Riders reflect on opening round of 2023 WorldSBK Championship

2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship

Round One – Phillip Island

Alvaro Bautista – P1

“It’s a dream weekend. Undoubtedly the best way to start the season also because we have shown that we were very fast in all conditions, both in the rain and with different temperatures. I am very happy and I want to thank my team, who put me in a position to be able to get these results.”

Andrea Locatelli – P2

“It was an interesting race day for us! In Race 2 we were closer to the front in the first part, especially the first five laps – but we know it was a bit difficult to try to follow the Ducati at this track. We were competitive to also be on the podium this morning, but I could not make the passes needed to also be there in the Superpole Race. To finish the weekend with one podium in the long race, I am really happy – especially in Phillip Island, it is something special. I am really proud of my team because we are working well during the test and also in the race weekend. Unfortunately we crashed during FP2, and maybe we lost a little bit the feeling especially in the front but I think it is probably one of the best weekends in my WorldSBK career so far. Next week we have a new opportunity so we are looking forward to Mandalika and to see what happens there. Thank you to Yamaha and my team for giving me a great bike and such good support.”

Jonathan Rea – P3

“It was a difficult weekend and a bit of a mixed bag. We have got to take some positives because we have been fast in certain areas but consistently not good enough. We really struggled with set-up and some factors out there. In the Superpole race I was not fast enough, but I was faster than the group I was in. Dominique Aegerter came in at T4 and almost took me to the gravel. So I had to rebuild my race. It is hard to put it all together to understand where we fell short. But it was clear today in the long second race that we did not nail the set-up. We were miles off at the end of the race, even after looking after my tyres, using short lines, doing everything in my experience to manage the race and we were still nowhere. We dropped off a cliff at the end and it is is really frustrating. We need to have a bit of a look in the mirror and try to understand why we struggled so much. I don’t expect this to be our benchmark for the rest of the season. We can do much better, but the bike set-up wasn’t working today, not like normal. So hopefully we can just understand why, put that aside, and start again from zero at Mandalika for the next round.”

Michael Rinaldi – P4

“It was a very positive Sunday. After yesterday’s difficult race, it was very important to stay focused and show that the level we reached during testing was the one we can stay at this season. I had a lot of fun in the Superpole Race and in Race-2 I kept a very competitive pace. Compared to last year we have made a big step forward. Now we have to work to fix those details that will allow us to get closer to Alvaro.”

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – P6

“Normally we make good starts but the Race 2 start was bad. The big problem for the second race was that we must use the harder tyre. In the short race we use SC0 tyre, and with SC0 tyre my bike is great! Really good feeling, and in the short race maybe one more lap and I am easily passing Rinaldi for P2 because he was starting to have a big drop in grip. Second race, we used the hard tyre but the feeling is completely different, and especially in the first laps I struggled with the grip and my bike not turning. I just try to keep the rear tyre in good condition, I follow Johnny and try for best position in top five but I crash with Alex – not his fault, I was at his side – he is unlucky and crashing and his bike hit me, so I am more unlucky! Maybe I could have finished the race sixth, maybe fourth – I don’t know but anyway we lose some points. Today, Loka did a good job and I am happy for him and his team. This is just the first race, I will try to do my best in Indonesia because again I want to win.”

Iker Lecuona – P7

“I’m very happy with today’s race and I want to first say thanks to the team because they did a great job working on the bike setup throughout the practices after the two-day test where we struggled quite a lot. We were able to check all the data and improve the bike to the point that we could battle for P4 for the entire race alongside many strong riders, and in dry conditions. I’m satisfied with the way I was able to fight and with the P6 finish. And what a battle it was. I almost crashed twice while fighting with Axel but it was a really good battle, all the way to the end, something that last year I was really struggling to do. A good start to the season then, also considering our result yesterday in wet conditions. Overall, we’ve very happy, not just with the race results but with the work we’ve been able to do. I hope there’s more to come.”

Danilo Petrucci – P9

“Not an easy Sunday. This morning it was very windy and I lost confidence with the front. In the Superbike race, I paid the consequences of having no experience of the sprint format. I was pushed around off the line and made a terrible first lap. When you only have ten laps, you can’t get away with that, so I need to improve there. In race 2, I didn’t have the pace to stick with the front five, but around mid-race I got closer and felt more confident. Then Aegerter passed me and I couldn’t follow him because I’m not totally sorted with the setup yet and was losing a few tenths through the fast turns. The aim is to be further forward. We’re still missing something but we’re not far off. We’ve worked well and I can be pleased with the progress made with the team.”

Xavi Vierge – P10

“We’ve finally scored some points at the end of what has been a very tough weekend here in Australia. We’ve learned a lot and have identified a few areas on which to focus and try to improve ahead of the Mandalika round. As for today’s second race, we did our best from start to finish. It’s a pity about what happened with the penalty, as I was just in the processing of passing Van der Mark when the crash occurred ahead of me, so there was nothing I could do. I kept pushing and closed tenth, but it’s disappointing to then find you’re actually eleventh. It is what it is anyway, and we will continue to give it our all. A big thank you to the team for all their hard work here.”

Dominique Aegerter – P11

“It was an emotional weekend, starting, of course, with the amazing Superpole session where I qualified on the front row. Today we had dry conditions and were confident we had a good pace; unfortunately, in the Superpole Race, I was taken out while fighting for a top position. That’s racing; these things happen, and we move on. It wasn’t easy to start from 10th in the last race, but we still managed to make a good recovery. We learned a lot, and the team worked well this weekend. We are ready for Indonesia, where we hope to be fast once again.”

