Locatelli Returns to Home Soil as Pata Maxus Yamaha Reach Round 10 at Cremona

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Andrea Locatelli takes centre stage on home ground as Pata Maxus Yamaha and the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship arrive at the Cremona Circuit for Round 10, from 25-27 September.

Racing just 100km from his hometown in the province of Bergamo, "Loka" can count on the passionate support of an Italian crowd for one of the most special weekends of his season. He also arrives with fresh mileage at the venue, having tested here two weeks ago – and although the weather limited dry running, the #55 came away with a positive feeling in both dry and wet conditions, giving the team a useful base to build on.

On the other side of the box, Xavi Vierge saw his test cut short by the rain, completing just eight laps at Cremona. It's a circuit that has suited the Spaniard in the past, however, and after a solid showing at Magny-Cours the #97 will be looking to draw on that to carry his form into the closing rounds of the season.

Track action begins on Friday, with WorldSBK's two 45-minute sessions – Free Practice 1 and 2 – at 10:20 and 15:00 CEST respectively.

Andrea Locatelli, Pata Maxus Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team:

"After the test in Cremona, we found a good feeling in both conditions. We managed some laps in the dry – unfortunately not a full day – and also a couple of runs in the wet, and in both the feeling was really positive. We were doing a good job, even if we missed a bit of the track time that's important to build confidence and make a step forward. I'm really excited to be there: Cremona is a nice track, and we'll have a lot of Italian fans coming to cheer for me and for Yamaha. So we have to stay positive and give everything from Friday. We're coming to the end of the season, but I'm sure that if we keep working hard we can achieve good results. Let's keep looking forward!"

Xavi Vierge, Pata Maxus Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team:

"The first thing to say is that I hope we can do more than eight laps this time! I'm really happy to be back racing again. Unfortunately, at our test in Cremona we weren't lucky with the weather and only managed a handful of laps, but even in that short run the feeling was quite good, so it's something to build on. It's a track I always enjoy riding and where I've been strong in the past, so I think this is a good opportunity to keep the momentum going from Magny-Cours and try to fight closer to the front."