Razgatlioglu beats Lowes brothers on Friday at Most, Bulega fourth despite massive FP1 highside

BIMOTA IN PODIUM CONTENTION? Alex Lowes third, Bassani seveth…

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) led the Bimota charge on Friday in Czechia, finishing third with a 1’31.607s, lapping around three tenths back from pacesetter Razgatlioglu as he showed strong pace. Teammate Axel Bassani put both KB998 Rimini machines in the top ten as he claimed seventh with a 1’31.738s, just a tenth back from his teammate but with four riders between the Bimota duo.

TRICKY DAY FOR YAMAHA: three riders crash, Locatelli leads the way

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was one of several crashers in FP1, when he crashed at Turn 17, but he was back out on track in FP2 as he claimed ninth place in the combined classification, with teammate Jonathan Rea four places behind the #55; Rea also crashed in FP1, at Turn 8. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) has shown impressive speed at Most and finished the day in 14th place, ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in 15th; the Australian had a crash at Turn 21 in FP1. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Tito Rabat (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished the day in 19th and 21st respectively.

HONDAS AS CLOSE AS EVER: Vierge just pips Lecuona

As is often the case at Honda, Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge were close on the timesheets – to the point where, with seven minutes remaining, they’d both posted a 1’32.065s. However, in the final seconds, Vierge improved to a 1’32.014s to just move clear of Lecuona, although they finished P10 and P11 respectively. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) finished in 20th while Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) was 22nd; the Malaysian rider had an early crash in FP2 at Turn 10 but was able to re-join the session.

GERLOFF CLOSE TO THE TOP TEN: just half-a-tenth away…

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) finished in 16th as the sole Kawasaki rider on the grid, although, with a condensed field in FP2, was 1.2 seconds off the pace however, finding two tenths would move him up to 12th place.

The top six from Friday’s WorldSBK action, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’31.318s

2. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.224s

3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.289s

4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.375s

5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.403s

6. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.409s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Mahias masters wet Most for first pole in six years, De Rosa takes QJMOTOR’s first top-six Superpole result

Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) claimed his first pole since 2019 at the Motul Czech Round’s opening FIM Supersport World Championship Tissot Superpole session. Following Mahias across the line was Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) and Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) to form Race 1’s front row. With their best results of the season so far, Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) and Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing) stepped up their game in the wet, earning P5 and P6 respectively at the Autodrom Most.

MAHIAS FINDS ANOTHER GEAR: Claims first pole since Misano 2019

Rain fell in the early afternoon ahead of the Superpole session, limiting riders’ pace until later in the session as the track continued to dry. As time ticked down in the session, lap times decreased as well. After many provisional pole position changes, by the chequered flag Mahias came out on top with a 1’38.142s lap, almost six tenths of a second clear of his rivals. Oncu claimed second on the timesheet with his time of 1’38.733s, followed by Debise, who led most of the session’s early running to finish P3 with a time of 1’38.809s.

DE ROSA MAKES HISTORY WITH QJMOTOR: The Italian earned the Chinese manufacturer their best-ever placement

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) placed P4 in the Superpole with his time of 1’38.983s not quite fast enough to land a front-row starting spot, but just 0.174s off front-row pace. Oettl in P5 had his best result of his season so far, his 1’39.016s potentially a springboard to get his first WorldSSP season back on track. Raffaele De Rosa earned QJMOTOR their best result in their two years of competition, not only their first top ten, but their first top six starting spot.

BOOTH-AMOS FOR THIRD ROW: P8 for the British rider

Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) was one of the fastest in the wetter early running, but as session went on, he and his 1’39.252s was shuffled to P7 by the end of the session. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) was slower than his normally-pacey self in the wet, his time of 1’39.319s landing him P8. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME Air Racing) finished in P9 with a time of 1’39.345s.

