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ASBK Round Two SMSP | Brilliant Waters Victorious Again

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Round two of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) produced a spectacular show for the night races, especially in the Superbike class, as Josh Waters made it back-to-back round wins to kickstart 2024.  Report: Ed Stratmann/ASBK

Stop & Seal’s Tom Toparis (Yamaha) triumphed in the Supersport class.

The support acts that took to the track for round two produced sensational racing as Stop & Seal’s Tom Toparis (Yamaha) triumphed in the Supersport class and Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha) came away with the win in the Race and Road Supersport 300 category.

Read our ASBK Round One 2024 Reports here…

mi-bike insurance Australian Superbike
The McMartin Racing man Josh Waters continued his strong form at the Western Sydney circuit to make it back-to-back across two seasons, while local Sydney rider Cru Halliday (Yamaha) brought home the chocolates with friends and family watching on. While Waters and Halliday were the ultimate stars of the show in the premier class, it was a dirty day for Troy Herfoss (Ducati), who was unable to take the grid in race one, following ongoing issues as a result of a crash in the warm-up session, and then crashed while leading on the second lap of race two.

The round podium featured Waters, Halliday and Broc Pearson.

Race One
With Herfoss failing to complete the warm-up lap due to an electrical gremlin, grid number three was left vacant for the start of race one, where McMartin Racing’s Harrison Voight (Ducati) made a great initial jump, but played cat and mouse with teammate Waters over the first couple of laps as the field sorted themselves out.

Waters retook the lead of the race on lap two and headed an angry pack of Superbikes that included Voight, Halliday, Yamaha Racing’s Mike Jones and Pearson. Lap three saw the red flag come out, as Matt Walters (Aprilia) made a spectacular crash at turn one, with all riders returning to pitlane as officials recovered the motorcycle.

Halliday was victorious in race one on the Yamaha YZF-R1.

At the restart, Waters again got a nice jump to lead the rescheduled 10-lap race from Voight, Halliday, Jones and Penrite Racing’s Max Stauffer (Yamaha). As the race reached the half-way mark, Waters remained in control of his opposition, but would go on a downward slide as his tyres started to wear and fell into the clutches of his closest rivals.

As Halliday passed Voight on lap seven, he then set off on a mission to chase after Waters, where he succeeded in his quest with a nice pass on lap nine. It was clear afterward that the tyre performance of Waters’ Ducati was shot as he came under attack from his teammate, but managed to not succumb to the pressure and held on for second, with Voight third.

Race One Top 5

  1. Cru Halliday
  2. Josh Waters (+0.526)
  3. Harrison Voight (+0.271)
  4. Mike Jones (+0.285)
  5. Cameron Dunker (+6.567)

Race Two
As the rain arrived for race two, the racing initially got going under the lights, but the race was red-flagged moments later, as it became apparent that the track was too wet and greasy for the riders to safely navigate their way around.

With most changing to a wet tyre, just like the opening act, the second encounter was rescheduled to a 10-lap affair, as Waters again led off the start-line. Not a lap would go by before he was passed by the DesmoSport Ducati rider of Herfoss, who played pioneer of the slippery circuit ahead of the field.

“The conditions made it very sketchy, I was really lucky to have stayed on the motorcycle to cross the line first.”

His taste of front-running would be brief, however, as he came off at turn seven, which gave teammate Pearson the race lead. Pearson and Waters would dice at the front for several laps afterwards as the field behind gently cruised around the circuit, taking opportunities to make a pass where the risk of crashing was minimal. Not all riders were lucky to get through the race unscathed, as Glenn Allerton (BMW) crashed on lap nine in the same spot as Herfoss, which promoted Halliday forward.

True to the professional he is, Waters did what he needed to do by taking it easy to the finish line, greeting the chequered flag first and maintaining a solid lead in the championship ahead of Pearson, Stauffer and Halliday. “The conditions made it very sketchy, I was really lucky to have stayed on the motorcycle to cross the line first,” explained Waters. With a second-place finish in race two doubling with third overall for the round, Pearson also took great confidence from this event and looks forward to the season ahead.

Race Two Top 5

  1. Josh Waters
  2. Broc Pearson (+3.678)
  3. Max Stauffer (+4.339)
  4. Cru Halliday (+2.198)
  5. Harrison Voight (+0.184)

Championship Points

  1. Josh Waters – 109.5 points
  2. Cru Halliday – 84 points
  3. Harrison Voight – 82 points
  4. Broc Pearson – 71.5 points
  5. Mike Jones – 61.5 points

Michelin Supersport
Race One
Despite an initial red-flag brought out on the opening lap of race one due to a Luke Sanders (Yamaha) crash at turn four, it did little to deter Toparis’ mindset as he got a great jump over his competitors at the restart and it was immediately evident that he meant business, as he took off and was never headed by his rivals for the remainder of the rescheduled nine-lapper.

Points leader Nahlous threw a spanner in the works for the momentum of Toparis.

And that in itself was clear, with the lap record set on Michelin tyres giving a clear indication to the field that he was prepared to do what was necessary to put them away early and stay out in front.

“We achieved what we set out to do this weekend by taking pole position, two race wins and a new lap record in the Supersport class” Tom Toparis.

With the race virtually over at the half-way mark, it was a battle against the rest as the field sorted themselves out with plenty of moves made. The most significant of the movers and shakers was Mark Chiodo (Honda), who from second on the grid fell to 10th. With Toparis crossing the finish line 3.384 seconds clear of Sean Condon (Yamaha), the top five was rounded out by Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha), Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and Archie McDonald (Yamaha).

Race One Top 5

  1. Tom Toparis
  2. Sean Condon (+3.384)
  3. Jonathan Nahlous (+0.058)
  4. Jake Farnsworth (+6.341)
  5. Archie Mcdonald (+2.322)

Race Two
The opening lap of race two saw the usual flurry of chaos with riders racing to the first couple of corners to get into the best position possible, but the field was quickly brought to a halt as a Hayden Nelson’s (Kawasaki) crash at turn three brought out the red flag. At the restart, points leader Nahlous threw a spanner in the works for the momentum of Toparis with a great jump to lead the opening lap, but it didn’t last long as the Stop & Seal man made a pass for the lead on the second lap. The next several laps saw plenty of great battles as Condon and Nahlous fought over second while Farnsworth and Chiodo had their own scrap for fourth.

With the intensity reaching a climax as the mission to obtain the best outcome possible became the clear focus, it all became too much for Condon and McDonald as they crashed simultaneously at turn four on the final lap, promoting those behind them up two positions.

Nahlous, Toparis and Farnsworth on the podium.

At the finish line, it was Toparis, Nahlous, Farnsworth, Chiodo and Tom Bramich (Yamaha) rounding out the top five. “We achieved what we set out to do this weekend by taking pole position, two race wins and a new lap record in the Supersport class,” insisted a delighted Toparis. Despite not getting a win this weekend, Nahlous remains the championship leader and takes great confidence knowing he is in with a genuine shot of winning the Michelin Supersport Championship.

Race Two Top 5

  1. Tom Toparis
  2. Jonathan Nahlous (+2.952)
  3. Jake Farnsworth (+4.686)
  4. Mark Chiodo (+0.225)
  5. Tom Bramich(+2.933)

Championship Points

  1. Jonathan Nahlous -114
  2. Jake Farnsworth – 85
  3. Tom Bramich – 76
  4. Olly Simpson – 70
  5. Marcus Hamod – 66

Race and Road Supersport 300
Race One
It was Jesse Stroud (Kawasaki) who took the honours in race one under lights at Sydney in Race and Road Supersport 300.Topping the timesheets in practice, and then in qualifying, the Kawasaki racer fought a close battle with his fellow competitors over the eight-lapper, but ultimately came up short as Stroud stole the show under lights for race one. The top five was rounded out by Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), Ryan Larkin (Yamaha) and Mitch Simpson (Yamaha).

Jesse Stroud (Kawasaki) who took the honours in race one.

Race Two
Aiming to go one better than his outing in race one on Friday night, Newman managed to do just that by leading from start to finish in race two to put himself in a great position heading into race three under lights sitting pretty. The field sorted themselves out behind him as second to sixth were caught in a constant jostle, with the top five at the chequered flag following Newman being Watts, Mitch Simpson (Yamaha), Jesse Stroud (Kawasaki) and Jordan Simpson (Yamaha).

Watts, Knezovic and Newman

Race Three
The start of race three saw the usual scrap for positions as Newman settled in and led the first three laps before the bunched up, slipstreaming action typically seen in this class shone through as riders jostled for position over the ensuing laps to the end. With the heightened intensity that comes with trying to finish in the best position possible at the chequered flag, it all came to a head on the final lap, when an attempted dive bomb by Stroud at turn nine went horribly wrong, as he crashed into Newman who was running third. With an opportunity for those behind to capitalise presenting itself, the mad rush to the finish resulted in a first ASBK victory for Knezovic followed by Will Nassif (Yamaha), Calvin Moylan (Kawasaki), Simpson and Watts.

