Just how much did the WSBK riders & machines weigh at Donington?

WorldSBK combined machine and rider weights

Donington

In 2024, the FIM Superbike World Championship introduced combined rider and weight controls to the category.

All motorcycles must weigh in at a minimum of 168 kg dry.

The reference weight for a rider in their complete race equipment is set at 80 kg.

Every rider who weighs less than 80 kg ready to ride, must add 500 grams of ballast for every kg they weigh under 80 kg, when suited and booted in their race gear.

For example, a rider who weighs in at 70kg in their leathers and with all protective equipment, inlcuding helmet, would need to add 5kg to their bike.

The maximum weight ballast penalty has been capped at 10 kg.

Alvaro Bautista dominated the 2023 World Superbike Championship and it seems as though the domination achieved by the diminutive Spaniard was the catalyst for the rule change. The rule change saw Ducati forced to add six-kilograms of ballast to the V4 R of Bautista.

Over the course of the first five rounds in 2023, Bautista won every race he finished. 14 victories out of a possible 15.

This season, 2024, over the course of the first five rounds, Bautista has won only a single race and scored a total of 186 points.

At this point of the season in 2023, Bautista had amassed 298 points from the opening five rounds before going on to finish the season on 628 points. Bautista scored perfect 62-point hauls at seven of the 12 rounds last season.

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Obviously there are many factors at play year on year, but it seems pretty clear that the weight penalty has more than likely contributed at least somewhat to the change in form and results for the 39-year-old.

Thus, I thought many many of you might find it interesting to see the results of the latest weigh-ins held at Donington Park over the weekend.

Alvaro Bautista and his V4 R are still by far the lightest combination in the field. After race one the combined machine and rider weight registered at 243.35 kg at the end of race one, and 240 kg after race two.

At the other end of the scales, pun intened, is Scott Redding. The Brit and his BMW M 1000 RR registered 264.4 kg after race two. Thus even with Bautista’s added ballast, the Brit and his BMW are still almost 25 kg heavier.

The lightest BMW comination was Toprak Razgatlioglu registering 250.8 kg at the end of both races.

Garrett Gerloff weighed in at 252.6 kg with his M 1000 RR, while Michael van der Mark was recorded as 252.2 kg after race one, and 251.8 kg after race two.

The heaviest Ducati combination was Danilo Petrucci and the Barni Spark V4 R, tipping the scales at 259.7 kg after race one, and 259.4 kg after race two.

Bautista’s team-mate Nicolo Buelga registered 257.4 and 257.25 kg.

Andrea Iannone and the GoEleven Ducati were 257 kg.

Sam Lowes and the Marc VDS Ducati weighed in at 251.6 kg.

Michael Rinaldi and the Motocorsa Ducati was recorded at 249.2 kg.

The lightest Yamaha combination was that of Andrea Locatelli who, at 250.2 kg at the end of race one, and 248.8 kg at the end of race two, was appreciably lighter than team-mate Jonathan Rea. The Northern Irishman weighing in at 258.6 kg and 258.2 kg at the end of the two races, the heaviest Yamaha.

Dominique Aegerter registered 254.2 kg while GYTR GRT team-mate Remy Gardner was recorded at 256.4 kg at the end of race one, and 257 kg at the end of race two. Bradley Ray was 254.4 kg.

Xavi Vierge and the HRC Fireblade registered 249.6 kg. Team-mate Iker Lecuona was 256.8 kg after race one, and 257.6 kg after race two.

Axel Bassani was the lightest Kawasaki finisher at 249.4 kg. Sam Lowes recorded 251.6 kg at the weigh-in.

Make of the data what you will.

WorldSBK reconvenes this weekend at Autodrom Most in the northwest of the Czech Republic.

2024 WorldSBK Standings
After five rounds

2024 WorldSBK Calendar