WorldSBK bosses have this morning revealed the provisional 2018 calendar which sees the addition of Brno and Villicum in Argentina.The schedule will again be 13 rounds, starting at Phillip Island in February and finishing in Qatar, as usual, but a little earlier at the end of October. Donington Park will host the British round at the end of May.

Jerez will not have a round next season as Argentina is in its place but is in a reserve spot in case Villicum doesn’t receive homologation. Brno is a replacement for the outgoing Lausitzring round and Portimao will be in the second week of September, and therefore missing the tens of thousands British holidaymakers who might have turned up had it been in August, when there isn’t a round scheduled.

Provisional 2018 WorldSBK calendar

Australia – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit - 23–25 February
Thailand – Chang International Circuit – 23–25 March
Spain – MotorLand Aragon – 13-15 April
The Netherlands – TT Circuit Assen – 20-22 April
Italy - Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola – 11-13 May
United Kingdom – Donington Park – 25-27 May
Czech Republic – Automotodrom Brno – 8-10 June
United States – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – 22-24 June
Italy – Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – 6-8 July
Portugal – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve – 14-16 September
France – Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours – 28-30 September
Argentina – El Villicum* – 12-14 October
Qatar – Losail International Circuit – 25-27 October

* Subject to homologation

Official tests

19-20 February, Australia, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (WorldSBK & WorldSSP)
23-24 August, Portugal, Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (WorldSBK)