# 1997 Superbike World Championship

The 1997 Superbike World Championship was the tenth FIM Superbike World Championship season. The season started on 23 March at Phillip Island and finished on 12 October at Sentul after 12 rounds.
John Kocinski won the riders' championship with 9 victories and Honda won the manufacturers' championship.

## Race calendar and results

| Round | Round | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
| 1 | R1 | Phillip Island | 23 March | Aaron Slight | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 1 | R2 | Phillip Island | 23 March | Aaron Slight | Colin Edwards | Aaron Slight | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 2 | R1 | Misano | 20 April | Akira Yanagawa | Pierfrancesco Chili | Pierfrancesco Chili | Gattolone Racing | Report |
| 2 | R2 | Misano | 20 April | Akira Yanagawa | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 3 | R1 | Donington | 4 May | Neil Hodgson | Pierfrancesco Chili | Aaron Slight | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 3 | R2 | Donington | 4 May | Neil Hodgson | Carl Fogarty | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |
| 4 | R1 | Hockenheim | 8 June | Simon Crafar | John Kocinski | Aaron Slight | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 4 | R2 | Hockenheim | 8 June | Simon Crafar | Carl Fogarty | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |
| 5 | R1 | Monza | 22 June | Scott Russell | Aaron Slight | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 5 | R2 | Monza | 22 June | Scott Russell | Pierfrancesco Chili | Pierfrancesco Chili | Gattolone Racing | Report |
| 6 | R1 | Laguna Seca | 13 July | Pierfrancesco Chili | Carl Fogarty | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 6 | R2 | Laguna Seca | 13 July | Pierfrancesco Chili | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 7 | R1 | Brands Hatch | 3 August | Pierfrancesco Chili | Niall Mackenzie | Pierfrancesco Chili | Gattolone Racing | Report |
| 7 | R2 | Brands Hatch | 3 August | Pierfrancesco Chili | Carl Fogarty | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |
| 8 | R1 | A1-Ring | 17 August | Pierfrancesco Chili | Akira Yanagawa | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |
| 8 | R2 | A1-Ring | 17 August | Pierfrancesco Chili | Akira Yanagawa | Akira Yanagawa | Kawasaki Racing | Report |
| 9 | R1 | Assen | 31 August | John Kocinski | Pierfrancesco Chili | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 9 | R2 | Assen | 31 August | John Kocinski | Pierfrancesco Chili | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |
| 10 | R1 | Albacete | 21 September | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 10 | R2 | Albacete | 21 September | John Kocinski | Simon Crafar | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 11 | R1 | Sugo | 5 October | Akira Yanagawa | Akira Yanagawa | Akira Yanagawa | Kawasaki Racing | Report |
| 11 | R2 | Sugo | 5 October | Akira Yanagawa | Noriyuki Haga | Noriyuki Haga | Yamaha World Superbike | Report |
| 12 | R1 | Sentul | 12 October | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Castrol Honda | Report |
| 12 | R2 | Sentul | 12 October | John Kocinski | John Kocinski | Carl Fogarty | Ducati Corse ADVF | Report |