LUKE POWER CRASHES OUT: The Australian rider crashed early but returned to place P18

Luke Power (Motozoo ME Air Racing) had the first crash of the session, taking a spill into the gravel on Turn 13 but later returned to the track. Shortly after, Wildcard rider Filip Fiegl (Genius Racing by Motolife) crashed out in Turn 20. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) had a late lowside crash which forced him to ride back to the pits and miss the rest of the session.

The top six from the WorldSSP Superpole session, full results here!

1. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) 1’31.143s
2. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +0.590s
3. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +0.666s
4. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.840s
5. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.873s
6. Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing) +1.086s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Iannone declared unfit for remainder of Most weekend after FP1 highside

‘The Maniac’ crashed on the exit of Turn 21 and, after review, was declared unfit with fractures to the third and fourth toes in his right foot

Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) will take no further part in the Motul Czech Round after his highside in Free Practice 1 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. ‘The Maniac’ crashed on the exit of Turn 21 in the opening 45-minute session for WorldSBK at the Autodrom Most before he was taken to the medical centre for a check-up. Following an assessment, Iannone was declared unfit and diagnosed with fractures to the third and fourth toes in his right foot.

Iannone has had a mixed season so far in WorldSBK as he enters his second campaign. He took two podiums at the season-opening Australian Round but has largely struggled since then to fight for the rostrum places. His best result since Round 2 was a P4 at Cremona in Race 1, although that his only top-four finish since WorldSBK left Australia.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Razgatlioglu leads Petrucci in disrupted FP1 at Most, Bulega suffers big highside at Turn 6

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s opening session of the weekend was heavily disrupted by four red flags at the Autodrom Most. The Most Czech Round kicked off in dramatic fashion as Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) topped the times as the only rider in the 1’31s bracket, while his title rival, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), suffered a heavy crash in the second half of the 45-minute session.

It was a slow start to the 45-minute session after overnight rain left the track wet but drying, with the previous WorldSSP FP session helping to clear some of the lingering water. Times rapidly improved throughout the four-time red-flagged session. Razgatlioglu led the way with a 1’31.697s as he lapped more than half-a-second clear of his rivals. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed second place with a 1’32.241s as he lapped more than half-a-second slower than Razgatlioglu, but he usurped Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) before the fourth and final red flag was shown, ending the session around four minutes early.

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) finished fourth ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in fifth, but the #11 had a session-ending crash with around 13 minutes remaining. The Championship leader fell heavily after a highside at Turn 6 with Bulega launched off his bike. He was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) ensured both BMW riders were in the top six as he claimed P6 with a 1’32.069s.

Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) was P7 as Honda continued to show strong pace after he lapped the Autodrom Most in 1’32.635s, finishing a tenth ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) who was the lead Yamaha rider. However, ‘Loka’ had a highside at Turn 17 with brought out the final red flag with four minutes to go. Turkish rider Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) impressed as he secured ninth place.

Rea’s session came to an early end when he crashed at Turn 8 with around 15 minutes gone in the session. The six-time Champion lost the rear of his Yamaha R1 machine, sliding into the gravel trap between Turns 8 and 9. The incident briefly brought out the red flags due to gravel on the track at Turn 9, allowing the marshals to clear it up. A second red flag was shown around 10 minutes later following a crash for Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven), with ‘The Maniac’ highsiding at the final corner, while Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) also crashed at the same corner. Iannone was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following his fall, as was Gardner.

The top six from FP1 at Most, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’31.687s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.554s

3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.793s

4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.819s

5. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.879s

6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.922s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Fuel flow adjustment for Ducati and BMW following Concession Checkpoint 2

Following the conclusion of the third and fourth MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rounds, corresponding to Concession Checkpoint 2, the FIM has evaluated the manufacturers’ performance using the MSMA algorithm, as outlined in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Regulations.

According to Article 2.4.3.2 of the FIM WorldSBK Regulations – Overperformance Penalisation – BMW’s performance values have exceeded the -0.250 threshold but remain above the -0.500 limit. As a result, BMW falls within the range that triggers a Step 1 Fuel Flow reduction.

