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2025 ASBK Round Two | Waters plays it to perfection

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2025 ASBK Round Two | Josh Waters’ (#1) domination of the 2025 ASBK has continued at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the reigning champion again a class above on his McMartin Racing Ducati. Report: Ed Stratmann/ASBK Media, Photos: RbMotoLens

It was a classic Waters playbook in both 13-lap SW-Motech Superbike races on March 29 as he charged to the front early after phenomenal starts from seventh on the grid. Once he hit the lead, the Victorian applied the heat with brutal efficiency, leaving his rivals with plenty of head scratching ahead of round three in early May.

Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team #46) was second overall in the ASBK Sydney Night Race with a 2-2 scorecard (as well as a bonus point for pole position), ahead of a resurgent Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 5-3 – #65).

“That was a really, really good day,” said Waters. “I can’t wait to watch those starts on replay when I get home. I’ve even had some world speedway mates messaging me about the starts and what they can learn from me! Once again, a huge thanks to my team for providing such a great motorcycle, as well as all the sponsors which help to make it happen.”

After five season-opening wins on the trot, Waters has now extended his lead in the championship to 27pts (126 to 99) over Jones, with Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha #13, 85pts) remaining in third position. Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha #20, 72pts) and Max Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team #27, 65pts) are next in a logjammed mid-table battle.

mi-bike insurance Australian Superbike

Three-time SW-Motech Superbike champion Jones would not be denied in qualifying, as he put himself in prime position to make a dent in Josh Waters’ championship lead.

“It’s never great when there’s water on the visor or screen, but it was just dry enough to ride something like normal,” said Jones. “Those situations are always tricky, and it’s just a matter of nailing the right strategy to get the top spot. “It often comes down to a minute either way, but I’m certainly happy to be on pole.”

Mike Jones.

Jones’ best lap was 1m30.450s as he finished ahead of Halliday (1:30.559) and Pearson (#11 – 1:30.759), while surprise packet Jack Favelle (Yamaha #33, 1:30.978), Cameron Dunker (MotoGO Yamaha #3, 1:31.170) and Max Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team, 1:31.204) were next.

A number of riders were caught out in the SMSP lottery, including defending champion Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati), who started from an uncharacteristic seventh – his worst qualifying position since 2021. Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) and John Lytras (#308 – Yamaha) completed the top 10.

 

Race One

It only took about five seconds of the SW-Motech Superbike opener to dispel any notion that Waters’ lowly qualifying position – one of many riders caught out in dicey Friday night track conditions – would bring him back to the field.

Instead, he produced a mind-blowing start from the third row of the grid to lead from start to finish, backing off in the final stages to win by just under 1.5 seconds as he brought up his 37th career Superbike victory. Meanwhile, Jones was as secure in second as Waters was in first, leaving most of the fireworks in race one to a battle for the final podium position, which went down to the wire between Nahlous, Cameron Dunker (MotoGO Yamaha), Halliday and Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha).

That’s how they finished, with Nahlous holding his nerve in the face of some intense pressure to celebrate his first podium in the premier category. Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) and West were seventh and eighth.

Race One Results

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Mike Jones (+1.473)
  3. Jonathan Nahlous (+13.736)
  4. Cameron Dunker (+13.991)
  5. Cru Halliday (+14.013)

Race Two

Race two was held under the floodlit 3.93km grand prix circuit, with Waters even more dominant than race one as he greeted the chequered flag by nearly two seconds without really breaking a sweat.

While Waters again played it to perfection – he set the fastest lap of the race on lap four as he doubled down on his dominance – it was a spicy battle for second between Jones and Halliday as the relative strengths and weaknesses of each rider around different parts of the circuit balanced out to make it a thrilling spectacle. Halliday appeared to have the answers, until Jones’ last-gasp slipstream effort saw him pinch it from his former teammate by inches.

Ultra impressive rookie Favelle was a lonely fourth, while a little further back West, Nahlous, Pearson and Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati) flashed over the line in quick succession. Round three of the ASBK Championship will be held at Queensland Raceway, on a circuit where Jones – as well as the one after at Morgan Park – is traditionally very hard to beat. There’s still a lot to play out in 2025.

Race Two Results

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Mike Jones (+1.987)
  3. Cru Halliday (+2.003)
  4. Jack Favelle (+4.212)
  5. Anthony West (+9.878)

Championship Points

  1. Josh Waters – 126 Points
  2. Mike Jones – 99 Points
  3. Anthony West – 85 Points
  4. Jonathan Nahlous – 72 Points
  5. Max Stauffer – 65 Points

Kawasaki Supersport

It was a second consecutive pole position for Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal Yamaha #69) in the Kawasaki Supersport class, who was just ahead of teammate and main rival Jack Mahaffy (#37). The duo produced sizzling Friday times that would have kept many Superbike riders on their toes.

It was then a massive gulf back to third-placed Jake Farnsworth in a Yamaha front row lockout. Row two for tomorrow’s two 11-lap Supersport races – the second one under lights – was filled by Glenn Nelson (Yamaha #9) and Bcperformance Kawasaki teammates Olly Simpson (#5) and Hayden Nelson (#279). The combined winning margins in the two Kawasaki Supersport races was a wafer-thin 0.041secs, delivered in two very different circumstances.

Jack Mahaffy (Stop and Seal Yamaha) was front and centre in both flurries to the finish line. In the first 11-lapper, he just held out the fast-finishing duo of rookie Will Nassif (Yamaha #65) and Marcus Hamod (Honda #13). And in the second Mahaffy’s teammate Archie McDonald pipped him at the post.

Race one was held on a drying 3.93km circuit after heavy rain on Friday night and into Saturday morning, with some riders opting for full wets and others slicks. Mahaffy, McDonald and Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki) were among those to take the wets route – a decision which left McDonald well back in an uncharacteristic ninth. After shaking off a pesky Simpson, it looked like Mahaffy would cruise to victory before Nassif and Hamod – both on slicks – began slicing through the pack late in the piece as the circuit continued to dry.

The duo easily dispensed with a fading Simpson and were on Mahaffy’s tail coming onto the straight for the last time. In a photo finish, the trio was separated by 0.014secs, with Nassif second from Hamod, Simpson and Jesus Torres Cabrera (Yamaha #11).

In race two, without Nassif, who had issues with his rear wheel, and Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha #49), who crashed on the warm-up lap, normal service was resumed as Mahaffy and McDonald cleared off to make it another intra-team arm wrestle. Mahaffy did most of the bullocking work only for McDonald to get him on the finish line, with Torres Cabrera third in his first Supersport podium ahead of Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki), Simpson and Levi Russo.

Round Results

  1. Jack Mahaffy – 45 Points
  2. Archie Mcdonald – 38 Points
  3. Jesus Torres Cabrera – 34 Points
  4. Olly Simpson – 33 Points
  5. Hayden Nelson – 32 Points

Championship Points

  1. Jack Mahaffy – 110 Points
  2. Archie Mcdonald – 109 Points
  3. Olly Simpson – 84 Points
  4. Hayden Nelson – 65 Points
  5. Marcus Hamod – 62 Points

Race and Road Supersport 300

There were three different winners at Sydney Motorsport Park – Yamaha trio Valentino Knezovic, 15-year-old Hudson Thompson and new championship leader Scott Nicholson – with the first race held in wet conditions on Friday night.

Oddly, the damp outing was the tamest of the lot – and the shortened race three very much the opposite after Knezovic and Jordy Simpson (Yamaha) went down in the early stages, with Riley Nauta (Kawasaki) spearing off the circuit to take evasive action. The race was already without Thompson, who had two crashes (the second a heavy one) in the preceding ShopYamaha R3 Cup race.

Eventually, a sense of calm prevailed – as much as possible in such a frantic class – and Nicholson won the five-lapper from Jake Paige (Kawasaki) and Mitch Simpson (Yamaha). Nicholson (7-3-1) was the overall winner from Mitch Simpson (4-4-3) and Thompson (2-1-DNS), and Nicholson leads the championship on 113pts from Thompson (98), Tara Morrison (Kawasaki, 98) and round one pacesetter Jordy Simpson (96).

Meanwhile, there were two races to kick off the four-round 2025 ShopYamaha R3 Cup, and it was a Simpson benefit as siblings Mitch and Jordy went 1-2 in both, with John Pelgrave and Oscar Lewis securing the third places.

Race and Road Supersport 300 Championship Points

  1. Scott Nicholson – 113 Points
  2. Tara Morrison – 99 Points
  3. Hudson Thompson – 98 Points
  4. Jordy Simpson – 96 Points
  5. Mitch Simpson – 88 Points

BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup

The BLU CRU Oceania Junior Cup (OJC) opened its 2025 account at the round, with a damp (race one) and wet (race two) track serving up tricky conditions for the 20 riders on race-prepped Yamaha YZF-R15s.

Rookie Chaz Williams was one who embraced the challenge, winning both typically tight six-lap races to leave Sydney with a healthy 15pt lead in the championship over Connor Lewis (4-3) and Hunter Charlett (3-4). Polesitter Ghage Plowman and Rossi McAdam also finished on the podium.

Race three was red-flagged due to an incident on lap one, and then wasn’t restarted due to time constraints. As well as the scintillating on-track action, it was also announced in Sydney that Motorcycling Australia, in partnership with Yamaha Motor Australia, has launched the Yamaha OJC Scholarship, which will see the winner of this year’s OJC receive a fully supported ride in the 2026 Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Asia-Pacific Championship.

Race one under lights on Friday night kickstarted a huge 15-race program at the ASBK Championship round, with light drizzle and slick tyres making for some nervous energy. The riders all got through with flying colours, though, as Williams forced his way to the front on the final lap to flash over the finish line just ahead of early leader Plowman, Charlett, Lewis, Xavier Curmi and Charlie Nichols.

There was no uncertainty about tyre choice in race two, with wets on the menu as Williams defeated McAdam, Lewis and Charlett in a blanket finish. The quartet cleared off from the rest of the pack, led by Curmi ahead of Phoenix O’Brien, Stevie Middlebrook – the only female on the 2025 grid – and Thomas Cameron. Middlebrook and Nichols were then involved in a crash on lap one of race three, and eventual cancellation of the restart.

Championship Points

  1. Chaz Williams – 50 Points
  2. Connor Lewis – 35 Points
  3. Hunter Charlett – 35 Points
  4. Rossi McAdam – 33 Points
  5. Ghage Plowman – 32 Points

Superbike Masters

A modest field of Period 5 and Period 6 machines ventured to Sydney Motorsport Park, with ex-Superbike star Beau Beaton making light work of the field as he won all three races to claim the overall honours from defending champion Ryan Taylor (Suzuki GSX-R1100, 6-3-3) and Michael Berti Mendez (Ducati TT2 992, 4-4-4). Taylor had machine issues on Friday, but was able to regroup for Saturday’s two races.

