After the confirmation of the only pending date: Laguna Seca in the United States, the 2019 World Superbike Calendar has been finalized. The Championship comprises 13 races, in 12 different countries over four continents (Europe, Asia, Oceania, and America) and will go on for eight months. 

As tradition dictates, the inaugural race will take place at the Australian Phillip Island Circuit on February the 14th and the season’s finale will be on October the 26th at the Losail Circuit in Qatar.

On March the 17th the championship will travel to the Chang asphalt in Thailand. Spain will have the privilege of being the only country hosting two scales of the 2019 World Superbike Calendar and of continuing to be one of the crucial dates in Europe. The contest will arrive at the Motorland Circuit in Aragon on April the 7th and two months later, on June the 9th, will do so at the Jerez-Angel Nieto circuit. 

After the Andalusian track, competitors will travel to Misano (June 23) in Italy and a, later on, will arrive at Donington Park (June 7). The American and ninth race of the season will take place one more year in the legendary Californian circuit of Laguna Seca (July 14) where pilots will have to come face to face once more with the legendary ‘corkscrew’. 

After the two-month holiday break, the action will return (September 8) in Portimao, Portugal. The final leg of the contest mirrors the last three races of 2018 of Magny Cuors, France (September 28); San Juan de Villicum, Argentina (October 13); and Losail, Qatar (October 26). 

Bautista’s debut and a Sunday morning sprint race 

One of the most exciting things of the 2019 World Superbike Championship is the debut of Álvaro Bautista. The ex-MotoGP Spaniard and his Ducati will pose the biggest threat to current monarch Jonathan Rea. The British pilot has ruled the last four editions (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018) with an iron fist onboard his Kawasaki (Ninja ZX10-R and ZX10-RR).

Another exciting addition this year is the hosting of a new Sunday morning sprint race. Dorna, the company that governs the events’ destinations, has also decided to maintain Saturday’s race after the Superpole in an attempt to make the racing weekends a bit more exciting and attract a dwindling following. 

2019 World Superbike Calendar:

1. – February 24 – Philip Island (Australia).
2. – March 17 – Buriram (Thailand).
3. – April 7 – MotorLand Aragón (Spain).
4. – Abril 14 – Assen (Netherlands).
5. – May 12 – Imola (Italy).
6. – June 9 – Jerez (Spain).
7. – June 23 – Misano (Italy).
8. – July 7 – Donington (Great Britain).
9. – July 14 – Laguna Seca (USA).
10. – September 8 – Portimao (Portugal).
11. – September 28 – Magny Cours (France).
12. – October 13 – San Juan Villicum (Argentina).
13. – October 26 – Losail (Qatar).

Main image 2019 World Superbike Calendar: WSBK.com

Text images:  WSBK.com y @19Bautista