Cremona, Race 2: Debut victory for Yamaha – World Championship battle intensifies

No other Superbike class sees such a close battle for the overall championship as the new World Sportbike Championship. Following Xavi Artigas’s victory in the first race, championship leader David Salvador’s lead has shrunk to 21 points. The World Championship cannot therefore be decided this weekend in Cremona, but will be decided at the season finale in Jerez (16–18 October).

Before that, however, there were another 25 points up for grabs in the second race. In the entry-level series, the starting grid for Sunday’s race is not based solely on Superpole. For the first nine positions, the fastest race lap from Saturday is used; from the tenth starting position onwards, the qualifying results apply.

As a result, Race 1 winner Artigas (Kawasaki) moved up from fourth on the grid to pole position. In contrast, Salvador dropped from second to fifth position. Superpole winner Carter Thompson (Yamaha) lost three places and started fourth on the grid.

The race, which started at 1.00 pm, went over twelve laps. With sunshine and a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, the weather was lovely, with a late-summer feel. Curiously, the first crash happened as early as the warm-up lap, when Troy Sovicka (Yamaha) lost control in Turn 10.

Artigas won the sprint to the first corner, followed by Alvaro Fuertes (Kawasaki), Fenton Seabright (Triumph), Ferre Fleerackers (Suzuki), Thompson and Salvador. Artigas tried to break away, but his rivals kept up with him and Thompson took the lead at the start of lap 2. Meanwhile, Matteo Vannucci (Aprilia) and Julian Correa (Kawasaki) had crashed, and Tonn’s replacement, Hugo De Cancellis (Kove), retired due to a mechanical fault.

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Cremona: Rennen 2

FIM Superbike World Championship

27.09.2026 - 14:40

Marco Gaggi (Yamaha) and Xavi Artigas (Kawasaki) joined the fray. However, the slipstream on the approach to the Adelaide hairpin completely reshuffled the order: coming out of the first lap, Pepe Osuna (Kawasaki) was ahead of Salvador and Thompson, with Matteo Vannucci (Aprilia) leading the race.

Whilst the lead changed hands several times at the front between Fuertes, Fleerackers and Thompson, two more riders – Harry Dessoy (Triumph) and Loris Veneman (Kawasaki) – crashed out. The Dutchman appeared to have been trapped between the motorbikes and was taken to the medical centre. Pepe Osuna (8th, Kawasaki) made his mark with the fastest lap of the race in 1:36.755 mins.

After six laps, Thompson had pulled out a lead of 1.9 seconds with the fastest lap of 1:36.225 mins. Behind him was a group of five, which also included Salvador and Artigas. However, the gap to 10th place was only 3.4 seconds.

In the second half of the race, Thompson continued to impress with strong lap times; with every lap, his lead grew by 0.3 to 0.6 seconds, and the Australian also set the fastest lap of the race in 1:36.157 minutes. After twelve laps, the 18-year-old secured Yamaha’s first Sportbike victory with a commanding lead of 5.3 seconds.

Artigas, Fleerackers, Fuertes, Seabright and Salvador battled it out for the remaining podium places right up to the final lap. Positions changed constantly, but it was Artigas who made the strongest impression. The Spaniard went into the final lap in second place and defended his position against Fleerackers right up to the finish line. In doing so, Artigas gained further points on Salvador, who finished only fifth.

Seabright secured Triumph’s best finish in seventh place. Thomas Benetti brought home the best-placed Aprilia in 15th place. Tayo Aksu, riding the only Honda, finished 21st, with Kove rider Benat Fernandez just behind him in 22nd.