Championship Points

  1. Beau Beaton – 75 Points
  2. Ryan Taylor – 51 Points
  3. Michael Berti Mendez – 51 Points
  4. Phil Allen – 47 Points
  5. Patrick Povolny – 43 Points

All detailed ASBK Championship class results are here…

 

WorldSBK Round 2 Report 2025 | Razgatlioglu completes treble

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Toprak Razgatlioglu continues to make history in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as he secured his 59th and 60th wins in the Championship after completing a hat-trick at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Report: Ed Stratmann/WorldSBK

Friday practice

WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the rider to beat after Friday’s MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action after he set a 1’39.995s to claim P1 ahead of rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11). The Turkish superstar set no times in FP1 due to a technical issue, but responded in style in FP2 for the Pirelli Portuguese Round with the only 1’39s lap of the day, with Bulega trailing the #1 by three tenths at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve.

The day got off to a terrible start for Razgatlioglu, with just one out lap completed in FP1 thanks to a technical issue. However, in FP2, the #1 was back out on track – and one of the first riders to hit the track – and it didn’t take him long to be towards the top of the timesheets. He moved into P2 with his first flying lap with a 1’40.735s as he embarked on the first of two 10-lap stints as he traded times with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). He later improved to a 1’40.637s on that first run before his times dropped off as the stint progressed.

Read our Round One report here…

With 12 minutes remaining, ‘El Turco’ set a 1’40.089s to move into a provisional P1 before improving to a 1’39.995s for the first lap in the 1’39s bracket this weekend. Teammate Michael van der Mark (#60) put in a late lap of a 1’40.506s to ensure both BMWs were in the top three, lapping more than half a second slower than Razgatlioglu.

The reigning Champion narrowly missed out on a 1’38s lap time, but claimed his second consecutive pole at Portimao ahead of Bulega.

For the second time in one day, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) utterly annihilated the lap record at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve as he claimed his 19th MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship pole position. ‘El Turco’ posted two times that beat his previous record in Tissot Superpole for the Pirelli Portuguese Round as he took P1 ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team #9), who both beat last year’s pole time to complete the front row.

WorldSSP

Round 2 of the FIM Supersport World Championship got going at a sunny Portimao with Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #61) claiming his first career WorldSSP pole, as the Turkish superstar ousted Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA #94), who snuck into P2 minutes before the end of the session, followed by Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME Air Racing #64) in P3. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team #52) earned his best result of the season so far with his P4 on the back of his 1’43.603s lap, only missing out on the front row by 0.033s.

Saturday
WorldSK
WorldSBK Race 1

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action burst back onto the track on Saturday, Race 1 bringing with it the possibility of claiming the first points of the Pirelli Portuguese Round.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed the holeshot, however after Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) recuperated his positions from his poor start to the race; what followed was the best duel between the two since the Italian rider joined WorldSBK last year.

Neither rider backed down as they stayed close behind one another from Lap 4 until Toprak claimed P1 on Lap 19, where he was able to hold off Bulega’s final assaults. The defending Riders’ Champion now sits behind Bulega in second in the Championship standings, Bulega’s 82 points to Toprak’s 45. Toprak’s 58th win puts him just one win behind four-time World Champion Carl Fogarty. His triumph also marked the sixth win for BMW at Portimao and the first time the German manufacturer has hit that number of wins on any track.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha #55) secured a podium finish by holding off Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) for P3. For his part, Petrucci was once again metronomically consistent, finishing the race where he started in P4 after regaining the position from Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #14) on Lap 9, with ‘Petrux’ finishing as top Independent rider.

“It wasn’t a good start, I made some mistakes. But after that I went step by step until I started fighting with Nicolo. He did some really, really good riding especially with pushing hard on every lap. Ducati has an advantage here with the hot conditions and in the corner exits from what I was seeing, but also Nicolo was riding very well. We are still learning, and we hope to improve the bike tonight, especially in some corners. The Ducati in some corners has some really, really good acceleration. I need more grip as well, anyway, in general. But I am really happy because we are back in the race,” Razgatlioglu said.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.067s
  3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +7.855s
  4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.991s
  5. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +15.475s

WorldSSP Race 1

Oncu brought home Yamaha’s 150th WorldSSP win from Portimao’s Race 1, followed by Manzi (#62) and Bendsneyder (#11). Oncu claimed the holeshot from pole position and quickly stretched his margin to establish a commanding lead, 2.658s ahead of Manzi in P2 by Lap 8.

Manzi and Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) were glued to one another for the first 10 laps, the two veterans battling with one another as they both tried to make time on Oncu in the distance ahead of them.

After putting distance between him and the rest of the pack, Bendsneyder closed down the Yamaha pair in P2 and P3. He passed both Manzi and Mahias in consecutive laps before the #62 brushed him back out of the way to claim P2 on Lap 14. Manzi, from there, staved off the Dutchman to secure second, earning his 44th WorldSSP podium, equaling Fabian Foret for third in all time podiums. Bendsneyder, who started the race in P5, locked down P3 to taste the prosecco for the 3rd time in WorldSSP.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

  1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
  2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.836s
  3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.767s
  4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +3.801s
  5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +9.630s

Sunday

Superpole Race

Portimao’s Tissot Superpole Race kicked off racing action in the Pirelli Portuguese Round’s final day. Razgatlioglu and Bulega battled once again in the first laps of the Superpole Race. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) followed up his Race 1 duel with Toprak by seizing the holeshot from the Turkish polesitter. He clung to P1 as Toprak made time on the Italian rider until in Turn 3 of Lap 5, when Razgatlioglu overtook him to go first.

Bulega clung to his heels and almost passed the #1 exiting the race’s final corner as Toprak had a moment, trying to push his bike to the limit in the straight. Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) Portimao weekend had been a rollercoaster of its own up to this point. He began the Superpole race from P9 on the third row, climbing up to P5 by Lap 2, and by Lap 9, he sprung a move on Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in Turn 1 to claim a spot on the podium in P3.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) had been up around the top positions all weekend, P3 in the Superpole session, P4 in Race 1, and then finished the Superpole Race P4, snubbed from the podium by a streaking Bautista.

Superpole Race Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.055s
  3. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.407s
  4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.327s
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +6.206s

WorldSBK Race 2

The final ride on WorldSBK’s favourite rollercoaster took place Sunday afternoon, providing another nail-biting battle between rivals Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

A red flag was thrown on Lap 10 after Jason O’Halloran (Pata Maxus Yamaha #20) crashed at Turn 1. In the ensuing 11-lap sprint, two of the title contenders engaged in a thrilling battle for the race win. ‘El Turco’ came out on top for the third time on the weekend, completing his second consecutive Portimao hat-trick to earn his ninth win at this track to equal his tally at Donington Park.

Prior to the red flag, Toprak and ‘Bulegas’ had paired off at the front of the pack, while Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had maintained his P3 grid start, and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) had fallen down to P9 from his P4 grid position.

Bulega took the holeshot of the restarted race; and he was able to defend his P1 until Toprak overtook him, taking P1 momentarily on Lap 2, at Turn 1. Bulega retook the lead in the run to Turn 1 of Lap 3, then Laps 6-8 saw the pair grit their teeth and throw caution to the wind, overtaking each other a total of 6 times.

The final three laps were fought tooth and nail as Toprak held on through the final stages of the race to claim his 60th WorldSBK win, which means he now sits third all-time in WorldSBK wins ahead of Fogarty.

Bautista pushed his Ducati Panigale V4R hard to try to keep up with the #1 and his factory Ducati teammate, however the gap increased as the race went on, with him crossing the line 3.512s behind the #1 as he secured third place.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) had a good jump off the line after the red-flag restart, moving into second place before falling to P4, closing out a strong weekend for the top Yamaha rider.

“For me, I love fighting. I never give up. The bike isn’t 100%, but I’m only pushing for the win. Race 1 was a hard race because I lost the front a few times. I just tried to follow him and then win the race. In Sunday’s two races, the pace was incredible. We improved the bike and I felt more grip, but turning was the same. I’m just fighting for the wins, and everyone enjoyed it. After Phillip Island, we are coming back very strongly and showed everyone we’re here,” Razgatlioglu stated.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.195s
  3. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.512s
  4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +6.617s
  5. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +7.478s

Championship Points

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 111 points
  2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 82
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 60
  4. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 59
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 56

WorldSSP Race 2

The final event of the FIM Supersport World Championship’s Portimao weekend jumped off the line at lights out. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) became the fourth different race winner in four races to claim his first win in any championship since his Red Bull MotoGP ™Rookies Cup win in 2015 at Misano.

Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) had enjoyed a dominant weekend up to this point, winning Race 1 from pole and leading Race 2 until Lap 9, when the Turkish rider crashed and opened the fight for the race win to a pack of condensed riders who had struggled to catch him prior to the crash.

Tailing Bendsneyder into the podium spots was Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #69), with Manzi securing his 13th consecutive podium and Booth-Amos claiming his fourth WorldSSP rostrum.

Bendsneyder was the only rider who was able to keep up with the Yamaha R9s in the podium fight in Race 1, and after dropping to P5 from his P3 start, he surged all the way up the grid, eventually taking P1 from Manzi, clinging on to win his first race in WorldSSP.

Manzi, Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) and Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura #51) spent much of the race tightly grouped as the trio tried to cut away at the front that Oncu had carved out for himself, leading to a battle which sprung to life after the #61’s crash.

Aside from Bendsneyder’s pass, pushing him down to P2, Manzi held off the rest of the pack behind him to take home his fourth podium of the 2025 season, maintaining his lead in the Riders’ Championship. Booth-Amos chipped away at the leading group from his starting position behind them in P6, eventually whittling away at the margin to pass Mahias on Lap 12.

Mahias spent the majority of the race in P3, hunting Manzi, then after Oncu’s crash, P2, narrowly missing out on what would be his first podium appearance of 2025. His P4 finish places him P4 in the Championship after Portimao. Fellow Frenchman Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse #53) was the top performing Ducati on the day, charging up the grid from a P11 start to bank fifth.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

  1. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
  2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +2.348s
  3. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +3.443s
  4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +3.684s
  5. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +3.900s

Championship Points

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 85 points
  2. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 72
  3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 70
  4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) 43
  5. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) 36

How Did the Aussies Do?

Kicking off his Portimao with a pair of tenths on the Saturday in the Tissot Superpole and the opening race, this was a promising beginning to the second stop on the calendar for Remy Gardner.

Wanting more on the Sunday, it frustratingly was a day full of ups and downs, for he bagged a respectable 10th in the Superpole Race, which was followed by a fall in Race 2.

Stepping in for the injured Jonathan Rea in WorldSBK, Jason O’Halloran made strong progress across the weekend, with his best effort being a 17th in Race 1.

It was also a challenging one for Oli Bayliss in World Supersport, as he battled to find grip and comfort throughout on his way to bagging 17th in Race 1 before crashing in the second race when on track for bagging a decent points haul.

For the full WorldSBK Round One results in all classes for all days, click here...

Aussies Racing Abroad March 2025

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Aussies Racing Abroad March 2025 | With many Aussies showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines on-track, our latest column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their classes, covering pre season MotoGP & more… Words: Ed Stratmann

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

While the first two rounds of MotoGP haven’t all been plain sailing for Jack Miller aboard his Prima Pramac Yamaha, there’s still been many positives to be extracted from his season so far. Kicking things off with an 11th in Thailand, this was a strong effort by the Aussie, especially considering a problem with his fairing arose on lap eight.

