Santamonica SpA and Dorna WSBK Organization are thrilled to announce a contract extension, which will see Misano World Circuit host the Superbike World Championship until 2020.

As the ever popular Rimini Round reaches its 50^th WorldSBK race this weekend, it is the perfect occasion to announce an extension of the partnership. Providing fantastic racing, state of the art facilities and stunning levels of Italian passion, the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli are also celebrating their 45^th year of hosting racing activity. This extension will see WorldSBK racing action take on the 4.226km circuit for the next three years.  

Luca Colaiacovo, president of Santamonica SpA expresses his delight following the announcement: "With the WorldSBK series there is a historical and important link which brings strong levels of commitment, in order to improve the facilities that we welcome each year. This year we launched our new Paddock 4, we have redesigned the main paddock building and opened another entrance point."

"Signing the agreement,” adds Andrea Albani, Managing Director MWC, “Opens up new development opportunities for sports and business activities. Additionally the event schedule is a key ingredient of the Motor Valley, an activity Misano is highly involved with and is strengthened with the WorldSBK series.”

WorldSBK Executive Director Daniel Carrera explains: “The Misano Round is a natural circuit for WorldSBK to visit. You can find widespread passion, strong organizational skills and plenty of involvement on a local scale. It was an easy decision to make, one which feels almost natural."

A breathtaking Race 1 at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” on Saturdayafternoon saw Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) take advantage of three big crashes ahead of him to secure maximum points, with Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) also on the podium.
 
In the final stages of the last lap Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) crashed out of the lead and was hit by Rea, with Rea able to pick up his bike to finish third, behind winner Sykes and second placed Lowes. Moments before that incident Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) also crashed out when fighting for a podium finish and he would ultimately finish 15^th.
 
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) also spectacularly crashed out at turn 13 with 7 laps to go, with Rea close by, after the Dutchman had led for most of the race. Van der Mark took over at the front from provisional leader Rea in the early stages and had built up a big lead at one stage before his advantage decreased and then he went down.
 
Behind Sykes, Lowes and Rea the top five also featured Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team).
 
Meanwhile in the first race of the Pirelli Riviera Di Rimini Round, Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Roman Ramos (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven), Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team) were all in the top ten.
 
There were retirements for Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) and Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing). Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed late on but remounted to finish 11^th.

Race 2 at the Rimini WorldSBK round takes place at 1pm on Sunday.

The first day’s action at the Pirelli Riviera Di Rimini Round concluded with the World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) in familiar territory at the top of the combined practice timesheets.

The Northern Irishman set down a 1’34.901 marker in the afternoon FP2 session, putting him just 0.03s ahead of the day’s second fastest rider Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), with Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) third best.
 
Rea recovered from some technical problems earlier in the day to lap faster than his rivals and put himself in a good position at the seventh round of the 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
 
Sykes had been the quickest rider in FP1, followed by Rea and Melandri in the morning top three, but the Yorkshireman ended day with an uncharacteristic crash at the end of FP2.
 
Melandri finished his day a quarter of a second behind pace setter Rea and just under a tenth of a second ahead of Friday’s fourth best rider – his teammate Chaz Davies.
 
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) made it four Britons in the top five, with Spaniards Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) in sixth and seventh respectively.
 
The top ten also featured Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), with Lowes suffering two crashes in FP1.
 
Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) in 11^th and Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 12^th were two of the riders to miss out on automatic Tissot Superpole 2 classification so they will participate in SP1 on Saturday.