The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock is heading to the modern classic venue of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for Round 2 of the 2025 season, and it’s a circuit that has provided plenty of iconic moments ever since it joined the WorldSBK calendar in 2008. Titles have been won and lost, there have been battles that make you leap off your seat and some memorable but emotional moments at the same time.

PORTIMAO’S FIRST ROUND: changing the course of WorldSBK…

2008’s visit to the rollercoaster provided plenty of stories, from the end of one WorldSBK career to the start of another. Troy Bayliss’ final round as a full-time rider took place at Portimao and, despite returning for a couple of rounds in 2015, he signed off in style. He took victory in Race 1 ahead of Carlos Checa by just over two seconds while he also claimed victory in Race 2, beating Ducati teammate Michel Fabrizio by more than 3.5 seconds. On the flip side, Portimao was the start of a World Superbike journey for Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha). He made his debut with Hannspree Ten Kate Honda and put his machine an impressive third on the grid, before finishing fourth in Race 1. It showed a glimpse of what was to come in WorldSBK, with Rea going on to break many WorldSBK records.

A LAST WIN AND A TITLE FOR SPIES: a rookie Champion for Yamaha

Ben Spies arrived in WorldSBK in 2009 and immediately made his mark although he had to overhaul a huge points deficit to win the title. In fact, he trailed Noriyuki Haga by 88 points after Race 2 at Kyalami, the 12^th race of the season, before he slowly started turning the tide. He led the standings a couple of times heading into Portimao, but Haga had a 10-point advantage before Race 1 in the penultimate race of the season. Spies dominated to win and coupled with Haga’s crash, took a 15-point advantage into the final race of 2009. Spies did what he needed to do in Race 2, finishing in fifth, to claim a rookie WorldSBK Championship, and the first Riders’ title for Yamaha, before heading to MotoGP™.

REA’S EPIC COMEBACK: from the third row to victory

In the reverse grid era, the top three from Race 1 started from the third row in Race 2 with the winner lining up ninth. In 2017 and 2018, that meant Rea started from P9 in both of the final races of the weekend. In 2017, the Ulsterman craved his way through the field to claim victory by just under six seconds ahead of Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), while, a year later, it was a similar story. From ninth on the grid, he was in the podium places by the end of Lap 1 before going on to beat van der Mark again; this time, by just over a second.

TITLE RACE TWISTS: Rea crashes twice, Razgatlioglu once, van der Mark wins

The 2021 title race was really heating up between Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), then racing for Yamaha, when WorldSBK headed to Portimao with just 20 points between the pair. That gap suddenly went up after Race 1 when Rea crashed out at Turn 15, with ‘El Turco’ gaining 25 points with victory, with 45 points between the pair. The advantage stretched further again when Rea crashed in the Superpole Race, this time at Turn 13, and Razgatlioglu took P6; the gap up to 49 points. While this was happening, van der Mark mastered tricky mixed conditions to give BMW their first win since 2013. But in the title race… it all changed again in Race 2. The #54 crashed at Turn 15 to end his hopes of a hat-trick, while Rea went on to claim victory. Suddenly, it was game on, with just 24 points between the pair heading to Argentina.

A BATTLE FOR THE AGES: Razgatlioglu takes on Bautista

The 2023 visit to Portimao gave us one of the battles of the year, if not ever, in WorldSBK. Razgatlioglu on the R1 took on Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) on his Ducati Panigale V4 R in a head-to-head fight where they exchanged positions more than 30 times throughout the race. Razgatlioglu utilised his majestic braking technique to stay ahead in the corners while Bautista had the power of his Ducati, making it a battle that got fans off their seats every single lap. In the end, the race came down to the final corner on the last lap, with Bautista just coming out on top.

