It was a dry start for The FIM Supersport World Championship’s Superpole session at the Circuito Estoril in Portugal on Friday afternoon, however this was to be short lived as a sudden downpour in rain disrupted the World Superport action. Italian rider Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) took advantage of the dry spell during the early stages of the session, achieving a lap time of 1’41.318, three tenths ahead of Championship leader and close rival Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), with Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) completing the front row of the grid ahead of Saturday’s Race 1.

THREE HORSE RACE: Montella v Huertas v Manzi

Frenchman Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) continued his impressive form from the mornings Free Practice session, finishing just outside of the top three, with the fourth fastest lap time of the Superpole session. Dutch rider Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) led #94 Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) to round off the second row, whilst Simone Corsi (Renzi Corse) posted the seventh fastest time ahead of #50 Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) in eighth and Ducati’s Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) in ninth. Italian rider Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) completed the top 10 to line up on Saturday’s Race 1 grid.

PORTUGESE POLE: #55 secures early pole before rain

The #99 current championship leader, Adrian Huertas will hope to get a strong start from second position at lights out, as he lines up alongside fellow championship rivals, Montella and Manzi who are both chasing down the Spaniard for title glory. Every point will be vital for the three riders as the penultimate race weekend beckons.

2. Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.380s
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.607s
4. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.669s
5. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +1.136s
6. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +1.380s

Don’t miss WorldSSP Race 1 at 15:15 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship might be reaching a thrilling ending but already, 2025 seats are filling up. Despite that, some key seats are still waiting to be secured with big-name riders yet to be announced. At the Circuito Estoril, updates were provided from teams that are yet to announce their future plans and, while not much was given away, potential timelines were given.

GRT YAMAHA: no rider confirmed, Dosoli “would like to confirm our riders”

At the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, the current line-up of Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter has yet to be retained for 2025. Gardner secured a podium at Assen after starting the season strongly, but it’s been a difficult second half of the season for Yamaha. For Aegerter, he missed winter testing through illness and then three rounds through injury, returning at Estoril.

Speaking during Free Practice 1 during the Estoril Round, Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager, discussed Aegerter’s fitness and the future for the #77.: “We’re really happy that he’s back because he’s had serious injuries. He’s been working hard to heal and recover quickly. I just spoke to him, and the shoulder is still not strong enough. Most probably, starting wet will probably help him. The second part of the question, about the future, as I’ve said before, we’d like to confirm our riders and we are working on this. We’ll let you know soon!”

TEAM GOELEVEN: Iannone’s future not announced, “in a few days, everyone will know our future”

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) made a stunning start to his WorldSBK career in Australia, taking a podium, and he’s been on the rostrum several times. His first win came last time out at MotorLand Aragon, but his future is still unknown as ‘The Maniac’ searches for regular podiums. On Thursday. The #29 said: “We’ll sign in a few days, in a few weeks… it’s a surprise for everybody!”

Team GoEleven Team Manager Denis Sacchetti provided an update on the team’s plans during FP1 at Estoril, saying: “We’re really near, we’re really close to the last decision. We’re not ready yet to say anything. We’re really close and I think in a few days, everyone will know our future.”

BONOVO ACTION: “Everything is organised that we’ll go to Ducati… for the rider, I think we need one more week”

The Bonovo Action BMW team announced their plans to withdraw from WorldSBK earlier in the year, but Team Manager Michael Galinski aimed to keep the MGM team structure in the Championship. He has stated on several occasions that a switch to Ducati machinery was possible, and he reiterated that during FP2 in Portugal. Although he didn’t name names about the potential line-up, he did speak about a potential timeline.

On the team’s future, Galinski stated: “No news but I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to say next week. Everything is organised that we’ll go to Ducati. That was clear and the bikes are ordered. For the rider, I think we need one more week. We will see.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The weather played havoc with the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field on Friday at the Circuito Estoril as rain in Free Practice 1 greeted the grid before a mixed-conditions Free Practice 2 limited running. The afternoon session for the Estoril Round started dry before rain started to fall around 20 minutes into it, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) the only rider in the 1’37s bracket as he secured P1 ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

RAZGATLIOGLU ON TOP IN BOTH SESSIONS: ‘El Turco’ leads the way

With conditions considerably drier in FP2 compared to FP1, times were instantly much faster. Razgatlioglu instantly went to top spot with a 1’37.668s to assert his authority on the weekend, before improving to a 1’37.355s as he secured P1 in both a wet FP1 and in the dry in FP2. With rain beginning to fall around halfway through the session, Razgatlioglu’s time went unchallenged. He was the sole BMW rider in the top 10, with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) securing P12 but some 1.8 seconds off Razgatlioglu. His teammate, Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), was 19^th while Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was 20^th after he crashed in the early stages of FP2, completing only six timed laps in the dry conditions.

