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SBK, Superbike gets underway in Australia: nighttime battle

First free practice to kick off at 23.45 CET, GPOne.com will be following the action LIVE

SBK: Superbike gets underway in Australia: nighttime battle

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Their faces are still relaxed. Some are taking advantage of some time in the sun, others chat, some look for additional track references. It's Thursday at Phillip Island, the riders are all grouped together on the straight leading to turn 1 for the traditional start-of-season championship photo. All of the bikes are lined up, one next to the other, with those of Johnny Rea and Chaz Davies in the middle, flanked by Melandri's Panigale and Sykes' ZX-10R.

This is the final day of calm, because from tomorrow it's visors down and engines on. The Australian round serves as the first act in what is one of the most highly anticipated seasons of all time. The Rea-Davies battle has captured the attention of the fans. The current champion chases his third title on the Kawasaki, but he'll have to deal with the Welshman, who proved unbeatable in the final stages of last season, clocking up six consecutive wins. As we await race one, the world champion has already proved one point, in that he led the way during the recent tests. And rather than his flying lap, it's his pace that is impressive, constantly in the low 1’31s.

Then there are the team-mates, ready to mix things up. There is great expectation regarding Marco Melandri, because he makes his comeback this season and doesn't plan to let anyone down. He made a mark during the latest pre-season test, closing just 30 thousandths of a second behind Rea. The Italian thus sends a clear message, confirming his competitiveness at what is one of his favourite tracks. We shouldn't forget about Tom Sykes either, 2016 runner-up thanks to the kindness of his team-mate. He's kept himself to himself over the last days, but we're sure he starts with the bit firmly between his teeth, also because he's never won in Australia and will be wanting to break this fast.

Look out for the outsiders too, starting with Aprilia. Lorenzo Savadori and Eugene Laverty seem to be a good combination and might well surprise us, particularly the Italian who has appeared to have an extra gear during recent tests. Many are waiting for the big jump, something that Honda is also looking for. The new Fireblade SP2 seems to have the same issues as last year and the road that Bradl and Hayden must travel to reduce the gap may still be a long one. The feeling is that things won't pick up until they reach Europe.

Someone who has no intention of waiting around is Leon Camier. His MV Agusta stood out during the winter, right up there behind the Kawasakis and Ducatis. In Australia, the English rider sets out to prove that this was no one-off.  2017 also brings some significant team changes. Starting with Michael van der Mark's move from Honda to Yamaha. The R1 aims for the podium, followed on from what it achieved in Guintoli's hands in Qatar.

There are also confirmations this season. One of which is BMW, having reconfirmed its 2016 pairing of Jordi Torres and Markus Reiterberger. On certain occasions, its ranks will expand, with Raffaele De Rosa, Stock title winner, to take part as a wildcard. All in all, it seems we have all the right ingredients. Now all we have to do is make ourselves comfortable and enjoy the show.

Translated by Heather Watson
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