RAZGATLIOGLU MAKES HISTORY: a record WorldSBK win streak

Razgatlioglu’s move to BMW caused shockwaves through the WorldSBK paddock but, by Portimao in 2024, it was clear ‘El Turco’ had made the right move for him. He headed into the Portuguese Round on the verge of history and he duly made it, with Race 1 his 11^th consecutive win; putting him level with Rea and Bautista. A Tissot Superpole Race win on Sunday meant he held the record outright with his 12^th win in a row, before making it 13 in Race 2. Each win came with a new celebration, from wings, copying an Olympian and going for a well-earned swim in the Portimao pool.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Jason O’Halloran will stand in for Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship visits Portugal for Round 2. O’Halloran rider represents the Japanese brand in the FIM EWC and will replace the six-time Champion for the Pirelli Portuguese Round at the iconic Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, with the Australian no stranger to the Yamaha R1 after racing it in the British championship and getting plenty of miles under his belt ahead of this season’s EWC campaign beginning in a few weeks.

Initially, Yamaha announced that MotoGP™ test rider Augusto Fernandez would replace Rea as he continues his recovery from the foot injuries, he sustained in Australia with the Spaniard taking part in the test on the 14^th and 15^th March. However, during the Argentine Grand Prix, Prima Pramac Yamaha rider Miguel Olivera sustained injuries that have ruled him out of the upcoming Grand Prix of the Americas, with Fernandez now replacing the Portuguese star in MotoGP™ instead at the Circuit of the Americas, which takes place on the same weekend.

That means Yamaha’s WorldSBK effort has been put in the unusual situation of needing to name a new replacement rider at short notice. That has fallen on Australian star O’Halloran, who joined the YART Yamaha EWC team for 2025. O’Halloran is also set to begin a role as a test rider for Yamaha in WorldSBK, although he has yet to ride the WorldSBK-spec bike, and he already has plenty of experience with Yamaha machinery from his time in the British Superbike championship.

The 37-year-old started his BSB career in 2008, with Honda machinery and racked up 15 podiums for the Japanese brand, including victory at Snetterton in 2016. For the 2019 season, the Wollongong, New South Wales, native moved to Yamaha the McAMS Yamaha team and racked up a further 26 victories onboard the Yamaha R1 during his four seasons with the team. He finished as runner-up in the championship standings in 2020 and third in 2021. For the 2024 season, he moved to Kawasaki machinery and took a further win.

However, for 2025, he returned to Yamaha in a different series as he joined the YART outfit for their Endurance World Championship campaign. He replaced the retiring Niccolo Canepa and races alongside Karel Hanika and Marvin Fritz, and, with their testing programme across the winter, has been getting back up to speed on an endurance-spec Yamaha R1 machine while his first taste of the WorldSBK spec bike will come in FP1 at Portimao.

Jason O’Halloran said: “I’m excited to get the opportunity to ride for the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in Portimao while Jonathan continues to recover. I have really enjoyed being back on the R1 in pre-season testing with YART, it’s a bike I’ve always gelled well with, and I had a lot of success with the R1 in BSB, so to try it in full WorldSBK spec is something I’m looking forward to. Of course, heading into a race weekend with no testing is jumping in at the deep end a little bit but I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks! I’d like to thank Yamaha and the team for the opportunity and to wish Jonathan a speedy recovery.”  

Canepa who took on the role of Road Racing Sporting Manager at Yamaha Motor Europe following his retirement, added: “We are really happy to welcome Jason to the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in WorldSBK. He is currently our EWC rider and is also our WorldSBK test rider, but he has not had the chance to ride the bike yet! The Portimao weekend will be a good opportunity to get a first touch of the bike together with our competitors to understand the bike’s level so he can contribute to our development work as we continue to look to improve. Of course, we all know Jason’s speed, he is the most victorious rider for Yamaha in BSB and knows the R1 well in BSB spec, which is very similar to WorldSBK spec, and he also knows the Pirelli tyres. He has been extremely fast in the winter tests with the EWC YART bike so I believe he will have a good race weekend. We are very close to the Le Mans test and race so thanks to YART for allowing us to borrow Jason in this very busy period for them.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The complete list of riders, their bikes, and the teams they represent have been released! many of last year’s top performers are back to fight for FIM Supersport 300 World Championship supremacy, alongside a cadre of new faces.