In accordance with Article 2.4.3 (h) – Concessions and Super Concessions – Ducati has accumulated more than twelve Concession points over the next highest manufacturer at the checkpoint, thereby exceeding the allowed margin. Consequently, Ducati will also receive a Step 1 Fuel Flow reduction, in line with Article 2.4.2.2.

As per Article 2.4.2.2 of the SBK Regulations, a Step 1 Fuel Flow reduction equates to a decrease of 0.5 kg/h. As both Ducati and BMW had already been subject to a previous fuel flow reduction, each will now face a cumulative penalty of 1.0 kg/h in maximum fuel flow.

The FIM will continue to monitor manufacturers’ performance at each Concession Checkpoint to ensure a balanced and competitive Championship.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

SILLY SEASON FOR THE 2026 GRID: Razgatlioglu, Bulega and Bautista futures up in the air as riders start being confirmed

The grid for the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has a few pieces of the puzzle confirmed but many more riders do not yet have their future confirmed, including the top three in the Championship. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), teammate Alvaro Bautista, and Toprak Razgatlioglu do not yet have their 2026 plans as the talk about next season ramps up just as much as this year’s title battle.

CONFIRMED FOR 2026: just a few riders…

The first riders to be announced for 2026 were the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Duo of Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, who had their futures announced heading into the Czech Round in mid-May, with the pair being secured for next season. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) is also contracted for next year at the Independent Ducati-powered Motocorsa Racing outfit, having signed with the team for 2025 and 2026 when he joined them. Beyond that, no factory riders have their future announced, the make-up of the grid is unknown with the majority of the grid out of contract.

OUT OF CONTRACT: everyone’s futures up in the air

While three riders have been confirmed for 2026, that means most haven’t – including Champions and title contenders. Razgatlioglu is approaching the end of his two-year BMW deal and there has been no announcement about his future yet, likewise Bulega at the factory Ducati squad. Bautista signed a one-year deal last year, so his future is unknown at this point. Looking up the grid, six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) is also out of contract. Teammate Andrea Locatelli, WorldSBK’s newest race winner, is also out of contract.

At Honda HRC, both Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have shown good pace in 2025 and will hope that secures them a spot for 2026. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and teammate Dominique Aegerter are both searching for a spot as is Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) following his move to Kawasaki. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) is also yet to have his future confirmed, meaning all but two factory seats are up for grabs for 2026.

In terms of Independent riders, everyone bar Vickers out of contract for 2026, including race winners Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven), plus podium contenders such as Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) as well as all four rookies on the 2025 grid.

WHAT’S BEEN SAID SO FAR: “Kenan’s still talking to other brands…”

The Czech Round is where talk of the future started ramping up and several riders spoke about 2026. Razgatlioglu said his future is still undecided as manager and mentor Kenan Sofuoglu is “still talking to other brands”, while Bautista announced his intention to race in 2026 but is waiting for an answer from the team. As for teammate Bulega, the #11 stated his goal was to stay with Ducati. Rea also spoke about his future, giving a one-word answer when asked if there was an update: “No”.

Confirmed 2026 grid so far

Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team – Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani

Motocorsa Racing – Ryan Vickers

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Bautista confirms intention to race in WorldSBK in 2026: “I’m waiting for their answer…”

The last few weeks have seen the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship 2026 grid rumour mill start to spin; the latest news is that Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has confirmed his desire to continue with the Ducati factory team after speculation about his future. He had previously left the issue up in the air with vague answers in the past, both he and his team being intentionally vague about their intentions with each other to the media. Ahead of the Motul Czech Round at Autodrom Most, Bautista has now clarified his willingness to remain in red for 2026.