Championship Points

  1. Joshua Newman -106
  2. Harrison Watts – 106
  3. Valentino Knezovic – 97
  4. Mitch Simpson – 92
  5. Jordy Simpson – 83

Superbike Masters
The popular Superbike Masters class produced some great racing where the legendary motorcycles of old put on a great show, as part of the spectacle that was the ASBK Night Race. The race victories were taken out by Jack Passfield (Yamaha) in races one and two, while Keo Watson (Yamaha) got one back on the former in the final race of the weekend under lights.

Watson, Passfield and Mathers.

Those to feature on the race podiums included Alex Phillis (Suzuki) and Josh Mathers (Yamaha), while Passfield was the overall round winner from Watson and Mathers.

Championship Points

  1. Jack Passfield – 70
  2. Keo Watson – 65
  3. Josh Mathers – 48
  4. Dean Oughtred – 47
  5. Ryan Taylor – 45

Oceania Junior Cup
The two ‘Hunters’ – Corney and Charlett – captured most of the headlines in the ASBK Night Races, with the former claiming the overall honours with a 1-1-3 scorecard and the latter scoring his first class win in race three.

The OJC riders kicked of the racing at SMSP on Friday night, with Corney taking maximum advantage of pole position to win by nearly two seconds ahead of Ethan Johnson, with Nikolas Lazos close behind in third. Corney then produced another powerful performance in race two, using his smarts to cross the line first ahead of Charlett and Connor Lewis – the trio separated by less than half a second.

Rossi McAdam and Lazos completed the top five. “I felt like I did good in the race,” Corney beamed afterwards. “I had a two-second lead and made a mistake that enabled them to catch up to me which is where Charlett passed me on a few occasions. But luckily, I took him back and crossed the line first.”

In race three, Lewis led until lap three before he was passed by Corney and McAdam and then spectacularly crashed out. Corney then looked on track for a three-peat before he erroneously thought the race was over when he was heading into the final lap. He then relinquished the lead and dropped several positions, with Charllett the main benficiary as he claimed his first race win in OJC followed by McAdam, Corney, Lazos and Johnson. “It felt really good to win my first race in OJC,” said Charlett. “I had heaps of fun this weekend, as I was running around at the back of the grid last year, so to be at the front is a sign of how much I’ve improved in 12 months.”

All detailed ASBK Championship class results are here.

The 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul will continue at Queensland Raceway for round three of the championship on April 26-28.

 

Vale Graeme Robert Morris – 14/10/1961 – 25/3/2024 | Australian motorcycle legend

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Australian motorcycle racers and ex racers, officials, industry members, riders and fans woke to sad news recently, with the announcement that Graeme Morris had passed away the day prior, aged 62, after a courageous three year battle with cancer. Graeme’s memorial service is tomorrow in Mayfield, Newcastle, NSW.

Graeme Morris (#5) finished third behind Kevin Curtain and Tony Rees in his final race, the Formula Bathurst races in 2000, he finished third in both heats on a YZF-R1 Superbike. Pic: Keith Muir.

“It is with great sadness that I inform you that our father (Graeme Morris) has past away to bowel cancer yesterday. His courageous battle with bowel cancer over the past three years is a testament to his strength and dedication to be there for his family. He was my best friend, a loving father and the best role model you could ask for. Rest in peace dad”… Aaron Morris

“A loving and caring husband, wonderful father to Ryan, Aaron, Jayden and David”…

“It is with a  very heavy heart and enormous sadness that I advise my wonderful husband of 38 years,  Graeme Robert Morris, has lost his battle with cancer and passed away age 62 on Monday 25th March 2024. A loving and caring husband, wonderful father to Ryan, Aaron , Jayden and David, a brother, son and much loved friend to many”… Wendy Morris

There will be a memorial service for Graeme at Pettigrew Family funerals Mayfield Chapel at 12 noon tomorrow Thursday 4th April. Click here to watch the service live stream.

Graeme was much liked, respected and extremely well known in the industry he was part of for over 40-years. A late starter when it comes to motorcycle racing, Morris was already in his very early 20s before he had a crack at road racing back in 1982 at Oran Park on his own Yamaha RD250LC proddie racer. He would eventually become the first NSW rider to reach A-Grade on production motorcycles.

On the way to third at the Arai 500 in 1985 on the Warren Willing/Yamaha backed RZ250FN production racer, in a comeback from serious injury sustained in 1984 on an RZ500 at Lakeside… Pic: Leone Faivre.

Lots of two-stroke production success followed, and some four-stroke racing including the 1983 Castrol 6-Hour, where he was noticed by Willing, who ended up signing Graeme for the 1984 season riding a trio of Yamaha models (RZ250, RZ500, XJ900), in production racing, with a view to going overseas from 1985 to the world 250GPs.

Unfortunately a serious accident at Lakeside in 1984 left Graeme in rehab and off the track for almost a year. He had been on the RZ500 and it tank slapped him feet-first into the armco at high speed. He was lucky to survive… He would come back in 1985, and dice up front with Mick Doohan and Michael Dowson just to name a few. There is no doubting Morris had the talent to win a world championship.

Graeme and the Maxima CBR600F, a force to be reckoned with. Those that had the fortune to watch Graeme in action, either spectating or on the track with him, will have enjoyed his smooth, extremely quick and compact riding style. He was great to watch. Pic: Keith Muir.

Graeme teamed up with Roy Leslie on the Frasers DDT Ducati 851 Superbike in 1990 and had some great races, before switching to SuperStreet in 1991, winning the serious on his Action Suzuki GSX-R750. From there, it was the start of a dominant number of years in Australian SuperSport 600 riding the Maxima Oils Honda CBR600F models, winning two Australian Supersport titles on the way.

Graeme Morris and Roy Leslie with the Frasers Ducati/Epicycle DDT Ducati 851 Superbikes in 1990.

Proving the extreme talent and experience Morris had, he was riding against riders like Troy Bayliss and Fred Bayens. Then, into the mid 1990s, taking many wins against the likes of Andrew Pitt, Kevin Curtain, Dean Thomas, Paul Young, Mal Campbell, Shawn Giles, Damon Buckmaster, Paul Free, Sean Brenton, Warwick Nolan just to name a few top riders Graeme gave a hard time to on track in the 600 class, where he was older than most of the field by a fair margin, too.

On the way to his second victory of the 1993 Bathurst weekend on the Maxima CBR600F, Morris also won both 600 races in 1994. Pic: Graeme Munro.

Away from the racetrack Morris was extremely well known, having worked in the motorcycle industry much of his life after completing his trade as a fitter and machinist out of school. After he retired from racing following the 2000 Bathurst superbike podium, Graeme opened up Graeme Morris Motorcycles in Newcastle, which became a thriving shop and the place where we picked up our CFMOTO and KYMCO press bikes. It was a great family business, which ran for over 20-years until the family closed up to concentrate on Graeme’s fight against this horrible disease. Our condolences go to all of Graeme’s family and friends, and we will have a multi part series on Graeme in the near future. Jeff Ware. 

Graeme Robert Morris – 14/10/1961 – 25/3/2024. Pic: Alex Gobert.

RACING NEWS | AUSSIES RACING ABROAD APRIL 2024

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Our homegrown talent has been battling it out on track and making us proud! Check out our monthly column that follows all things Aussies racing Internationally on and off-road, from MotoGP to AMA Motocross. This month we have lots of updates! Words: Ed Stratmann

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. This month we have Jack Miller, Senna Agius, Jacob Roulstone, Joel Kelso, Remy Gardner, Oli Bayliss, Tom Edwards, Jett Lawrence and Hunter Lawrence.

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller’s endured a mixed start to the 2024 MotoGP season, with one unsatisfactory and one positive result. Kicking things off with a tough opener in Qatar, where an early fall dashed his hopes of achieving a strong outcome, this wasn’t ideal at all. But, to his credit, the popular pilot remounted to valiantly finish in 21st.

Moving on to Portugal, and he enjoyed a far better time at the iconic circuit, with his fifth on Friday and in the sprint underlining his speed and skill ahead of the Sunday action. The #43 then carried on the theme of the weekend by securing fifth in the main race despite encountering some tire problems to pick up some quality points to propel himself to ninth in the standings.

Miller took third place and that's now premier class podiums with three different bikes, as well as his first GP rostrum visit with KTM.

“We still have a bit of work to do but this was a massive improvement over Qatar.”

“I wanted a little bit more today. I wanted to go with the boys at the front early on but just didn’t quite have the pace mid-corner to get my claws-in and hang on for the [tire] drop. We got a bit lucky with some of the crashes at the end there…but we’ll take it. We have to have some luck sometimes! We still have a bit of work to do but this was a massive improvement over Qatar. The bike has plenty of potential, so we’ll do our homework, look at the data and come back for another go in Austin,” Miller mused.

Senna Agius – Moto2
Making steady progress in Portugal following his difficult weekend in Qatar, where he battled tire issues to ultimately claim 17th, Portimao was a valuable step in the right direction for Senna Agius. Gaining a boost of confidence by getting fourth in Q1, this held him in good stead to enjoy a solid weekend full of vital track time and learning.