2024’S TOP RETURNING PERFORMERS: Julio Garcia, Jefferey Buis and others return to battle for the podium

Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) returns for his fourth season competing in WorldSSP300, the -five-time podium-finisher rider returning to Kawasaki machinery after a season riding with Kove in his first full season of WorldSSP300 competition. Among his opposition, is two-time Champion Jefferey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) who returns with his same team, looking to put an exclamation point on his case for the best WorldSSP300 rider of all time, as he already holds the most World Championships with two. Returning for MTM Kawasaki, Mirko Gennai will return for his sixth season in WorldSSP300, earning 14 podiums in that time. ProGP NitRacing will field rookie Felix Putra in 2025.

IN THE HUNT: Several familiar faces return, maintaining their continuity with their 2024 teams

Marco Gaggi will return for his fourth full season with Team BrCorse atop their Yamaha R3, alongside Elia Bartolini in what will be his second season in WorldSSP300. Both riders were frequently in the top ten in 2024 and will look to improve on that watermark in 2025. Pepe Osuna (ZAPPAS-DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) returns for his second season with the team, being joined by Uriel Hidalgo. Returning to ride alongside Jeffery Buis, German rider Phillip Tonn is back with Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing in 2025. Unai Catalyud returns for ARCO MotorR University Team, this year joined full-time by Gonzalo Sanchez who took part in 2024 only as a wildcard entry. After getting his chance with Team ProDina XCI as a replacement rider in 2024, Antonio Torres has punched his ticket onto the WorldSSP300 grid and now will compete alongside David Salvador. Entering his fourth season in 2025, Italian rider Matteo Vannucci will look to get back on the horse after a 19^th place finish in 2024, a step back after a fifth-place finish in 2023. Giacomo Zannini returns atop Kawasaki machinery for the second time in his two-year WorldSSP300 career, he will look to build on his 2024 season as he struggled to find his footing with their package. Rounding out Accolade Smrz Racing BGR’s pairing, Czech rider Filip Novotny returns to race alongside Kevin Sabatucci in 2025. After appearing for a single round in 2024, Portuguese rider Tomas Alonso returns for Pons Motosport Italka Racing. After making a one-round appearance in 2024 for Racestar Trasimeno, Emanuele Cazzaniga has earned a full-time spot on the team, representing them as their sole rider. Uriel Hidalgo (ZAPPAS-DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) will return to the grid, this time as a permanent fixture to the grid. Representing Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing, Kevin Fontainha will return for his third year in World Supersport 300.

A NEW LOOK: Some riders opted for a change in scenery, shaking up the grid by changing teams

David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) will compete this season atop new Kawasaki machinery after his 2024 rookie year spent riding on a Yamaha with DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team. Making the inverse move, Juan Risueno has moved from Kawasaki GP Project’s Kawasaki Ninja to MS Racing’s Yamaha R3. Changing teams, while staying with the same platform, Aussie rider Carter Thompson moved from Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM- Kawasaki to MTM Kawasaki. Thompson impressed fans and other teams alike with his two podiums across just his 8 races. Thompson’s 2024 teammate, Petr Svoboda made a move of his own, joining the Kawasaki Junior Team by MTM. Svoboda is not the only rider who will feature for that team, he will be joined by Roberto Fernandez, who joined from Arco Sash MotoR University Team after competing with them in 2024 as a substitute rider.

Kevin Sabatucci will join Czech team Accolade Funds Smrz Racing BGR and their Kawasaki bike after competing in 2024 with Team Flembbo-PL Performances. Lastly, Humberto Maier will move from MS Racing to Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing. Re-joining WorldSSP300 after winning the FIM Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup last year, Mallorcan rider Marc Vich returns to the grid with wind in his sails. Emiliano Ercolani made the jump from Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team to Team Kawasaki GP Project. While he rode with Arco Sash MotoR University Team as a replacement in 2024, 2025 brings change for Roberto Fernandez. The Madrid native has changed teams to Kawasaki Junior Team by MTM where he will race for the first time with Kawasaki in WorldSSP300.

