2010 WSB Calendar taking shape

Next years World Superbike championship looks set to become a 13 round series instead of 14 with the Qatar race being dropped from the schedule.

Qatar has been on the calendar since 2005 but with virtually no crowd and minimal bike sales, there was little benefit for teams and manufacturers to race at what is another high cost fly away race.

The fate of the WSB race was also influenced by the high profile MotoGP night race which took place just four weeks after the WSB round.

The 2010 season is expected to start at Phillip Island in Australia on 28th February with series organisers trying to adjust the calendar to make round two in Kyalami South Africa in an effort to reduce logistic costs.

The rest of the rounds will be at the same circuits as in 2009 with one UK race at Donington Park and three rounds in Italy at Monza, Misano and Imola. Winter testing is likely to take place at Portimao in January and Phillip Island before the opening race.