Read last month’s Aussie’s Abroad here...

“Overall, it was a good day for me. I felt pretty decent, but I had a small issue with the fairing around lap eight, which caused me to lose touch with the front group. Unfortunately, one of the clips popped out, and the whole fairing started coming loose. As you know, aerodynamics are crucial these days, and I started struggling with turning and carrying corner speed – especially in what was my strongest sector, Turns 4 and 5,” Miller remarked.

“On top of that, I was cooking out there because all the air was being directed straight at me. It made the race even hotter, and I actually burned my inner arms trying to hold the fairing in place on the straights. But I managed to make it to the finish line. In the end, I lost a few positions because of that, but I kept it together and brought home some points. Overall, it was a positive weekend. We‘re focused on building a solid foundation, and we‘ll keep working hard.”

“Overall, it was a positive weekend. We‘re focused on building a solid foundation, and we‘ll keep working hard.”

Miller then headed to Argentina and banked 11th in the Sprint, in a race where the result didn’t reflect his speed due to him being held up in the pack after an average start. Although he got off the line poorly in the Sunday bout, Miller, to his credit, kept fighting to eventually claim 14th, on a weekend where the dirty track, some tyre issues and the circuit proving hard to pass on hindered him.

Typically honest when speaking afterwards, all eyes now turn to the GP of the Americas for Miller, where he’ll be looking for an improved outing.

“The release at the start of the race wasn‘t too bad, but then I had a bit of wheel spin – maybe I was a little too aggressive on the clutch, or the track was quite dirty – which caused me to lose a few positions. Fortunately, I was able to recover them fairly quickly. However, we struggled with grip. We opted for the medium rear tyre, and I‘m not sure if it was the right decision, but it‘s always easier to say that after the race,” Miller stated.

“Anyway, I tried to be as gentle as possible and find my rhythm. With 11 laps to go, I felt like I was catching up to the other riders, but in the end, our tyre degradation was similar, so I wasn‘t able to move forward as much as I had expected. Overall, it‘s been a valuable learning weekend for us. Of course, we want to be closer to the front, and I‘m confident that we‘ll come back stronger in Texas.”

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius began his 2025 campaign with a bang by securing a superb podium at the opener in Thailand. After showing sensational speed early in the weekend before qualifying fourth, this put him in a quality position to enjoy a brilliant race, which is precisely what he did. Blasting off the line smartly, the 19-year-old quickly surged into third. Although he received a long lap penalty following contact with Celestino Vietti, he didn’t let this scupper his race, for he copped his penalty and immediately recalibrated his focus to set his sights on a top-three finish.

All his hard work and determination paid off, as the youngster prevailed in a thrilling duel with Diogo Moreira to ultimately claim third in fine style.

“We have to keep doing everything right, stay consistent, keep working hard and to do this as much as we can.”

“I am over the moon! I had a good start, stayed calm and learnt a lot at the beginning. Unfortunately, the moment with Vietti came, but I saw the chance. It is what it is. So, I did the long lap and then I was on a mission to catch Moreira. In the last few laps, I was on his rear wheel and passed him. It was the most physically demanding race I could have imagined. I’m so grateful to everyone working with me because I have such a strong mentality this year and the other side of our garage has the same ambition to win this year. Today’s double podium for the team means so much to them. I can see it in their eyes and that makes me happy. But we still have 21 races to go, where we have to keep doing everything right, stay consistent, keep working hard and to do this as much as we can,” commented an overjoyed Agius.

The following round in Argentina proved far more challenging for Agius, as beginning the race from 22nd was always going to be tough for him on an unfamiliar track. His resilient body of work warranted plenty of praise, however, with him overcoming his struggles and lack of flow to bag 13th, which means he sits fifth in the standings ahead of the GP of the Americas.

“We’ll take home a few points. But we have to reset and prepare well for Austin. Nevertheless, I would like to thank the team, because they worked tirelessly this weekend. We showed good speed, but something was missing today. We have to analyse that and think about it for America,” Agius lamented.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

LevelUp-MTA’s Joel Kelso injected life into his crusade with a solid eighth in Argentina, following a disappointing first round that saw him crash out and trigger a massive pile-up while in the running for a top-10 finish.

“Massive apologies to [Angel Piqueras] for ruining his race.”

“Gutted about that one,” said Kelso on the unfortunate incident. “After a tough weekend, we dug deep as a team and came into the race with a good feeling. I started off trying to position myself in the best spot to avoid the carnage. As the tyres dropped off, I kept a little in reserve to make a late push toward the podium. I saw my opportunity to move forward as the pace slowed, but no one’s fault but mine – I misjudged the last corner and just couldn’t pull up the bike. Massive apologies to [Angel Piqueras] for ruining his race.”

Delivering a strong comeback performance at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, bagging eighth in qualifying afforded him a decent platform for the main event. Knowing he had to undertake two long lap penalties in the race, much upside could be gained from how he didn’t let this completely ruin his race, for he let his riding and powers of recovery shine to clinch eighth.

“On paper, P8 doesn’t sound amazing, but after serving two double long laps today, we’re happy with our progress! We made around 13 passes throughout the race, caught the front group, and closed a five-second gap. We’re working well and ready to get stuck into COTA in a couple of weeks,” he expressed.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner hit the track for another valuable test, which occurred on the 14th and 15th of March in Portugal, as this two-day hit-out gave him and the GYTR GRT Yamaha some vital data ahead of the second stop on the calendar at the same track. Despite being forced to wait for conditions to dry out on the opening day, Gardner wasted little time in getting up to speed, for he clocked the sixth fastest time and logged 57 laps. While the rain interfered with day two, it was another productive one for Gardner, who posted the fifth best time while importantly getting 33 laps in.

“It was a positive test, and we managed to try some new things ahead of the race. Unfortunately, we missed some valuable track time due to the weather, but we were still able to complete a good number of laps and gather useful data. The lap time was strong, considering it came on a race tyre, and the overall pace was promising, which gives us confidence for the race weekend. That said, we know there’s still work to do, and we’ll make sure to be fully prepared for the second round of the season,” Gardner insisted.

Jason O’Halloran – World Superbike

It’s been confirmed Jason O’Halloran will replace the injured Jonathan Rea in the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team for the second round of the World Superbike Championship at Portimao this weekend. Having signed with the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team for 2025 and set to start his role as Yamaha’s WorldSBK test rider as well, plenty of exciting times are ahead for the popular Aussie. Ready for the challenge, the experienced legend, who notably spent five seasons aboard an R1 in the British Superbike Championship from 2019-2023 and became the brand’s most successful rider in the category with his 26 race wins, is set to be a tremendous asset.

“I’m excited to get the opportunity to ride for the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in Portimao while Jonathan continues to recover. I have really enjoyed being back on the R1 in pre-season testing with YART, it’s a bike I’ve always gelled well with. And I had a lot of success with the R1 in BSB, so to try it in full WorldSBK spec is something I’m looking forward to,” explained O’Halloran.

“I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks”…

“Of course, heading into a race weekend with no testing is jumping in at the deep end a little bit, but I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks. I’d like to thank Yamaha and the team for the opportunity and wish Jonathan a speedy recovery.”

Off-Road
Jake Cannon

Jake Cannon has made an impressive start to life in the fiercely competitive EMX250 class, as the reigning Australian MX3 champion’s displayed many glimpses of his immense talent in the opening two rounds of the series. Looking fast and right at home in this stacked class against many of the finest young riders in Europe on his Bud Racing Kawasaki, Cannon’s recorded some handy results already.

“I felt comfortable riding in the mud both days, but I just need to get round the first turn, stay off the ground and minimise those mistakes.”

Really catching the eye in his first race in Spain by crossing the line second in the first moto, this served as a testament to what an exceptional prospect he is. Although the second race in the brutal mud didn’t go as planned, he, like many others, grappled with the conditions and faced goggle issues, ultimately finishing 21st and securing 12th overall.

“I was over the moon with my first race in EMX, particularly after I saw the track when I arrived. It was just crazy for practice and I only managed four laps. I wasn’t sure how the day was going to go, but I executed a good start in the first race and rode smart and came good at the end. I saw fourth trying to put a charge on me, but I found some good lines and all of a sudden I was behind second and could pass him on the last lap. In the second moto, I crashed off the start and then I lost another minute when I needed to stop in the pits for fresh goggles and gloves. I felt comfortable riding in the mud both days, but I just need to get round the first turn, stay off the ground and minimise those mistakes,” he told the Bud Racing website.

Even though his 15th overall in France at the subsequent round may not jump off the page, this doesn’t tell the whole story, for there were again many examples of his speed. Not only did he qualify third fastest in his group, but he also battled up front in the first moto before being eliminated in the closing stages and claimed ninth in moto two after a wicked ride through the field, to demonstrate his skills.

Liam Owens

Similarly to Cannon, Liam Owens has mixed the highs with the lows in EMX250, as he continues his adaptation to the demanding category. Beginning the series in a wet and wild Spain, a bike failure while running fifth in the first race, and problems with his gloves and goggles in the second, ensured it was one to forget for the hotshot.

Relishing the chance to venture to France for round two in his quest to enjoy a better weekend, the early signs were promising when he went third in free practice and fifth in the first qualifying session. Sadly, it all went downhill from there, for Owens endured a torrid time in the miserable conditions, with him unable to translate his speed into the races and avoid mistakes, meaning 24th overall was all he could achieve. Ready for more in Trentino in April, watch for him to come out swinging in his pursuit to piece everything together.

Elite U21 and U16 speedway talent racing at Albury-Wodonga

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The nation’s elite U21 and U16 speedway talent will converge on Albury-Wodonga for a spectacular weekend of Australian championship action on Dec 13-14. The Albury-Wodonga Motorcycle Club will host four Australian Speedway Championships at its excellent Diamond Park venue. Press: MA

The four categories will reunite for the first time since Tamworth in 2023, coming together at a track which has hosted top-tier Australian Speedway Championship rounds over the last three years. In 2025, that included the final chapter when Brady Kurtz powered to championship glory ahead of fellow FIM Speedway Grand Prix rider Jack Holder.

2025 Australian Speedway U21 Championship
2025 Australian Speedway U16 250cc Championship
2025 Australian Speedway U16 125cc Championship
2025 Australian Speedway U16 125cc Teams’ Championship

Michael West was the last Australian U21 champion in 2023. For Albury pocket dynamo Cooper Antone, it’ll be a special December in front of a partisan home crowd when he defends both U16 championships he won in Kingaroy last year. Albury-Wodonga Motorcycle Club president Shane Clare is delighted to be welcoming Australia’s foremost U21 and U16 riders for one action-packed weekend.

“We are absolutely delighted to be hosting the 2025 Australian U21, 250cc and 125cc Championships at our Diamond Park circuit,” he said. “What really excites our club is the opportunity to play a part in fostering the incredible young talent that is coming through the Australian speedway ranks. Some of these riders have already made their mark on the world stage, however there will be others at these championships who are unknowns at present but one day will be part of Team Australia and possibly become Grand Prix riders.”