WORLDSSP300’s ROOKIES: Felix Putra, Benat Fernandez and Cameron Swain join the WorldSSP300 grid

Australian 16-year-old rider Cam Swain brings experience from Australian Supersport 300, Asian Talent Cup, and most recently, a 9th place finish in the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup. Benat Fernandez will ride this season’s only Kove 321 RR-S, the Spanish rider from San Sebastian hoping to start his career in this class on a strong note.

Watch all of this season’s upcoming WorldSSP300 action either live with race broadcasts or full session uploads to watch it on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

On the heels of a difficult season opening weekend in Phillip Island, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team knew their work was cut out for them. 2024’s defending Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu looked a step slower than his usual self, and Michael van der Mark struggled to place within the scoring positions, landing a pair of P14’s in Race 2 and the Tissot Superpole Race after a Turn 1 crash ruled him out of Race 1. Fortunately for the German team, at Portimao test event held March 14-15^th ahead of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Pirelli Portuguese Round seemed to bear fruit with a step forward in terms of pace and feeling.

On top of what was already a complicated preseason thanks to poor weather across both testing events first in Jerez then in Portimao; BMW was dealt a tough hand as they needed that time on track more than most in order to fine-tune their newly homologated M 1000 RR. Phillip Island has never been a particularly strong circuit for either rider, as only Toprak has won one race there, and that sole race win was in 2020 during his time with Yamaha. This 2025 season-opening trip Down Under was fraught with issues as both riders seemed to struggle with the new bike.

“The team has made clear progress, and we’re seeing growing confidence in both riders.” – Muir on his rider’s progress since Australia

In Portimao however, BMW look to have turned a new leaf, with both riders not only being fast, but consistently fast. Both riders prior in their careers have enjoyed more success at Portimao than at Phillip Island. Michael van der Mark won the Superpole Race here in 2021. Toprak for his part has won six races here and earned rostrum finishes another 7 times. BMW Team Manager Shaun Muir was pleased to see the progress exhibited by his riders.

“We’re back in Portimao, which has always been a strong reference for us,” said Muir. “Despite some lost track time due to the weather, both riders managed an average of 50 laps per day, so we can’t be too disappointed. Michael had a solid test, working through a list of setup items and making steady progress. On the other side of the garage, Toprak focused on re-establishing his base setting, quickly finding a strong race pace while fine-tuning his setup. His 10-lap race runs have been some of the most consistent we’ve seen with this package. With only three fully productive pre-season test days before Australia, these two days have been an important extension of that work. The team has made clear progress, and we’re seeing growing confidence in both riders. Now, with two weeks until the race, we feel we have a solid base to build on and are in a much stronger position heading into FP1.”

“Both riders in the top four with consistent lap times was a big step forward” – Gonschor on Portimao’s Day 2 results

While the new M 1000 RR platform certainly still lacks polish, and there is more to yet improve, the test results after Day 2 in Portimao certainly seems to have put wind in BMW’s sails. While rain again made an appearance in Portimao across both days of testing, both days had at least a portion of the day in which the track was dry, a key for BMW’s mission to return to their 2024 form. While it is of course uncertain the weather which will be present in two weeks’ time for the race weekend, it is certainly a good sign for the German manufacturer’s factory team that their riders are closer to being back on pace for their stated goal of winning both the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ Championship this year. BMW Motorrad Technical Director Chris Gonschor gave his impressions following their positive finish after two days of testing in Portimao.

Gonschor said: “We are happy to be back in Europe, back in Portimao after a successful race last year. It’s a beautiful track, and luckily, we had some sun. It was a bit more complicated again, but we got some dry laps in, and we could prepare the race bikes for the weekend. We are looking forward to the race. Both riders in the top four with consistent lap times was a big step forward. Coming back to Portimao is always great, and this rollercoaster racetrack is very demanding—for the riders, for the engineers—but fascinating for the fans. So, it’s perfect to be here, and it was good to have, like I said, a few hours in dry conditions to prepare the race setup and application.”

Can BMW follow these results up with success at WorldSBK’s favourite rollercoaster? Tune in live or watch it on-demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com