PETRUCCI IN CONTENTION: P2 for ‘Petrux’, Bautista and Bulega fourth and sixth respectively

Petrucci was the fastest Ducati rider on Friday at Estoril as he secured second place with a 1’38.065s, seven tenths away from Razgatlioglu’s time as ‘Petrux’ looks to wrap up the Independent Riders’ title for 2024 this weekend. He was around two tenths clear of Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in fourth, while his teammate, Nicolo Bulega, was two places and a tenth down on his teammate. Bulega lost valuable running in FP1 when he crashed at Turn 6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) just missed out on a spot in the top ten as he secured P11, 1.240s down on the pace. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was 14^th with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in 16^th; the #14 crashed in FP1 at Turn 12.

ALEX LOWES THIRD: another strong day for the #22

Third place belonged to Alex Lowes as the Kawasaki rider lapped in a 1’38.074s, 0.719s down on ‘El Turco’ and just 0.009s slower than Petrucci in second. Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was one of a handful of riders who improved when light rain fell as he moved into seventh place after he set a 1’38.437s. The final Kawasaki rider in the pecking order was Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) as he secured 15^th place after posting a 1’39.363s. Rabat had a run-off in Free Practice 1, but it didn’t cost him much running time.

HONDA QUICK AGAIN: four manufacturers in the top four

Honda were represented with two bikes in the top ten, with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) taking fifth place and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in ninth. Lecuona, like Bassani, improved as the rain started to fall, while it was a disrupted session for Vierge. The #97 crashed at Turn 3 which ended his session, even before the rain started to fall even more. Lecuona’s P4 ensured four different manufacturers were in the top four after Friday’s running. Home hero Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) was 17^th with a 1’39.428s while Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) was 23^rd; both riders crashed in FP1 at Turn 9. Mackenzie impressed in the wet in the morning session by claiming P5 and finishing as the lead Honda rider.

YAMAHA AIMING TO FIGHT BACK: Rea the fastest rider in P10

It was a difficult day for Yamaha with just Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) putting the Yamaha R1 inside the top ten. The #65 was P10 after posting a 1’38.572s, finishing two places and a tenth ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was close to ‘Loka’ ahead, with just a tenth separating the Italian and the Australian, while Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 18^th and Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) in 21^st. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 22^nd as he made his comeback from injury, with the #77 set to be reviewed after FP2 to decide whether he participates in the rest of the weekend. Wildcard Luca Bernardi (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 24^th and last on his return to the Championship.

The top six from Friday at Estoril, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’37.355s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.710s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.719s

4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.892s

5. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.894s

6. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.040s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship was in action for the second time on Friday with the Tissot Superpole session at the Circuito Estoril. The riders opted for the wet tyre option from the outset, however with a drying track experienced on their outing lap, the majority of the field returned to the pits to exchange for slick tyres and improve their lap times.

Despite a dominant performance from María Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) throughout, it was 27-year-old Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) who posted the fastest time of the session with 1’51.706 at the Circuito Estoril, beating her close rival by 0.359 seconds, with Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) rounding off the front grid ahead of Saturday’s Race 1.

With the wet sections of the track disappearing, lap times began to fall throughout the 25-minute session, providing plenty of action for the Estoril spectators. Spain’s Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) was determined to secure a top three result, however her best attempt secured her fourth position ahead of Australian Taylor Relph (TAYCO Motorsport), who is eager to repeat her success in Cremona following her maiden podium there. Relph will start from fifth in the first race of the weekend ahead of Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) who completes the second row.

