Pata Maxus Yamaha Build Performance on Friday at Portimão

Round 2 of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship got underway with Andrea Locatelli and stand-in rider Jason O’Halloran working to gather data and improve performance for Pata Maxus Yamaha ahead of Race 1 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, today.

Warm, sunny conditions contrasted the recent Portimão test, but Locatelli and the #55 crew quickly got up to speed and focused on refinements to their set-up. Without aiming for an outright fastest lap time, “Loka” kept his head down to complete a Friday Free Practice race simulation with valuable data to draw from.

O’Halloran had just two 45-minute sessions for his first taste of the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK. The Australian, working closely with his crew to get comfortable on the #20 race machine in a short period of time, improved his level step-by-step as he gathered information for Yamaha’s engineers while he stands in for the injured Jonathan Rea.

Saturday will begin with more valuable track time with Free Practice 3 from 9:00 WET (UTC+0), Superpole qualifying at 11:00 and the full-length, 20-lap Race 1 starting at 14:00.

Andrea Locatelli: P11 – 1'41.035

“I am quite happy especially about FP2, because I found a good rhythm and a good feeling with the R1. We improved immediately from this morning on the base set-up with respect to the test, we just need to find a bit more and we are looking carefully where to improve, but I am satisfied with the progress. Tomorrow if we can have a good qualifying, then we can fight for a good position in Race 1. I want to believe in this, because I want to push for the maximum that we can until the end. I am quite confident with the bike at the moment, even if the overall timing sheet does not show, because we did not try a “time attack”. We are working to finalise and get a good feeling with the bike to try to be strong for the race, this is the most important thing. We will see tomorrow, we will enjoy it!”

Jason O’Halloran: P22 – 1'43.967

“First day on the Pata Maxus Yamaha R1 and first day back at Portimão since 2019, so just taking it all in! It’s been a busy day, trying to learn and get on with things as quickly as I can throughout the Free Practice sessions. Obviously, I’m just a bit off the pace with things at the minute, so I need to have a look tonight and I’m sure when I wake up tomorrow, things will be a bit easier. The guys have done a good job today, trying to make me comfortable – I just need to get a bit more comfortable with the seating position on the bike. So, sleep on it tonight, wake up tomorrow and start again – I’m looking forward to Day 2!”