Genesis of the WSBK World Championship

Philippe Debarle: “Having traveled the length and breadth of the United States in 1973 and 74 to see the AMA championship, I became friends with many drivers. One of them, a private person who rode a Yamaha TZ750-A, was called Steve McLaughlin. When the Superbike class came to the States, he raced and won for BMW and Yoshimura.

Steve McLaughlin, #83, Daytona 1976

I returned to Europe and our relationship became distant. Then, in the early 80s, Jim France, the motorcycle boss at Daytona, asked Steve to find a solution to restore the shine to the 200 Miles, where we were racing with 500 two-strokes, 750 two-strokes and Superbikes. It didn't look like much anymore. Jim then asked Steve to find a solution and the latter proposed the creation of a World Superbike Championship. The idea pleased Jim, who voted for a budget of $50 to finance the project. Steve, a pure Yankee, was looking for a partner with a little more international knowledge of motorcycle racing and he thought of me. Having organized the first drag race in France at Le Mans in 000 with the ACO, then another at Monza, then the first Supermoto race outside the USA at Carole in 1980, I accepted with pleasure.

Superbike racing was created by the Australians, based on the large Japanese 4-cylinder engines of around 1000 cm3. Then the formula was imported to the United States. All that remained was to make it global. We must remember the situation at the time and why the Superbike world championship was created. Among the most important reasons, the almost total domination of the races by the Japanese was preponderant. Not only did Japanese manufacturers win everything in GP in the mid-80s, but they also won in endurance, motocross, enduro and even trials. Japanese manufacturers understood very well that, compared to European and American motorcycle enthusiasts, this situation was harmful to motorcycles in general. They therefore accepted a very big technical handicap compared to the others when Steve McLaughlin and your servant came to them in 1984 to propose creating a Superbike world championship. Judge the difference: the non-Japanese had to manufacture 500 copies for approval compared to 5000 for the Japanese. Europeans and other Americans were entitled to 1000cc compared to 750 for Honda & co. As for weight, it was 140 kg for the Westerners compared to 165 for the Easterners.

The difference was of course enormous, but it was the condition to be able to interest three renowned manufacturers: Harley-Davidson, BMW and Ducati. Harley jumped at the chance and Mark Tuttle instantly ordered a racing twin from Mark Miller. This magnificent engine was delivered on time, but things dragged on administratively and the VR 1000 ordered in 1988 and delivered in 1993 only raced in 1994 to end its career in 2001, still in the AMA championship. At BMW, competition did not interest the Germans. What remained was Ducati and its extrovert, megalomaniac and friendly boss Gianfranco Castiglioni. Nicknamed “Caesar” by the Italian press, he liked to arrive by helicopter among journalists during the presentation of a new model. His Cagiva group had just purchased Ducati and he was looking for a way to promote his new brand.

One day, in his large office, he was asked to participate in this new championship which was being created: “Look Gianfranco, you are entitled to 140 kg for 1000cc, compared to 165 for 750 for the Japanese. And what's more, you only have 500 copies to make compared to 5 for them.
– It could fit with a project by a young engineer, Massimo Bordi, who has just offered me a 4-valve engine, water-cooled, with electronic injection (editor's note: the Ducatis of the time were 2-valves, air-cooled , carbureted). The problem is that I would have to sell a motorcycle like that for 40 euros (000 equivalent). I will never sell 2017 motorcycles for 500 euros. It would be a blow to sink Ducati.
– It is the only solution for Ducati to be world champion.
– OK, I sign. But if the box leaks, I'll blame you. »

Massimo Bordi – Photo credit: Bruno de Prato

The problem was therefore to sell the famous 500 machines. But for the organizer of the championship, the problem was first of all that they existed, for approval. “By the way Gianfranco, we are the ones counting the 500 motorcycles” (and not the Italian federation, as provided for in the FIM regulations). A first inspection therefore took place, which made it possible to total 300 motorcycles manufactured and 200 sets of essential parts (engines, frames, etc.) so the total of 500 was good. All that remained was to sell them…

A few months later, in October, around 20 p.m., when it was already dark, we stopped by to see Gianfranco. In the evening, when the Borgo Panigale factory was closed and deserted, you had to go through the hangar on the right side to reach your office. Crossing the hangar, where we had previously counted the 500 Superbikes… amazement! The 500 copies were there, in the hangar! He hadn't sold a single one...