INTENTIONS CLEAR: Bautista wants to race in 2026

The combination of his lukewarm responses about his desire to race next season in 2026, and his struggles to keep pace with teammate Nicolo Bulega and rival Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led to widespread speculation about the rider from Madrid. A theme seen across his past answers on the issue is how he feels when riding. He’s said before that when he is no longer enjoying his feeling of his bike, he will start to consider stepping away. As his form has improved however, his tone has lightened, to the point that now he’s clarified that he is in for 2026, and that the ball is in his team’s court.

When asked whether there was an update on his future ahead of the Czech Round, Bautista said: “To be honest, I have an agreement with Ducati for 2025 and 2026, I just need to say yes from my side and the team needs to say yes from theirs, but the agreement is already signed. I have confirmed with the team that I want to keep racing in 2026, and now I’m just waiting for their answer.”

GOOD CONFIDENCE FOR THE #19: can he keep his podium streak going?

So far in 2025, it has been head-to-head duel between Bulega and Razgatlioglu, and while Bautista has been gobbling up podiums, he has yet to shuffle aside Bulega or Razgatlioglu to claim a race win. His sole race result above P3 was a P2 in Race 2 at Assen, benefitting from a Bulega tech issue. He has however been the clear third-fastest rider on the grid so far this season, no small feat considering the strong form this season from riders like Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). Heading into Most, he is riding high on a 5-podium streak, a feather in the cap of the two-time Champion.

Discussing his thoughts for Most, the Spaniard added: “After Cremona, we’re in a good state, building up good confidence on the bike, fortunately the bike is working really well this year on the track, at least very consistent. It’s been nice getting similar feedback from different tracks. This track is very different from Cremona, and the weather will be a bit different, so just going to try to start on Friday working with the bike and pick up on the feeling I’ve had in previous rounds. We’ll work to try to understand the new tyres Pirelli is bringing in order to understand which are the best for race day.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

OUTSPOKEN AHEAD OF MOST: "My future is still quiet because Kenan’s still talking with some brands…"

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid have gathered at the Autodrom Most for Round 5 of the 2025 season as the Czech Republic hosts the action. Riders spoke on Thursday at the Motul Czech Round to provide updates on their future, discuss their goals for Most, and adjustments to the fuel flow regulations following the latest concession checkpoint. Read the hottest quotes from Most below.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “My future is still quiet because Kenan’s still talking with some brands”

Discussing his record at Most, his goals, and his future, Razgatlioglu said: “I’m really happy because I love this circuit and we’re very strong. This year isn’t like last year. Everything is different. Friday is very important. I hope my feeling on the bike is good as I need a good setup for the race because we use the SC1 rear tyre, the harder tyre. Last year, we had a very good weekend and this year, I hope we’re fighting for the win. My target is three wins. I don’t care about fuel flow; I’m just focused on my job. When I saw the changes, I was smiling because my bike is faster than the Yamaha and maybe the Bimota, but not faster than Ducati. Rules are rules. My future is still quiet because Kenan’s still talking with some brands, but we will see, maybe one or two weeks later. This weekend is very important for me, and I need to win again.”

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “My goal is to stay with Ducati… I’m only 25, I’d like to think about the future”

Explaining how he’s affected by changes to fuel flow, while also talking about his future, Bulega said: “I’m happy to race after Cremona. We had great results there and it was a fantastic weekend for me, but here, it will be perhaps more difficult because Toprak is always very strong. This year is a different story compared to last year. On paper, Toprak here is very strong but also other riders. Cremona was my worst track and I won three races. It’s difficult to predict a result. For my smooth riding style, fuel flow adjustments are not easy because our bike started to be more nervous, especially when we have to change gear. When we have to change gear with an angle, it’s not easy because the bike is dirtier. For my riding style, it’s not so easy to adapt. My goal is to stay with Ducati because they gave me a great opportunity to become a great WorldSBK rider. I am only 25, I would like to think about the future. We’re talking and we’ll see. I want to stay focused on WorldSBK because I’m racing here, and my goal is to try to win the Championship this year and next year.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I confirmed to the team that I want to keep racing for ’26 and now I’m waiting for their answer”

