WSBK responds to 1200cc rumours.

Following increasing speculation that the World Superbike technical regulations will be changed to give twin-cylinder machinery a 200cc capacity advantage - bringing them up to 1200cc - in the face of growing four-cylinder opposition, WSBK organiser's FGSport have today released the following statement.

The statement claims that no such rule changes have yet been "analysed, discussed or planned" but does state that "the Superbike category should be a mirror of real-world marketplace reality" and that "should the market of the future be characterised by changes, in particular where the capacity of what are effectively regular showroom models is concerned, FIM and FGSport believe that these changes should be mirrored in the Superbike World Championship technical regulations."

Ducati and KTM are believed to be planning to introduce 1200cc twin-cylinder production Superbikes to take on the 1000cc fours in the showroom; with the Italian manufacturer - which has long dominated WSBK - arguing that the level of tuning now needed to make their 999 competitive on the race track is becoming too expensive. In MotoGP minimum weight levels vary depending on the number of cylinders, to help level the competition, but in WSBK the only advantage twins have is a greater level of allowed modifications.

Nevertheless, with Ducati 999 riders currently leading both the World Superbike championship (with Troy Bayliss) and the British Superbike championship (with Gregorio Lavilla) many teams running four-cylinder machinery - which for many years raced (largely unsuccessfully) against 1000cc twins with just 750cc - find talk of again handing twins a capacity advantage hard to swallow... especially with WSBK currently enjoying near unprecedented levels of manufacturer involvement, competitiveness and world wide interest.

Such a controversial capacity change has the potential to split WSBK manufacturers, with some already talking of a withdraw if such a rule is or isn't introduced. It is probably to help calm such destabilising talk that FGSport has decided to officially comment on the matter. It also insists that any future rule changes will "be discussed by FIM and FGSport, with the manufacturers" and that "the above outlined philosophy is in line with the needs and expectations of all manufacturers."

The full statement can be seen below:

"With reference to some articles published by motorcycle sports magazines, regarding possible modifications to the Superbike World Championship technical regulations, FGSport - in agreement with the International Motorcycling Federation - intends to provide clarification.

"On 3rd February 2006 representatives of the FIM, MSMA and FGSport had a meeting.

"During this positive session all the parties expressed the clear wish to once more open up cooperation, and share in the evolutionary process of the future Superbike technical regulations.

"No specific item was considered in that meeting and no modifications to the rules were analysed, discussed or planned.

"It is, however, the common opinion of the FIM and FGSport that the Superbike category should be a mirror of real-world marketplace reality.

"In other words, both the FIM and FGSport believe that racing Superbikes should, effectively, be derived from the ones sold in the global marketplace, and not from models built solely to meet Superbike homologation regulations.

"In that sense, should the market of the future be characterised by changes, in particular where the capacity of what are effectively regular showroom models is concerned, FIM and FGSport believe that these changes should be mirrored in the Superbike World Championship technical regulations.

"In confirming that future modifications to the rules will be discussed by FIM and FGSport, with the manufacturers, we don't see any current reason to be preoccupied with when it should become necessary to deal with this item. We are, in fact, sure that the above outlined philosophy is in line with the needs and expectations of all manufacturers.

"We would like to reaffirm that any significant evolution of the Superbike World Championship technical rules will be the result of a process shared among FIM, MSMA and FGSport, and of the agreement found among these parties, furthermore FIM and FGSport express the wish that the National Federations which organise a Superbike championship can adopt the World Superbike Technical regulations in the future.

"Furthermore, as declared by the President Francesco Zerbi - and agreed by all the parties - we confirm that the technical regulations of the Superbike World Championship will continue to be oriented to ensure that all bikes which are permitted to participate to the Championship will respect the fundamental characteristics of the production models."