The Superpole session witnessed an impressive performance from Mexican rider Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) who rode her Yamaha bike around the circuit in the seventh fastest time. #46 Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) and America’s Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) secured eighth and ninth, ahead of #52 rider Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) who completed the top 10 of the afternoon’s Superpole Session. Saturday’s Race 1 is lining up to be a hotly contested battle as the two Championship rivals Carrasco and Herrera aim for glory in Portugal.

The top six from WorldWCR Superpole, full results here:

1. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) 1’51.706s
2. María Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) +0.359s
3. Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.907s
4. Sara Sánchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +1.918s
5. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) +2.232s
6. Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) +2.291s

Don’t miss WorldWCR Race 1 on Saturday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC+1) for FREE on the WorldWCR YouTube channel!

Source: WorldSBK.com

In a dramatic red flagged session, Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing) stormed to the top spot of the Free Practice session in The FIM Supersport World Championship. The Italian rider rode an impressive lap time of 1’56.918s despite the challenging weather conditions, just finishing ahead of Championship contender Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) who came in 0.414 seconds behind the top rider.

With 20 minutes of track time completed, the session was red flagged following an incident involving #71 Tom Edwards (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) which took place at Turn 12. The Australian rider was taken to the Medical Centre where he has since been declared fit ahead of the afternoon Superpole session. Pit lane reopened, with 33 minutes of the session remaining and it was Britain’s Thomas Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) who resumed his top spot as the riders returned to the track.

The Triumph rider was unable to maintain his lead however, as De Rosa impressed the paddock on his QJ Motor bike posting a best lap time with only ten minutes of practice time remaining. Despite efforts from Montella and Debise, he managed to hold onto the top spot for the Free Practice session. However. The Italian did not end it in the way he would have liked, after a low side crash on his last lap as the chequered flag came out.  Spaniard Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) just missed out on a top 3 position as he took fourth fastest overall, whilst debutant Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Championship contender Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) rounded off the top six.

#99 rider, and Championship leader, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing) posted a lap time of 1’58.804, a surprising start to his race weekend, as he finished outside of the top 10 in thirteenth.

 The top six from WorldSSP FP, full results here:

1. Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing) 1’56.918s
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.049s
3. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.414s
4. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) +0.786s
5. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.820s
6. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.950s

Don’t miss WorldSSP Superpole at 16:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) topped a wet and dramatic Free Practice 1 session in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Circuito Estoril. The #54 was three tenths clear of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in second as a wet track greeted the field for the Estoril Round, but ‘El Turco’ was able to claim P1 ahead of his rivals to strike first at what could be a potential title-deciding weekend.

Razgatlioglu was one of the last riders to venture out on track before he set his 1’52.344s to claim P1, despite a huge moment at the final corner as he set his fastest time of the 45-minute session. It was enough to finish three tenths clear of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in second with the #9 improving his lap towards the end of the session. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured third place with a 1’52.778s despite a crash at Turn 6 in what turned into a chaotic final 10 minutes of the session.

He was two tenths clear of Britain’s Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) in fourth. Mackenzie, whose sole WorldSSP win came at Most in mixed conditions, posted a 1’52.994s to lead the Honda charge although he was one of several crashes in the closing stages when he came off his CBR1000RR-R at Turn 7. He was ahead of six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) with the #65 seemingly enjoying the wet conditions until he crashed at Turn 9 in the closing stages. Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took sixth, nine tenths down on Razgatlioglu’s pace.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), currently second in the Championship, took P7 although he lost some running after he came off his Panigale V4 R at Turn 6 around halfway through the session. He finished four tenths clear of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in eighth, with ‘Loka’ another who fell victim to the difficult conditions. He crashed at Turn 9 with around 15 minutes to go. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) secured P9 ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in P10.

There were several other crashes in the session. Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), standing in for Adam Norrodin, came down at Turn 7 while Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed at Turn 12. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) returned to WorldSBK action following his training injury and finished in 23^rd place, with the Swiss rider’s participation in the remainder of the weekend to be determined after FP1.

The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’52.344s
2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.306s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.434s
4. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) +0.650s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.885s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.903s

Don’t miss WorldSBK Free Practice 2 at 15:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With the track wet, Free Practice for the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship was about understanding the conditions and building up to maximum confidence. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) got on top of the conditions quickest as times rapidly fell during the 25-minute session, with the Australian posting a 2’06.801s to claim top spot ahead of Spanish rider Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1), with almost two seconds separating the pair at the Circuito Estoril.

