Australia can hold its head high in World Superbike circles, on the eve of the series’ 28th season Australia can lay claim to nearly 20 percent of its championship trophies. Without taking into account the even higher hit rate in the lower-capacity Supersport class (four titles from three blokes across 17 seasons), the five world championships won by two Australians in the last 27 years makes us the third most successful nationality in the championship’s history.

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Troy Corser was a world championship regular for 15 years and claimed two world titles during his campaign. Troy Bayliss was in and around the world Superbike paddock for nine years, but only competed six full seasons to claim three world titles. In fact, there’s only one bloke on the planet with more World Superbike title trophies on his mantle than Bayliss, and that’s Carl Fogarty.

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It’s thanks to these two likeable blokes with the same first names that Australia’s scorecard is as impressive as it is.

The byproduct of their talent and hard work and subsequent five world titles was 6359.5 world championship points (Corser with 3917.5, Bayliss 2442), 224 podiums (Corser with 130, Bayliss 94), 85 wins (Bayliss with 52, Corser 33), 80 fastest laps (Corser with 45, Bayliss 35) and 69 pole positions (Corser with 43, Bayliss 26).

Two likeable blokes with the same first names in the top-tier of production-based racing. Sound familiar?