What is the Difference Between MotoGP™ and World Superbike?

MotoGP™ and WorldSBK are two of the most prestigious motorcycle racing championships, and while they do share some similarities, there are many significant variances between the two.

With specific rules that distinguish one from the other, different motorcycles, varied race strategies and a lot more nuances across each series, there is plenty to delve into to understand what is the difference between MotoGP™ and World Superbike.

It’s these contrasts that make each series such a strong sporting spectacle in its own right, and which also add to the excitement, intrigue and elite levels of skill and technology involved.

MotoGP™ vs World Superbike: The Key Differences

There are some key areas in which the most significant differences between MotoGP™ - which is officially called the FIM Grand Prix World Championship – and WorldSBK – officially named the FIM Superbike World Championship. The most significant difference perhaps the most obvious…

Bike Specifications in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK

The definitive difference when comparing a MotoGP™ bike vs a Superbike is that the motorcycles racing in MotoGP™ are prototypes built exclusively for racing, whereas a Superbike is a modified production motorcycle based on commercially available models.

Here are some of the most notable differences:

As you can see from the above table, a MotoGP™ bike is a full prototype, developed with cutting-edge technology to be truly unique, while a Superbike is also a high-performance machine but one which aligns much more with a commercially available motorcycle.

Racing Format and Championships

There are notable differences between MotoGP™ and WorldSBK race weekends in terms of the racing formats.

In MotoGP™, the weekend consists of practice sessions, qualifying, a Sprint and then the main race:

Friday

•     Free Practice 1: 45 minutes, “free” practice session for testing various set-ups, tyre choices, pace and more.
•     Practice: 60 minutes, with the 10 fastest riders progressing to Q2.

Saturday

•     Free Practice 2: 30 minutes, to refine bike set-ups.
•     Qualifying 1: 15 minutes, with the fastest 2 riders progressing to Q2.
•     Qualifying 2: 15 minutes, in which the 12 riders on track compete for pole position for the race and for the top 12 qualifying positions on the starting grid.
•     MotoGP™ Sprint: 50% of the full race distance, with points awarded to the top 9 riders.

Sunday

•     Warm up: 10 minutes, to refine bike set-up and test track conditions.
•     Race: Depending on the circuit length, the race can be anywhere from 20 to 28 laps.

WorldSBK differs with its format for the weekend:

Friday

•     Free Practice 1: 45 minutes, focus on bike set-up, tyre choice and more.
•     Free Practice 2: 45 minutes, further set-up refinements and race pace evaluation.
  

Saturday

•     Free Practice 3: 20 minutes.
•     Superpole: 15 minutes, this is a qualifying session that determines the starting grid for Race 1 and the Superpole race, including pole position.
•     Race 1: Usually between 19 to 22 laps.

Sunday

•     Warm up: 10 minutes, for final bike preparations and rider acclimatisation.
•     Superpole race: 10 laps intense race. The positions of the top 9 riders in this race determine their starting grid positions for Race 2, with all other riders starting Race 2 in order of their Superpole times.
•     Race 2: Same race distance as Race 1.

Read a detailed breakdown of how MotoGP™ qualifying works in this complete guide.

MotoGP™ and WSBK comparison recap for race formats:

When it comes to the number of points awarded for races, MotoGP™ and Superbike have a similar scoring system which rewards the top 15 finishers for a race, and the top 9 finishers for a Sprint/Superpole race.

The points scoring scale is as follows:

In both championships these points contribute to the rider, team and manufacturer championship totals.

Performance and Technology in MotoGP™ vs WorldSBK

When it comes to performance and technology, MotoGP™ is more advanced in both areas.

Due to its technological advantages over WorldSBK (as outlined in the “Bike Specifications” section above), MotoGP™ consequently benefits from higher performance.

For example, the official top speed recorded in MotoGP™ is 366.1km/h, with World Superbike’s outright record 339.5km/h. Of course top speed does not tell the whole story, but as a measure of unrestrained performance it gives an indication of the comparable raw power and performance of each motorcycle.

When comparing another key performance metric in a MotoGP™ and WorldSBK comparison, lap records give a reliable indicator of the difference between both series and MotoGP™ outperforms World Superbike across various circuits. An example of this is the MotoGP™ lap record at Phillip Island standing at 1:27.246, while WorldSBK’s is 1:27.916 - almost 0.7 seconds in difference.

Riding styles also differ between the two championships. MotoGP™ bikes tend to be stiffer and more rigid than Superbikes, with chassis, electronics and tyres all contributing to varying bike handling experiences.

Danilo Petrucci, a recent mover from MotoGP™ to WorldSBK, succinctly explained one of the major adaptations riders have to make: “You don’t feel the [MotoGP™] tyre moving. When it moves, it’s late. With Superbikes you feel everything more.”

Cost and Accessibility in MotoGP™ and World Superbike

The costs when comparing MotoGP™ vs World Superbike are considerably different, with MotoGP™ significantly more expensive.

The average cost of a MotoGP™ bike per season can range between €2 to €3.5 million compared to €250,000 to €400,000 for a World Superbike machine.

Other sizable costs such as rider salaries are vastly different too, with top earners in MotoGP™ often commanding 5-10 times more than those in WorldSBK. 

When it comes to overall team budgets, which includes everything from staffing to travel and logistics, testing, research and development and much more, the figures run into millions of euros in both championships. However, in MotoGP™ the costs are usually many times more than those in WorldSBK.

Other significant influences on costs include the scale of the championships. World Superbike has 12 rounds and only races outside of Europe once (in Australia) during the season. MotoGP™ has 22 rounds, with eight of those outside Europe as the championship heads to Australia, South America, the USA and Asia. The resulting impact of this on team budgets is huge.

Rider Moves Between MotoGP™ and Superbike

Making the switch from MotoGP™ to WorldSBK and vice versa is a path many riders have taken, but not all succeed.

Often, the transition from one series to another can be difficult due to the technical challenges involved in changing bikes, tyres and other important factors, and the list of riders who have won races in both championships is a select one.

There have been notable names who have made the jump from WorldSBK to MotoGP™. Troy Bayliss won a Superbike world championship, then came to MotoGP™ for three seasons in which he scored four podiums, before heading back to WorldSBK in 2006 where he won a second title.

Bayliss rode a MotoGP™ wildcard at the end of the 2006 season at Valencia, famously winning the race, and continued in WorldSBK for two further seasons where he won a third title.

Other riders have also made the switch from MotoGP™ to WorldSBK include former 125cc Grand Prix world champion Álvaro Bautista, who won two World Superbike titles after making the move in 2019. A podium finisher in MotoGP™, Scott Redding has won races in WorldSBK and continues to run at the front of the pack.

MotoGP™ Legend Mick Doohan began his international career in superbikes, claiming three WorldSBK race wins in 1988, before making his Grand Prix debut the following year.

Former WorldSBK World title winners such as Sylvain Guintoli, Ben Spies, Carlos Checa, Max Biaggi, James Toseland and Colin Edwards also brought their skill and race craft to MotoGP™.

MotoGP™ vs WorldSBK: key differences, yet much in common

MotoGP™ is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, running one-of-a-kind prototype motorcycles which use advanced, cutting-edge technology. It attracts the most elite talent from riders to technical staff. 

World Superbike machinery is high-level but retains a closer link to production motorcycles, making it slightly more accessible both in terms of opportunities and resonance with many fans who themselves ride motorcycles. 

Both championships offer intense, exciting action and feature some of the very best riders in the world aboard the most advanced racing motorcycles.

Check out the profile of MotoGP™ Legend and former WorldSBK rider Mick Doohan right here!