Announcing his intention to race next year, Bautista stated: “After Cremona, we are in a good way. We’re building up good confidence on the bike. This year, the bike is working well at all tracks, at least consistently, so I can have the same feedback at every track. Most is not an easy track, there are a lot of demanding areas with changes of direction. Last year, I remember that the results were bad but the feeling with the bike improved compared to the other rounds. I’m confident that this year, we can replicate that performance, or even improve it, because this season, at every track, the times are quicker than other seasons. The performance of the bike is not the same when you have to reduce the fuel consumption, but we are trying to feel it as little as possible. To be honest, I have an agreement with Ducati. We had one for ’25 and ’26, but we just have to say yes from my side and Ducati’s side. The agreement is already signed. I confirmed to the team that I want to keep racing for ’26 and now I’m waiting for their answer. Let’s see in the next days or weeks when I have the answer from them.”

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team): “. I feel like I have a little bit of a point to prove with the track”

In-form rider Lowes spoke about the possibility of redemption at Most, after a crash here last year. He said: “I was really happy with the Sunday at Cremona; I wasn’t feeling so good, so it was a really positive day. Looking forward to getting back at Most. Last year it was a good weekend for the first time here, but it’s where I had the crash and hurt my shoulder, so it ruined my year a little bit. I think redemption is nice added motivation, but the first goal will be just to continue like the first few races, in the top four or five. The weather could play a little bit of a part, it could rain at some point. I feel like I have a little bit of a point to prove with the track. I think I already have 21 more points than last year, so it’s obviously a lot better than my rookie season! I feel a lot better on the and bike and nearly able to ride it how I want. I’d give it an 8/10 so far, maybe an 8.5 at some weekends. I’ve been in the Marc VDS team for a long time. My first target will be to stay there for another season; from last season to this, we’ve made a big step. I’ll have to ask them a little bit! My plan is stay on a Ducati but, at the minute, not too much to say. In the next weeks, we’ll know a lot more.”

Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “If I could come away from Most feeling good with the bike, riding the bike in the proper way… that would be something to be satisfied with”

After returning from injury at Cremona, Rea spoke about his hopes for Most: “Cremona was a lot worse physically on the bike, but I was going to have that pain no matter when I started the season. Although the results and the feeling weren’t amazing, it was 100x better than sitting on the sofa at home! I expect an easier weekend, but without expectations for results. It’s a long time to be off from the bike, with such a good feeling in the winner to miss three complete rounds, and testing, it was hard to jump in at a circuit I didn’t know. I know Most. I’m still getting up to speed with the bike and find the feeling. I had a good feeling here last year. I know it’s not going to be a long way back, but we have to get back to showing our full potential because with the injury, it was impossible. I’d be satisfied to do a full race weekend, no mistakes, and build into some consistency. If I could come away from Most feeling good with the bike, riding the bike in the proper way and making the correct adjustments, that would be something to be satisfied with. With the plates inside my foot, and you walk on every moment, two of the metatarsals are fused together, so it offsets a lot of the force and pain; until I get those plates out, I’m going to have that. We need to check in the summer break if there’s enough gap or if it needs to be done at the end of the season.”

Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC): “About the future, I don’t really care, I know what I can do on the bike”

Lecuona spoke about his future, saying: “My intention is to keep working at home, here, I know I can win and fight for the top positions so that is my target. I am not thinking about a anything else, my manager has said he won’t tell me anything until summer, so I don’t know anything, but I don’t want to know anything. I’m starting to feel good and work on myself, so let’s see what happens in the future but for now the focus is on the work. About the future, I don’t really care, I know what I can do on the bike. Even with the bad luck with injuries that I’ve had, I’ve had the capacity to get good results, so I know I’m not at my limit. I’m honestly not thinking about the future, I’m thinking about a Most because we’re here, but next time I’ll be thinking about the test, after that, Donington.”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “A factory bike is a dream, but I can’t complain with what I have now, because my bike is faster than many factory bikes”

