BMW Motorrad Motorsport
91. Leon Haslam GBR BMW S1000RR BMW Motorrad Motorsport
4. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Honda CBR1000RR Honda World Superbike Team
65. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda CBR1000RR Honda World Superbike Team
84. Michel Fabrizio ITA BMW S1000RR BMW Motorrad Italia GOLDBET SBK Team
86. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW S1000RR BMW Motorrad Italia GOLDBET SBK Team
78. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA Ducati 1098R PATA Racing Team
17. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki Racing Team
66. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki Racing Team
36. Leandro Mercado ARG Kawasaki ZX-10R Team Pedercini
44. David Salom ESP Kawasaki ZX-10R Team Pedercini
21. John Hopkins USA Suzuki GSX-R1000 Crescent Suzuki
TBC. Leon Camier GBR Suzuki GSX-R1000 Crescent Suzuki
TBC. Mark Aitchison AUS BMW S1000RR Grillini Progea Superbike Team
121. Maxime Berger FRA Ducati 1098R Liberty Racing - Team Effenbert
19. Chaz Davies GBR Aprilia RSV4 1000 F ParkinGO Aprilia Racing Team
35. Raffaele De Rosa ITA Honda CBR1000RR Pro Ride Motorsports
59. Niccolò Canepa ITA Ducati 1098R Team Ducati Roma