Formal nominations for the U21 and U16 championships will open later this year before the line-ups are selected by Motorcycling Australia’s Track Commission. Visit the Australian Speedway Championship website for more info…

MotoGP Round 2 Report 2025 | Marc Marquez extends winning streak

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Marc Marquez lit up his comeback run again in Termas de Rio Hondo as the famous #93 battled his way past younger brother Alex (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) in the closing stages of the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina to remain undefeated. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

The #93 was on top in Termas at the 2025 Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) tangoed his way to the summit in Practice as everyone chased the Spaniard’s pace heading into the Tissot Sprint on Saturday.

Read our MotoGP News here…

A late corker from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) and a consistent Friday from Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) saw the Italian and Spaniard sit as the title leader’s main contenders, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) narrowly avoided another Q1 showing following a Turn 2 crash in the closing minutes.

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) then took back-to-back poles for the first time since 2019, with another stunner coming in from the #93 in Argentina. His 1:36.917 was the first ever 1:36 at the venue, a new lap record, and put him a quarter of a second clear at the top.

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who was close on Friday too was next on list in second, with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) making some magic in third for Honda’s first front row since 2023 – just 0.042 off the #73 ahead. It was fourth for Pecco who would be looking to make a traditional fast start off the line.

Moto2

World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18) hit the ground running in Termas de Rio Hondo as the Spaniard ended Moto2 Practice at the top of the Triumph-powered timesheets. Gonzalez’s 1:41.713 was 0.160s quicker than Alonso Lopez’s (Team HDR Heidrun #21) best time, but it was the #21’s crash on the exit of Turn 3 that signalled the premature end to Practice with a Red Flag. Just over one minute was left unused on the clock, but Lopez was all OK after the crash. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) rounded out the top three.

Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing #24) and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing #7) eased into Q2 after pocketing P4 and P5, with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing #44) in P6.

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) continued his wonderful start to 2025 as he claimed pole in Argentina, edging out Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing). With some Thai GP frontrunners in Q1 and only some making it through, it was close as ever in the Triumph-powered class. Behind that trio, the second row was an all-Q1 affair: Escrig (#11), Moreira (#10) and Salač (#12).

Moto3

David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) topped the Moto3™ timesheets on Day 1 at Termas, leading a session for the first time in his career and with a new lap record. His advantage was impressive too, with 0.364 in hand over rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83). Carpe already raised eyebrows in Thailand with a maiden podium first time out and at a venue he’d never previously ridden. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) was third fastest as the Thai GP winner proved a key player once again, and was also second fastest in FP1.

Fourth went to home hero Valentino Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73), who impressed to head a tightly packed group of riders where thousandths made the difference. Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA #18) was a surprise name in Q1 after Friday in Argentina, but the Italian definitely came out swinging on Saturday. He headed Q1 and then went out in Q2 and did it again, so he’ll head the grid for the second time in two Grands Prix.

FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI pairing Angel Piqueras (36#) and Ryusei Yamanaka (#6) completed the front row. Behind Bertelle, Piqueras and Yamanaka, Almansa headed Row 2, joined by rookie sensation Carpe and points leader Rueda.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

A second perfect Saturday on the spin came the way of Marc Marquez as the Ducati Lenovo Team star fended off the threat of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) to win his second Tissot Sprint of the season.

Marc Marquez got another perfect launch from pole and grabbed the holeshot ahead of Alex Marquez, as Bagnaia grabbed an early P3 with Johann Zarco (LCR Honda CASTROL) not getting away well from Row 1 – the Frenchman was P6.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #33) was a faller on Lap 1 following contact with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #21), as the former’s teammate Pedro Acosta climbed up to P4 ahead of the fast starting Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20). Meanwhile, the Marquez brothers were pulling the pin at the front.

On Lap 4 of 12, Alex was 0.2s behind Marc, while Pecco was operating 1.3s away from the scrap. The 2022 and 2023 MotoGP World Champion was 0.5s ahead of Acosta, who in turn had Zarco right on his tail.

At the halfway stage, Alex Marquez wasn’t allowing Marc Marquez to escape. Both were setting 1:37.7s, with Bagnaia also in the 1:37s but a couple of tenths slower per lap at this stage. And on the next lap, Bagnaia was back in the 1:38s. The Italian didn’t have any answers to the Marquez duo, so it was a two-horse race for Tissot Sprint victory in Argentina.

With four laps to go, the gap was 0.371s. Was Alex Marquez now struggling to keep tabs on his older brother? It looked like that was the case. The gap grew to 0.475s with three laps left, and then it was 0.721s with two laps to go. The fight was now seemingly over, but Alex Marquez was still close enough to keep his sibling sweating.

Sweat he did, but the six-time MotoGP World Champion made zero mistakes on the last lap to bring his Ducati GP25 home for a third win of the season – his second in a row on a Saturday. Alex Marquez crossed the line 0.903s shy to claim another podium, with Bagnaia forced to settle for P3 – but it’s more important points on the board for the #63.

After a sluggish launch from the grid, Zarco picked his way back up to P4 to finish just 1.1s behind Bagnaia. That was a top Saturday outing for the incredibly impressive LCR Honda star, as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) rounded out the top five.

“Very difficult victory as Alex was pushing a lot,” stated Marquez. “I just kept pushing and pushing, I think he slowed down a bit towards the end. Tomorrow will be tough.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+0.903s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+3.859s)
  4. Johann Zarco Castrol Honda LCR (+5.026s)
  5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+6.451s)

Sunday

MotoGP

Marc Marquez fended off Alex Marquez to collect the holeshot into Turn 1 as drama unfolded for Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72). The Italian, who made contact with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) after struggling to get his RS-GP stopped into Turn 1, crashed at the opening corner. Rider ok, and Quartararo dropped back.

At the front, Johann Zarco (LCR Honda CASTROL) was hounding Bagnaia in third, with Turn 8 a popular passing place for the Frenchman. This squabbling between Pecco and Zarco saw the Marquez brothers skip to a 0.7s lead, with Alex shadowing Marc in the opening three laps.

On Lap 4, there was a change for the lead. Alex Marquez capitalised on a small mistake made by Marc Marquez at Turn 1, as blue led red for the first time in Argentina. Meanwhile, Morbidelli had picked his way past Zarco and Bagnaia to climb into P3.

After a busy opening handful of laps, the Grand Prix settled down a tad as the riders found their early race rhythms.

On Lap 11, it was as you were at the front. Bagnaia was losing ground on the top three and Zarco was still swarming all over the rear end of his GP25. A couple of laps later, Morbidelli began to lose touch with Alex Marquez and Marc Marquez, but crucially, the #21 was still over a second clear of Bagnaia and Zarco.

With 10 to go, Marc Marquez had a bit of a moment coming through the fast Turn 11. It was a warning that cost the six-time MotoGP World Champion a couple of tenths, but a lap later, that deficit had been clawed back. And now, the #93 was properly all over the rear Michelin tyre of Alex Marquez.

Lap 18 of 25 – an attempted pass. Marc Marquez lunged at Turn 5, but couldn’t get his bike hooked up and stopped in time, so Alex Marquez kept the lead with seven laps to go. And having run wide, the margin between the leader and chaser was up to 0.4s.

What a showdown it was. On Lap 19, the brothers exchanged fastest laps of the race, with Marc going slightly quicker to latch himself on the back of Alex. Then, another move. Again it was Turn 5 and this time, it was a pass that stuck. Now it was all about whether Alex Marquez had anything in response.

The early signs were no. With four laps to go, Marc Marquez stretched his advantage to 0.7s. At the beginning of Lap 22 of 25, the gap was then just over a second, as Marc Marquez’s teammate Bagnaia was trying to put a late attack together to steal P3 from Morbidelli.

LAST LAP! Marc Marquez held a 1.5s lead over Alex Marquez, with Bagnaia 0.5s behind Morbidelli. Could the 2022 and 2023 MotoGP World Champion find a way to earn a late podium? No he couldn’t. And Alex Marquez couldn’t do anything about Marc Marquez from clinching another victory in 2025 as the #93 made it four wins from four – two Sprints, two Grands Prix – to begin his factory Ducati career in perfect fashion.

Another brilliant effort from Alex Marquez saw the #73 clinch second again, as Morbidelli clung on to pocket his first MotoGP podium since the 2021 Spanish GP. Bagnaia was breathing down his neck but the latter walked away from Argentina with an underwhelming P4.

“Happy to equal Angel Nieto. He was, and is, super important for the Spanish motorcycle world, and also in the World Championship,” Marquez explained. “From the beginning, the confidence was not super good here. I had a few problems. I saw Alex was pushing and controlling the race and I said ‘second today will be OK’, but in the end I started to feel better and better, less pushing on the front.”

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.362s)
  3. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+4.695s)
  4. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+5.536s)
  5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+7.138s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 37
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 29
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 23
  4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 18
  5. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia – 17

Moto2

Pure dominance. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was in a league of his own at the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina as the British rider won the Moto2 Grand Prix by 3.5s, with Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) picking up a valuable 20 points in P2. Meanwhile, Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun #13) pocketed his first top three of the season in P3.

Getting the best launch from the front row was Dixon as the Brit stole the holeshot from polesitter Gonzalez. Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was a keen starter, with the Czech rider slotting into P3 before passing Gonzalez for P2 to make it a Marc VDS 1-2 at the front in the early laps.

Gonzalez got his revenge a couple of laps later though as Dixon began to get the hammer down. On Lap 8 of 21, Dixon’s lead rose above the one second barrier for the first time, and on Lap 12 the gap had climbed to a smidgen over 1.5s.

In the podium fight, Salač’s race ended on Lap 11 at Turn 5 after attempting to pass Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing), with the incident costing the latter time in his attempts to chase third place Vietti and Aron Canet in fourth (Fantic Racing).

As the scrap for the final spot on the rostrum played out, there was nothing anyone could do about stopping Dixon from clinching a phenomenal victory in Argentina. Dixon was in cruise control to take a debut win on board a Boscoscuro, with Gonzalez picking up an important P2, 3.5s behind the race win. Vietti covered off Canet for P3 to bounce back well from his Thailand disappointment, a great ride from ninth on the grid from the Italian.

Canet settled for P4 in the end, vital points for the #44, with Ramirez completing the top five.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing
  2. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.525s)
  3. Celestino Vietti Team HDR Heidrun (+10.098s)
  4. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+10.508s)
  5. Marcos Ramirez OnlyFans American Racing Team (+11.009s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 45
  2. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 34
  3. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 33
  4. Marcos Ramirez OnlyFans American Racing Team – 22
  5. Senna Agius Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact – 19

Moto3

Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) is a race winner in 2025 after coming out on top in a titanic last lap battle at the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina. The 2024 Rookie of the Year forced his way through on third place finisher Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the penultimate corner, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) profiting from the late squabbling to earn P2 in Termas.

Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) grabbed the holeshot from the front row, but it was Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who led at the end of the opening lap. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) also took a turn leading in the early exchanges, as a lead group of 11 formed at the front, with the chasing pack just around a second further down the road.