Eventually clinching 13th in qualifying, not far off the pacesetters, Agius headed to Sunday aiming to secure a points scoring position. And that’s what he did, even though he was handed a long lap penalty for a pass when the yellow flag was out, to ride to 14th. Getting better with every passing race and gaining crucial experience in the elite confines of Moto2, expect him to keep levelling up when the series heads to America.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling. The first points of the season and the gap to the winner was the smallest I’ve had in the championship so far. Anyway, the first five laps were a good improvement, but during the race I had a little problem when I did an overtake under the yellow flag,” he reflected.

“A big thank you to the team, we are working well because I felt the best all weekend today and we are competitive.”

“Nevertheless, I had to give back the position and so I had to ride super slowly. In the end, the situation was a bit confusing, and it turned into a long lap penalty. So, I thought I’d do my best afterwards and bring the points home. A big thank you to the team, we are working well because I felt the best all weekend today and we are competitive. Unfortunately, the top ten slipped away from us due to one or two mistakes, but the most important thing is that we made a good step in pace and the overall feeling is good. A big thank you to the whole LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team for the weekend, we are ready for Texas.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3
Having began his rookie campaign in Moto3 under the Tech3 awning with a solid 10th at the opening round, young Aussie flyer Jacob Roulstone backed that up with an 11th in Portugal. Making improvements all the time with the bike and in terms of his riding while he adapts to the class, Roulstone’s navigated the step up admirably so far.

“Quite happy with the race. I left it all out there, which was the main thing. The only thing that could be better was my first laps and I need to be more aggressive. Still, it was a step up from Qatar. I fought my way back as much as I could. The bike felt really good with a couple of changes we made for the race. The team is leading the championship, which is great, and I learnt a lot today.”

“The team is leading the championship, which is great, and I learnt a lot today.”

Immediately shifting his focus to Texas, it’ll be intriguing to see if he can keep along his upward trajectory and keep making strides in all areas.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
Starting his 2024 term with a handy eighth in Qatar on a night that could’ve been even better if his tires didn’t deteriorate so severely, Joel Kelso is proving what a class act he is. Continuing to flex his muscles in Moto3, the Australian’s speed was tremendous all weekend at Portimao, for the man who loves the thrilling circuit let his riding do all the talking.

Stamping his mark in the early sessions before bagging second in qualifying, this set him up nicely to put his best foot forward in the race. In the fight for victory throughout, super comfortable mixing it with the frontrunners and gelling superbly with the bike, Kelso ended the bout in fifth to round out a brilliant weekend of action.

“It was a good weekend, we worked really well. In the race the bike was perfect, so I’m really happy with how everything went.”

“We scored some good points today. It was a pity not to finish on the podium, but overall it was a very good race. In Moto3 it’s like a lottery, there are a lot of fights and anything can happen in the front group. It was a good weekend, we worked really well. In the race the bike was perfect, so I’m really happy with how everything went. We will have many more opportunities, the season is very long, it’s not how it starts, it’s how it ends. Every race we are stronger and we are already fighting at the front, we have shown that we are candidates for the victory,” he explained.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Although he knows there’s huge scope for refinement, the second stop on the WorldSBK calendar didn’t treat Remy Gardner too badly. Looking fast from the off and slotting neatly inside the top five in the early free practice session before nailing down eighth on the grid for race one, a frustrated Gardner battled with tire life to finish 15th.

Sunday saw an uptick in performance after some bike adjustments, though, allowing him to record ninth in the superpole race and sixth in race two, which was amended to seventh due to him being docked a spot for exceeding track limits on the last lap.

“The pace overall was good and in the sprint race everyone was close and I managed to finish ninth”…

“The day was okay, I think we made the correct choices. The pace overall was good and in the sprint race everyone was close and I managed to finish ninth, which allowed me to start again from the third row in race two. Then, I had a good getaway gaining places, ending up fighting for the top five; in the last lap I tried everything I could and crossed the line in sixth before being demoted to seventh due to track limits. I don’t think that’s right, even after checking, but it is what it is,” he insisted.

“We come back home scoring valuable points and being aware that we could enjoy a strong weekend in Assen. I’d like to thank the team for the great job done and the support, see you in the Netherlands.”

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Mixing the ups and downs in Catalunya, Oli Bayliss left round two with many positives to extract in his quest to get back to a level resembling his best. Struggling in the early stages of the event, which led to him only managing to grasp 17th and 21st in the superpole race and race one respectively, it was terrific to see him flip the script for the final race.

Blasting through the field in the red flag interrupted race, there was much to admire how Bayliss surged from 24th to 11th in just six laps. Showcasing his capabilities emphatically and giving himself a real injection of confidence, he’ll be eager to translate this momentum into Assen in April.

“It wasn’t an easy weekend, I struggled more than expected, but we did a good job in understanding what needed to be changed”…

“Obviously it feels good to finish the weekend off with a pretty good result, considering my starting position after the red flag. It wasn’t an easy weekend, I struggled more than expected, but we did a good job in understanding what needed to be changed and things went differently today. From my side, we know what I need to improve come qualifying in Assen and for the remainder of the year. Thank you to the team and all the sponsors for their great support,” recalled Bayliss.

Chomping at the bit to get stuck in and stamp his mark again in the Challenge category that competes in the European World Supersport rounds, it'll be fascinating seeing if he can adapt quickly to the Ducati after being on a Yamaha.

Tom Edwards – World Supersport
Heading into the opening WorldSSP Challenge round mentally and physically in top shape, Tom Edwards was full of excitement that he could assert his authority early on a track he’d previously shown speed at. The Aussie did precisely that in his first outing with the D34G Racing squad to bank the win in his class, plus prove he has the pace to mix it with some of the WorldSSP heavy hitters.

While his weekend began on the wrong foot with a technical gremlin that the team subsequently resolved and a crash in race one, Edwards stuck at it manfully to produce an excellent second stanza to win his category by virtue of his 13th place finish (just behind Bayliss).

“Obviously. I was very disappointed with the race one crash, but we managed to make amends today”…

“I am happy with today and the weekend overall and I think it is a positive start to the season. Obviously. I was very disappointed with the race one crash, but we managed to make amends today – this is racing, after all. I feel like we have much more potential, and I am excited for what is ahead with the D34G Racing team. The team and I have learned a lot together over the weekend and are ready to fight further up the field in Assen. Big thanks to all the team who worked their hardest all week,” read his statement on the team’s website.

Off-Road
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Currently leading the championship by 16 points having won three of the last four races, Jett Lawrence continues to captivate audiences across the globe in AMA Supercross. Clearly the fastest man in the absolutely stacked 450 division, it’s been a joy to watch the Aussie sensation strut his stuff in March, and over the course of the campaign as a whole.

Although his three race winning streak this month was broken in Seattle, the fact he picked up third was fine, in a race where mistakes cost him. Owning the fastest lap time in the main event by over a second, an unfortunate incident with eventual winner Cooper Webb, in combination with some extra missteps, ensured he was unable to reign supreme in this one. Nonetheless, Jett still remains the man to beat with seven rounds left, as the series heads to St. Louis.

Jett still remains the man to beat with seven rounds left, as the series heads to St. Louis.

“It was a bit of an up-and-down day – good qualifying, good heat race, not that good of a start in the main. I had a really good flow for the first 10 minutes and started catching the guys in front of me. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t check up when I caught second in the sand and took the fall. I still got away with a third. I lost some points overall, but I’m excited to get them back in St. Louis,” Lawrence stated.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Considering he’s suffering with a lingering shoulder injury that kept him out of Birmingham, Hunter Lawrence deserves immense credit for charging through the pain barrier since. Indeed, his latest body of work in Seattle was a testament to the tenacious #96’s mental and physical fortitude, where he won his heat race, just like his brother, and went on to secure seventh in the main.

“It was awesome to get my first career heat-race win”…

“It was awesome to get my first career heat-race win; I wish we had the same kind of start in the main. I struggled the first 10 minutes, but I felt like I caught fire in the last half of the race and caught a bunch of guys, so that was epic. Thanks to the team because we put in a ton of work lately, and I can feel it paying off,” he concluded.

More than holding his own in the premier class, it’ll be a case of more of the same for Hunter in St. Louis, as the 250 champ’s next aim will be grabbing a coveted 450 podium finish.

 

ASBK | Sydney Round This Weekend, Download Official Program Here!

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The mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) has finally returned to Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) for Rd2 of the 2023 season, this time under lights!

The 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance ASBK presented by Motul switches into night mode for round two at SMSP this weekend. There’s a packed on-track schedule across both days (Friday and Saturday), with no racing on Sunday. Check out the ticketing details and download a program. Press: ASBK/Mark Fattore.

With 10 minutes remining, Halliday and Staring took to the circuit, while Josh Waters quietly went to P1 with a 1:29.071.