## Championship standings
### Riders' standings

Riders entered into the European Superbike Championship—who scored points towards a separate championship— were not eligible to score World Championship points.
1997 final riders' standings :
| Pos | Rider | Bike | AUS | AUS | SMR | SMR | GBR | GBR | GER | GER | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | EUR | EUR | AUT | AUT | NED | NED | ESP | ESP | JPN | JPN | INA | INA | Pts |
| Pos | Rider | Bike | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | Pts |
| 1 | John Kocinski | Honda | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | Ret | 416 |
| 2 | Carl Fogarty | Ducati | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Ret | 1 | 1 | Ret | 2 | 1 | Ret | Ret | 13 | Ret | 3 | 1 | 358 |
| 3 | Aaron Slight | Honda | Ret | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Ret | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 343 |
| 4 | Akira Yanagawa | Kawasaki | 4 | Ret | Ret | 5 | DNS | DNS | 8 | 2 | 8 | Ret | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Ret | 4 | 2 | 247 |
| 5 | Simon Crafar | Kawasaki | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 4 | Ret | 6 | 4 | 7 | 4 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 6 | Ret | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Ret | Ret | 234 |
| 6 | Scott Russell | Yamaha | 7 | 6 | Ret | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 5 | 14 | Ret | 6 | 5 | 226 |
| 7 | Pierfrancesco Chili | Ducati | Ret | DNS | 1 | Ret | Ret | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1 | Ret | 6 | 1 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 209 |
| 8 | James Whitham | Suzuki | Ret | 11 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 8 | Ret | 7 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 11 | Ret | 10 | DNS | DNS | 9 | 6 | 140 |
| 9 | Neil Hodgson | Ducati | Ret | Ret | 7 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 8 | | | Ret | 9 | 4 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 5 | 5 | Ret | 8 | 18 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 137 |
| 10 | Piergiorgio Bontempi | Kawasaki | Ret | 10 | 8 | Ret | 11 | Ret | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 5 | Ret | 10 | 6 | 6 | Ret | Ret | DNS | DNS | 118 |
| 11 | Mike Hale | Suzuki | Ret | Ret | Ret | 12 | 15 | Ret | 9 | Ret | 10 | 9 | 14 | Ret | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | Ret | 8 | 9 | 21 | 10 | 8 | Ret | 87 |
| 12 | Colin Edwards | Yamaha | Ret | 2 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | DNS | DNS | WD | WD | | | | | | | | | | | | | 79 |
| 13 | Noriyuki Haga | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 72 |
| 14 | Pere Riba | Honda | 10 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 15 | NC | 22 | 18 | 11 | | | 13 | 13 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 23 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 69 |
| 15 | Igor Jerman | Kawasaki | 12 | Ret | 13 | Ret | 20 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | Ret | 15 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 20 | 28 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 50 |
| 16 | Chris Walker | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | | | | | 47 |
| 17 | Jochen Schmid | Kawasaki | | | | | | | 13 | 9 | 13 | 10 | | | | | 14 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 12 | | | | | 46 |
| 18 | Andreas Meklau | Ducati | 8 | 15 | | | 17 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 11 | Ret | DNS | DNS | | | 15 | 8 | | | | | | | | | 40 |
| 19 | Miguel Duhamel | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 32 |
| 20 | Troy Bayliss | Suzuki | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22 |
| 21 | Michael Rutter | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 21 |
| 22 | John Reynolds | Ducati | | | | | 9 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 21 |
| 23 | Sean Emmett | Ducati | | | | | 14 | 12 | | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | 20 | 9 | Ret | 8 | 21 |
| 24 | Katsuaki Fujiwara | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 5 | | | 20 |
| 25 | James Haydon | Ducati | Ret | 14 | Ret | 11 | 16 | DSQ | DNS | Ret | 12 | 13 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 15 | | | | | 19 |
| 26 | Gregorio Lavilla | Ducati | | | | | 13 | 13 | DNS | 13 | | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | 7 | Ret | | | | | 18 |
| 27 | Tamaki Serizawa | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | 6 | | | 17 |
| 28 | Martin Craggill | Kawasaki | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 |
| 29 | Niall Mackenzie | Yamaha | | | | | 7 | 8 | | | | | | | DSQ | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 17 |
| 30 | Christian Lavielle | Honda | | | 10 | 10 | 19 | 16 | 17 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 12 | 16 |
| 31 | Makoto Suzuki | Ducati | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 25 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| 32 | Keiichi Kitagawa | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Ret | | | 13 |
| 33 | Tom Kipp | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 |
| 34 | Christer Lindholm | Yamaha | | | | | 12 | Ret | 12 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 |
| 35 | Doug Chandler | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 |
| 36 | Yuichi Takeda | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | 7 | | | 11 |
| 37 | Shinya Takeishi | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ret | | | 10 |
| 38 | Akira Ryō | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | 8 | | | 9 |
| 39 | Steve Crevier | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| 40 | Damon Buckmaster | Kawasaki | Ret | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 41 | Erkka Korpiaho | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | | | | | 7 |
| 42 | Simon Yudha Kusuma | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | 13 | 6 |
| 43 | Aaron Yates | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 44 | Benn Archibald | Kawasaki | 13 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 45 | Phil Giles | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 46 | Norihiko Fujiwara | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | Ret | | | 3 |
| 47 | Christian Häusle | Ducati | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 16 | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 48 | Pascal Picotte | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 49 | Jean-Marc Delétang | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | 16 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 50 | Johann Wolfsteiner | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NC | 19 | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 51 | Jean-Philippe Ruggia | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | 14 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 52 | Ossi Niederkircher | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22 | 22 | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 53 | David Emmerson | Suzuki | Ret | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Riders not eligible to score points, with at least a top-15 finish ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | Wataru Yoshikawa | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Shawn Giles | Honda | 9 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Udo Mark | Suzuki | | | | | | | 15 | 15 | 17 | 12 | | | | | 13 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | | | | | 0 |
| | Giorgio Cantalupo | Ducati | | | 11 | 13 | Ret | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 15 | | | 17 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 23 | Ret | 14 | 17 | | | | | 0 |
| | Jason Love | Ducati | 11 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Shinichi Ito | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Craig Connell | Ducati | Ret | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Ray Stringer | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Redamo Assirelli | Yamaha | | | 12 | 17 | | | | | 21 | 21 | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Ichiro Asai | Ducati | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24 | 12 | | | 0 |
| | Manabu Kamada | Honda | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22 | 13 | | | 0 |
| | Jiří Mrkývka | Honda | | | 14 | 15 | 22 | 21 | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | | | 19 | 21 | 25 | 18 | Ret | 20 | 15 | 18 | | | | | 0 |
| | Bruno Scatola | Kawasaki | | | 15 | 14 | | | | | Ret | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Anton Gruschka | Yamaha | | | Ret | Ret | 21 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | | | Ret | 19 | 18 | 14 | 20 | Ret | 16 | 19 | | | | | 0 |
| | Mike Krynock | Suzuki | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Brett Sampson | Kawasaki | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | 14 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Greg Moss | Honda | 14 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Gerhard Esterer | Kawasaki | | | 16 | DNS | | | 20 | 19 | 24 | 19 | | | | | 20 | 15 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Craig Stafford | Yamaha | 15 | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos. | Rider | Bike | AUS | AUS | SMR | SMR | GBR | GBR | GER | GER | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | EUR | EUR | AUT | AUT | NED | NED | ESP | ESP | JPN | JPN | INA | INA | Pts |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |

### Manufacturers' standings

1997 final manufacturers' standings :
| Pos. | Manufacturer | AUS | AUS | SMR | SMR | GBR | GBR | GER | GER | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | EUR | EUR | AUT | AUT | NED | NED | ESP | ESP | JPN | JPN | INA | INA | Pts |
| Pos. | Manufacturer | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | Pts |
| 1 | Honda | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 486 |
| 2 | Ducati | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 440 |
| 3 | Kawasaki | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 359 |
| 4 | Yamaha | 7 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 301 |
| 5 | Suzuki | 5 | 5 | Ret | 12 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 205 |
| Pos. | Manufacturer | AUS | AUS | SMR | SMR | GBR | GBR | GER | GER | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | EUR | EUR | AUT | AUT | NED | NED | ESP | ESP | JPN | JPN | INA | INA | Pts |