With two to go, Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP MTA Team) was 0.4s clear at the front and on the last lap, he had edged it up to 0.5s. Could Piqueras and Rueda do anything about it? The advantage had disappeared halfway around the last lap as Piqueras made his move at Turn 7. Rueda followed his compatriot through at Turn 9 and then on the exit of Turn 11, Piqueras was wide and on the green.

That cost the #36 the place to Rueda, but a lunge at Turn 12 followed. Piqueras carved past Rueda, and Fernandez managed to pick off the Thai GP race winner too to shadow Piqueras over the line as the latter clinched his first win of the season. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) bagged P4 ahead of Bertelle, but that result was flipped after Furusato exceeded track limits on the final lap.

Moto3 Race Results

  1. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets
  2. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+0.036s)
  3. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.125s)
  4. Matteo Bertelle LEVELUP – MTA (+0.373s)
  5. Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia (+0.473s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 41
  2. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing – 36
  3. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 29
  4. Matteo Bertelle LEVELUP – MTA – 24
  5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 20

How Did the Aussies Do?

After securing 11th in the Sprint, Jack Miller (#43) got a poor start in the Sunday bout, thus seeing him slip back to 16th before eventually logging 13th, 23.486s behind the imperious Marc Marquez.

Despite 13th not being the result Senna Agius (#81) was hoping for after his awesome third in Thailand, this was still a decent outcome for the gifted Aussie.

Even though Joel Kelso was (#66) left somewhat disappointed with his eighth in Argentina, there were many positives, which included him making 13 passes, to be extracted from his riding, especially considering he had to serve a double Long Lap Penalty.

2025 ASBK Round One | Waters dominates at Phillip Island

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Josh Waters made light work of his opposition with a brilliant clean sweep at round one of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Phillip Island last weekend. Report: Ed Stratmann/ASBK Media, Photos: Brett Butler

Josh Waters left Phillip Island with a handy early lead in the championship...
Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati) left Phillip Island with a handy early lead in the championship…

Waters won all three races in the SW-MOTECH Superbike class, as he completed a flawless season opener on the McMartin Racing Ducati. Waters’ fellow hard-nosed veterans Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) and Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) were second and third overall in round one, while Archie McDonald (Stop and Seal Yamaha) and Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki) were the leading point-scorers in the Kawasaki Supersport and Race and Road Supersport 300 classes after three days of scintillating high-speed action.

“I could not be happier with how this weekend has gone, although it certainly wasn’t as easy as it looked,” said Waters. “But I was super happy with how my McMartin Ducati performed, and this result has certainly put down a very solid foundation for the 2025 season. Racing is still a huge passion for me, and I enjoy competing – and celebrating success – with family and friends.”

Race One

Waters’ superiority in the 11-lap race one started from the get-go when he barrelled into turn one with the lead, followed by Cam Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha) and Jones. That’s as close as the field got to him, although West – who started on the front row alongside Waters – was an early threat after he moved into second on lap two.

West reduced the gap to about half a second with a scorching 1:31.669 on lap three, but Waters’ immediate response was a 1:31.599, which was all the impetus he needed to start the year with maximum points.

The final winning margin was well over four seconds from West, who briefly lost the runner-up position to Jones at turn 10 on the final lap before the Moto2 GP winner performed a swift cutback to regain the ascendancy.

Ducati pair Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing) and Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) were next home, with the top eight completed by Max Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team), John Lytras (Yamaha) and Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Yamaha).

Tom Edwards (Motoschool Racing Yamaha) and Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha) made impressive rookie debuts to see out the top 10, while Dunker was one of three DNFs after crashing on lap nine while running fourth.

 

Race One Results

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Anthony West (+4.404)
  3. Mike Jones (+4.421)
  4. Glenn Allerton (+13.809)
  5. Broc Pearson (+14.013)

Race Two

In race two, Waters was again in runaway mode, but this time, Jones turned the tables on West as Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) edged out race one faller Cameron Dunker (MotoGo Yamaha) in a gripping battle for fourth. Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati), Stauffer and Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Yamaha) completed the top eight.

Race Two Results

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Mike Jones (+2.661)
  3. Anthony West (+2.725)
  4. Broc Pearson (+8.758)
  5. Cameron Dunker (+8.863)

Race Three

It only took about 10 seconds of race three for the first flashpoint, with Pearson – who came home with a wet sail in race two – going down at turn one after being clipped and forced wide.

Halliday (flat tyre) and Allerton (mechanical) also failed to finish race three, leaving Waters, Jones and West to be followed home in the 11-lapper by the fast-starting Dunker, Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), Lytras, Stauffer and Ryan Yanko (Addicted to Track Yamaha).

Josh Waters’ 17th and 18th SW-MOTECH Superbike victories at Phillip were achieved with brutal efficiency, as he sling-shotted off the line on both occasions and then immediately knuckled down to build unassailable leads.

Waters’ three wins and a pole position saw him bank a maximum 76pts (there’s a bonus point for pole position) in round one, from Mike Jones (58), Anthony West (56), Max Stauffer (43) and John Lytras (40).

Race Three Results

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Mike Jones (+2.108)
  3. Anthony West (+2.146)
  4. Cameron Dunker (+12.664)
  5. Jonathan Nahlous (+17.035)

Championship Points

  1. Josh Waters – 76 Points
  2. Mike Jones – 58 Points
  3. Anthony West – 56 Points
  4. Max Stauffer – 43 Points
  5. John Lytras – 40 Points

Kawasaki Supersport

Archie McDonald now has seven wins and 11 podiums from 24 starts in the Kawasaki Supersport class, as the 18-year-old’s stocks continue to rise at a rapid rate. His 1-1 scorecard saw him get the better of Stop and Seal Yamaha teammate Jack Mahaffy on both occasions, while Tom Bramich (Yamaha) and Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki) shared the third places.

"Archie McDonald now has seven wins and 11 podiums from 24 starts"...
“Archie McDonald now has seven wins and 11 podiums from 24 starts”…

Race one was the more intense of the two, with Mahaffy managing to pierce McDonald’s defences a couple of times – but his leadership was fleeting as McDonald immediately regained the top spot. Bramich and Simpson, making his ASBK Kawasaki Supersport debut, were third and fourth in race one, followed by rookie Cameron Swain (Yamaha) and Hayden Nelson (BCperformance Kawasaki).

 

The pace was a lot slower in slippery race two conditions, but the same riders battled at the front of the field – minus Swain who went down early on. McDonald won by nearly a second from Mahaffy, with Simpson, Bramich, Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and Marcus Hamod (Honda) filling the top six positions.

In a sometimes wild and woolly Kawasaki Supersport finale, Jack Mahaffy snapped Stop and Seal Yamaha teammate Archie McDonald’s two-race winning streak to bring up his third win in the category. The start of the race saw Olly Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki), Mahaffy, McDonald and Tom Bramich (Yamaha) constantly swap positions, and on lap seven Mahaffy and McDonald nearly collided at turn four.

That was the trigger point to take a deep breath and, with Simpson soon losing the tow, it boiled down to a race of three.

Round Results

  1. Archie Mcdonald – 71 Points
  2. Jack Mahaffy – 65 Points
  3. Olly Simpson – 51 Points
  4. Jake Farnsworth – 46 Points
  5. Declan van Rosmalen – 43 Points

Championship Points

  1. Archie Mcdonald – 71 Points
  2. Jack Mahaffy – 65 Points
  3. Olly Simpson – 51 Points
  4. Jake Farnsworth – 46 Points
  5. Declan van Rosmalen – 43 Points

Race and Road Supersport 300

Following Tara Morrison’s maiden Race and Road Supersport 300 victory on Friday, it was then the turn of Jordy Simpson (Yamaha) to steal the limelight. Simpson’s win was also a reward for perseverance, with the South Aussie finishing on the Supersport 300 podium six times in 2024 without standing on the top step.

He’s now put that bogey to bed, winning race two after coming from the clouds on the final lap with the fastest lap of the race. His powerful work was rewarded with a tight win over Hudson Thompson (Yamaha) and Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki).

Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), who finished runner-up in the 2024 championship, recovered from a hapless race one to finish fourth, ahead of Kawasaki pair Oliver Short and Morrison. Sam Drane’s already a junior dirt track star, and now he’s a Race and Road Supersport 300 winner!

The 14-year-old – yes, you read correctly – won another extraordinarily tight battle in Sunday’s third and final race on his Yamaha to make it three different winners across the round. Again, the race came down to precious millimetres, as 18 riders flashed across the finish line 2.2 seconds apart.

After being in the mix in the first two races without quite getting the job done, this time Drane wouldn’t be denied as he inched his way to the front on the second last lap and then kept down the shutters. Scott Nicholson (Kawasaki) was second from 15-year-old Hudson Thompson, followed by Jordy Simpson (Yamaha), Tara Morrison (Kawasaki) and Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha).

Simpson (2-3-4) was the overall round winner from Nicholson (3-3-2), who defeated Morrison (1-6-5) on a countback after they both finished on the same points. Thompson (5-2-3) and Drane (8-8-1) saw out the top five.

Race and Road Supersport 300 Championship Points

  1. Jordy Simpson – 62 Points
  2. Tara Morrison – 56 Points
  3. Scott Nicholson – 56 Points
  4. Hudson Thompson – 53 Points
  5. Sam Drane – 51 Points

All detailed ASBK Championship class results for Round One are here…

MotoGP 2025 Round 1 Report | Marc Marquez reigns supreme in Thailand

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MotoGP 2025 Round One Report | Marc Marquez reigns supreme in Thailand | Becoming the first rider to win on their Ducati factory debut since Casey Stoner in 2007, Marc Marquez departed Thailand with a perfect start to his title tilt. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

MotoGP Round One Thailand.

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Day 1 of roasting hot action from Thailand served up an electric opening day, which provided plenty of topics to get stuck into. The 25th different venue to host the season-opening Grand Prix, the nerves and anticipation of a new season quickly turned into storylines and chapters for the remainder of the PT Grand Prix of Thailand.

Read our MotoGP content here…

Coming out on top and breezing into Q2, it was Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™) ahead of brother Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) at the top, with sophomore Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) up in third.

MotoGP Round One Thailand.

With all riders seeking to snatch a top ten placing and go directly into Q2, the pace dropped in the final 15 minutes as Acosta returned to the top before Marquez, like previously at the start of the session, wrestled it back. Brother Alex Marquez followed the #93 to P2 with ten minutes remaining on the clock, whereas Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) briefly popped ahead of Francesco Bagnaia, leaving the Italian out of the crucial top ten. But the #63 struck back, moving to P9.

The clock ticked down and soon the last five minutes were upon the field. And all still had a point to prove to get their place locked in for Q2 on Saturday morning. However, yellow flags and riding slowly on the racing line would hamper Pecco – both on separate occasions.

MotoGP Round One Thailand.