Download the full ASBK Round Two Program here…

And when Australia’s best riders aren’t punching and counterpunching around the 3.93km grand prix circuit, there’s a wide variety of activities for the whole family including the ASBK pit-walk and fan engagement experiences, and the opportunity to rub shoulders and grab an autograph and selfie from seven ASBK legends: Chris Vermeulen, Garry McCoy, Steve Martin, Troy Corser, Peter Goddard, Mat Madlin and Robbie Phillis.

Corser and fellow ASBK ambassador Steve Martin will also continue the popular ASBK Pillion Program for lucky patrons, while Corser, Vermeulen, McCoy and Phillis will also feature in a Superbike Masters parade on Saturday night.

Check out our ASBK Round One report here…

The ASBK Fan Zone and Trade Alley will also be in full swing, complete with a giant screen for the ASBK TV feed, manufacturer and industry displays and a wide variety of food options. For the kids, there’s the ASBK Mini Moto Program – a 50cc mini motorcycle experience that is free on Saturday afternoon, with all gear supplied.

ALPINETARS SUPERBIKE
The overriding question in the Alpinestars Superbike category is if anyone can interrupt the march of three-time champion Josh Waters and his McMartin Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R. After just missing out on a fourth ASBK title last year after being overrun by a fast-finishing Troy Herfoss, Waters is doubly keen and fully fit to reclaim the honour. The sample size in 2024 is still relatively small – three races at the Phillip Island opener in February – but Waters’s clean sweep at the seaside venue was a carbon copy of 2023.

Ominously, he then went onto score maximum points at Sydney Motorsport Park as well, so will history repeat itself in 2024? The lap record holder at Sydney Motorsport Park is undoubtedly the favourite, but it certainly wasn’t outright domination at Phillip Island as he was pushed to the limit by his teenage teammate Harrison Voight and Herfoss, now on a DesmoSport Ducati in an ‘event-by-event’ commission after winning last year’s championship on a Honda.

Buy tickets here…

While the trio ultimately battled for the race wins, it was just as intense behind as the likes of Yamaha Racing Team duo Cru Halliday and Mike Jones, Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha) and Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha) were involved in rolling scrums.

Waters may have won, but it was Voight who announced himself on the big stage in truly emphatic fashion. He’s not only second in the Alpinestars Superbike standings, but also set a new lap record around Phillip Island. Voight and Waters both won races at the western Sydney venue during the recently completed St George Summer Night Series and, with no team orders, Voight is primed to stand on the top step of the podium at least once before he begins his European Moto2 campaign in Italy next month.

And don’t discount Herfoss, who’s on a high after a superb performances in the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligans classes during his return to the American racing scene in Daytona. No doubt he will use that experience to his advantage alongside teammate Broc Pearson as he aims to defend his title – notwithstanding his commitments in America. Josh Waters opened his 2024 Alpinestars Superbike account with a clean sweep at Phillip Island. Meanwhile, the mercurial Halliday will be a definite threat in Sydney after a 2-3 scorecard in 2023, and the rejuvenated West – the reigning New Zealand Superbike champion – will be aiming to climb on the podium.

Then there is three-time champion Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW), who is back to somewhere near full fitness after a massive crash at Sydney Motorsport Park in February. And don’t forget the two youngsters in the class on the Penrite Racing Yamahas: best buddies Max Stauffer and Cameron Dunker. It’s Max’s third year in the class but for Dunker it will be his second meeting on the YZF-R1 after claiming last year’s Supersport Championship on the day he turned the spritely age of 16!

Arthur Sissis (Unitech Racing Yamaha) will again be pushing hard in the 24-rider field, while his fellow South Aussie Ty Lynch (AMR Motorsports Yamaha) will be making his Superbike debut after finishing third in the 2023 Supersport title. The two 13-lap Alpinestars Superbike races will be held at 4:55pm and 9:10pm on Saturday.

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT
The Michelin Supersport Championship has a new rising star on the scene in the shape of Jonathan Nahlous – and if Phillip Island is any indication, he will be a household name very soon. After serving his apprenticeship in the Oceania Junior Cup and Supersport 300 classes, “JJ” – as he prefers to be called – is now in his second year of Supersport, and he began the season in a blaze of glory at Phillip Island on his Yamaha.

He claimed new qualifying and lap records and backed it up with three dominant victories, the smallest winning margin by 2.4 seconds over Tom Bramich (Yamaha) in race three.bWhether he can continue that stellar form under lights in Sydney will be another matter as the Michelin Supersport field is the strongest it has been for some time with a healthy combination of experience and those graduating from the feeder classes.

One rider with plenty of experience is two-time Australian Supersport champion, Tom Toparis (Yamaha), who will hold off on his Superbike debut and remain in a class he knows well. Toparis is yet to score championship points after he focussed on a World Supersport wildcard at Phillip Island.

Other contenders in the two 11-lappers include the battle-hardened Olly Simpson (Yamaha), who’s second in the 2024 standings behind Nahlous and in front of Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha), Bramich – in comeback mode after a knee reconstruction in 2023 – reigning Supersport 300 champion Marcus Hamod (Honda), Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki), Archie McDonald (Yamaha) and Mark Chiodo (Honda).

RACE AND ROAD SUPERSPORT 300
The form guide for the Race and Road Supersport 300 category at Sydney Motorsport Park is wide open, so picking a winner is anyone’s guess. While there was a Czech ‘interloper’ at the first round – Petr Svoboda – who won two of the three races, he certainly got the hurry up from the local stars, including ex-OJC and FIM MiniGP champion Harrison Watts who has found a new life with a Kawasaki.

Another Kawasaki rider who impressed at the Island was Joshua Newman, who is second in the standings. Newman will be at his home track and knocking on the door for his first win in the class.

Yamaha quartet Ryan Larkin, Mitch Simpson, Valentino Knezovic and Lincoln Knight will also be in the mix, and there’s a sharp-shooter from New Zealand making his ASBK debut – Jesse Stroud (Kawasaki), the son of nine-time NZ Superbike champion, multiple Daytona Battle of the Twins winner and former 500GP and WorldSBK rider, Andrew Stroud. Jesse recently won the Supersport 300 class in both the NZ TT and NZ championship, and he’ll now attempt to carry that winning form over into the Race and Road Supersport 300 class in Sydney.

Unfortunately, one rising star who will be missing across the three eight-lap races is Tara Morrison (Kawasaki), the daughter of ex-stunt rider Allan Morrison. She crashed in last weekend’s combined Victoria-SA Championships at The Bend and broke a collarbone, which is a bitter pill to swallow after she claimed her maiden podium at Phillip Island.

BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP
The opening round of the 2024 bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the FIM Oceania and Dorna Sports-supported academy continuing to provide a clear pathway for riders to progress to international categories such as the Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

And in 2024 history has already been made with Jacob Roulstone, who was an OJC competitor in 2019 and is now a full-time world championship grand prix rider in the Moto3 class for KTM. And in more exciting news, the 2024 bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup now has Australian championship status as well.

With the little kids with big dreams strutting their talents alongside the best riders in Australia, all the riders will be aboard identical race-prepped Yamaha YZF-R15s.

SUPERBIKE MASTERS
The big historic machines return in 2024 across three rounds of the ASBK Championship, starting at the ASBK Night Race. Among the 25-strong entry list is Garry McCoy on a Yamaha TZ750, Alex Phillis on a Suzuki XR69, defending Superbike Masters champion Keo Watson on a Yamaha FZR1000, Ryan Taylor on a Suzuki Katana, Cory Glock on a Suzuki GSX-R750 and Robert Young on a Ducati 888.

Sureflight Superbike Masters.

All the machines are exquisitely prepared, so wander into the paddock – entry is free – to check them out and talk to the riders who have motorcycle racing history coursing through their bodies 24/7.

Historic debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX in the Italian Motocross Championship

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The Ducati Desmo450 MX ridden by Alessandro Lupino has taken pole and a victory on debut in the Motocross Pro-Prestige MX1 Italian Championship, finishing second overall in the first round of 2024. The win marks Ducati’s return to MX racing and represents the first step in the birth of a complete range. Press: Ducati

In the first round of the Italian MX1 Championship, held on the International Circuit of Mantua, the eight-time Italian Champion, after having set the best benchmark both in free practice and in qualifying, led the opening heat from the first to the last lap. In the second heat, after a difficult start, Lupino finished seventh after a great comeback, sealing the second overall place in the round.

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding: “This weekend in Mantua we wrote another chapter in the history of Ducati. Alessandro Lupino and our team gave us some great fun and, despite it being the first motocross race in our recent history, we immediately demonstrated outstanding performance. Best time in free practice, pole and victory in the first heat are truly a debut that lives up to expectations: we have gathered a lot of information which will be fundamental to best develop the bike that will be available to all enthusiasts next year. Congratulations to Alessandro and our entire off-road team, a fantastic start to a new story of sport and passion.”

