2012 World Superbike Season Photo Gallery

Jonathan Rea is entering his fourth season with Honda after struggling with injuries throughout the 2011 World Superbike Championship.

Jonathan Rea and Honda took advantage of good weather at Phillip Island to test new chassis and suspension components.

Hiroshi Aoyama - Phillip Island 2012 WSB Testing

Tom Sykes recently worked through setup issues on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in preparation for the '12 WSB series.

Joan Lascorz: "This is the last test before we go to Australia so we decided the final direction of the machine set-up to take there and, in general, for the rest of the season."

Joan Lascorz - 2012 WSB testing in Almeria, Spain.

The new Crescent Suzuki team will campaign the 2012 season with support from Yoshimura.

Davide Guigliano won the 2011 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with Althea Racing and makes his debut this year with Althea Racing in the 2012 World Superbike Series.

Team manager Genesio Bevilacqua, riders Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano helped unveil the new livery of the Ducati 1198 machines for the 2012 World Superbike Series.

Carlos Checa, the 2011 championship winner, knows that competition will be stiffer than ever this year but is confident as he sets about defending his title.

Crescent Suzuki 2012 GSX-R1000

John Hopkins jumps up from BSB to World SBK for 2012, campaigning with the Crescent Fixi Suzuki squad.

Australian Josh Brookes filled in for injured rider John Hopkins aboard the Crescent Fixi Suzuki at the private test at Phillip Island. Brookes is the likely replacement for Hopkins in next weeks official test, and possible fill in for Hopper if he should miss the 2012 opener.

Carlos Checa led the way during the first test at Phillip Island.

Davide Giugliano gets his Althea Racing career underway during the Phillip Island tests.

Tom Sykes followed Checa on the timesheet at Phillip Island, as the Englishman looks to get the ZX-10R into contention for 2012.

Leon Camier gets to grips with his new Crescent Suzuki mount at the opening Phillip Island test.

Leon Camier will contest the 2012 season for the Crescent Suzuki SBK team.

Ayrton Badovini - BMW Motorrad Italia Goldbet SBK

Michel Fabrizio - BMW Motorrad Italia Goldbet SBK

2012 World Superbike paddock

2012 World Supersport paddock

Ayrton Badovini testing at Phillip Island.

Michel Fabrizio testing at Phillip Island.

Max Biaggi will look to regain his title-winning 2010 form.

Eugene Laverty gets a coveted factory Aprilia seat for 2012 after an impressive rookie SBK camapaign for the now defunct Yamaha squad.

Leon Haslam testing at Phillip Island.

Effenbert Liberty Ducati's Jakub Smrz testing at Phillip Island.

Shane Turpin raced for Boulder Motor Sports as a wildcard entry at Miller Motorsports Park.

Tom Sykes piloted the KRT Kawasaki ZX-10R to more impressive testing results, setting the fastest SBK lap at the Motorland Aragon circuit during a private two-day test n March.

Max Biaggi's victory and second place at Phillip Island, with a completely revamped team, confirmed the excellent condition of the five time World Champion and his RSV4. Miami

Eugene Laverty, the Australian round was a difficult weekend due to the injury he suffered during the tests. His season will kick off in Imola.

John Hopkins has been given the okay to ride by his hand surgeon after he broke it at the teams first test at Phillip Island.

Leon Camier is ready to repeat his last race at Imola with another podium finish.

Jakub Smrz lays down the fastest time at Imola.

PJ Jacobsen is a rising star in World Superbike, coming from the AMA Pro Racing ranks.

Hiroshi Aoyama test at Assen in The Netherlands.

Jonathan Rea test at Assen in The Netherlands.

$Joan Lascorz was hospitalized following a crash which occurred during testing at Imola and fractured his C6 vertebra.$
Joan Lascorz was hospitalized following a crash which occurred during testing at Imola and fractured his C6 vertebra.

