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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.

2025 Kawasaki Supersport Championship

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In race one, Voight led off the line but it wasn’t long before Simpson muscled his way into the lead with the knowledge that he had to win both races for any chance of wresting the title from Dunker’s grasp.

Kawasaki, a brand with over 60 years of racing heritage, has been announced as the new naming rights partner of the Australian Supersport Championship. The partnership comes at an exciting time for the category, which has undergone significant revitalisation in recent years.  Press: ASBK Media

As a key stepping stone to the premier Superbike class, the Supersport series continues to develop the next generation of elite riders.

The BCperformance Racing Team and 16-year old Hayden Nelson gear up for an exhilarating 2024 season, introducing a fresh face and embracing new challenges as they proudly unveil the newly homologated Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.
Hayden Nelson will again be riding for BC Performance Kawasaki.

Several top contenders in the 2025 Superbike roster, including Broc Pearson, Cameron Dunker, Tom Toparis, and Jonathan Nahlous, honed their skills in the Supersport category before making the leap to the premier class. The series provides an essential platform for riders to refine their race craft without the challenge of managing extreme horsepower.

Olly Simpson in 2024.

The 2025 Kawasaki Supersport Championship will kick off at the season-opening round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on February 21-23.

With Kawasaki’s backing, the Supersport class is set for an electrifying season, reinforcing its reputation as a crucial proving ground for future Superbike champions.

Andrew Pitt won the Shell Oils Australian Supersport Championship back in 1999 before moving to Superbike.
Andrew Pitt won the Shell Oils Australian Supersport Championship back in 1999 before moving to Superbike. He finished runner up in the Superbike Championship the same year, also for Kawasaki Australia.

Since the debut of its Ninja ZX-6R in 1995, adorned in Kawasaki’s signature lime green livery first seen in 1968, the brand has been a dominant force in the Australian Supersport Championship, securing its first title in 1996 with Kevin Curtain, followed by Damon Buckmaster in 1998 and Andrew Pitt in 1999.

Pitt went on to win the World Supersport Championship in 2001 and 2008.
Pitt went on to win the World Supersport Championship in 2001 and 2008.

In 2025, Kawasaki’s Supersport campaign will be led by the BCperformance team, featuring Hayden Nelson and new recruit Olly Simpson, competing in a highly competitive field of veterans, rising teenage stars, returning Aussie internationals, and promising graduates from the Supersport 300 class, including last year’s Kawasaki-mounted champion, Josh Newman.

Gina Costello, Lead Brand Marketing Specialist, Kawasaki Motors Australia:

“Kawasaki is incredibly proud to extend the support of the ASBK Championship and become the naming rights sponsor of the Supersport category.

“Production-based racing has been a cornerstone of Kawasaki motorcycle development for decades and is an integral part of the iconic Ninja’s DNA.

“The Ninja ZX-6R is an exceptionally competitive platform for riders to challenge for the championship and, through this partnership, Kawasaki is enthusiastically contributing to the future of racing in Australia.”

Peter Doyle, CEO, Motorcycling Australia:

“It’s great to see Kawasaki committing to the ongoing success of the Supersport category and, more broadly, the continued growth of the ASBK Championship.

“Kawasaki’s motorcycle racing pedigree is legendary, and to have such an iconic marque joining the ASBK paddock is a major boost.

“The Supersport class has delivered superb racing over the last few years, and I fully expect we’ll be witnessing more of the same in 2025.”

Yamaha and MotoSchool Partner Up For Rider Training

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SMSP based training academy MotoSchool has partnered with Yamaha Motor Australia to offer industry-leading track-based rider training. MotoSchool will operate with a fleet of the latest Yamaha sportsbikes to introduce new riders and upskill existing riders of all levels. Press: YMA

The partnership is set to open up opportunities for existing Yamaha sportsbike riders as well as enticing new customers to the R-Family and MT model ranges. “Yamaha is the dominant player in the road bike segment in Australia, with the best-selling road bike in 2024 being the YZF-R7LA,” explains YMA Customer Activation Co-ordinator Jake Belford.

“The next step for these riders will be our all-new YZF-R9 arriving around May. We want to engage all these new Yamaha customers – as well as existing riders – and encourage them to ride in a safe and controlled environment. To achieve this goal we are pleased to provide MotoSchool with high performing, confidence-inspiring motorcycles for coaching duties. We look forward to creating many Kando memories for Yamaha customers,” ends Belford.

“Our entire coaching team is familiar and comfortable on Yamaha’s wide range of sportsbikes,” says MotoSchool CEO and founder Haydan Parker, “which allows us to offer personalised data-driven coaching and a fully immersive experience,” he continues. “Our current events are based at Sydney Motorsport Park, across both the South and Grand Prix Circuits, we have also recently introduced training courses for beginners on the Skid Pan. In 2025 we will expand into a national operation visiting exciting new circuits and track facilities. We welcome enquiries from Yamaha dealers who may want to be involved with customer or staff demo experiences,” ends Haydan.

Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders dominates 2025 Dakar Rally

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Screenshot

Australia’s Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders is victorious in the Dakar Rally of 2025, taking a near nine-minute victory in a display of total dominance. Sanders won five of the 12 gruelling stages, where competitors raced over nearly 8,000kms of tough terrain in the remote areas of Saudi Arabia. Press: MA.

His speed and skills were showcased from the outset, winning the prologue, the opening stage and the ultra-tough 48-hour Chrono stage to get the early upper hand that put him in a great position early on. Further wins in stages four and seven on his KTM 450 Rally followed shortly after, and put in solid performances in the remaining stages to ensure he is just the second rider in the history of the Dakar Rally to lead from start to finish, echoeing Marc Coma’s efforts in 2009.

The final quarter of the 16-day event did, however, have some challenges thrown his way, including a tough run in stage 11 where his overall lead was slashed by seven and a half minutes, but Sanders held his nerve and steadied for the 61km final dash to the flag, with a sixth-place finish enough to clinch overall victory. With the win coming in Sanders’ fifth attempt of the rally, he is also the second Australian to win the iconic event following Toby Price’s efforts in 2016 and 2018.

‘Chucky’ Sanders was dominant in the Dakar Rally, leading from start to finish “It’s a massive accomplishment from myself and the team after a tough year, and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support,” he said. “It’s been a long journey, and I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone “Now it’s time to kick back and relax after a long two weeks.”

Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda, +8:50) and Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda, +14:46) were second and third respectively.

It was a mixed bag for the remaining Australians competing in Dakar, with Toby Hederics (BAS World KTM) putting in a formidable performance to finish 19th overall in the bike classification, while Andrew Houlihan (Nomadas Adventure KTM) withdrew following stage eight.

Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “That’s the 2025 Dakar done! I’m super happy for Chucky and the rest of the guys, the win is so well deserved. To be the second person ever to lead from the first day to the end is something really special. What we have achieved in a year is unique and we are very proud. I’m happy for the team, for KTM, and we are going to celebrate for sure!”

Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 12 of 12 stages)

  1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 53:08:52
  2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 53:17:42 +8:50
  3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 53:23:38 +14:46
  4. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 53:31:08 +22:16
  5. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 53:38:42 +29:50

Aussies Racing Abroad | January 2025

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Aussies Racing Abroad January 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 and on their off season plans…

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Ready for a fresh start after a frustrating 2024 aboard his Red Bull KTM, where he finished 14th in the MotoGP standings, Jack Miller’s move to Pramac Yamaha offers him a perfect chance to go again. Having struggled to find comfort on the bike and been forced to ride around many issues that he and the team couldn’t find solutions for, it’ll be intriguing seeing how he fares with his new team.

Already gaining some valuable insight and information from the recent test on the Yamaha, he’ll be hoping for a smooth adaptation in his quest to get back in the mix. Seeing as Yamaha know they need major improvements if they’re to compete with the likes of Ducati and Aprilia, much positivity could be extracted from the fact they’re ready to test their new V4 engine. Given the Iwata marque has hired a host of talented and experienced engineers to ensure they can close the gap, watching their progress will be fascinating.

Read our previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

Courtesy of Miller’s vast knowledge and time working with many teams and manufacturers, he’ll back himself to adjust and get the bike at a competitive level sooner rather than later. All eyes will now shift to the first tests in 2025, where Miller, and his fellow Yamaha pilots, will get their first chance to try out this potentially game-changing package.

Off-Road
Luke Clout – World Supercross

Racing the World Supercross Championship with Rick Ware Racing, Luke Clout had a mixed WSX campaign that was full of highs and lows. Getting the ball rolling with a challenging opener in Canada, where, despite qualifying fourth fastest, crashes and bad luck ensured he had a tough night at the office on a very difficult track.

The well-travelled star then enjoyed an excellent home round in Perth, as he secured fourth and fifth overall finishes in the double-header. While things didn’t go entirely to plan to close out his WSX exertions in Abu Dhabi, with him, and many more, enduring issues with the tight start, he still clinched 11th overall to power him into sixth in the final SX1 standings.

“WSX done, ended the championship P6 overall,” recalled Clout. “Last night’s first turn into a wall jump got me every race, so we won’t go into that. Massive thank you to Rick Ware Racing, I had an awesome time with you guys. And to Aaron Clout for the hard work as always! Let’s do it again. Looking forward to some time off now and doing some more cool things in 2025!”

Matt Moss – World Supercross

Despite Matt Moss’ WSX campaign being littered with hurdles, the popular legend still produced many glimpses of his class. Teaming up with superstar Eli Tomac, who went on to reign supreme in the elite WSX class, under the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy awning, the veteran relished the opportunity to test himself against some of the world’s best. Holding his own and getting some excellent starts, Moss eventually bagged 10th in the SX1 standings, as untimely mistakes and adversity prevented him from finishing any higher.

