It will be the first of two Italian rounds, with Misano set to host the second one in June. Before last year, Superbike hadn’t raced in Lombardy since 2013, the last year the Monza track was used. The organizers in Cremona have set an ambitious goal for this year: to welcome 60,000 spectators.
GP data
According to Brembo technicians who work closely with 12 of the 14 teams in the World Superbike Championship, the 3.768 km Cremona Circuit falls into the category of tracks with medium brake demand. On a scale from 1 to 5, it has earned a difficulty index of 3, as riders use the brakes 10 times per lap for a total of 25.4 seconds. Although there are only 3 braking zones classified as “High”, there are also 3 “Medium” and 4 “Light” braking zones.
The most demanding corner for the braking system at Cremona Circuit is Turn 11, which follows a nearly one-kilometer straight where the Superbikes reach speeds of 300 km/h. Using Brembo brakes, the bikes slow down to 103 km/h in 4.3 seconds, covering a distance of 228 meters. Riders apply a force of 5.6 kg to the brake lever and experience a deceleration of 1.5 g, while brake fluid pressure reaches 12 bar.
Danilo's triple
Last September, Cremona Circuit was the stage for Danilo Petrucci’s fairy tale with the Barni Spark Racing Team: although he was coming off a triple podium at Magny-Cours, the rider from Terni could only dream of such an outcome. On Saturday, Petrucci won Race 1, which was cut short due to a Race Direction issue. The next day, Danilo led into Turn 1 in both the Superpole Race and Race 2 and was never overtaken. A stunning hat trick—especially considering that Petrucci had never previously won a World Superbike race.
Petrucci the versatile
Danilo Petrucci is a kind of four-world hero, having won at least one race in MotoGP, WorldSBK, MotoAmerica, and even a stage of the Dakar Rally. These are very different competitions—varying in engine power, electronics, and context—but also in braking systems: the one constant is Brembo brakes.
They have always supported him, from Ducati’s MotoGP machines to the Panigale V4R used in both WorldSBK and MotoAmerica, and the KTM with which he competed in the rally-raid across Saudi Arabia.
The differences between MotoGP and WSBK
Focusing solely on the braking systems used on track, the differences between the categories are significant: MotoGP uses carbon discs, while Superbike relies on steel discs. Modern carbon is linear from start to finish—criticisms in red are perhaps valid only when referring to early prototypes tested three decades ago.
Carbon discs can reach higher temperatures while maintaining excellent performance. With steel, thermal limits cause a drop in performance.
Moreover, due to the lower inertia of carbon discs, the bike benefits in terms of handling.