British Superbike Championship (BSB)
The British Superbike Championship (BSB) is the United Kingdom's premier motorcycle road racing series. Founded in 1987, it has become one of the most competitive national superbike championships in the world.
History
BSB traces its roots back to the 1987 Formula One Championship, which evolved into the British Superbike Championship in 1990. The series gained prominence in the 2000s when it adopted the Superbike specification rules similar to World Superbike Championship.
Format
The championship uses a unique triple race weekend format at most events, with three races per weekend. The format was revised in 2023 to feature two sprint races and one longer feature race per event.
Notable Manufacturers and Teams
- Yamaha - Packed by Yamaha UK with riders like Kyle Ryde
- Ducati - Passion Performance and other satellite teams
- Honda - Racing UK Honda team
- Kawasaki - Buildbase Suzuki (previously Kawasaki)
- BMW - BMW Motorrad UK
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value | |--------------|-------| | Engine | 1000cc inline-4 or V4 | | Power | 200+ hp | | Top Speed | 300+ km/h | | Weight | ~168 kg (dry) |
Champions
| Year | Rider | Manufacturer | |------|-------|--------------| | 2023 | Tommy Bridewell | Ducati | | 2022 | Tommy Bridewell | Ducati | | 2021 | Jason Dawson | Suzuki | | 2020 | Not awarded (COVID-19) | - | | 2019 | Scott Redding | Ducati |
Key Circuits
- Donington Park - Historic Leicestershire circuit
- Thruxton Circuit - Fast Hampshire track
- Oulton Park - Technical park circuit in Cheshire
- Silverstone - Home of British MotoGP
- Brands Hatch - Historic Kent venue
Significance
BSB is widely regarded as the toughest national Superbike championship globally, with deep grids of 30+ bikes and highly competitive racing. Many riders use BSB as a stepping stone to World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) and MotoGP.
The series is known for its close racing, spectacular crashes, and the "Showdown" format introduced in 2005 where the top six riders contest for the championship in the final events.