Alessandro Lupino, official rider of the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team: “These were two very exciting days, my debut with the Ducati was truly a dream: they told me it would be, but today I experienced it! Feeling like a Ducatista is a truly special sensation. Congratulations to all the guys who worked on this project, because in a very short time they created a spectacular bike, with a lot of potential, doing an incredible job. Together we wrote a page of history: first pole and first heat victory for the Ducati Desmo450 MX. Unfortunately, the second heat didn’t go as I would have liked: I got the start wrong and wasn’t able to recover. But that’s okay, now the engineers have the data to analyse two completely different situations!”

Sunday’s two heats allowed Ducati engineers to collect the first important data to continue the development of the Desmo450 MX which, upon its debut, has confirmed the validity of the technical base of the prototype. The focus of the Ducati Off-Road project is a combination of the search for lightness pushed to the extreme, top-of-the-line components and engines characterised by a very broad delivery curve. The latter is obtained thanks to the utilisation of the Desmodromic system, used on all the sports bikes of the Borgo Panigale company starting from MotoGP. Ducati is in fact the only company in the world that uses the same valve return system on its highest performing production motorcycles as it uses on racing prototypes.

The next round of the Italian Motocross Championship is scheduled for 27 and 28 April on the Cingoli (MC) circuit. In the meantime, the tests of the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team will continue together with Alessandro Lupino and Tony Cairoli, present in Mantua to support the eight-time Italian Motocross Champion.

MotoGP Round One Bagnaia back on top, Pedro Stuns!

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The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar had it all. On Sunday, it was reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia  whose performance laid down the gauntlet, with the #1 bouncing back from a Tissot Sprint off the podium to a perfectly-poised first Grand Prix win of the season. Report: Ed Stratham/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP – Rain? In Qatar? You read that right, sometimes it even rains in the desert. The heavens opened on Friday evening, meaning Day One’s usual Q2-deciding Practice session was switched with Free Practice 2. But there were no less headlines to enjoy from an entertaining Friday of action.

In the full dry a familiar name came out on top in FP1: 2023 silver medallist Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). Compatriot Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was less than a tenth shy of Martin in P2 to further signal he’s getting on very well with the 2024-spec RS-GP. And then came rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), meanwhile, took fourth in the dry FP1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out a top five that was split by just 0.265s, with Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) also impressing on his debut with a different factory in P6, heading the Honda charge.

So on to the wet, and it was Marc Marquez who topped the 45-minute session with a 2:06.544, with the eight-time World Champion finishing ahead of Red Bull KTM GASGAS Tech3 sophomore Augusto Fernandez, who impressed. But then came Pedro. Despite the completely different conditions, Acosta made it a double set of P3s on Friday. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati) headed the first grid of the year, as the 2023 runner-up set a magical 1:50.789 in qualifying to take pole, becoming the fastest rider ever to lap the Lusail International Circuit. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was just 0.083 behind, with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) rounding out the front row only another 0.003 back.

Espargaro was another who looked to be challenging Martin at the top but he ultimately jumped into second, losing out by less than a tenth, as Bastianini held onto a first front row of the year in third.

Moto2 – Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) took the opening pole position of the year, heading Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) on the front row as the top Boscoscuro machine. His teammate Fermin Aldeguer, a title favourite, qualified seventh but then got a three-place grid penalty for holding up another rider in Q2. That rider was actually Albert Arenas, and he ultimately completed the front row on the Triumph-powered QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™️ bike.

Moto3 – After Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) topped the very first session of the season (Free Practice), the first Q2-timed session for the class saw Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) come out on top with a new lap record: a mighty 2’03.606. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) went on to claim pole position for the opening Grand Prix after setting a remarkable 2:02.276 to underline his pace this season. The Spaniard’s impressive lap time put him 0.265 clear of Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), with only another 0.055 back to Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

Check out the full Practice and Qualifying results here…

Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Jorge Martin started 2024 with a statement ride as the number 89 shot out the blocks to take the first Tissot Sprint win of the year. Harried all the way home by Brad Binder, Martin held firm under pressure for Sprint win 10 of his career.

Binder had his own pressure right to the flag too, with Aleix Espargaro battling past both Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez on his way to taking third, right on the KTM’s tail and making it three factories on the first rostrum of the season. Binder had a storming start up from fourth to tag onto the back of Martin immediately. Espargaro lost out initially from his P2 on the grid but then started to pull it back, taking fourth from Enea Bastianini and then third place back from Bagnaia.

Meanwhile, Marc Marquez and Gresini teammate Alex Marquez were in the thick of the battle with Fabio Di Giannantonio. Eventually, Marc Marquez was able to make it stick and headed off in pursuit of Bastianini on the rear of the front group, and not too long after that Diggia was sadly out of the battle after a strange and initially dramatic crash, but he was thankfully okay. At the front, Martin rolled on. But he wasn’t getting away. Binder was still very much in touch, and Bagnaia was on the move too as he dispatched Espargaro to move into third.

With five laps to go, the eight-time World Champion was attacking Espargaro and passed him at the end of the straight, as Martin had the hammer down at the front. But there was still no breakaway from the number 89. The chasers responded, with Binder hanging in there ahead of Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Espargaro. A moment for Marc Marquez, capitalised on by Espargaro as the Aprilia struck again, narrowed that gap to Bastianini, however. And that was key for the final lap battle, with Espargaro able to keep pushing, and then hone in on the leading trio. It was a four-rider battle for the podium with two to go.

The penultimate lap saw the Aprilia take on Bagnaia, but the reigning Champion cut back as Espargaro sailed wide. But onto the main straight the #41 then made it stick and did enough to hold onto third into Turn 1, now with the next target locked on: Binder. The KTM was chasing Martin, but a new problem was carving up the gap to tuck right onto his tail. Espargaro ate through the metres enough to almost give himself striking distance by the final corner, but it was just that bit too far for a move. Martin crossed the line for a statement tenth Sprint win to start the season, with Binder taking second and Espargaro forced to settle for third.

Reigning Champion Bagnaia likewise had to settle, in his case for fourth, with Marc Marquez next up.

“It was a great weekend. I think we demonstrated the speed that we had. When we have the bike at 100 per cent we can be unbeatable,” said Martin.

Tissot Sprint Race

  1. Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati
  2. Brad Binder Red Bull KTM (+0.548s)
  3. Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing (+0.729s)
  4. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+1.625s)
  5. Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+1.872s)

Check out the full Tissot Sprint results here…

Sunday
MotoGP was finally back in action, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) dominating proceedings to win the opening Grand Prix of the season and take the title lead. The Italian came across the line ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who finished one second behind. Joining them on the podium was last year’s runner-up, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati) in a solid result for the Spaniard.

It was a delayed start to the race after Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) had a technical issue on the grid. The Spaniard’s Aprilia was pushed into the pitlane with a new race distance of 21 laps.

Once the lights went out, Jorge Martin made a great start to the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, leading the way into turn one. Brad Binder exited turn one in second, before reigning World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia took the position from him, claiming the race lead. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed at turn one, losing the front on the second lap of the race.

The fastest lap of the race went the way of rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) who looked confident in the opening stage of the race – setting a new race lap record. Acosta made his way into sixth, passing Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Ducati Lenovo Team’s Enea Bastianini. Bagnaia bridged a three-tenth of a second gap, forcing Martin to pass Binder to reclaim second place. The South African fought back before Martin responded on the entry to turn one, in a thrilling battle for second position.

Pre-race favourite, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) started the race in second position but would drop to ninth. The Spaniard was battling with last year’s winner, Di Giannantonio throughout the race. As the race progressed Bagnaia stretched his gap to over one second, with a group of four now battling for second. The race hit lap 11 – the distance of Saturday’s Sprint – with the questions about tyre life beginning.

Pedro Acosta continued to show his talent, launching a move down the inside on lap 12, passing Marc Marquez. However, Acosta’s rear tyre began to step out, running wide and allowing Marc Marquez back into fourth. Acosta fell further down the field with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini overtaking the rookie, as he eventually finished ninth.

The race was now on for the lead to see if Binder could respond to Bagnaia’s one-second advantage.  However, the smooth style of Bagnaia looked strong, and with no mistakes from the reigning World Champion, he would come across the line to win.

Behind the front three, Marc Marquez showed great pace throughout the race, starting strongly with Ducati. Behind the #93 was Enea Bastianini who fought his way into fifth, finishing ahead of Alex Marquez in sixth.

“It’s always important to win the race and not commit any mistakes. I want to enjoy everything and improve every time,” explained Bagnaia.

MotoGP Race

  1. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
  2. Brad Binder Red Bull KTM (+1.329s)
  3. Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+1.933s)
  4. Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+3.429s)
  5. Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+5.153s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 31 points
  2. Brad Binder Red Bull KTM (+1.329s) – 29 points
  3. Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+1.933s) – 28 points
  4. Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+3.429s) – 18 points
  5. Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+5.153s) – 15 points

Moto2
Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) won the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar in a new era for Moto2™ as the Championship completed its first race with Pirelli tyres. Lopez defended from Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) who finished just 0.055 behind after an epic battle. Sergio Garcia took his Triumph-powered MT Helmets – MSI machine to join them for his first-ever Moto2™ podium.

