BMW and Ducati are given reduced fuel flow ahead of the UK WorldSBK this weekend.
This is the first reduction in which the rules will be applied, as the rules changed from a stage-based system to what WorldSBK calls the “proportional continuous penalty scale.”
In this case, both BMW and Ducati were hit with an additional 0.5kg/h reduction in maximum fuel flow, comparable to what was given before the Dutch round and what was given again before the Czech round.
This means that both manufacturers are penalised in total 1.5kg/h and are operating at a maximum fuel flow of 46kg/h compared to all six manufacturers (BMW, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Vimota, Kawasaki) standard 47.5kg/h.
The two brands are the only brands affected by this year’s volatility maximum fuel flow rules, bringing them to World Superbikes as an alternative to the previous RPM-based performance balancing rules.
BMW and Ducati won one race this year, taken by Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli at Assen. Moreover, all the wins for BMW and Ducati were taken by one rider per brand. The former is Toprak Razgatlioglu and Nicolo Bulega from Borgo Panigale Factory.
Bulega is currently leading the World SBK rider rankings for Razgatlioglu at nine points. Danilo Pelucci, third-placed, is 113 points away from the championship lead.
Minimum weight change for Yamaha R9
The Yamaha R9 was hit by a minimum weight gain of 5kg ahead of the WorldSSP UK round, announced alongside changes in fuel flow for WorldSBK’s BMW and Ducati.
This means the minimum weight of the R9 introduced by Yamaha this year, and is now leading the world supersport rider rankings with Stefano Manzi, and will be raised to 166kg before round seven.