Another top six result for Xavi Vierge was backed up by seventh-place in Race 2, while Pata Maxus Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli converted a Superpole Race P9 into an eighth-place fightback at the TT Circuit Assen for Round 3 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in the Netherlands, today. Despite cold temperatures and the threat of rain, both the Superpole Race this morning and Race 2 took place in dry conditions. Vierge kicked of the 10-lap sprint with a strong sta

Andrea Locatelli performed strongly to secure a sixth-place finish in Race 1 of the Dutch Round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship at TT Circuit Assen today, as teammate Xavi Vierge’s hopes of turning a fine fifth-place qualifying to an equally strong result were put on hold until tomorrow after a challenging 21-Laps. Another frenetic and tightly-contested Superpole session this morning saw Vierge start from the second row of the grid for the first WorldSBK race of

Pata Maxus Yamaha’s Xavi Vierge enjoyed a strong start in Free Practice during the opening day of Round 3 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen today, as Andrea Locatelli continued work to return to the fight at the front. Mild and sunny temperatures in the Netherlands were welcomed by the WorldSBK class, as track action got underway in earnest. Vierge picked up where he left off at the previous round in Portugal, sitting fifth overall after Fre

Pata Maxus Yamaha and the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship head towards Round 3 in the Netherlands, at TT Circuit Assen from 17-19 April, with the team’s highly motivated riders Andrea Locatelli and Xavi Vierge eager to get started. The “Cathedral of Speed” holds special memories for Locatelli, who celebrated his maiden WorldSBK win at the famous circuit in 2025 in style, with an emphatic triumph in Race 2. The Italian is no stranger to the podium in Holland, having also

Andrea Locatelli showed positive signs of returning to form with a fighting ninth-place finish in Race 2, as Pata Maxus Yamaha teammate Xavi Vierge demonstrated the potential to deliver his best result of the weekend at the second round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in Portugal, today. In front of an enthusiastic Portuguese crowd of over 82,000 people, the highest attendance seen at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for WorldSBK, fans were treated to two

After a challenging start to the season, Xavi Vierge stormed to a strong sixth-place finish in Race 1 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for Round 2 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in Portugal today.  The Spaniard qualified sixth on the grid in this morning’s Superpole session, earning himself a second row start for the main WorldSBK feature race at Portimão – and when the lights went out, Vierge worked to follow the podium trio as well as manage pressur

Xavi Vierge found promising race pace on board his Yamaha R1 WorldSBK in Friday Free Practice on the opening day of Round 2 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in Portugal today, while Pata Maxus Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli identified areas to improve for tomorrow. The first day of action at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portimao) got underway in clear, sunny conditions with track temperatures reaching more than 40°C this afternoon. Vierge led the way

Action returns to the Algarve this weekend as Xavi Vierge and Andrea Locatelli line up for the second round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship with Pata Maxus Yamaha at Portimão, from 27-29 March. “The Rollercoaster” also known officially as the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, has seen some incredible fights in the WorldSBK category – with Yamaha’s official riders in the mix. Locatelli has enjoyed three podiums at the venue since 2021, and has always been a str

After challenging conditions earlier this week, Pata Maxus Yamaha and its Official WorldSBK riders Xavi Vierge and Andrea Locatelli remained in Portimão to take advantage of clear weather at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve today. Leading the charge and completing 74 laps on the final day of the test was 28-year-old Vierge, whose running plan included refining the base set-up of the #97 Yamaha R1 WorldSBK to further match his riding style in advance of the second round

Andrea Locatelli came through from 15th on the grid to a fighting fifth-place finish in Race 2 at Phillip Island, concluding Round 1 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in Australia, today. The strong result from the rain-soaked final feature of the weekend was a silver lining in a difficult opening round for Yamaha’s Official WorldSBK Team. A disappointing 14th-place finish in the dry Superpole Race this morning was not enough for the team’s #55 rider to improve his