The lights went out and polesitter Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) had a bad start, allowing Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) to lead on the entry to turn one. Lopez led from both QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™ riders of Manuel Gonzalez and Albert Arenas. Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp) also struggled in the opening stage of the race, dropping down to 13th position.

Aron Canet fought back after dropping down to eighth place to lead the field on lap three of the race. Canet set the fastest lap in the process, trying to stretch the field in an attempt to win his first Moto2™ Grand Prix. Lopez and Gonzalez eventually caught and passed the #44 machine, allowing the lead group to grow to three riders once again. Ayumu Sasaki (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) was the first faller of the race, crashing out of their debut Moto2™ race at turn one.

The race continued to rage on, with Barry Baltus managing to catch the back of Canet, putting the #7 machine in podium contention. Baltus made the move at the end of lap eight and began to pull away from the pole sitter. The Belgian then battled into second position in a fierce move on Gonzalez to set his sights on the lead.

All the moves at the front of the field allowed Garcia and Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) to join the brilliant battle, with the Japanese rider making a heroic move on Gonzalez for fourth place.

It was an unbelievable end to the race, with three bikes battling for the lead with only three laps remaining. Baltus looked to make a move on Lopez but could not find a way through due to the Spaniard’s incredible defending, which allowed the SpeedUp rider to win. While it was delight for Lopez, his teammate and title favourite Aldeguer was outside of the points, finishing in 16th position.

Ai Ogura came home to finish in fourth position, in a great first race with the MT Helmets – MSI Team. Manuel Gonzalez rounded out the top five.

Moto2 Race

  1. Alonso Lopez Sync SpeedUp
  2. Barry Baltus RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP (35m 45.650s)
  3. Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI (35m 46.337s)
  4. Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI (35m 47.109s)
  5. Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2 (35m 50.695s)

Check out the full Moto2 results here…

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Alonso Lopez Sync SpeedUp – 25 points
  2. Barry Baltus RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP – 20 points
  3. Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 16 points
  4. Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 13 points
  5. Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2 – 11 points

Moto3
David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar Team) won the opening race of the season after a thrilling move on the entry to the last corner. Alonso won by just 0.041 from Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who was strong throughout the whole race. Joining them on the podium was Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), after battling his way through the field to a remarkable podium finish.

There was drama before the race started with David Muñoz stalling the BOE Motorsports’ bike on the grid, forcing the Spaniard to start from the pitlane. However, once the lights went out, it was polesitter Daniel Holgado who led into turn one, ahead of Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) in a tight Moto3™ field.

It was just a 16-lap race with passes getting made at every corner, in a thrilling start to the Moto3™ season. Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) was the rider on the move early on, making his way briefly into second and as the top Honda. However, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) battled back, before the #99 passed Holgado to take the race lead. On lap three of the race Rueda lost the rear, collecting Ortola at turn one. This incident promoted David Alonso to second place, ahead of Fernandez.

The lead group was 11 riders long with all manufacturers in the mix, in a nail-biting opening Grand Prix of the season. Positions within the group were constantly changing, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) being the next rider to battle up the order from 10th to fourth position. Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) were the next riders to go down, after a highside from Farioli on lap six of the race.

Another rider who was beginning to make moves was Japanese rider Taiyo Furusato who battled to fifth after starting from 18th position. Furusato quickly made his way into the podium positions before making a stunning move to take the lead. Holgado and Furusato had a pulsating battle, with the Japanese rider making a mistake, dropping down to fourth position. This allowed the #80 Alonso to begin his attack for the lead with a handful of laps remaining. Alonso briefly took the race lead into turn one before Holgado reclaimed his throne.

Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) had a big crash after running off the edge of the curb, bringing a premature end to his race. As the sun began to set in Doha, it all went down to the final lap of the race with Holgado leading in front of Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power). However, it did not stay like that for long with it being an all-out duel between Furusato and Holgado.

Alonso made the move for the win at the final corner, leading across the line with nothing separating the front group. Riccardo Rossi came across the line to take fourth position, just 0.186 separating the top four. Dutchman Veijer came across the line in fifth position, in what was an impressive performance by the Husqvarna rider.

Moto3 Race

  1. David Alonso CFMOTO Aspar Team
  2. Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (33m 19.819s)
  3. Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia (33m 19.921s)
  4. Riccardo Rossi CIP Green Power (33m 19.964s)
  5. Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (33m 20.116s)

Check out the full Moto3 results here…

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. David Alonso CFMOTO Aspar Team – 25 points
  2. Daniel Holgado Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 20 points
  3. Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia – 16 points
  4. Riccardo Rossi CIP Green Power – 13 points
  5. Collin Veijer Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP – 11 points

Super Hooligan Indian FTR x RSD Announced, $28,995 AUD

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Indian Motorcycles recently announced the special edition FTR x RSD Super Hooligan, limited to just 300 bikes globally. With 150 to remain in the USA, this will be a rare future collectable outside of the States. The $28,995 AUD weapon is decked out, and there is extra interest for us Aussie’s with Troy Herfoss racing in the AMA.

The all-new limited-edition FTR features Black Metallic bodywork with authentic Super Hooligan race graphics, a classic Indian Motorcycle Red frame with matching wheels featuring gold accents, and Indian Motorcycle Racing’s No. 1 championship logo on the front and side number plates.

For an extra layer of authenticity, the FTR x RSD Super Hooligan features race team sponsors’ logos on its rear seat cowl. Additional graphics for the radiator shroud, front fender, and front forks will be supplied to owners for optional application. Don’t lose those!

Tyler O’Hara ripping a burnout on the racebike inspired Indian FTR Super Hooligan limited edition model…

“The term ‘hooligan’ has taken on an entirely new meaning in the world of motorcycles, characterised by a rebellious, fearless attitude that places having fun on a motorcycle above all else, and that’s what this new FTR is all about,” said Aaron Jax, vice president, Indian Motorcycle.

Read our special feature and test on the exact Indian FTR Super Hooligan Factory Racer that Troy Herfoss is leading the 2024 Series on right here…

“Roland Sands has blazed this trail and built the RSD brand around the hooligan lifestyle. From spinning laps on dirt ovals on mid-size cruisers to today’s competitive racing within the MotoAmerica series, the ethos of hooligan riding has not changed.”

“Super Hooligan has always been about more than just racing. It’s about pushing boundaries and having a blast riding motorcycles with your friends,” said Roland Sands, Founder of RSD. “Far from the full fairing machines you normally see on the racetrack, a Super Hooligan bike has an effortless attitude and a custom aesthetic with an exposed powertrain. When Indian Motorcycle approached us to codesign an Indian FTR for consumers, it was a natural fit and something we were very excited to be a part of”.

Aussie Troy Herfoss is making inroads already, winning on Debut on his Super Hooligan Indian FTR at Daytona!

Built upon the FTR R Carbon model, the FTR x RSD Super Hooligan offers performance-branded parts and premium ride-enhancing technology. Fully adjustable Öhlins® inverted front forks and rear piggyback shock deliver exceptional ride and handling, while dual-disc Brembo® brakes provide ultimate stopping power. The bike’s 101 mm round touchscreen display powered by RIDE COMMAND offers vital bike and ride information, selectable ride modes for a customisable ride experience, along with Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

Just 150 from the total of 300 will be available outside of North America, and international shipping will start immediately.

In addition, an Akrapovič® muffler and heat shield add style and improve sound, while Gilles Tooling parts, including adjustable rear-sets, oil cap, radiator cap, and bar-end weights, add to the bike’s premium finish – delivering authentic RSD Hooligan race style for the rider. Interested riders should contact their authorised Indian Motorcycle dealer to reserve their individually numbered FTR x RSD Super Hooligan bike as soon as possible. Just 150 from the total of 300 will be available outside of North America, and international shipping will start immediately.

Roland Sands with the Indian, ““I like the idea of racing things that were never meant to be raced,” says Roland, 49.”

Troy Corser appointed as ASBK Championship ambassador

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The star power of the mi-bike Motorcycle Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) has gone up another notch, with Aussie motorcycle racing royalty Troy Corser joining the paddock in 2024 as an Official ASBK Ambassador. Press Release: ASBK

The appointment represents a permanent return to the ASBK paddock for the first time since he won the premier class championship in 1993 on a Honda RC30, which set him on a fast-track to international stardom.

His rapid rise included victory as a rookie in the 1994 AMA Superbike Championship on a Ducati, with the Italian company then maximising his incredible talent by parachuting him straight into World Superbike (WorldSBK) the year after.

Check out all of our racing news here…

He won the 1996 WorldSBK title on a Ducati – the first Aussie to win the championship – and then again in 2005 on a Suzuki. He also rode for Aprilia, Yamaha, BMW Motorrad and Petronas during a 377-start WorldSBK career, an enormous catalogue of races only broken by Jonathan Rea in 2023. During his 15-year WorldSBK career, seven of his 33 wins came at Phillip Island, which remains a record.

