A total of 81 rounds have taken place in Italy, alternating across 7 different circuits. Last week, the Cremona Circuit hosted the Italian Speed Championship for the first time, while twenty-five thousand motorcyclists use the track every year.
Grand Prix data
According to Brembo engineers working closely with 13 of the 14 World Superbike Championship teams, the 3.768 km Cremona Circuit falls into the category of tracks that are moderately demanding on brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it earned a difficulty rating of 3 because riders use the brakes 10 times for 25.9 seconds per lap: 4 braking sections are in the High category, but only 2 are consecutive, 3 are Medium and 3 are Light.
The toughest corner at the Cremona Circuit for the braking system is Turn 11, as it is preceded by a straight of almost one kilometre, allowing the Superbikes to reach 304 km/h: using Brembo brakes, the bikes slow to 106 km/h in 4.2 seconds, during which they cover 228 metres, one of the longest braking distances in the World Championship. Riders apply a load of 4.7 kg on the brake lever and experience a deceleration of 1.5 g, while the brake fluid pressure reaches 10.1 bar.
The goal is close
At the Cremona Circuit, Nicolò Bulega could mathematically become World Champion: he currently has a 146-point lead over Iker Lecuona, the only rider who could overtake him. To do it as early as Saturday, he must extend his advantage to 161 points, while after the Superpole Race he only needs a 149-point lead and after Race 2 the gap in his favour must not be less than 124 points. With one second place and two third places at Cremona, it’s done.
Thumb or index?
Nicolò Bulega has used the Brembo index brake master cylinder since his debut in the Superbike World Championship in 2024: at the time, he was the only rider on a Panigale to use it. This year, his teammate and Tarran Mackenzie are using it as well. Yari Montella, Sam Lowes, Lorenzo Baldassarri and Alberto Surra use the Brembo thumb brake master cylinder. The only Ducati rider using only the rear brake pedal is Alvaro Bautista.
The change of use
The thumb brake master cylinder was devised by Brembo in the 1990s to help Mick Doohan use the rear brake after the terrible accident at Assen, which reduced the mobility and strength of his right foot. In the modern era, Superbike riders, like those in MotoGP, use thumb and index finger master cylinders as a sort of traction control: by operating them mid-corner, they can stay close to the apex, straightening the bike more quickly.