Petrucci is hoping the harder tyre allocation will suit him more, saying: “Cremona wasn’t like I wanted, and we faced some difficulties and bad luck. This made especially Saturday a difficult day. It was good to recover to P4 in Race 2, and we come here to Most with good feelings; we know we can be on the podium. The tyre allocation is more suitable for me, on the harder part of the compounds. We move away from the pressure we had at Cremona and here is one of the best tracks for us. We want to fight for the podium. Still nothing on my future. A factory bike is a dream, but I can’t complain with what I have now, because my bike is faster than many factory bikes. I found myself really well with Barni, so maybe there’s a chance to race together next year.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “Like Assen and Portimao, we were able to get podiums, so why not try again in this round?”

Locatelli is aiming for the top five but doesn’t rule out a podium at Most: “The Cremona race was not a good weekend for us for a lot of reasons. I think we understand what the main problem was. Until we go on track, we cannot see if the bike is working better or not, but we think we understand what the problem is. I don’t spend time thinking about others, just myself and try to find a solution about my problem. Maybe the other bikes had some problems, but my feeling was bigger on this problem. It’s good to know what happened and why. It’s a good track for us, we’ve been on the podium here in the past, so why not again? We need to work well and prepare well. The top five is the minimum target that I would like to say. Like Assen and Portimao, we were able to get podiums, so why not try again in this round?”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

BIMOTA’S CONTINUITY FOR 2026: Alex Lowes and Bassani stay with the Italian brand for next season

bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team’s riders have enjoyed a vote of confidence from their team in their endeavour to return the manufacturer to WorldSBK glory. Both riders, Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes have been re-signed by their team for 2026. Their brand-new KB998 Rimini has proven a capable platform so far in its maiden 2025 season, propelling the pair of riders to place within the top 10. Even going back to preseason testing, both riders have been remarkably even, frequently crossing the finish line within close proximity of each other; finishing within one position of each other 7 times across this season’s 12 races so far. Both riders enjoyed their best result of the season so far at Assen, Bassani finishing the race in P5 ahead of his running mate Lowes in P6.

“Everyone is working hard – both on and off the track – and I am proud to be part of the story” – Alex Lowes on his team’s quest for success

Having joined World Superbike back in 2011 as a replacement rider aboard a Honda for just four races, his WorldSBK career began in earnest in 2014 when he landed a full-time seat with Suzuki. After two years with Suzuki, taking a trio of podiums in that time, the Lincoln native moved to Yamaha machinery, racing aboard the Yamaha R1 from 2016-2019. Those years with Yamaha were some of the most successful of his career up to this point, earning 17 podiums and his first WorldSBK race win in 2018 at Brno. 2020-2024 saw Lowes join his previous manufacturer before Bimota, Kawasaki, where he has enjoyed some of his career’s best form, earning 22 podiums and three race wins across the five seasons. 2025 has brought his teammate Bassani and his Provec Racing team to the new bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team project together, continuity which has seemed to pay dividends in their good form even at this early juncture. In total, Lowes has accumulated the fourth-most race starts in WorldSBK history, only behind Tom Sykes, Troy Corser, and Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha).

On the progress he’s seen atop their KB998 Rimini, Lowes said: “I am really happy to continue this project that we have started together with Bimota and Kawasaki. We have a lot of work to do but our target is to bring the KB998 Rimini consistently to the front in WorldSBK racing. It’s still in the early stages of development but everyone is working hard – both on and off the track – and I am proud to be part of the story. Every race or test is a chance to keep moving forward. I’m very motivated for us to achieve some great success together. I want to say a big thank you to the team, bimota and KMC for the support and trust they have shown in me.”