First, yellow flags halted a first charge to improve his lap time. With a couple of minutes to go, other riders improved, leaving the double MotoGP World Champion out of the top ten. Then, on his final flying lap, he encountered Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) on the exit of Turn 5 going slow on the racing line and that was that. The two gesticulated on track with a clear disagreement and the FIM MotoGP Stewards decided to investigate. The result? A three-place grid penalty for Morbidelli. And Bagnaia’s 13th place in Practice left him angry in Q1 for the first time since Valencia in 2023.

MotoGP Round One Thailand.

The first gloves-off track action of the season lit up the Chang International Circuit as the PT Grand Prix of Thailand’s qualifying sessions headlined Saturday morning. With big names needing to come through from Q1, it was always going to be a blockbuster affair, and the form book came true right at the head of the field with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) snatching a maiden factory Ducati pole on his debut for the team.

MotoGP Round One Thailand.

With a very impressive return to Prima Pramac and indeed on their debut with Yamaha, Miller took P4 and his best qualifying result since he was P5 in Austria last year. Ogura was an astounding P5 on his debut, the best debut qualifying for a rookie since Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) in 2019, and top Aprilia, with Morbidelli just 0.037s adrift of the rookie in sixth.

Moto2

Friday in the Moto2™ class belonged to Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) after the Brazilian’s 1:35.030 was just enough to mean FP1’s runaway pacesetter, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), was forced to settle for P2 following a late crash. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended Practice inside the top three, the Turk 0.198s away from Moreira’s personal best effort.

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) took the first pole position of the year in Moto2, with just 0.036 deciding it in a late flurry of fast laps at the top as the Spaniard edged out Celestino Vietti (HDR Heidrun) – the Italian charging through from Q1 to second. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) locked out a front row that was poised to get the gloves off on Sunday.

Until 22 seconds to go in Moto2 Q2 in Thailand, it looked like Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) was on for a maiden pole position. But the late onslaught from his key rivals put him down in fifth, with Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) pipping him to the front of Row 2.

Moto3

Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA) set the only sub-1:41 lap time of Moto3™ Practice at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand to head into the first qualifying day of 2025 as the rider to beat. The Italian’s 1:40.931 was a couple of tenths quicker than compatriot Stefano Nepa’s (SIC58 Squadra Corse) best effort in P2, as Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda completed the top three as the lightweight class got to grips with a fresh Friday afternoon schedule.

The Moto3™ World Championship’s first polesitter has been set after a tight and competitive qualifying session in Buriram. With track temperature rising close to the 60-degree centigrade mark, it was a hotly contested session and one with many key topics. Taking honours at the conclusion of it all, Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA) continued his mighty form throughout the weekend to bag a first career pole ahead of Nepa and Rueda.

Saturday

Tissot Sprint

The triple in Thailand was well and truly on for Marc Marquez as the new Ducati Lenovo Team recruit pocketed a scintillating Tissot Sprint victory to secure a perfect Saturday to ignite his 2025 title charge.

It was lights out for 2025 and Marc Marquez made the dream launch from pole position to pocket the holeshot. Pecco slotted into an early P2, but on the run into Turn 3, Alex Marquez stole P2 back. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) swooped around the outside at Turn 1 to clinch an early P4, with Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) P5.

At the start of Lap 3, Marquez – of the Marc variety – was 0.6s clear of his younger brother Alex. Bagnaia was a further second off the tailpipes of the Gresini star, with Ogura keeping the two-time MotoGP Champion on his toes.

Drama unfolded for Miller with seven laps left, as the Aussie was on the floor at Turn 8 from P6, which promoted Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to top Yamaha in P6. That was soon P7, as a small error at Turn 8 allowed Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to carve through.

Back at the front, Marc Marquez was 1.1s clear of Alex Marquez heading into the closing five laps. Bagnaia was 1.2s in arrears of the #73, but now the Italian was the fastest rider on track. Ogura was now 0.5s behind Bagnaia, with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) a lonely P5.

Three to go. Between the top three, it was pretty much as you were. Ogura’s podium hopes were seemingly slipping away as the Japanese star dropped to 0.8s off Bagnaia. But the rookie sensation had 1.8s to play with back to Morbidelli.

Two to go. Bagnaia’s efforts of trying to close down Alex Marquez for P2 had run out of steam and heading onto the final lap of the first Sprint of 2025, Marc Marquez was able to cruise home. The perfect Saturday was secured for the six-time MotoGP World Champion and for the first time since 2019, the #93 saw himself at the summit of the MotoGP World Championship.

In the end, it was a comfortable P2 for Alex Marquez as Bagnaia claimed P3 to open his points account for the year. Ride of the day goes to rookie Ogura. A magnificent P4 saw the reigning Moto2 World Champion finish less than a second behind Pecco, 1.3s ahead of Morbidelli and over six seconds ahead of last year’s rookie star Acosta. What a ride.

“We had the perfect Saturday: pole position, sprint race victory, plus my brother finished second, so even happier,”Marquez explained.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.185s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+3.423s)
  4. Ai Ogura rackhouse Aprilia (+4.392s)
  5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+5.790s)

Sunday

MotoGP

Grabbing the holeshot and seizing the initiative in a repeat of the Sprint on Saturday, Marc Marquez led them through the opening laps. Brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was second whilst Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) occupied P3. Another good start from Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) saw him briefly inside the podium places on Lap 1, but he was soon shuffled back. Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) charge in the leading places soon came to an abrupt end with a fall at Turn 1 on Lap 4.

The race looked to be taking a familiar tone to the Sprint, but you can never guarantee anything in the most exciting sport on Earth. On Lap 7, coming out of Turn 3, leader Marquez seemingly slowed down with no apparent or visual reason. He slotted in behind his brother, who assumed the lead of the Grand Prix; whilst Marc may not have led every lap of the year, a Marquez has. Whether it was for tyre pressure concerns, tyre/fuel conservation or another factor, we now had a tense Grand Prix at the front between the rival siblings.

Further back, there was a good fight for sixth with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Joan Mir (HRC Honda Castrol). However, for Mir, the 2020 World Champion’s optimism turned to despair as he fell on Lap 16 at Turn 12, tucking the front.

For the next few laps, Marc held steady at the front, staying closely behind his brother. On Lap 18, Pecco was just a second behind, but after a couple more laps, he began to slip back. Nevertheless, he remained comfortably in third place, ahead of Franco Morbidelli (#21). Initially, it seemed like the #63 rider didn’t have the pace to challenge the leading brothers, but he gradually closed the gap.

It came too late to have a say though as on Lap 23 at Turn 12, Marc attacked Alex and retook the lead. All eyes were now on whether or not the #73 had anything left in the locker, but he didn’t. The six-time MotoGP Champion had it all under control. 93 Grand Prix weekends after he last led the World Championship, Marc Marquez doubled up at the Destination of Speed and took his first Grand Prix victory in the red of Ducati. An 112th podium, which means he matches ex-teammate at Honda Dani Pedrosa in the rostrum rankings.

Bagnaia closed in on Alex as the race reached its climax but couldn’t have a say, with Alex holding on and joining his brother on the podium. Pecco’s third place means the top three from the Sprint emphasised their strength with a repeat showing in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Morbidelli clinched fourth place ahead of an impressive Ogura, who can be proud of a double top five on his debut weekend to welcome him up to MotoGP. Ogura’s result is the best by a rookie in a Grand Prix since 2013 – some kid called Marc Marquez back then. It’s also the first top five for a Japanese rider in a Grand Prix since 2021’s Styrian GP, where Takaaki Nakagami also clinched P5.

That’s a wrap on Buriram. For Marc Marquez, it’s the first time he’s won the opener since 2014. For Ogura, it’s the best rookie GP result since… Marc Marquez in 2013.

“Yesterday, I was happy. Today, I’m super happy. I mean, this is a dream! It’s a dream to start my new journey with Ducati like this in Thailand, and to be here with my brother – incredible,” Marquez said.

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.732s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.398s)
  4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+5.176s)
  5. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia (+7.450s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 37
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 29
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 23
  4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 18
  5. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia – 17

Moto2

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) produced an inch-perfect performance at the Thai Grand Prix to collect the first Moto2 victory honours of the season.

The early frontrunner on his Triumph-powered Boscoscuro was Vietti, but Gonzalez was clinging right onto the tailpipes of the Italian, with the latter’s teammate Agius enjoying a fantastic start to the race to sit in P3. By Lap 12 of 22, Gonzalez was at the front and beginning to pull the pin. The gap was up to 1.9s as Agius locked onto the back of Vietti.

Then, drama. Agius showed a wheel to Vietti’s left hand side through Turn 10 and there was contact made. It was enough to see Vietti slide out of contention. Agius was wide and lost a heap of time, which allowed Canet to climb into second place. That controversial collision meant Gonzalez was now over three seconds ahead at the front, with Agius handed a Long Lap penalty for his involvement.

In the closing stages, Gonzalez and Canet were comfortable in P1 and P2, with Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) – who picked off Agius after the Australian’s mistake – starting to come under pressure from the recovering #81. The move came at Turn 12 with three laps to go, before Moreira bit back at Turn 1. Agius was back into P3 at Turn 3, but Moreira didn’t throw in the towel. The duo exchanged positions five times on Lap 21 of 22, with Agius holding the final podium spot coming onto the final lap.

And after the superb Gonzalez clinched a second Moto2 win, and Canet crossed the line to collect a valuable 20 points, Agius held onto third place to beat Moreira by 0.251s. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) rounded out the top five, the Andalucian eventually fending off Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) and Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) by just over one and a half seconds. The Brit was the lead Boscoscuro rider in Thailand.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+2.600s)
  3. Senna Agius Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (+6.491s)
  4. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+6.742s)
  5. Marcos Ramirez OnlyFans American Racing Team (+9.561s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 25
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 20
  3. Senna Agius Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact – 16
  4. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 13
  5. Marcos Ramirez OnlyFans American Racing Team – 11

Moto3

Moto3™ rocketed into life at Chang International Circuit and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stayed clear of trouble to put in a masterclass and take a second career victory.  In second, his rookie teammate Alvaro Carpe became the first rider to take a rostrum on their Moto3 debut since Pedro Acosta in 2021, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) completing the podium to start the year strong.

The opening exchanges were hotly contested, with Rueda leading from the front from polesitter Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA), while the second-place baton was being swapped plenty of times as the riders fought for position. There was opening lap drama for rookies Cormac Buchanan (BOE Motorsports) and Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing), with the New Zealander taking out the Brit in a last corner, first lap incident.

With 13 laps to go, a lead group of 13 had formed after home hero Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) crashed out of contention with Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Then, Buasri’s teammate Taiyo Furusato had his podium hopes end at Turn 3 with 12 laps to go.

Now, it was a front bunch of 12 riders, but two more then dropped out of the podium fight. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went off at Turn 3 after a collision with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Intact Dynavolt), the latter receiving a Long Lap Penalty but crashing out on Lap 13 before he had the chance to take it.

With all the incidents and scrapping in the group, Rueda took his opportunity to bolt clear and instilled a two-second gap between him and the likes of Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and rookie revelation Carpe. With just five laps to go, Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) got it all wrong at Turn 12 and took out Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI). The latter rejoined, but Kelso was out and later given a double Long Lap for the next race.