Xavi Vierge led the charge for Pata Maxus Yamaha on the first race day of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship, until an unexpected high-side ended his potential for a top-eight finish at Phillip Island in Australia today. The Spaniard qualified on the third row of the grid in his debut race for Yamaha’s Official Team, having found more confidence on his R1 WorldSBK in Free Practice 3 this morning. With a good race start as the lights went out this afternoon, Vierge was

Xavi Vierge and Andrea Locatelli began the first round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in earnest with Friday Free Practice at Phillip Island in Australia today. An additional Pirelli tyre option for the race weekend, differing from the test earlier in the week, meant a new “starting position” for both Pata Maxus Yamaha riders when the pit lane opened this morning for Free Practice 1. Finishing the day P10 on FP2’s timesheet, Vierge was pleased with the work comp

Xavi Vierge and Andrea Locatelli showcased the Pata Maxus Yamaha colours on track for the first time in 2026 “Down Under” during the two-day Official Test prior to the opening round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia, which concluded today. With limited tyre options available, the eight hours of available track time across four two-hour sessions required a different approach to manage the allocation – and the compounds fo

With the covers taken off the 2026 Pata Maxus Yamaha R1 WorldSBK, Andrea Locatelli and new-signing Xavi Vierge discuss this year’s FIM Superbike World Championship ambitions – alongside key insights from Team Principal Paul Denning. Yamaha Motor Europe and Crescent Yamaha’s impressive 11-year WorldSBK Official Team partnership continues to move from strength-to-strength, with the project-leading Motorsport Division at Yamaha R&D Europe’s campus in Gerno di Lesmo at the spearh

Andrea Locatelli and new Yamaha signing Xavi Vierge returned to the track for the first time in 2026 with two days of very mixed weather conditions in pre-season winter testing at Circuito de Jerez in Andalucia, Spain. Both riders sported one-off black, grey and blue camo-coloured test leathers, taking design cues from the 2026 Yamaha Racing Paddock Blue clothing range, as the final elements of this year’s R1 WorldSBK performance package come together. Vierge continued to get

Pata Maxus Yamaha’s 2026 riders Andrea Locatelli and Xavi Vierge completed two days of intensive on-track testing at Circuito de Jerez in Andalucia, Spain, today as winter preparation for the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship continues. With a solid two days under his belt on the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK, new signing Vierge finished the test with the second-fastest overall lap time of 1:38.058 and completed 132 Laps in total. It was a personal-best lap time for Vierge at Jerez

Straight after the final round of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship season finale, Pata Maxus Yamaha’s 2026 line-up of Andrea Locatelli and new signing Xavi Vierge took to the track to complete the first winter test in preparation for the new season. Vierge enjoyed his first day aboard the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK, adapting quickly following four years with his previous team to finish second-fastest overall with a lap time of 1:39.137 (61 Laps). Teammate Locatelli continued

Andrea Locatelli led the charge for Pata Maxus Yamaha on the final day of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship, giving his absolute maximum until the very end with a fine fourth place in Race 2 at Jerez in Spain today. Starting from ninth on the grid this morning, Locatelli made progress in the latter stages of the Superpole Race to finish P6 and secure a better start for the final race of the season. From the second row of the grid, he was able to climb to third positio

Pata Maxus Yamaha and Locatelli Salvage Seventh Place in Challenging Jerez Race 1 The penultimate race day of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship was not without its challenges, as Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea contested Race 1 for Pata Maxus Yamaha at Circuito de Jerez in Spain today. Rea qualified strongly for Race 1 after posting the overall fourth-fastest lap time in Free Practice 3, lining up on the second row of the grid in sixth place. As the lights went out

Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea started the final round of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship with Friday Free Practice at Circuito de Jerez in Spain today. The Pata Maxus Yamaha pair focused on race set-up for their respective Yamaha R1 WorldSBK machines, working to combat the October heat and find confidence in the Pirelli tyre options available for the main points-paying races this weekend. Both riders commented on front tyre feeling in particular and will work wi