Corser will have a wide remit across an ASBK Championship round in 2024, beginning at Sydney Motorsport Park’s Night Race on March 22-23. His duties will include on-course commentary, fan meet and greets and joining fellow ASBK ambassador Steve Martin for the popular ASBK Pillion Program. And who knows: he may even enjoy a race or two…

Lucky punters will get the chance to ride pillion behind Corser during the 2024 ASBK season

The Wollongong native will utilise the Aprilia V-four Tuono hypernaked for the ASBK Pillion Program, reuniting with a manufacturer he rode for in WorldSBK at the turn of the century.

On the Aprilia – and across all marques for that matter – Corser’s ability to produce explosive bursts of speed at just the right time was legendary, which is why he accumulated 43 pole positions and 45 fastest laps in the WorldSBK paddock. And he was also a master of the stand-up wheelie, too!

Josh Waters was the man to beat last time at Phillip Island. Nothing has changed. Pictured here with SBK legend Troy Corser.

Corser is looking forward to his ambassadorial role in the 2024 ASBK Championship.

“The opportunity to step back into the ASBK paddock is one I am really excited about,” said Corser. “I owe a lot to the championship for the extraordinary level of competition it provided me when I was moving through the ranks from a Suzuki RGV250 to a Yamaha TZ250 and Honda RC30.

Gobert was out there battling the likes of Troy Corser and Aaron Slight... and winning!

“Twenty years on, the amount of young talent across all the ASBK classes is extraordinary, and I’ll certainly be keeping a keen eye on their progress.

“I competed in the Superbike Masters class at last year’s inaugural Night Race at Sydney Motorsport Park, and I can’t wait to return in a new capacity this year.”

To purchase tickets to the ASBK Night Race at Sydney Motorsport Park, click here.

Racing News | Aussies Racing Abroad March 2024

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Our homegrown talent has been battling it out on track and making us proud! Check out our monthly column that follows all things Aussies racing Internationally on and off-road, from MotoGP to AMA Motocross. This month Miller, Gardner and Lawrence updates. Words: Ed Stratmann

With many talented Australian motorcycle racers 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. This month we look at Jack Miller, Remy Gardner, Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller secured the 11th fastest time at the two-day MotoGP test in Qatar, with this latest outing full of upside for the popular pilot even if the results weren’t exceptional. Finishing just a tenth off his teammate in Brad Binder, who claimed ninth, there was much to be gained in terms of bike setup, track knowledge and tyre insight ahead of the first round, which will be held at the same venue in a little under two weeks’ time, as Miller will be eager to come out swinging.

“Positive last day here and I’m pretty happy where we are with the bike. I made a few setup changes today and I think we are in the right ballpark to get the season underway. I feel good and looking forward to getting back here to do it all for real,” he explained.

All-in-all it’s been a good pre-season and the boys have done a fantastic job through the winter.

“We still have a few little tweaks to make: motorbike racers are never totally happy! The conditions were tricky away from the racing line; if you make a mistake then it’s hard to come back off the dirty stuff. All-in-all it’s been a good pre-season and the boys have done a fantastic job through the winter with the improvements and I believe we have a very competitive bike to go racing.”

Remy Gardner – WorldSBK (Superbike)
Having achieved ninth in the test prior to the season launching Phillip Island opener, this saw Remy Gardner in a sound position to start off the new term on the right foot. Although plenty of encouragement could be drawn from the #87’s fifth in free practice three and seventh in the Superpole qualifier, his first race was frustratingly ended prematurely when a collision with another rider forced him out early.

We had some good fights in the sprint race and the pace was there, unfortunately we couldn’t finish inside the top three even though we had great speed.

Desperate for an improved Sunday in front of the adoring home fans, his super showing in the Superpole race that saw him battle with the frontrunners before banking sixth set the tone wonderfully.
Come the second race, though, and while the red-flag interrupted race saw him forced to start last following the restart due to him hitting Jonathan Rea’s bike, Gardner produced a smashing charge to ultimately get a credible 12th.

Remy has been out testing his new WorldSBK Yamaha! Hopefully he will settle into the team better than Tech3 KTM...

“Well, this weekend wasn’t meant to be. We had some good fights in the sprint race and the pace was there, unfortunately we couldn’t finish inside the top three even though we had great speed. I felt we could make another try in Race 2, but I couldn’t avoid Jonathan’s (Rea) bike and I ended up having some damage,” he reflected.

“The red flag gave us another chance, but I had to restart from the back of the grid. I think this is not good, but rules are rules. Although the guys did a fantastic job on making me able to go out again, the bike was not completely okay but we were still able to score valuable points. It’s a bit of a shame that we couldn’t convert our race potential, but we have to take the positives from the weekend; speed was there and we did a great job. Heading down to Barcelona for the second round of the season.”

Oli Bayliss – World SSP (Supersport 600)
While Oli Bayliss endured an injury interrupted off-season, the Aussie began his third year in World Supersport with a solid 12th in pre-season testing at Phillip Island. Serving as an ideal precursor to get his campaign underway on home soil, the talented Australian bagged a brilliant fifth in race one, which was especially positive given his struggles with the bike and the weather on the Friday. Although he couldn’t find his groove on the Sunday, posting a 10th place was a strong effort, thus meaning he ended the opener sixth in the championship.

“Today went not too bad. I did struggle a lot in the first couple of laps to find a good rhythm. However, after a couple of laps I found some pace…”

“That’s round one in the books and the D34G Racing Team and I walked away with a tenth-place finish in race two today and we leave the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in sixth place in the championship,” he posted.
“Today went not too bad. I did struggle a lot in the first couple of laps to find a good rhythm. However, after a couple of laps I found some pace and then could start to push how I wanted and put some laps together. Anyway, was a pretty good first weekend of the year with the team. Now time to rest up and get fully healed for Barcelona at the end of March. Thanks so much to the team for their efforts and I have to say a huge thanks to the Australian crowd for coming out this weekend. It’s awesome racing at home.”

Off-Road
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Breathing life immediately into his February by registering a scintillating victory in Detroit, Jett Lawrence became the first rider to win two races this season in the stacked 450 class. Racing out of the gate to dominate proceedings, there was no stopping the #18, who led every lap of the main event to stamp his authority on the series. He then followed this up with a third in Glendale, where he admirably carved through the field after a challenging start to secure a deserved third to regain the red plate.

Jett importantly maintains his grip on the championship lead seven rounds in.

Next on the agenda was Arlington, and all the signs were there that another win was on the cards, as Lawrence stormed to the holeshot and surged to a commanding lead. Disaster then struck for the sensation, with two late spills ultimately meaning fourth was the best he could manage.

“There were ups and downs tonight in Arlington—lots to focus on. It was going good, then it went bad, then it could’ve been good, but then it went even worse! So, fourth place. I have to clean up a few things, but it’s always good to learn some things. I’m looking forward to Daytona this weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve raced there, so I’ll enjoy that Daytona sun,” he told the HRC website.
Jett importantly maintains his grip on the championship lead seven rounds in.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
This month has seen Hunter Lawrence make some huge strides forward in the elite division, with him now looking right at home duking it out with the plethora of heavy hitters out there. After riding to a notable eighth in Detroit, he then really turned things up a notch in Glendale to produce his best result of the season to cross the line in fifth on a tricky track. The #96 was then arguably even better in Arlington, for he looked comfortable running upfront and battling with KTM star Aaron Plessinger on his way to banking fifth to equal his season-best finish.

“It was a good night, a lot of positives to take away. It’s a bummer—on the last lap, I was doing everything I could to pass AP [Aaron Plessinger] for fourth; live and learn. Two fifth places in a row, and ending up there after being in the wall, so that’s something I can be happy about. Thank you to the team; we’ll keep on plugging away,” he recalled.

WorldSBK Round One Report | Phillip Island Australia, Lowes magic double, Bulega Stuns!

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Lap records were smashed and there were winners from rookies to legends in front of a big crowd of happy Aussie fans at Phillip Island last weekend for round one of the 2024 Motul FIM WorldSBK Championship, the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. Press: WorldSBK

Friday
Friday’s WorldSBK action at Phillip Island saw Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) dominate proceedings, setting a new lap record and finishing atop the timesheets. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured second place overall, while Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), in third, showcased strong potential with a new lap record in FP1.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) led the Independent contenders, securing fourth place overall, followed closely by Rookie Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in sixth. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a quiet start finishing tenth overall and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) took seventh place.

However, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), the Reigning Champion, finished 12th overall, while perennial contender Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) ended up in 16th place in the combined results.

In the electrifying Supersport Superpole session at Phillip Island, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) showcased his prowess, clinching pole position with a breathtaking lap record despite a late crash, setting the tone for an exhilarating race. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) closely followed in second place, demonstrating impressive speed alongside Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who secured third. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) positioned himself in fourth, while Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) rounded off the top six with impressive performances.

Despite facing challenges, Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) secured spots on the third row, emphasizing their resilience. Meanwhile, Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) overcame a crash to secure ninth, with Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) completing the top 10, ensuring a fiercely competitive grid for Race 1.