The final laps were all about the battle for P2; Fernandez was looking at equalling his career-best finish, Carpe at a debut podium and Nepa – with more starts than any current Moto3 rider on the grid – a career-first podium. Up the road by 7 seconds, Rueda took a second win of his career and would find his teammate alongside him in P2, a magnificent debut for Carpe.

Fernandez took P3 and denied Nepa a first appearance on the rostrum, whilst Matteo Bertelle took P5 despite starting from pole.

Moto3 Race Results

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo
  2. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+7.276s)
  3. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+7.341s)
  4. Stefano Nepa SIC58 Squadra Corse (+7.590s)
  5. Matteo Bertelle LEVELUP – MTA (+10.242s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 25
  2. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 20
  3. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing – 16
  4. Stefano Nepa SIC58 Squadra Corse – 13
  5. Matteo Bertelle LEVELUP – MTA – 11

WorldSSP 600 Gallery | Phillip Island, Round 1…

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The SuperSport FIM World Championship got underway last weekend with WorldSSP round one held over two races at the iconic Phillip Island circuit in Victoria. Held over three days of rare sunshine for the Island, the action was non-stop in the Supersport 600 class. Here’s our WorldSSP 600 Gallery by Brett Butler.

Our full report for the WorldSSP Round 1 weekend can be found here…

WorldSBK Round 1 | Bulega bags sublime hat-trick

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WorldSBK Round 1 Phillip Island | Bulega bags sublime hat-trickNicolo Bulega couldn’t have asked for a better start to his 2025 WorldSBK campaign, as the Italian rider secured his first ever hat trick at his favourite track. Report: Ed Stratmann/WorldSBK Photography: Brett Butler

Friday practice and Saturday Superpole
WorldSBK

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11) made it two from two on Friday to top both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 sessions at the beautiful Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as he fended off Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven #29) and teammate Alvaro Bautista (#19) on the opening day of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season. The #11 was the only rider in the 1’28s bracket on his way to securing top spot during the Australian Round.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team #9) completed the lead quartet of Ducatis as he took P4 with a 1’29.584s set in Free Practice 1. Despite being followed by El Turco, Bulega was able to claim pole position for the second time in Australia in a dramatic Tissot Superpole session.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) continued to be the rider to beat during the Australian Round as the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season’s first competitive session ended with the #11 on pole. He was just under a tenth ahead of rival Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team #1) after the reigning Champion followed last year’s title runner-up on track to set his hot lap during Tissot Superpole at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

WorldSSP

A sunny afternoon at Phillip Island hosted the FIM Supersport World Championship grid, who sunk their teeth into the 2025 season with several key twists already in the season opening session. Dutch rider Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse #11) went fastest despite not finishing the session, suffering a heavy crash with eight minutes left in the session at Turn 2. The WorldSSP season looks like it will be hard to look away from, as the Tissot Superpole session featured 14 riders within a second of the polesitter.

Second placed Booth-Amos (#69) replicated his results from Free Practice earlier in the day with a P2 finish for his first front row in WorldSSP. Making a late jump up the time sheet, 2017 WorldSSP Champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA #94) staked his claim on the rostrum with a 1’32.635s time, his first podium since Round 2’s Race 2, where he also claimed third.

Saturday
WorldSK

WorldSBK Race 1

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returned with a bang! Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) blazed around the track in Race 1, followed by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in P2 and Alvaro Bautista in P3. Nicolo Bulega capitalised on his Tissot Superpole win, holding off the rest of the grid as he claimed the holeshot. Turn 1 was the closest any rider ended up coming to the Italian sophomore star, finishing with a margin of 4.811s ahead of 2024 World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu

For his part, Toprak looked more comfortable atop his new BMW M 1000 RR, battling with Alvaro Bautista, Andrea Iannone and Scott Redding (#45) in the laps preceding the mandatory Pit Intervention, to claim P2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) looked to be similarly growing in confidence with his setup, tenaciously defending his podium spot from persistent overtaking attempts from Scott Redding, Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Iannone.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was composed as ever in Race 1’s return to WorldSBK action. Starting out in P5, he weathered assaults from a resurgent Scott Redding and rival Andrea Iannone to finish P4 and once again be top among the Independent riders in P4.

Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing #45) showed glimpses of his 2021 Ducati-riding form in Race 1, leapfrogging Bautista and Toprak at points to take P3. However, a late move from Petrucci at Turn 1 of Lap 18 narrowly prevented him from claiming the day’s top Independent position.

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) looked strong to start the contest, claiming P2 exiting the first corner of Lap 1. The Maniac lost much of this early momentum, though, as he appeared to have an issue with his bike in Turn 4 of Lap 2, dropping from P2 to P6 in an instant as he hesitated entering the corner. Later on in the early running, he showed similar signs of a problem with his setup as he ran wide into Turn 1 of Lap 3. Much of his best riding on the day came after the pit stop, where he recuperated positions to finish P6.

“What a way to start the Championship! I’m happy because my feeling was good from the first session of the Monday test. Every time I get on the bike, I know what I can do and what I have to do. I’m just enjoying riding my bike, lap by lap, and it’s an amazing feeling,” explained Bulega.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
  2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +4.811s
  3. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +5.108s
  4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +6.813s
  5. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) +6.986s

WorldSSP Race 1

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing #62) held off a posse of hungry riders for P1 as he won the Yamaha R9’s inaugural race in the FIM Supersport World Championship. A sunny day in Phillip Island saw a dogfight for the podium positions as five riders brawled at the head of the pack.

Starting from P4, Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #61) jumped into P1 from the second row for the season’s first holeshot. Behind him, Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #69) held onto P2 exiting the first corner, while Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA #94) began the race fighting for the second and third positions.

Following the pit stops, the front five bikes developed a gap separating them from the rest of the pack. Manzi, who entered the pits on Lap 9, a lap later than Masia (#51) and Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing #23), who he would spend the rest of the race battling with for the top of the podium, then took over at the front.

Masia was then given a 3.510s penalty for a Pit Intervention Time Infraction. Masia subsequently fell down the standings to P6, despite crossing the finish line second. On the final lap, at Turn 10, Manzi made a move, pushing Masia wide, although the Spaniard kept P2 on track. Just behind the pair, Schroetter and Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) battled for track position, with Booth-Amos holding Schroetter off to claim P2 once penalties had been applied.

Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse #11) finished P4 despite a 0.855s penalty being applied for a Pit Intervention Time Infraction. Home hero Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #32) secured a credible P7 on his Triumph debut.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
  2. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.322s
  3. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +0.480s
  4. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.447s
  5. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +2.513s

Sunday

Superpole Race

2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship runner up Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) dominated once again in the Tissot Superpole Race. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) recovered from his disappointing P6 result in race 1, giving Bulega a run for his money before he pulled away.

A chaotic Turn 4 fracas saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Racing Team) and Alvaro Baustista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) run off track, hurting their race placement. Razgatlioglu’s P13 finish spelled the end of his streak of P1 or P2 finishes, stretching all the way back to his return from injury in Aragon in 2024’s Round 10.

Nicolo Bulega had much more competition than in his blowout Race 1 win, however, he still claimed P1 by a 2.3s margin ahead of Andrea Iannone. Iannone was tenacious in his leap into the first corner, jumping up from P6 into P2. He nipped at Bulega’s heels in the first laps of the race, posing the greatest threat of the session. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounded out the podium. And while a gap separated him from Bulega and Iannone in the top two spots, he did well to hold P3 following a spirited attack by Scott Redding (MGM Bonovo).

Toprak Razgatlioglu and Alvaro Bautista saw their Superpole sessions squandered as they both ran wide through the gravel and onto the grass in Lap 1’s Turn 4, ruining both their placements. Scott Redding once again found himself in the midst of the action and clashing with the other Independent Ducati machines – this time battling with Danilo Petrucci for P3. As Petrucci pulled away later in the race, the hunter became the hunted as Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #14) challenged his fellow Englishman for his P4 position. Sam Lowes rose to the occasion and landed his best ever race result in World Superbike. His previous best was P6 in last year’s Race 2 in Assen.

Andrea Locatelli (#55) did what he does best at Phillip Island and secured another strong result, this time a P6 to score four points in the Championship.

Superpole Race Results

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
  2. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) +2.324s
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +4.923s
  4. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) +5.312s
  5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +5.452s

WorldSBK Race 2

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was untouchable in Oz as he completed his first ever hat-trick. He won with a very comfortable 2.6s margin to cruise past the chequered flag in style. While Bulega was running away with P1, not all the grid enjoyed such a carefree race. 2024 Riders’ Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) appeared to struggle from lights out, being applied a penalty for irresponsible riding after an aggressive overtake on Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team).

Nicolo Bulega was metronomic in his efficiency Down Under. Testing earlier in the week told a story that he would be a strong contender, but no one on the grid could handle the speeds he would bring to the season opening races. He claimed his career-first hat trick with a Race 2 P1, and speeds like these have to be a concern for the grid’s other riders, as they strive to keep up.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a very strong showing in Race 2, fighting his way back from a P11 start after a poor result in the Tissot Superpole Race. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) joined the Ducati Factory riders on the rostrum. Having started second on the grid, he weathered the storm of other independent riders hot on his tail to land his second podium of the weekend.

Scott Redding (MGM Bonovo Racing) had another day of constant action, fighting tooth and nail with a swarm of other riders (particularly Danilo Petrucci). The 2024 Top Independent rider and Redding battled throughout the second half of the race after the Pit Intervention, exchanging overtakes. In the end, Petrucci came in P5 behind Redding, as this battle of the Independent Riders will be one to watch this season.

Aussie hero Remy Garner’s weekend did not go to plan, with a DNF in race one lap 11, a DNF in race two lap 16, and a 10th in the superpole race. He will be back next round!

“I’m really happy because this is my first hat-trick in WorldSBK. It’s incredible and an amazing feeling to do it at my favourite track and now I want to go back home to celebrate. I’m very proud of the job my team did. My bike was perfect from Monday until the last lap of Sunday in Race 2. I was able to push every lap and I enjoyed every lap, so thank you so much to them,” Bulega reflected.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
  2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.603s
  3. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) +3.980s
  4. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) +8.043s
  5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +10.009s

Championship Points

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 62 points
  2. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 36 points
  3. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) 35 points
  4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 31 points
  5. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) 30 points

WorldSSP Race 2

Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) is now a FIM Supersport World Championship race winner after taking Triumph to the top step of the rostrum at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. The #69 took the British manufacturer’s second win in the Championship as he secured his second podium of the weekend during the Australian Round.

Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) etched his name into the list of FIM Supersport World Championship race winners as he topped the podium for his first ever WorldSSP win at Race 2 in Australia. With his win, Booth-Amos became the fourth rider to win a race in both World Supersport and World Supersport 300. He and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) traded places from Race 1’s podium, as Manzi led the race for long stretches, but was outpaced on the Gardner Straight by Booth-Amos to give up P1.

Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) avoided much of the chaos at the front of the grid by nature of his poor start to the race. Having started the race in pole position, Bendsneyder fell to P13 only a few turns into Lap 1. He gritted his teeth and climbed back up to round out the rostrum in P3.

