Superbike, Sacchetti: "Everything about Baldassarri, the regulations, and SITA's requests

Corsedimoto interviewed Denis Sacchetti to discuss several topics: from Go Eleven’s season to the new association of independent SBK teams.

Team Go Eleven has been a solid presence in the Superbike World Championship for many years and in 2026 it is bouncing back after a somewhat complicated 2025. The arrival of Lorenzo Baldassarri brought fresh energy into the garage and also good results on track. We talked about it with team manager Denis Sacchetti, who also weighed in on other very important topics.

“The overall balance is definitely positive. We started above expectations, because getting a podium at the first round in Australia was a surprise. It was also surprising to be competitive at every track and in all conditions; we’ve been top-5 material. We know that Baldassarri is a fast rider, but he was coming from a year in MotoE, a championship very different from Superbike. We thought he would need a longer adaptation period, but instead he was competitive right away. We’ve found a great fit with him both professionally and on a human level. We thank him for the positive atmosphere he brought to the garage. In the last races we didn’t collect what we could have, we have the potential to fight for the podium with Montella. In any case, the positive thing is that we know the areas where we can and must work to improve and get back on the podium. We hope to make the necessary step for the final rounds of the season.”

“Right now, we’re missing performance in the first 5–6 laps. Maybe we’re quicker than the other riders in the final part of the race, but we have a small disadvantage at the start. We can’t perform as we do in the rest of the race. We also need to find a bit of consistency in the starts, because sometimes we launch well and other times not so well. In today’s Superbike we know it’s important to be in a good position in the first laps in order to get results in line with our potential. If you lose ground early on, it becomes complicated to come back.”

“We’re just starting to discuss it now. We preferred to let the races go by without stressing ourselves, and now we have the long championship break to think and talk. Both on a human and sporting level we’d like to continue with Balda, but we need to see if we can make all the pieces fit together.”

“There are several aspects to consider. Certainly, having a more balanced championship would be an advantage for everyone, even for Ducati itself. As independent Ducati teams, we’ve invested a lot; the Panigale V4 R is very expensive, and we can fight for top positions thanks to a super-performing bike. But the championship has become a bit unbalanced compared to the other manufacturers, so there’s a risk of devaluing the championship itself, our results, and Ducati’s results. It would be great to have a hotly contested championship with all manufacturers as protagonists. Obviously, you also have to ask the competition why they’re allowing this situation. Certainly, making a regulation that heavily slows down Ducati would also somewhat nullify the investments of us private teams. What sense does it make to buy a more expensive package to get more performance and then be penalized? And a manufacturer can also ask why they should invest in a new bike if rules are then made that penalize those who invest. We need to find a meeting point between everyone’s needs, trying to do what’s best for the championship: it’s never easy.”

“It’s been talked about for years; as private teams we need to have our needs heard, to understand the direction of Superbike, and also to know things in advance. This year I decided to get the ball rolling—there’s no point talking among ourselves if no one moves. I prepared a letter to present to the FIM, to the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna), and to the MSMA. I spoke individually with each private team, sharing ideas, doubts, and vision. I adjusted my letter with everyone’s suggestions and then we met at Donington for the final decision. The letter was approved and signed by all the independent SBK teams and then sent. We feel it’s time to take a step and see how we can also contribute to the good of the championship and, consequently, our own. We’re not waging war on anyone; it’s a request for collaboration and sharing. Independent teams have always been important in Superbike; they created it and carried it forward. Today we’re 9 bikes out of 22 starters; it’s only right that we are also informed about what happens and that we have a say.”

"Maybe they’ve made a great and correct move that will bring us benefits, but after the press conference they held at Misano we still know nothing. We have no information on costs, quantities, and much more that would be useful to know. Teams are like companies, so they need to be informed in order to make budget forecasts and organize themselves in time."

"The goal is to have a representative of the independent teams present at the meetings where the future of the championship and decisions to be made are discussed. We want to be involved, and our representative must have voting rights. Beyond this request, there are other important points on which to act immediately. We are not asking for money; our proposals require no investment from anyone; they are intended to help the championship grow and to support the teams’ economics. We are creating the association, the machine is already in motion, and we hope to be accepted and recognized."

"First of all, testing—we’re asking for restrictions. Today we have 12 test days and we would like to halve them. Tests are a major cost and they’re not even leveraged; they’re private tests and not events we can sell to our sponsors. The 12 test days cost us more than the 12 races; sometimes we can’t even ride, as happened last winter. We’re also asking to organize tests in the race week: if you do them before, it’s an advantage for the weekend; if you do them after, you work with freshly collected data. Plus, you’re already there and you don’t have extra costs. It would be great if the tests were organized by the promoter, to help contain our costs."

"Fuel costs have risen a lot. People try to get a better fuel to comply with the fuel flow cut required by the regulations. We are asking to limit this cost by introducing a budget cap or by adopting a different management approach, because prices have become absurd. We’re also asking for a reduction in the costs of the bikes themselves. By moving a bit closer to production models, expenses go down and, in my view, this could help other manufacturers and make the championship a bit more balanced. We were supposed to reduce costs and performance, but in recent years we’ve gone in the opposite direction."

"I’d like a championship in which other manufacturers also have the chance to enter. One example above all is Aprilia, which at the moment doesn’t have a 1000cc bike but would be ready to join if the regulations changed. The entry of other brands would make the championship more interesting and would also allow teams to evaluate other options. Today a privateer is practically forced to buy a Ducati to achieve significant results."

"We are a world championship, yet we don’t have bonuses or prizes for our participation. We would like our presence on the grid to be given value, to enhance our entry. If a team decides one day to sell, at least it holds an asset that justifies the investments it has made. And we’re also asking for things related to the commercial aspect. For example, we would like more space in the garages. Superbike is the premier category and we need more space to host guests and sponsors, to present a better image and be more attractive to potential companies that may want to invest. Sometimes we have very small garages and we can’t work well with our partners. There’s an enormous difference with MotoGP; action is needed to improve the situation."