Michel Fabrizio leads after session one in Monza.

Marco Melandri in session one at Monza.

John Hopkins will return to World SuperBike at the Miller Motorsports Park round.

Jakub Smrz took his first Superpole at Miller.

Kawasaki's Tom Sykes earned his first dry weather podium in Race 2 at Phillip Island after overhauling Jonathan Rea at the line.

Carlos Checa doubled up, and took over the points lead, with his Imola triumph.

Leon Haslam earned BMW's first-ever double podium performance with a 3-3 result at Imola - besting Max Biaggi in each race.

Tom Sykes (66) enjoyed the early lead in both Imola races before Carlos Checa (7) took control for the wins.

Sylvain Guintoli led the way during poor Friday weather conditions at the Assen circuit and went on to win Race 1.

Sylvain Barrier in Superstock 1000 at Aragon.

Johnny Rea DNF'd in Race 1 at Assen and went on to win Race 2.

Leon Haslam DNF'd in Race 1 at Assen and took fifth in Race 2.

Sykes leading the field at Monza. The Kawasaki rider would go on to win the only race allowed to proceed in the terrible conditions.

Leon Haslam (91) finished second at Monza.

The crowd at Monza enduring bouts of heavy rain.

Max Biaggi could only make it to fifth place before the only race at Monza was called due to unsafe conditions.

Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri going down late in Race 2 at Donington after Jonathan Rea made a pass for first.

The BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team celebrating their first World Superbike victory with rider Marco Melandri after his victory in Race 1 at Donington.

Melandri, Biaggi, Haslam and Rea fought hard for the top spot in both races, with Melandri taking Race 1 and Rea taking Race 2 at Donington.

Max Biaggi missed the podium in Race 1 at Donington but took second-place in Race 2.

Eugene Laverty took 15th in Race 1 at Donington and retired from Race 2.

Carlos Checa took the win in Race 1 at Miller and crashed out of Race 2.

Marco Melandri brought home BMW Motorrad's second WSBK victory with his Race 2 win at Miller.

Tom Sykes couldn't make it to the front of the pack at Miller, going 8-5 in the American round.

Max Biaggi went 3-3 at Miller.

Jakub Smrz at Miller where he went 6-9.

Davide Giugliano took third-place in Race 1 at Misano.

The Superbike field early on at Misano.

Kawasaki Racing Team will ride with new headlight stickers at Aragon.

Joan Lascorz has a quadriplegic paralysis as a result of his crash during testing at Imola.

In 2013, all SBK bikes will need to have headlight stickers that match the real-world counterparts.

Honda World Superbike Team will put up a pit display system at Brno to give fans a behind the scenes experience.

Jules Cluzel of PTR Honda taking pole position in World Supersport at Moscow Raceway.

Carlos Checa scored pole position at Moscow Raceway.

Sam Lowes took provisional pole in Supersport at Nurburgring.

Infront Motor Sports announced that World Superbike racing action will be returning to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2013. A three-year agreement has been arranged between Infront and Laguna Seca.

Tom Sykes was fastest in Friday's qualifying at Magny-Cours.

Marco Melandri returned after sustaining injuries at Portimao to contend for the title at Magny-Cours.

Jules Cluzel at Magny-Cours.

Tom Sykes at Magny-Cours wearing his "Tribute to Joan Lascorz" helmet.

Sylvain Guintoli backed out of an agreement with FIXI Crescent Suzuki to pursue an offer from a rival company for the 2013 World Superbike season.

Tom Sykes' "Tribute to Joan Lascorz" helmet will soon go up for auction with proceeds going to help Lascorz in his recovery.

Max Biaggi will be fighting to protect his points lead at Moscow Raceway.

Max Biaggi went 1-1 at Misano, his first victory since Round 1 at Phillip Island.

2012 World Superbike Season Photo Gallery

Follow all the action of the 2012 World Superbike season in the 2012 World Superbike season gallery.