Atop the new Yamaha R9, GMT94 Yamaha teammates Michael Rinaldi (#21) and Lucas Mahias had a strong showing in Race 2, especially in the case of Rinaldi, who had not shown the same pace as Mahias in prior races this weekend. Splitting the two Yamaha teammates was Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki Racing Team #52), who climbed to a late P4 position. But after his 6.78s Pit Lane Infringement penalty was applied, he ended up P5.

How Did the Aussies Do?

Oli Bayliss represented for the home crowd to clinch P7 again, making it a very successful weekend for the PTR Triumph Factory Racing Team. Harrison Voight (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team #29 Ducati) and Luke Power (MotoZoo Me Air Racing MV Agusta #68) finished the weekend at The Island with Power taking 12th in race one, while Voight unfortunately had a DNF on lap 3. In race two Power went one better with 11th, while Voight finished 14th. Awesome results for the pair…

 

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

  1. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing)
  2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.671s
  3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.125s
  4. Michael Rinaldi (GMT94 Yamaha) +3.373s
  5. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) +9.467s

Championship Points

  1. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 45 points
  2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 45 points
  3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 29 points
  4. Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 18 points
  5. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) 17 points

For the full WorldSBK Round One results in all classes for all days, click here...

Aussies Racing Abroad | February 2025

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Aussies Racing Abroad February 2025 | With many Australians showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines both on-track and off-road, our latest column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out with the best in their chosen classes, covering pre season MotoGP & more… Words: Ed Stratmann

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

In February, MotoGP conducted five days of testing in Malaysia and Thailand, allowing all five manufacturers to fine-tune their new bikes ahead of the start of the season this month. And Jack Miller made some decent steps in preparation for the 2025 campaign.

“I feel as prepared as possible, obviously. The bike works quite well, I’m happy with where we are”.

Relishing getting in some valuable time on the bike with his Prima Pramac Yamaha team, there were many positives to be extracted for the #43. “I feel as prepared as possible, obviously. The bike works quite well, I’m happy with where we are,” stated the popular Aussie.

“I managed to put on two tyres, something we hadn’t done in the whole test session. Yes, that was good. It’s always stressful, but fun at the same time, the bike seems to behave well. It’s understanding what you have to do in terms of preparing the bike for the lap time.

Read previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

“In the Sprint simulation I was quite happy with my pace, it wasn’t too bad. We had a problem starting with one of the maps, let’s say the race map. So we had a qualifying map by default; and it became quite difficult to hold on in the last laps.” Typically honest and full of insight, it’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up at the season opening round of MotoGP.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Pre-season testing for 2025 got underway for Senna Agius and the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact squad in Portugal, and the gifted Aussie impressed on his way to claiming fourth on day one before clinching 13th on day two in a rain interrupted hit-out. “It was good to be back on the bike. Overall, it was a good shakedown test and I felt comfortable with everyone and everything. So we will start again in Jerez and do our best to be as prepared as possible for the first race,” Agius reflected.

“It was good to be back on the bike. Overall, it was a good shakedown test”…

Although ninth was all he could put together at the Jerez test, this was still a solid final event for the #81. Having banked his first Moto2 podium on home soil at Phillip Island last season, this crusade promises to be another one littered with highs for the tremendously talented 19-year-old.

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Aussie rising star Jacob Roulstone suffered a fractured and displaced C3 vertebrae in his neck just weeks before the Moto3 season following a heavy training crash. Expected to miss the first rounds of the Moto3 term, this came as a huge blow to the young star on the rise, for Roulstone had been making fine strides in pre-season. Having quickly undergone surgery, he’s now fully focused on his recovery in his quest to get back to racing as soon as possible.

“Yesterday I had a very positive check-up back at the hospital with my surgeon Dr Mireia. Things are all moving in the right direction and I am now able to remove the rigid neck brace and replace it with a softer one. Also able to start to do some small amounts of safe exercise,” he posted.

“Due to the way the surgery was carried out, no muscles, tendons or neurological areas were affected”…

“Due to the way the surgery was carried out, no muscles, tendons or neurological areas were affected, meaning my recovery will be better than first expected. Another check-up in 10 days and then off to Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre for more follow-up and monitoring to be best prepared for when it’s safe to be back on the bike. Thanks again to everyone for the support.”

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Moving to the Level Up-MTA team for 2025, watch for Joel Kelso to be right up there, as he aims to reign supreme in Moto3 in 2025.

“It was an easy decision for me to join the Level Up-MTA team”.

“It was an easy decision for me to join the Level Up-MTA team. The team consistently demonstrates professional and sporting excellence. I thank manager Alessandro Tonucci for the mutually desired agreement we’ve reached. The 2025 season promises to be exciting as we aim for the Moto3 class crown with a team ready to meet such ambitious goals,” Kelso said on his delight at joining the Level Up squad. Beginning his 2025 with a solid body of work to register sixth in the test at Portimao, this was a nice outcome in an event that was hampered by wet weather.”

“It was an interesting first day. We had to make some adjustments to optimise the work on track, but overall I’m happy with the bike, the team and the final time. I can’t wait to get back on the bike,” he expressed. Next up for Kelso was the Jerez test, where he excelled to record the second fastest time, which sets him up beautifully for the start of the new term in Thailand.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Remy Gardner successfully completed a productive two-day Test in Portimao to kick-off his year. Even though the mixed conditions made things tough, much upside could be gained from how he and the team were able to try out many different components, with the Aussie notably logging 52 laps on the opening day. Meanwhile, the rain on the second day gave Gardner and his teammate Aegerter the opportunity to gather important data on slick and wet tyre setups.

Pic: Brett Butler.

Eager to put his best foot forward at the opener on the familiar confines of Phillip Island, it sadly wasn’t the weekend Gardner was hoping for. Getting the ball rolling by securing a credible ninth in the Superpole qualifier, crashes, misfortune and adversity then struck in the races, meaning he endured a weekend to forget.

Pic: Brett Butler

“Not the weekend we wanted. In the sprint race, we managed to stay close to the top nine, but it was a tough fight in a very tight pack. And unfortunately, we just missed out by a small margin. That meant I had to start 13th in the final race, where I pushed as much as possible early on. Unfortunately, a tyre issue held me back in the first half, making it a challenging race.

“We’ll reset and come back stronger in Portimao.”

After the flag-to-flag, our pace wasn’t too bad, but catching the riders ahead to score more points was difficult. Sadly, I crashed in the latter stages, which wasn’t the way we wanted to end the weekend. Now, we’ll reset and come back stronger in Portimao,” he lamented.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

PTR Triumph Factory Racing finalised their squad for next season with the addition of Oli Bayliss, who teamed up with British rider Tom Booth-Amos in the 2025 World Supersport Championship. The switch to PTR Triumph sees Bayliss embark on a fresh adventure, as he changes manufacturer for the first time. And he made a fine start to life in his new environment by notching a pair of sevenths on home turf at Phillip Island.

“Not a bad first weekend with PTR Triumph Factory Racing”…

Pic: Brett Butler

“Not a bad first weekend with PTR Triumph Factory Racing. Two seventh place finishes. Wish I could’ve done a bit better in race two, but after a mistake in the first stint and not the best pit stop we were sitting around 15th position. Not a bad comeback back to seventh. The feeling and data we get on the bike improves each session so we need to keep working for Portimao. Big thanks to my team and my sponsors.”

Pic: Brett Butler

While his progress has been severely impacted by injuries over the last few years, it’s important to note Bayliss has evidenced his speed and skill on many occasions when fit and firing, as he’ll be determined to stay healthy and enjoy a fruitful term aboard his Triumph following his promising start to 2025.

Luke Power – World Supersport

Motozoo Me Air Racing’s Luke Power wrapped up a vital four days of testing to get his new MV Agusta machine up to speed ahead of the 2025 World Supersport season. Gaining valuable data and insights, Power is hoping this will hold him in good stead for a quality year, which will be his third with this outfit in the ultra-competitive class.

Pic: Brett Butler

“I’m thrilled to be back on the track with the team as we gear up for this new season. I’m really pleased with the hard work we’ve put in; we tested a lot of different aspects and made excellent progress during the sessions, achieving some great lap times. I’m especially happy to have prepared for the Phillip Island race in the best way possible, ensuring I feel good on the bike for the first race. A big thank you to the team for their outstanding effort over these past few days,” reflected Power.

“Overall, it was a positive weekend and a positive start to this year’s world championship”…

Venturing to Phillip Island for the first round of WorldSSP, much optimism could be found from his 12th and 11th in the two races in the stacked category, in a weekend where he made terrific headway despite injuring his shoulder on the Friday.

Pic: Brett Butler

“Overall, it was a positive weekend and a positive start to this year’s world championship. A big crash that left me injured wasn’t the ideal way to start, but we did a good job given the circumstances when it came to Superpole and the races. I managed to claw my way back to P12 on Saturday and P11 on Sunday, which are my two best results in the dry to date in the world championship,” Power shared.

“I want to thank the team for all their hard work, not just in repairing the bike after the crash, but for doing such a great job in the pit stops. We recorded the third best time, which shows how well we are all working together. I want to thank all the medical staff that got me in a condition that meant I could race. The fans trackside were amazing and it was so nice to see my merchandise in the paddock being worn by fans. I will now spend the weeks before Portimao in March making sure I am fully fit for the first European race of the season. Thanks again to everyone supporting me – it means a lot.”

Currently just outside the top 10 in the championship hunt, watching how he fares at round two will be intriguing in his pursuit to power into the top 10 on a consistent basis.

Off-Track

Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Reigning 450 AMA Supercross champion Jett Lawrence will miss the rest of the 2025 supercross crusade after tearing his ACL and meniscus in Glendale at round four. Dabbing his right foot in a corner, this was all it took for Jett to sustain this ailment that appears set to keep him out for roughly four months.

“I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return, but rehabbing will be my new full-time job”…

“I found out today that I tore my ACL and am having surgery tomorrow to repair it. I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return, but rehabbing will be my new full-time job, so I hope to see you guys as soon as possible! I’m super-bummed to let the fans down and I can’t wait to get back out there,” the phenom told the HRC website.

With his title defence now over, all eyes will be on seeing if he can return in time for the AMA Pro Motocross opener on May 25.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Hunter Lawrence’s Supercross campaign also came to a disappointing end, for it was confirmed the older Lawrence brother suffered a raised and partially torn labrum in his right shoulder, along with multiple cracks in his humerus bone, which will sideline him for around three months. Doing the damage in a brutal spill in Tampa, the early signs were good that he might be okay to continue, but scans revealed the bad news.

Thank you to all my amazing partners, who continually are the reason all this is possible”…

“I’m going to get this fixed and come back 100% to go and battle for the outdoor and SMX title again. Thank you to all my amazing partners, who continually are the reason all this is possible. We will get this 2025 turned around soon enough,” Hunter commented.

Also gunning to make it back for the Pro Motocross series, it’ll be a case of channeling all his energy into his rehabilitation to make a full recovery for round one at Fox Raceway in May.

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