Scott Redding – P12

“It has been a difficult weekend. Mickey got off to a good start in race two, he had a clear lap. I was boxed in in the first two corners and kind of missed the run with them guys. Then it was just about getting in the rhythm and I ended up with the other two BMWs. It was just a battle between us. I was trying to push but in the end I could not get away so I just sat with them and raced, trying to maybe see what is different or what the bike is doing. Then in the end I made a pass on the two guys to finish 13th. We have a lot of work to do because we are suffering a lot. Mandalika maybe is different. We have to see. The track can make a big difference.”

Remy Gardner – P13

“First of all, I would like to apologise to Domi for the Tissot Superpole Race crash. I’m really sorry, we both could have made a good result. Anyway, we have got to be happy with our pace; and we were fighting for the podium positions, which was beyond our expectations before this weekend. Starting from so far back on the grid in Race 2 didn’t help, but that’s a lesson for the future. Now we turn our focus to Indonesia, where we will try and replicate the pace and potential we showed this weekend.”

Garrett Gerloff – P14

“Overall, we had some good moments for sure, but to put it in one word, probably ‘humbling’ is the word of the weekend. Today it was dry at least, so we had some more consistent weather. I was struggling with the wind a bit. In the Superpole race I wasn’t able to make as much ground as I was hoping. The bike has so much power and it’s awesome on the straight. I mean, the top speed we are able to hit is unbelievable. I just kind of need to manage the power a little bit better, I think and work on turning a little bit. I feel like the bike has so much potential, we really need to get our heads together and figure out what we need to do to make better around. I was happy to be with the other BMWs in our own little battle. That was nice, but we have some work to do.”

Alex Lowes – P15

“In the Superpole race it was good. It was the first time I had done more than two laps on an SC0 rear tyre and I was pleasantly surprised because it felt good. Andrea Locatelli managed to pass me a couple of times and I managed to cut back past him, but I just sort of lost half a second to Razgatlioglu. I did not feel my pace was too far off challenging for a podium. I felt like I rode the bike really well. In the afternoon long race the bike felt quite a bit different, and I had a slight problem at the start. I was about 12th, but I came through quite well. I got into fourth, battling with Johnny, but we lost a little bit of time because of that and we dropped back into the group. It was like we were really struggling for grip. Then, at Turn Three, there was a bit of a concertina effect because Bassani made a mistake, then Johnny had to move over for Bassani. I was on a bit of a different line and Toprak got sucked in as well. I was braking not to hit Johnny into Turn Four, as he had to change his line. When we crashed Toprak’s bike hit me reasonably hard. My airbag went off and then his bike clattered into me. It was weird to crash in that kind of corner. I felt good until then, and I definitely had a lot more grip than Jonathan. I had hoped to be able to battle for that fifth place.”

Michael van der Mark – P16

“This morning’s Superpole race was nice. I got a little bit tangled up on the first lap and lost some positions which was a shame as I lost some time, but then I was feeling okay. P10 was not quite where I wanted to be but I was quite happy with the feeling of the bike. In race two, I had a good start and I was feeling quite comfortable on the first laps. I struggled a bit in the last two sectors of the circuit but I tried to stay calm, and for a long time I was just behind a nice group. We were catching the big group ahead of us but unfortunately I then had a massive drop in the tyre. It was a shame but we learn. I think it was really important for us to be with the other guys for the first part of the race. Now the pace is there we just need to find a way to manage the tyres better, but Phillip Island is always difficult for tyre management. Now I am looking forward to Mandalika. We are still not where we want to be but I have a quite good feeling from Phillip Island’s race two.”

Loris Baz – P17

“Today was a better day than yesterday, first of all because we found the reason for our struggles on Saturday. I had an ok warm up, the Superpole race was kind of fun. I had a good start, but I made a big mistake in turn four, I went straight and regrouped last. I managed to come back though and I was feeling good. I was able to push the bike a lot within what we have, so it was quite good coming back up to P13. At this track, I knew that I had to save the tyre at the beginning, so my plan was to have a good start and then not to destroy the tyre in the first laps and that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t have a perfect feeling with the front and the balance of the bike in general from the beginning. With about 10 laps to the end, the battle with Scott and Garrett started, which was funny. Although fighting for 13 is not what the three of us wish for. All four BMWs have had the same pace more or less. It’s just a bit sad to be so far back, but there is nobody to blame within the team. I think we all do more work than anyone in paddock, so we go back to work. Hopefully Indonesia will be a bit better. We have to make a step there.”

Hafizh Syahrin – P18

“It has been a demanding weekend but, having said that, we were able to finish in the points here which is something we are happy with. Today we had two dry races which allowed us to understand more about our bike. We need to improve the traction, because we struggled with some spinning through all three races. Other riders were also spinning out of the corners, but they were able to cover more ground with more traction to push the bike and move forward. My feeling with the front is now better, but we still need to improve at the rear. We will try something different with the geometry of the bike for Mandalika.”

Eric Granado

“I’ve learned a lot as a rider this weekend, not least because we’ve ridden in all possible conditions, from heavy rain to wind and also mixed conditions. I made a good step in the dry, especially in qualifying when I improved my feeling with the bike but I’m not yet used to this kind of pace and so I need to work on maintaining my rhythm over race distance. In today’s race I was there with the group in the opening laps but the bike was moving around a lot and I had to switch the mapping in order to be able to finish the race without destroying the tyre. This also meant I had to slow a little in the final stages and lose contact with the group. But it’s all a learning experience and I’m sure that, race by race, we will get to where we want to be.”

World Superbike Championship Points