WSB: Estoril added to 2020 calendar as new season finale

The World Superbike Championship will visit Estoril for the first time since 1993 this year, with the Portuguese circuit becoming the new 2020 season finale. 

Estoril replaces Misano on the calendar, meaning that the series will have two rounds in Portugal for the very first time. The Algarve International Circuit in Portimao hosted round three at the beginning of August.

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The season finale at Estoril will take place on October 16-18 and will also include the Supersport and Supersport 300 World Championship events. 

“I am glad that it was possible to add a second round in Portugal and to see WorldSBK returning to Circuito Estoril, which had already hosted this very competitive championship in its founding year back in 1988 and then in 1993,” FIM President Jorge Viegas commented. 

At the 1993 meeting, Fabrizio Pirovano won race one ahead of Piergiorgio Bontempi and Aaron Slight. Both title challengers, Carl Forgarty and Scott Russell retired from the race. Fogarty made up for it in race two by taking a dominating victory on the Ducati, ahead of Russell and Pirovano. 

The first-ever WSB race at Estoril (1988) was won by Davide Tardozzi on the Team Bimota Alstare machine. His teammate, Stephane Mertens won race two.

Alongside its history in WSB, Estoril has also featured on the MotoGP calendar in the past. It hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix between 2000 and 2012 and, more recently, has also hosted the CEV Repsol Junior World Championship.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome to Estoril the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship,” Estoril’s chairman Jaime Andrez said. “This competition is not new to Estoril, as it has visited in the past in 1988 and in 1993. We are confident that the teams will have a fantastic experience at the Estoril track, especially if we have three days of mild and pleasant weather, combined with the Circuit’s culture of warm welcome and professionalism. 

“I would like to congratulate the organisers and wish all competitors the best of luck for these three days and hope this event will contribute to highly promote this sport in 2020 and in the following years.”

It has not yet been revealed whether fans or external media will be welcomed to the event, with an announcement expected closer to the time. 

Today’s announcement means that there are still five more rounds left of the 2020 WSB season. The riders and team will head to Aragon for back-to-back race weekends on August 28-30 and September 4-6. They’ll then travel to Barcelona for the Catalan round on September 18-20, before heading to Magny-Cours (France) on October 2-4.