A Saturday to Build On for Pata Maxus Yamaha at Estoril
It was a demanding Saturday for Pata Maxus Yamaha at Estoril, with Xavi Vierge and Andrea Locatelli facing a tough Race 1 in Round 11 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship – but the team turns its attention to Sunday’s two races determined to bounce back.
In front of another enthusiastic Portuguese crowd, Saturday at Estoril served up plenty of close battles through the field – particularly in the fight for the top 10.
After his strong Friday morning, Vierge qualified P13 and battled hard in the top-10 scrap in Race 1 to take the flag in P13. His race pace was encouraging, but with the level of competition so close, the team will keep working to find the extra bit of speed needed to move further forward.
Locatelli, meanwhile, gave it his all on a tougher afternoon. The Italian qualified P15 and, having battled for rear grip and traction throughout Race 1, kept pushing right to the flag to cross the line in P16, narrowly outside the points. “Loka” and his crew now have a clear idea of the direction to take into Sunday’s two races.
There are two more races to come on Sunday, offering another chance to take a step forward. Sunday gets under way with Warm Up at 09:15 WEST, followed by the Superpole Race at 11:10 and Race 2 at 15:30.
Xavi Vierge – SP: P13 / Race 1: P13
“The reality is that we’re missing a bit of speed. Everyone is going so fast – our pace isn’t bad, but it’s not quite enough to fight for a better position. We’re working really hard to find a little more grip on the edge of the tyre, and although we haven’t quite found it yet, the whole team – and myself – are pushing flat out. We have another chance in Warm Up tomorrow to try to make a step for the final two races, so I’m fully motivated. Let’s go and enjoy it tomorrow.”
Andrea Locatelli – SP: P15 / Race 1: P16
“Honestly, it was a difficult race. I didn’t expect it to be like this, because yesterday wasn’t too bad, but today I struggled – especially to find rear grip and the traction to move forward, which was our main problem. The start didn’t help either, as I couldn’t make up ground in the first two corners and more or less stayed where I was. I also ran a bit wide at Turn 1 with another rider, which cost us the chance to fight with my team-mate and the other Yamaha. It was a tough one, but we’ll keep working to find a solution and come back to try again tomorrow.”
