The 2008 Superbike World Championship was the twenty-first season of the Superbike World Championship. Corona Extra ceased to be the championship's title sponsor, as it had been since 1998.^[1] The electronics manufacturer HANNspree took over as the title sponsor in 2008 and this arrangement remained in place until 2010, with the championship officially known as the "HANNspree SBK Superbike World Championship".^[2]

The Superbike World Championship returned to the United States on 1 June 2008, for the 2008 6th round of the Superbike World Championship. The round took place at the Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah.^[3] This was the first time SBK had raced in the United States since the 2004 round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The Superbike World Championship shared the weekend with the AMA Superbike Championship and its support classes. However to avoid direct comparisons between World Superbike and AMA Superbike, and because of sponsorship issues the two championships raced on different configurations of the circuit. World Superbikes used the 3.048 miles (4.905 km) Outer Track, while AMA Superbike and its support classes used the 4.5 miles (7.2 km) Main Track.^[4]

The provisional championship calendar was made up of 15 rounds but the Indonesian round in Sentul International Circuit was removed from the final calendar.^[5]

Australian rider Troy Bayliss won his third Superbike World Championship riding the factory supported Ducati 1098. He secured the title with his 50th race win at the second race at Magny-Cours.

Race calendar and results

Round		Country	Circuit	Date	Superpole	Fastest lap	Winning rider	Winning team	Report
1	R1	Qatar	Losail	23 February	Troy Corser	Noriyuki Haga	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					Fonsi Nieto	Fonsi Nieto	Team Alstare Suzuki
2	R1	Australia	Phillip Island	2 March	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					Max Biaggi	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team
3	R1	Spain	Valencia	6 April	Max Neukirchner	Noriyuki Haga	Lorenzo Lanzi	R.G. Team	Report
	R2					Carlos Checa	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB
4	R1	Netherlands	Assen	27 April	Troy Bayliss	Max Neukirchner	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team
5	R1	Italy	Monza	11 May	Troy Bayliss	Noriyuki Haga	Max Neukirchner	Team Alstare Suzuki	Report
	R2					Noriyuki Haga	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB
6	R1	United States	Miller Motorsports Park	1 June	Carlos Checa	Carlos Checa	Carlos Checa	Hannspree Ten Kate Honda	Report
	R2					Carlos Checa	Carlos Checa	Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
7	R1	Germany	Nürburgring	15 June	Max Neukirchner	Troy Bayliss	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB	Report
	R2					Noriyuki Haga	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB
8	R1	San Marino	Misano Adriatico	29 June	Troy Corser	Jakub Smrž	Max Neukirchner	Team Alstare Suzuki	Report
	R2					Troy Corser	Rubén Xaus	Sterilgarda Go Eleven
9	R1	Czech Republic	Brno	20 July	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					Michel Fabrizio	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team
10	R1	Great Britain	Brands Hatch	3 August	Troy Bayliss	Ryuichi Kiyonari	Ryuichi Kiyonari	Hannspree Ten Kate Honda	Report
	R2					Michel Fabrizio	Ryuichi Kiyonari	Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
11	R1	Europe	Donington Park	7 September	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					James Ellison	Ryuichi Kiyonari	Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
12	R1	Italy	Vallelunga	21 September	Troy Bayliss	Carlos Checa	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB	Report
	R2					Troy Corser	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB
13	R1	France	Magny-Cours	5 October	Noriyuki Haga	Carlos Checa	Noriyuki Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB	Report
	R2					Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team
14	R1	Portugal	Portimão	2 November	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team	Report
	R2					Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team

