The BMW team seem to have had the right idea by choosing not to travel to Portugal, but instead have been testing their 2011 machines in the warmer climate of Eastern Creek in Australia.

Although it restricts them from comparing their performance against their rivals, it does mean that they will have less distance to travel for the first race of the season in Phillip Island where they have already booked a private testing on the track for this week.

The calendar for the World Superbike 2011 Championship

1     27 February     Australia               Phillip Island
2     27 March          Europe                   Donington Park
3     17 April             Netherlands        Assen
4     8 May                 Italy                        Monza
5     30 May             United States       Miller Motorsports Park
6     12 June             San Marino           Misano
7     19 June             Spain                       Motorland Aragon
8     10 July             Czech Republic    Brno
9     31 July             United Kingdom  Silverstone
10     4 Sept             Germany                Nürburgring
11     25 Sept            Italy                        Imola
12     2 October      France                   Magny-Cours
13     16 October    Portugal                Portimão

Teams & Riders 2011

HD coverage from the second round in Portimao, Portugal begins at 11.15am on Sunday 27 with on-site news and analysis before race one gets underway LIVE at 12pm. Race two will be shown at 5pm.

If Eurosport HD is not part of your TV package, British Eurosport 2 will be on hand, showing the Superpole LIVE on Saturday along with live coverage of the Superstock 600 race.

British Eurosport 2 will continue its LIVE coverage of the event on Sunday with six hours of entertainment guaranteed, showing both WSB races live. Anchorman Tony Carter will be joined by fans favourite Neil Hodgson in the studio, ahead of his return to British Superbike racing. They will also be joined by James Haydon.

Motorcycle journalist Tony Carter says the event is a spectacle not to be missed:
“Portimao is one of the best circuits in the world for Superbike racing, all the guys are going to be bashing and racing elbow to elbow. After what we saw at Phillip Island, which not only gave us a pair of terrifically exciting Superbike races, but also Leon Haslam leading the world, Portimao is going to be fantastic!”

Race commentator Jack Burnicle says:

“A man to look out for next weekend will be Xerox Ducati’s Michel Fabrizio, who has an outstanding record – a first and a second – in his two visits to Portimao. But three of the Brits have also performed well here. Jonathan Rea almost won last year and finished twice on the podium, Leon Haslam was third as a wild card in 2008 and Shakey Byrne finished twice fourth last year on his Ducati, only just squeezed off the rostrum in both races.”

I am just hoping for to see more of what we saw in the first round and I am sure that round 2 at Portimao will deliver, whatever the final outcome.

Saturday 27 March
1500-1600 LIVE Superpole on British Eurosport 2
1800-1830 LIVE Superstock 600 on British Eurosport 2

Sunday 28 March
1030-1630 LIVE Superbikes on British Eurosport 2
1115-1200 LIVE Superbike Corner (race build-up) on Eurosport HD
1200-1300 LIVE WSB Race One on Eurosport HD
1700-1730 WSB Race Two on Eurosport HD

Makoto Tamada

Makoto Tamada is returning to the World Superbike series this weekend aboard the Reitwagen BMW at Portimao as a replacement rider for the injured Roland Resch.

The Japanese rider had signed to ride for the Pro Ride Honda squad this season but due to problems with funding the team have yet to begin, giving Tamada a chance to show what he can do for the rival team.

Resch suffered a broken collarbone at the opening round of the championship at Phillip Island, leaving the team with the solo rider Andrew Pitt until former WSB and MotoGP rider confirmed his place.

Tamada began a testing session on the Reitwagen BMW yesterday at the Jerez circuit which continues today before beginning his one-off racing weekend for the team on the 28th March.