What is there to be said about WorldSBK that is positive? First of all it is run by young, enthusiastic, energetic people like Dorna’s executive director Daniel Carrerra and Scott Smart, representing the FIM as series technical director, and sporting director Greg Lavilla, who recognise that something has to be done and pretty damn quick.

And if ever there was a clear example of that it was at Jerez which attracted the lowest crowd attendance of the year - the paddock being the most populated area - who witnessed Jonathan Rea, already world champion, playing his own version of monopoly.

So why do the changes being announced this week appear so underwhelming? Won’t rev limits - the equivalent of getting Usain Bolt to run in leg irons – accepted with good grace by Kawasaki and Ducati, and adjustable during the year, change the game? The opinion of the paddock is that they will still be the teams to beat, an unsurprising conclusion as they spend the most money and have arguably the best riders. But it’s a start.

The other big proposal to further level the playing field was for a control ECU, the black box of electronics non-wizardry which, together with tyres, has made the biggest difference to race bikes in recent times. Although accepted in BSB and put up with in MotoGP there were strong objections from one or two manufacturers who would have to change.

BMW, for example, use the same box on their racer, with a few tweaks, as their road bike and are reluctant to change. Of course some teams are using the same kit anyway, one or two will go along with it recognising the championship has to buck up its appeal and some think it won’t make much difference anyway.

This, of course, doesn’t make life any easier for the series boss who is being told by his boss, the redoubtable Senor Ezpeleta, that he wants revolution not evolution and what about dumbing down to Superstock or even the less sophisticated British Superbike formula come to that. Easier said than done, it seems.

The aforementioned Messrs Carrerra, Smart and Lavilla want to move faster too but they have got to take the manufacturers with them. No throwing any toys out of the pram because a drop in factory support for already badly-underfunded smaller teams would put them and the whole series in jeopardy and Dorna, nor the FIM, want this championship to collapse. And that is why they don’t want to fall out with a single manufacturer, indeed part of the deal for next year is to persuade them to give more support to the independent teams.

Reasons to be cheerful, one, two, three:

1) Pata Yamaha have stepped up their game. Their performance at Jerez was a big improvement; in van der Mark and Lowes they have two aggressive young fighters, not afraid of mixing it; Japan are giving more backing encouraged by the Herbie Blash, sidekick of one-time F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, and a big bike racing fan with connections.

2) Honda have, with the exception of MotoGP, had a humiliating year and they don’t like it. They will say that their Superbikes are closer to the road models than any of the other teams but big changes have been made at Ten Kate; they will be much better prepared than this year; Leon Camier has been taken on as their No 1 rider with Stefan Bradl probably remaining with an order to pull his socks up.

3) Milwaukee Aprilia, despite a disastrous Sunday when, after crashing on the first lap, Eugene Laverty had to start from the pit lane, seem to have come on in leaps and bounds. And with any luck should at least be a candidate for the winners’ circle once or twice next year.

These teams should all benefit from the rule changes as will MV who will sign either Baz or Torres, both class riders for next year; one-time world champion Sylvain Guintoli rode the Puccetti Kawasaki for the first time at Jerez, performed very well, and with more help from the parent company could be a real threat; as could the Barni Ducati outfit with Fores aboard.

If, with Dorna’s encouragement and the manufacturers co-operation, the independent teams in WorldSBK could be as competitive as those in MotoGP then it could be game on. But beyond all the technical tweaks it comes down to the riders. And this year, last year and the year before the two best teams have also had the best riders. Maybe next season we’ll see just how good the other guys are?

Finally, and most encouragingly, from race boss Carrera: “We are looking to make big changes in 2019 and nothing will be ruled out. They will not be just technical but as we see manufacturers bring out new Superbikes for 2019 we will look at how to shape the Superstock and Superbike categories; we will examine the format, maybe longer races even pit stops, to give better value. There will be lots of discussions and we want to survey our fans to see what they would like.”

One of the things they do like are the paddock presentations which give them an opportunity to hear and see their heroes close up, And presentation, both before and after races, is important as part of the entertainment mix. The new owners of Formula 1 are clearly realising that and in order to inject a bit pizazz into their one US round in Texas, prior to 50 laps of pure boredom, they wheeled out Michael “Let’s get ready to rumble” Buffer, Usain Bolt and Bill Clinton…