Championship standings

Riders' standings

2008 final riders' standings[6] Pos. Rider Bike QAT AUS ESP NED ITA USA GER SMR CZE GBR EUR ITA FRA POR Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1 Bayliss Ducati 1 4 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 Ret Ret 22 2 4 3 3 1 1 2 11 1 Ret 6 16 3 1 1 1 460 2 Corser Yamaha 3 7 2 Ret 3 5 5 10 12 8 2 Ret 4 2 2 5 2 4 8 3 Ret 3 3 3 6 3 3 6 342 3 Haga Yamaha 14 13 8 7 Ret 1 Ret 2 2 1 Ret 6 1 1 10 4 6 7 19 2 Ret DSQ 1 1 1 2 Ret 14 327 4 C. Checa Honda 6 11 6 2 5 3 2 3 8 Ret 1 1 5 5 5 8 8 Ret 6 8 Ret 9 5 5 7 4 2 7 313 5 Neukirchner Suzuki 5 8 7 5 Ret DNS 3 5 1 2 4 2 3 3 1 7 7 5 7 4 Ret 14 4 4 5 9 Ret 4 311 6 Nieto Suzuki 7 1 5 3 4 10 Ret 11 7 4 5 8 8 9 12 10 14 8 5 5 7 Ret 12 6 2 8 5 5 256 7 Biaggi Ducati 2 3 Ret Ret 16 8 10 12 5 Ret 9 4 13 7 Ret 2 4 3 3 12 3 6 2 Ret 4 6 Ret 13 238 8 Fabrizio Ducati 9 5 3 19 Ret 13 Ret Ret 9 5 3 3 7 6 Ret 11 3 2 12 6 Ret 5 7 2 Ret 14 Ret 2 223 9 Kiyonari Honda 22 19 9 6 Ret 4 7 Ret 6 3 10 7 12 11 14 13 5 6 1 1 Ret 1 Ret 13 8 11 206 10 Xaus Ducati 4 2 4 4 Ret 7 16 4 Ret 7 14 Ret 6 8 4 1 Ret Ret DNS DNS Ret 8 Ret 12 Ret 5 9 Ret 178 11 Kagayama Suzuki 8 Ret Ret 6 4 6 4 Ret 8 5 DNS DNS 11 12 9 9 4 25 5 19 9 7 8 7 15 23 154 12 Lavilla Honda 13 14 11 8 7 11 9 7 11 10 13 15 Ret 14 8 14 15 14 14 13 4 7 14 Ret 10 12 6 8 135 13 Smrž Ducati 10 9 Ret 18 14 14 6 8 10 Ret 6 DSQ 11 Ret 7 9 Ret 11 9 9 6 12 13 11 Ret 13 Ret 12 120 14 Lanzi Ducati 16 6 13 20 1 12 DNS DNS 14 11 11 10 Ret 20 6 6 Ret 13 11 10 Ret 11 11 18 Ret 11 109 15 Muggeridge Honda 17 20 12 10 6 20 14 13 Ret 6 7 11 10 12 Ret Ret 11 Ret 16 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 14 21 77 16 Laconi Kawasaki 15 16 Ret 17 8 9 11 16 Ret Ret Ret 9 14 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret 15 16 9 11 20 10 10 61 17 Rolfo Honda 11 15 10 16 10 17 22 14 20 16 16 17 17 18 Ret 12 10 14 Ret 13 8 10 Ret 10 12 18 59 18 Sofuoğlu Honda 12 10 14 11 12 15 12 19 DNS DNS 12 14 Ret 21 18 Ret 10 10 13 17 Ret DNS Ret Ret 9 19 54 19 Nakatomi Yamaha 21 Ret 15 15 11 16 15 15 13 12 16 Ret 18 18 9 15 12 15 DNS DNS 13 18 10 8 14 16 13 17 51 20 Tamada Kawasaki Ret 12 Ret 14 9 Ret 8 9 Ret Ret 19 13 9 13 Ret Ret 16 17 18 18 Ret 16 20 19 18 18 19 24 41 21 Sykes Suzuki Ret 7 2 10 35 22 Haslam Honda 8 Ret 7 3 33 23 Crutchlow Honda Ret 2 Ret 9 27 24 Badovini Kawasaki 18 17 Ret 21 17 21 13 18 Ret 9 17 12 17 Ret Ret 17 17 Ret Ret 21 12 Ret 15 Ret 16 17 11 16 24 25 Ellison Honda 10 4 19 26 Rea Honda 4 15 14 27 Holland Honda 24 21 17 9 13 19 18 20 16 13 15 Ret 19 19 14 28 D. Checa Yamaha 23 Ret Ret 12 15 18 Ret DNS Ret DNS Ret 15 15 16 Ret 16 17 20 11 Ret 17 20 Ret Ret 20 22 12 29 Gimbert Yamaha 20 18 16 13 Ret DNS 17 17 15 14 18 17 15 16 16 Ret Ret Ret Ret 19 Ret Ret Ret 14 13 Ret 16 20 12 30 Aoyama Honda 25 22 18 Ret Ret 24 19 21 18 16 Ret Ret Ret 24 13 19 18 18 Ret 22 14 17 19 17 19 22 18 26 5 31 Walker Honda 15 15 Ret Ret 18 15 15 15 17 19 5 32 Canepa Ducati 13 Ret 3 33 Beck Yamaha 19 15 1 Morelli Honda Ret Ret DNS DNS 18 23 Ret Ret 17 Ret WD WD 21 24 Ret Ret 0 Bauer Honda 17 Ret 0 Pridmore Honda 21 18 Ret 23 Ret Ret 19 19 22 23 0 Iannuzzo Kawasaki 19 Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret 22 19 20 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 20 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 23 Ret Ret 0 Lozano-Ortiz Honda 19 22 0 Napoleone Yamaha Ret Ret Ret Ret 20 Ret 21 22 Ret Ret 24 21 Ret 22 0 Zaiser Yamaha 21 20 23 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 29 0 Silva Honda 20 21 0 Jensen Suzuki 20 23 0 Vos Ducati 20 23 0 Dražďák Honda 20 Ret 0 M. Smrž Honda 21 21 0 Carreira Suzuki 21 28 0 Čihák Suzuki Ret 21 0 Lynn Honda Ret Ret 22 22 0 Bridewell Suzuki Ret 25 0 Morales Yamaha Ret 25 0 Scassa Honda Ret 27 0 Palmer Yamaha Ret Ret 0 Mauri Ducati Ret DNS 0 Fuertes Suzuki Ret DNS 0 Brignola Yamaha DNS DNS 0 Bussei Honda DNS DNS 0 Andrews Yamaha WD WD 0 Pos. Rider Bike QAT AUS ESP NED ITA USA GER SMR CZE GBR EUR ITA FRA POR Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap

Manufacturers' standings

2008 final manufacturers' standings[7]
Pos.	Manufacturer	QAT		AUS		ESP		NED		ITA		USA		GER		SMR		CZE		GBR		EUR		ITA		FRA		POR		Pts
		R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
1	Ducati	1	2	1	1	1	2	1	1	3	5	3	3	2	4	3	1	1	1	2	6	1	5	2	2	3	1	1	1	570
2	Yamaha	3	7	2	7	3	1	5	2	2	1	2	6	1	1	2	4	2	4	8	2	11	3	1	1	1	2	3	6	487
3	Honda	6	10	6	2	5	3	2	3	6	3	1	1	5	5	5	8	5	6	1	1	4	1	5	5	7	4	2	3	415
4	Suzuki	5	1	5	3	4	6	3	5	1	2	4	2	3	3	1	7	7	5	4	4	2	10	4	4	2	7	5	4	408
5	Kawasaki	15	12	Ret	14	8	9	8	9	Ret	9	17	9	9	10	Ret	17	16	17	18	16	12	15	15	9	11	17	10	10	94
Pos.	Manufacturer	QAT		AUS		ESP		NED		ITA		USA		GER		SMR		CZE		GBR		EUR		ITA		FRA		POR		Pts

Entry list

2008 entry list[8] Team Constructor Motorcycle No. Rider Rounds Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati Ducati 1098 RS 08 3 Max Biaggi All 111 Rubén Xaus All Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Jr. Honda Honda CBR1000RR 7 Carlos Checa All 23 Ryuichi Kiyonari 1–12, 14 32 Martin Bauer 13 54 Kenan Sofuoğlu 1–13 65 Jonathan Rea 14 Ventaxia VK Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 9 Chris Walker 10–14 36 Gregorio Lavilla All Team Alstare Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 10 Fonsi Nieto All 34 Yukio Kagayama 1, 3–14 76 Max Neukirchner All Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 11 Troy Corser All 41 Noriyuki Haga All Team Pedercini Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 13 Vittorio Iannuzzo 1–2, 4–14 86 Ayrton Badovini All Benimoto Suzuki Cetelem Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 14 Luís Carreira 14 ProRace Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 15 Miloš Čihák 9 Team Suzuki Motorrad Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 16 Sergio Fuertes 3 Lloyds British Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 17 Simon Andrews [N 1] 17 Tristan Palmer 10 Team NB Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 18 Tommy Bridewell 14 Ducati Xerox Team Ducati Ducati 1098 F08 21 Troy Bayliss All 59 Niccolò Canepa 9 84 Michel Fabrizio All Alto Evolution Honda Superbike Honda Honda CBR1000RR 22 Luca Morelli 1–5 43 Jason Pridmore 6–10 50 Matt Lynn 11–12 88 Shuhei Aoyama All D.F. Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 22 Luca Morelli 8, 10–11 31 Karl Muggeridge All 69 Iván Silva 13 83 Russell Holland 1–7 99 Luca Scassa 14 113 Jiří Dražďák 9 122 Matěj Smrž 12 Fabricom – MCT Racing Ducati Ducati 1098 RS 08 28 Arie Vos 4 HM Plant Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 35 Cal Crutchlow 11, 14 91 Leon Haslam 11, 14 Honda Joe Darcey Honda Honda CBR1000RR 37 Diego Lozano Ortiz 3 YZF Yamaha Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 38 Shinichi Nakatomi All HANNspree Honda Althea Honda Honda CBR1000RR 44 Roberto Rolfo 1–4, 6–14 200 Giovanni Bussei 5 Yamaha France GMT 94 IPONE Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 49 Michael Beck 5 94 David Checa 1–4, 6–14 194 Sébastien Gimbert All PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 55 Régis Laconi All 100 Makoto Tamada All R.G. Team Ducati Ducati 1098 RS 08 57 Lorenzo Lanzi 1–13 On The Throttle.TV Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 61 Scott Jensen 6 Grillini PBR Team Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 64 Norino Brignola 8 73 Christian Zaiser 9–14 77 Loïc Napoleone 1–7 Rizla Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 66 Tom Sykes 10–11 Hydrex Bike Animal Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 80 James Ellison 11 Guandalini Racing by Grifo's Ducati Ducati 1098 RS 08 96 Jakub Smrž All Spring Ducati ASD Ducati Ducati 999 RS 110 Lorenzo Mauri 5 L'Oreal Men Expert Laglisse Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 131 Carmelo Morales 3

Key Regular rider Wildcard rider Replacement rider