“I’m really happy to continue this project into 2026, I know that both the team and I can still grow a lot” – Bassani on he and his team’s potential for improvement

Having joined WorldSBK in 2021, Bassani started his career in the Championship aboard Ducati machinery, where he raced for three seasons, earning six podiums. 2024 brought with it a change to Kawasaki, where he raced alongside Lowes for the first time. Bassani is 8 years junior to Lowes, and while he has still much to learn, the Italian rider has looked to have taken big strides this offseason particularly with addressing his struggles in Superpole events, where he struggled to place in the higher grid positions, setting him back in the subsequent races. In 2025 however, Bassani has been the faster of the two so far but by slim margins, both riders will look to continue collecting data for their teams and taking steps forward not only this season, but now into 2026.

On the feeling he has about the new Bimota racing project, Bassani said: “I am really very happy to continue this project into 2026 sure in the knowledge that both the team and I can still grow a lot and meet some important goals together. I thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the people who support me and make all this possible – my sponsors, managers, fan clubs and family. Thanks also to Bimota and Kawasaki for the support and trust they have shown. Now we will stay focused to finish this 2025 season in the best possible way and start charging again for 2026.”

“Confirming Alex and Axel enables us to move forward without distraction and with a clear direction. There’s still a big job ahead of us – but we’re ready for it.” – Team Manager Guim Roda on his team’s outlook on 2025 and 2026

bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team Manager  Guim Roda has been consistent in his measured stance towards this season’s objectives, he has stressed the fact that this project is a new one, and while good results are encouraging, and certainly a testament to the skill of their riders, their KB998 is very much a work in progress that, in time, they feel will be one of the top bikes in the competition. On their rider announcement, Roda said: “The extension of rider agreements from KMC, Bimota, and BbKRT was clear and straightforward. Alex and Axel have been doing an outstanding job this season and the progress they’ve made with the KB998 Rimini is undeniable. Their true level of performance goes beyond what the current results might suggest, but this is something that must be understood within the context of this project’s development phase. We are in the middle of an evolving process, using race activities as a key part of development. Our plan is to continue this work through the 2025 and 2026 WorldSBK seasons. We’ve asked the riders to stay fully focused and give their maximum effort, even if it means sacrificing personal achievements for the greater good of the project. Anyone with an understanding of racing can recognise their value. Kawasaki and Bimota are fully committed to doing everything possible within the constraints of the regulations. Confirming Alex and Axel early this year enables us to move forward without distraction and with a clear direction. There’s still a big job ahead of us – but we’re ready for it.”

Tune in to witness the progress being made by the returning manufacturer after more than a decade out of the competition! Stream races or watch on-demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 30% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Introducing a new entry class: World Sportbike

The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and WorldSBK are delighted to reveal the name of the new entry-level racing category: World Sportbike, which will debut in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2026.

World Sportbike is set to succeed the World Supersport 300 class, which has provided an accessible and competitive stepping stone for emerging talent since its introduction in 2017. Building upon the foundations laid by World Supersport 300, World Sportbike aims to further streamline the path for young riders transitioning towards World Supersport.

Featuring agile motorcycles with mid-tier capacity engines, this new category promises exciting competition and enhanced opportunities for manufacturers, teams, and riders alike.

As we celebrate this exciting development, we proudly look back on the exceptional achievements of WorldSSP300. Notably, Ana Carrasco made history in 2018 as the first woman to win a motorcycle circuit racing world championship, becoming an inspiration worldwide. Adrian Huertas showcased the value of the category as a talent incubator, clinching the WorldSSP300 title in 2021 before successfully progressing to WorldSSP and securing another World Championship in 2024. Aldi Mahendra also made headlines last year as the first-ever Indonesian rider to claim a motorcycle racing world title, illustrating the global reach and influence of this remarkable class.

As the final World Supersport 300 season takes place in 2025, teams and manufacturers prepare their World Sportbike debut, with additional details regarding technical specifications and sporting regulations for World Sportbike to be released in due course.

Tune in to catch the final season of World Supersport 300 action! Stream it live or watch on demand via the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 30% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com