Source: Supplied.

The provisional permanent entry list for the 2016 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship has been released, with racing set to get underway in less than a month in Phillip Island.

A total of 24 riders will compete in the top class of the championship this season, with reigning champion Jonathan Rea looking to defend his title and his number one plate on his new Kawasaki ZX-10R.

The return of Yamaha with the all-new Suzuka-conquering YZF R1 promises to take the fight to Kawasaki and Ducati and BMW field two customer teams with Althea and Milwaukee, the latter of which fields recently crowned British Superbike champion Josh Brookes as they move together into a new era on the world stage.

MotoGP Legend and 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden lines up on the WorldSBK grid for the first time, as well as grand prix winners Karel Abraham and Alex de Angelis both following Hayden to superbikes.

Meanwhile, the WorldSSP grid in 2016 will consist of 34 riders and the list combines the reigning references of the category such as Kenan Sofuoglu with the rookie entries like Zulfahmi Khairuddin.

A new addition for 2016 sees the dawn of the FIM Europe Supersport Cup, after a long study of the 600cc class within the national, European and world championships. The Cup should enable the riders and teams taking part to compete on a world stage in terms of media and TV coverage, but a cost of a lower level championship in terms of logistics and bike preparation.

With the same technical regulations as WorldSSP, riders taking part in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup will line up in on the same grid as WorldSSP, but only take part in the European rounds of the championship.

2016 WorldSBK provisional entry list:
1. Jonathan Rea / GBR / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Kawasaki Racing Team
66. Tom Sykes / GBR / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Kawasaki Racing Team
7. Chaz Davies / GBR / Ducati 1199 Panigale R / Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
34. Davide Giugliano / ITA / Ducati 1199 Panigale R / Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
60. Michael van der Mark / NED / Honda CBR1000RR SP / Honda World Superbike Team
69. Nicky Hayden / USA / Honda CBR1000RR SP / Honda World Superbike Team
21. Markus Reiterberger / GER / BMW S1000 RR / Althea BMW Racing Team
81. Jordi Torres / ESP / BMW S1000 RR / Althea BMW Racing Team
22. Alex Lowes / GBR / Yamaha YZF R1 / Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
50. Sylvain Guintoli / FRA / Yamaha YZF R1 / Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
12. Xavi Forés / ESP / Ducati 1199 Panigale R / Barni Racing Team
11. Saeed Al Sulaiti / QAT / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Pedercini Racing
20. Sylvain Barrier / FRA / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Pedercini Racing
2. Leon Camier/ GBR / MV Agusta 1000 F4 / MV Agusta Reparto Corse
40. Román Ramos / ESP / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Team GOELEVEN
9. Dominic Schmitter / SUI / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Grillini Racing Team
16. Josh Hook / AUS / Kawasaki ZX-10R / Grillini Racing Team
10. Imre Toth / HUN / Yamaha YZF R1 / Team Toth
56. Peter Sebestyen / HUN / Yamaha YZF R1 / Team Toth
15. Alex De Angelis / RSM / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F / IodaRacing Team
32. Lorenzo Savadori / ITA / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F / IodaRacing Team
17. Karel Abraham / CZE / BMW S1000 RR / Milwaukee BMW
25. Joshua Brookes / AUS / BMW S1000 RR / Milwaukee BMW
61. Fabio Menghi / ITA / Ducati 1199 Panigale R / VFT Racing

2016 WorldSSP provisional entry list:
1. Kenan Sofuoglu/ TUR/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
21. Randy Krummenacher/ SUI/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
16. Jules Cluzel/ FRA/ MV Agusta F3 675/ MV Agusta Reparto Corse
87. Lorenzo Zanetti/ ITA/ MV Agusta F3 675/ MV Agusta Reparto Corse
35. Stefan Hill/ GBR/ Honda CBR600RR/ CIA Landlord Insurance Honda
78. Hikari Okubo/JPN/ Honda CBR600RR/ CIA Landlord Insurance Honda
81. Luke Stapleford/ GBR/ Honda CBR600RR/ CIA Landlord Insurance Honda
111. Kyle Smith/ GBR/Honda CBR600RR/ CIA Landlord Insurance Honda
2. Patrick Jacobsen/ USA/ Honda CBR600RR/ Honda World Supersport Team
11. Christian Gamarino/ ITA/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Team GOELEVEN
69. Ondrej Jezek/ CZE/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Team GOELEVEN
19. Kevin Wahr/ GER/ Honda CBR600RR/ GEMAR Ballons -Team Lorini
68. Glenn Scott/AUS/ Honda CBR600RR/ GEMAR Ballons -Team Lorini
25. Alex Baldolini / ITA/ MV Agusta F3 675/ Race Department ATK#25
12. Christopher Gobbi/ ITA/ Yamaha YZF R6/ VFT Racing *
10. Nacho Calero/ ESP/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Orelac Racing
63. Zulfahmi Khairuddin/ MAS/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Orelac Racing
64. Federico Caricasulo/ ITA/ Honda CBR600RR/ BARDAHL Evan Bros. Honda Racing
55. Ilya Mikhalchik/ UKR/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ DS Junior Team *
6. Davide Stirpe/ ITA/ Honda CBR600RR/ FLORAMO Monaco Racing Team SM *
4. Gino Rea/ GBR/ MV Agusta F3 675/ GRT Racing Team
41. Aiden Wagner/ AUS/ MV Agusta F3 675/ GRT Racing Team
84. Loris Cresson/ BEL/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ MTM / HM Kawasaki *
7. Angelo Licciardi/ BEL/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ R2 MotorRacing Team *
77. Kyle Ryde/ GBR/ Yamaha YZF R6/ Ranieri Med – SC Racing
83. Lachlan Epis/ AUS/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ Response RE Racing
47. Axel Bassani/ ITA/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ San Carlo Team Italia *
61. Alessandro Zaccone/ ITA/ Kawasaki ZX-6R/ San Carlo Team Italia *
88. Nicolás Terol/ ESP/ MV Agusta F3 675/ Schmidt Racing
119. Janos Chrobak/ HUN/ MV Agusta F3 675/ Schmidt Racing *
44. Roberto Rolfo/ ITA/ MV Agusta F3 675/ Team Factory Vamag
50. Braeden Ortt/ CAN/ Honda CBR600RR/WILSport Racedays Honda *
96. Javier Orellana/ ESP/ Honda CBR600RR/ WILSport Racedays Honda *
23. Cedric Tangre/ FRA/ Suzuki GSX-R600/ Yohann Moto Sport *

* FIM Europe Supersport Cup