When we arrived in his office, we weren't proud. “Ah, my friends, what a joy to see you again, exclaimed Gianfranco, welcome ! But why are you making such a face?
– We went through the hangar. We saw the 500 motorcycles. You didn't sell any?
– Oh, these? We sold all the first 500. These are the second series of 500! »

Ducati really liked the Superbike World Championship.

Doug Polen

Ducati may have arrived with the exceptional 851 Superbike, but the Japanese were going to give it a quality replica, notably with the fabulous Honda RC30, the first machine with which the HRC made money. At Honda, we also really liked the World Superbike… And facing the Italian twin, Suzuki presented the greatest sports car in its entire history: the GSX-R.

The championship was to begin in 1987, but Yamaha was late in production for its all-new YZF750 sports car. At the suggestion of the other Japanese manufacturers, it was therefore decided to postpone the start of the championship to 1988. Incidentally, it is not certain that such a courtesy gesture is easily renewable today.

All that was left to do was take the plunge and offer this new show to aficionados around the world. But would motorcycles close to the series appeal to fans, accustomed to GP 500s? (Besides, no one expected in 1988 that less than fifteen years later, the fabulous 500 2-strokes would be replaced by 1000 4-strokes, the traditional displacement of the Superbike). The real life-size test took place on May 8, 88 in Hockenheim, where the motorcycles roamed the Stadium between the crowded stands. During the warm-up lap, the 4 Japanese cylinders gradually came to position themselves on the grid, closely scrutinized by the numerous spectators. Then came the 851 Marco Lucchinelli, whose engine we could clearly hear at full throttle in the long straights of the forest. When the Italian downshifted his gears, everyone discovered a hitherto unknown noise: that of the large-displacement twin-cylinder engine revving a lot. All the spectators stood up instantly and gave a triumphant applause to the Ducati, a “standing ovation” as the English speakers say. It was won.

Marco Lucchinelli and Gianfranco Castiglioni, 1988

In the deal we made with the Japanese, they agreed not to have a factory team for 10 years. They respected the informal agreement perfectly, and this is still the case today for Honda (represented by Ten Kate), Yamaha (Crescent) and Kawasaki (Provec).

The first year (in 1988) Honda gave us all the factory equipment (RC 30) for five riders of our choice. We therefore selected Virginio Ferrari, Roger Burnett, Malcom Campbell, Monsieur Joey Dunlop (those who knew him will understand the reason for “Monsieur”) and Fred Merkel who won the first two world titles.

Why had it become a World Championship? The negotiation with the FIM was not easy. It's simple: they didn't want to talk to us! Then one day in Geneva, I got so fed up that during a coffee break during an FIM congress I cornered the head of the CCR at the time Luigi Brenni in a corner. Steve McLaughlin told me I was crazy, that I shouldn't do that. But as the conference was coming to an end and patience was of no use, I told him that this was the ultimate solution.
Stuck, in the literal sense of the term, Luigi Brenni got angry: “Call your races World Series or something and leave the FIM alone.
- Never. For us who are motorcycle racing people, the term World Championship means something and it is very important.
– Well, we have to finish our meeting at 17 p.m., but we will be finished before then. Come present your project to us at 16:30 p.m.

This is how the World Superbike Championship became the first event for which the FIM sold the television and commercial rights. Despite the first “hussar” approach, we subsequently became friends with Luigi Brenni, who even invited us one evening to sleep at his home in Switzerland. It was the first time in my life that I slept with a loaded submachine gun on the bedside table (Swiss tradition).

The end of this great adventure took place in the autumn of 1988. The championship had been great, with races at Donington, Hongaroring, Hockenheim, Zeltweg, Sugo, Le Mans, Estoril, Oran Park (Australia, double victory for a little youngster named Mick doohan on Yamaha) and Maifeild (New Zealand). For a small beginner championship, it wasn't too bad. Then our financier, a New Zealand advertising company owned by a real estate group, went bankrupt following the real estate crisis at the end of 88. But it didn't matter, the most important thing was done: The world championship was created.
Steve and I didn't get rich from this, that wasn't the goal. We contributed as much as we could by bringing a little extra to the motorcycle racing that we love so much. That's not bad. »

Philippe Debarle

Cover photo credit: Andy McGechan for Bikesportnz.com