Image: Foremost Media.

Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) leader Josh Waters will not test at Morgan Park in the build-up to round five, however, he will have the chance to prepare further in Japan for the upcoming 2023 Suzuka 8 Hours.

Waters surfaced in Japan earlier this month with the S-Pulse Dream Racing team onboard a Suzuki in preparation for the iconic endurance event between 4-6 August.

The GSX-R 1000 platform is a stark contrast to the McMartin Racing Ducati V4 R he races in ASBK, but Waters had no problem making a swift adaption back at Hidden Valley, quickly finding his feet to top FP1 in his first outing on the 2023 model bike.

While many riders didn’t test at Hidden Valley prior to the event, it is understood a number of contenders – including Waters title rival Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) – will ride at Morgan Park between rounds four and five of ASBK this year, notably across three track days from Friday-Sunday this weekend.

Waters will not have that luxury, however, but was clear that it wasn’t a result of his preparation for the 8 hours, with his next two-day stint at Suzuka falling within the 14-day testing ban at the Morgan Park circuit prior to round five.

“Completely different, because I am riding a full-blown, factory Superbike there,” Waters said to CycleOnline. “Go to there, I test again, I won’t test at Morgan Park, but at least we get to ride at Suzuka for a bit and I’ll be fresh. I get to ride with good riders, even though it is only a test.

“The test is bloody hard, because the work that they make you do, the race runs, the stints are over an hour and you are sweating your balls off. They are expecting you to put in 110 percent. It’s good though, only makes me a better rider.”

Waters qualified on pole and won race one at Hidden Valley, with Herfoss emerging on top in races two and three to capture the overall. The gap between the pair is just eight points ahead of the fifth round of the 2023 ASBK season at Morgan Park, taking place between 14-16 July.