“That’s a wrap on 2024 SX! Definitely not the season I wanted lots of crashes and just not myself. I would like to thank everyone involved with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the season. Special thanks to Troy Moynihan – you’re an amazing mechanic and person. Sorry I didn’t deliver, but I’m glad I had you by my side. Now to spend time with the family and sit down and see what’s next but for now thank you to friends and family and all my supporters,” Moss reflected.

Ryder Kingsford – World Supercross

Young speedster Ryder Kingsford flew the flag for the Aussie 250 contingent impressively in WSX by recording some brilliant results on the big stage. Heading in full of determination and chomping at the bit to showcase his skills on this platform, observing him handle the step up in quality with aplomb was a testament to all his hard work and talent.

“WSX has an international grid of very talented riders, and I’m excited to put myself up against some of the best in the world. With third in the ProMX SX2 series, 2024 has been good for me so far and so much of our sport is based on form and momentum. I feel like momentum is with me, but I know I can’t take anything for granted. I just want to maximise every opportunity, do the best that I can on track, and see what that leads to,” Kingsford commented ahead of the series beginning.

Rising to the occasion strikingly on his CDR 250, there was plenty to get excited about when he grabbed a superb second in the first SX2 final in Canada on his way to securing seventh overall. Next on the agenda were the final rounds in Perth and Abu Dhabi, where his highlights were a ninth and an eighth overall to propel him to eighth in the SX2 championship.

Kaleb Barham – World Supercross

After banking a solid eighth in the first round in Vancouver, rotten luck struck Kaleb Barham in Perth, as he suffered a devastating broken arm. Ending his season right there, just when he was gaining momentum, was a real blow to the likeable ace, especially seeing how much he was loving his time racing with the CDR squad.

“Sucks to be making this post, but unfortunately I had a crash at WSX resulting in a dislocated wrist with a couple of breaks. Obviously I am gutted, but as we all know, this is how the sport goes sometimes,” Barham explained.

“Thankfully the Race Safe crew had me sorted until I was able to fly home and now I’m getting ready for surgery with Dr. Steve Andrews to let the body heal. Thank you to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, Yamaha Motor Australia and the Yamalube Yamaha team for this opportunity. Met some people I have looked up to my whole life, raced some of the baddest dudes on the planet and made some cool mates along the way.” Barham has now turned his attention to his recovery in preparation for 2025.

Gus Riordan – GNCC

It’s been another successful season for Australian Gus Riordan, who flexed his muscles yet again in America by becoming the 2024 U.S Sprint Enduro Pro 2 Champion for the second consecutive campaign. The man who also represented Australia at the ISDE and raced a round of EnduroGP in Wales will be gunning for more glory in 2025 too, with him contesting the GNCC XC2 Class and debuting in the National Enduro NE Pro2 Class.

“This year was good and we’re swapping it up for next season, switching to the National Enduro Series. I’m looking forward to that and GNCC as well, so hopefully we can get some wins and challenge for those titles,” Riordan stated.

The FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers hotshot is currently enjoying some time back home in Australia before heading Stateside again to get dialled in ahead of a busy 2025.

Josh Strang – GNCC

Heavy hitter in the American off-road scene for nearly two decades, former XC1 champion Josh Strang has been named East Coast Off-Road Team Manager for the Liqui Moly Beta Race Team. Not only will Strang manage the day-to-day operations for the team, but he’ll also compete in the XC1 class on a Beta 480 RR, as he’ll be eager to add to his 87 podiums and 24 wins in the category.

“I’m excited to join the Beta Off-Road Team as a racer and East Coast Manager. I have been looking for an opportunity to move into a position like this for some time and I believe I can learn and do a good job representing the Beta brand in our community. I’m also very excited to enter into my 19th season of GNCC racing,” insisted Strang.

Stoked at the challenge ahead and set to be a huge asset to the Beta squad, both he and team are fully focused on making 2025 a terrific one, where his expertise, knowledge and experience will be a real game-changer.

Lyndon Snodgrass – GNCC

Although former XC2 GNCC Champion Lyndon Snodgrass has confirmed he’s without a ride for next season, he promisingly expects to still be lining up. Leaving Team Babbitt’s after five years and many good times, it’ll be a case of watch this space to see what he figures out for 2025. Positively, he finished his time with the squad by claiming a podium at the finale at Ironman to wrap up what was an up and down campaign for the Aussie.

“Five years with Team Babbitt’s has come to an end. I want to thank the whole crew for their efforts. We achieved a lot over the years, including the 2022 GNCC XC2 Championship, which was a goal of mine from the moment I stepped foot in the U.S. It’s hard to accept that I don’t have a ride for the 2025 season, but I’m not going to give in yet. I have another goal to chase. I’ll see you all at round one,” he posted.

Editor’s Note – If you would like someone included in Aussie’s Racing Abroad, contact us via our contact page…

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PitBoard.com.au brings you the latest news, features and results in motorcycle racing from MotoGP, WorldSBK to ASBK and local club as well as some off-road.

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