Times tumbled throughout the first session of the Estoril Round as riders got adjusted to the grip offered by the wet track, although towards the end they stabilised. Australia’s Relph, fresh from her maiden podium at Cremona, topped the times as the only rider in the 2’06s bracket as she finished 1.9s clear of Ruiz in second after she set a 2’08.715s. Third place belonged to Championship leader Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team), although she was four seconds down on Relph.

Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) had a strong start to the weekend as she secured fifth place, finishing around three tenths ahead of Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) in fifth. Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team) secured sixth place despite a crash in the final 10 minutes of the session when the #4 came off her bike at Turn 1. She was able to re-mount her Yamaha R7 and ride it back to the pits, although lost valuable track time.

Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) was another rider who crashed during the session when she came off her bike at Turn 4, but the American was able to return to the track. She set a 2’13.035s to claim P7 ahead of Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in eighth. Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) was ninth with Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) completing the top ten.

Perennial front runners Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) were 11^th and 12^th respectively, while Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) was 14^th. Elsewhere, Adela Ourednickova (DafitMotoracing) and Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) both didn’t set a lap time; they crashed at Turn 7 and Turn 1 in the early running of FP.

The top six from WorldWCR Free Practice, full results here:

1. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) 2’06.801s

2. Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) +1.914s

3. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +4.453s

4. Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) +5.231s

5. Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +5.531s

6. Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team) +5.899s

Don’t miss WorldWCR Tissot Superpole at 14:10 Local Time (UTC+1) for FREE on the WorldWCR YouTube channel!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s provisional calendar has been revealed with 12 rounds scheduled for the fastest production-based racing Championship in the world. A new venue has a summer debut scheduled, while there’s a different order for some of the fan and rider favourite circuits. After the exceptional 2024 campaign, 2025 is sure to be another season that will live long in the memory. Check out the 12-round calendar in closer detail.

A traditional starting point kicks off the season as the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit hosts the season-opener on the 21^st-23^rd of February. As always, there will be an Official Test in Australia for the WorldSBK and WorldSSP fields leading up to the round, on the 17^th and 18^th of February. From Australia, it’s a trip to Portugal and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in a new March date, taking place from the 28^th-30^th of March. The WorldSSP300 season will also start at the Portuguese venue.

Then it’s a trip to the Netherlands and the iconic TT Circuit Assen on 11^th-13^th of April, where the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship will begin its second season – and race at Assen for the first time. Next up, it’s the first of two trips to Italy in 2025. The Cremona Circuit returns for its second WorldSBK visit, but this time on the 2^nd-4^th of May, before another venue with a different date as the Autodrom Most slots in on the 16^th-18^th of May.

After the Czech Republic visit, it’s back to Italy for the historic Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, which takes place on the 13^th-15^th of June. The circuit where it all started for WorldSBK, Donington Park, follows with a trip to the UK pencilled in for the 11^th-13^th of July. After that, the Balaton Park Circuit is scheduled for the 25^th-27^th of July for its WorldSBK debut as a trip to Hungary awaits.

It’s another frantic end to the season from September onwards. The Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours hosts the Championship in its now-traditional slot on the 5^th-7^th of September, before MotorLand Aragon on the 26^th-28^th of the same month. It’s a double header to end the season with the Circuito Estoril on the 10^th-12^th of October before a spectacular season finale is guaranteed at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto in Spain on the 17^th-19^th of October. 

With the Balaton Park Circuit new to WorldSBK, it is subject to homologation. Click HERE to see the calendar for each class.

21^st-23^rd February: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Australia

28^th-30^th March: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal

11^th-13^th April: TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands

2^nd-4^th May: Cremona Circuit, Italy

16^th-18^th May: Autodrom Most, Czechia

13^th-15^th June: Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Italy

11^th-13^th July: Donington Park, UK

25^th-27^th July: Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary*

5^th-7^th September: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours

26^th-28^th September: MotorLand Aragon, Spain

10^th-12^th October: Circuito Estoril, Portugal

17^th-19^th October: Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, Spain**

*Subject to homologation

** Subject to contract

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Source: WorldSBK.com