Full Friday Superbike and Supersport results here…

Saturday
Superpole
The first session that counts, the first that matters for the larger context of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship: Tissot Superpole from the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round was electric. With all the hype about unpredictability and the new line-up for this new era, it was a session with stories everywhere you looked. In what is probably the most incredible Superpole session in recent memory to open a season, it was rookie Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who denied Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in the closing moments with two rookies lining up 1-2 on the grid for their first race for the first time in WorldSBK history.

Full Superbike Superpole results here…

Race One
WorldSBK Race 1 at Phillip Island provided thrilling action and historic moments with intense battles among the leading riders and strategic maneuvers during the pit stop phase between Laps 9 and 11.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) stole the show by claiming victory on his WorldSBK debut, achieving a remarkable feat as the first WorldSSP Reigning Champion to win on his first SBK race, marking an unprecedented accomplishment in the championship’s history.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) displayed impressive pace and strategy to claim second place. Making a sensational return to racing, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) secured third place after leading in the early stages of the race. Locatelli and Iannone completed an all-Italian podium sweep, echoing a milestone last achieved in 1993.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) demonstrated strong competitiveness, finishing in fourth position, followed closely by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK), who initially crossed the line in fourth but was demoted to fifth.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) struggled to find his rhythm, ultimately finishing in 15th position after a crash, while Jonathan Rea’s (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) difficulties persisted as he crossed the line outside the points in 17th place. Australian Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), encountered misfortune during the race, as a collision with another rider led to an early retirement.

“Maybe it’s the best day of my life! It’s difficult to already believe it but it is something incredible; I was dreaming about this for many months but now it’s reality. I took pole position; I won my first race and got the lap record. It’s something special that I’ll never forget, said Bulega.

I started to cry a little bit and then, there were good emotions as I saw all my guys on the finish line and all my guys with a big, incredible smile. It was so nice for me. It’s incredible because this team is like my second family, and they always believed in me. When I came here from Moto2™, I was in a bad moment, but they kept believing. This is my third year with them, and we started in a very good way. I’ll try to continue giving them a lot of smiles. I’m ready for my first Tissot Superpole Race and I’ll try to do my best.”

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +2.280s
3. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +2.630s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.728s
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +5.706s
6. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +8.333s

Download Full Results

Supersport
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) secured victory after overcoming a poor start and establishing a commanding lead in Race 1 at Phillip Island. Montella’s flawless performance ended a drought of over 400 days for his WorldSSP victories. He led the field with precision, leaving Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) trailing behind as he crossed the finish line triumphantly. A fierce battle unfolded between Schroetter and Manzi for second place, with Manzi eventually gaining the upper hand to secure the runner-up position.

Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) engaged in an intense battle for fourth place, with Caricasulo ultimately securing the position in his debut with the team. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) finished sixth after starting from the back of the grid due to a tire pressure infringement, rounding up the top performers of the race.

“It was a funny race. At first, I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike, and I couldn’t understand why. I just tried to stay close behind Manzi and not let him build a big gap. On the last lap before the Pit Stop, I tried to overtake him, and we both went first to do the Pit Stop. It turned out to be a perfect flag-to-flag because we managed to open a big gap from Manzi, around 5 seconds. We practiced a lot yesterday, and everything came together perfectly in the end! We’ll try to repeat today’s victory tomorrow, but it won’t be easy. Today Huertas wasn’t here, but I think he’ll be fighting for the podium tomorrow.”

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +6.666s
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +6.968s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +16.748s
5. Oliver Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) +17.452s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +17.580s

Download Full Results

Sunday
Superpole Race
In a repeat to Race 1, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) got a superb start as lights went out, leading the race although Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came past on Lap 2 at Turn 1. Iannone’s race was interrupted by a mechanical issue on Lap 6 which dropped him out of contention, coming home in 14th. This allowed Lowes to pull out a gap for his first victory in four years by just over a second.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) took second after dropping as low as tenth, charging through the field in the second half of the 10-lap race with aggressive moves on his rivals at Turn 4 and Turn 10. In just his second race with BMW, Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed his first podium as he battled his way P3 in a run to the line with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati); the two Champions separated by just 0.074s. Razgatlioglu’s podium was his 116th, putting him level with Noriyuki Haga at third in the all-time level. Lowes, Locatelli and Razgatlioglu will start Race 2 from the front row.

Bautista narrowly missed on a podium as he bounced back from a difficult Saturday for fourth, finishing just over a second ahead of Race 1 winner and teammate Nicolo Bulega in fifth. ‘Bulegas’ lost out at the start again but was unable to recover as he did in Saturday’s race, coming home in fifth. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth, but it could’ve been more for the Australian. Gardner had fought his way into podium contention around the halfway mark of the race but was bundled down the order in the closing stages.

Gardner’s teammate, Dominique Aegerter, had a similar story to Race 1. After starting from fourth, the Swiss rider dropped down the order before battling back. He was able to recover to P7, just two tenths behind his teammate. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) secured eighth place in his first Tissot Superpole Race, ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in ninth with Aegerter, Lowes and Rinaldi on row three for Race 2. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) fought his way to P10 in the Superpole Race after his Saturday disaster, giving the Ulsterman hope for a good result in Race 2 although he will start in his original grid position.

WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results

1. Alex Lowes | Kawasaki
2. Andrea Locatelli | Yamaha | +1.157s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu | BMW | +1.738s

[Download Full Results]

Race Two
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) emerged victorious in an exhilarating Race 2 at Phillip Island, securing a remarkable double win. Lowes’ triumph was sealed with a breathtaking last-lap maneuver at Turn 9, overtaking Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in a display of sheer brilliance.

However, the race was not short of drama as Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) promising run in the race was abruptly halted on Lap 3 at Turn 9, as a technical issue which led to his untimely retirement. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), unfortunately crashed out at Turn 11 in the early stages, leading to a red flag and subsequent race restart. He was taken to the medical centre and declared unfit with multiple contusions and abrasions.

Despite the challenges, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) showcased an impressive performance, swiftly climbing from P6 to challenge Bautista for the lead after the restart. However, it was Lowes who ultimately prevailed, with Bautista settling for second place.

Meanwhile, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) staged a remarkable comeback before unfortunately crashing out on the final lap while battling for position. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed a well-deserved third place, rounding off the podium. Notably, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased a commendable recovery from a poor start to secure fifth place, with Rinaldi finishing just behind in sixth.

“It was an unbelievable day! The second race was chaos from the start. It was a little bit delayed, and in the first part of the race Toprak’s bike blew up. I was nearly off track, I did well to stay on. Then, Jonathan had a big crash, so I hope he’s okay. I was dropping back a little bit, but just before the red flag, I had a couple of good sectors to get back on my brother. I had some good speed, and the temperature was down a little bit.

My focus in the restart was to make a good start, put myself in the first three or four positions. I knew Toprak wasn’t there, and when he is, you have to ride a little bit more defensively because he’s always going to have a pass. Once I got settled into the race, I was struggling to stay with Bautista a little bit and Michael.

“Locatelli passed me at Turn 4. He was going to hit the back of Bautista, so he went wide and then I managed to stay on the line, stay close to Alvaro because, in my head, I was thinking he was struggling to enter the corner because the grip was going. I knew I could be really fast through Turn 8 and into Turn 9. This was my chance to pass him and try to stop the bike into Turn 10 and 11. I had a little plan, and it went quite well. In the end, I had a lot more grip than Alvaro which allowed me to make this pass.”

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 0.048s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +1.178s
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +1.275s
5. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.346s
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +2.913s

Download Full Results

WorldSBK Championship Standings

1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 50 points
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 41 points
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 29 points

Download Championship Standings

Supersport
The WorldSSP Race 2 at Phillip Island unfolded with high intensity as riders navigated challenging track conditions and a shortened race due to an oil spill. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) displayed impeccable form, securing his second consecutive win at the iconic circuit. Despite facing late pressure from Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Montella held firm to claim the top spot, as he now leads the Championship standings.

Meanwhile, the battle for the podium raged on as Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) fought for positions. Unfortunately for Manzi, his podium hopes were dashed as he suffered two crashes during the race, ultimately dropping out of contention. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) capitalized on the unfolding events, securing his first WorldSSP podium with a commendable third-place finish.

Caricasulo clinched fourth position marking a strong start to his campaign. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) rounded out the top six.

“Today was a strange race for sure, because of the delay, but we tried to stay focused on the race. My plan was to push at the first lap to create a gap and it worked, so I’m happy for this. During the race, I managed to maintain this gap with Marcel, and it was fun to push every lap. Today we won the race, and I’m happy about it! It really was an incredible weekend! It’s something that nobody expected, and I’m just happy about it! I want to stay focused on the next race, but then at the same time, enjoy this moment. It’s just the first race and I still have 20 races in front of me, so for the moment my focus is on Barcelona.”

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.203s
3. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +1.658s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +5.289s
5. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Racing Team) +5.554s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +5.677

Download Full Results

WorldSSP Championship Standings

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 50 points
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 36 points
3. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) 26 points

Download Championship Standings

1...567...57Page 6 of 57

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