Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/148526
P30 WIND Other long hauls should be Laguna Seca again for the U.S. round, but any race in Malaysia – although possible – is not in the category of the "shoe-in" it once appeared. Moscow Raceway should be on the cards, as no other circuit in Russia is up to standard to run international events yet, and the Yakhnich Motorsports company has a 10-year contract with which to run races with eight years left to go. In Germany, the current Nurburgring venue appears out of the plan so it will be the newto World Superbike venue of Sachsenring or else a return to Lausitz, although Lausitz doesn't want to pay the price Dorna requires. Oschersleben has been counted out by sources in Germany, simply on the grounds of costs to hold the race. Donington is back on for the UK again, as Silverstone appears not to be interested enough with Formula One and MotoGP on its schedule. Magny-Cours will continue, as will Imola and Jerez, with possibly Misano returning to the fold. Assen appears to be a perennial in the World Superbike garden. WILL APRILIA RETURN? A prilia's factory squad, always on a tight leash from parent company Piaggio, expect to be back in action in the World Superbike Championship in 2014, but it is not 100 percent. When asked if the Aprilia factory team would be back next year, team boss Gigi Dall'Igna said, "For sure. Why not? Since the beginning of this project the media writes that Aprilia will be retiring from SBK racing next season so I am really happy if you write this because I am sure we will still be here. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE IN THE Istanbul may be a new round on the list in 2013, but it also has taken over a permanent place on the calendar, as the series is expected back there again in 2014. In the range of possibilities, the Red Bull ring in Austria, the usually cash-strapped Portimao, and Aragon are all on the maybe list, with Aragon maybe the most likely to happen if Jerez is a disaster. There is a 99-percent chance of not having a race at Monza, and India may only happen as late as 2015. Gordon Ritchie Team boss Gigi Dall'Igna (left), shown with Sylvain Guintoli on the podium, expects that Aprilia will be back in the World Superbike fold next year. "Aprilia Racing is not mine, so for sure I have to make some proposals to the board of Piaggio group, but at the end they have to make the decision because the money that Aprilia racing needs to survive comes from the Piaggio Group. So all these racing politics I have to share with the board of Piaggio. Honestly, Piaggio follows, quite well, my opinions." Dall'Igna does not want to service the needs of more than four bikes in 2014, as it would vastly increase the logistics required. Even with its stiff price structure for crash-damaged parts, Aprilia continued on page 32