Vierge Demonstrates Podium-Challenging Pace as Locatelli Fights Back into Top-10

Andrea Locatelli showed positive signs of returning to form with a fighting ninth-place finish in Race 2, as Pata Maxus Yamaha teammate Xavi Vierge demonstrated the potential to deliver his best result of the weekend at the second round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in Portugal, today.

In front of an enthusiastic Portuguese crowd of over 82,000 people, the highest attendance seen at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for WorldSBK, fans were treated to two action-packed battles in perfect conditions on Sunday.

Vierge continued his super-strong adaptation to the Official Yamaha R1 WorldSBK, starting Race 2 in seventh following a positive Superpole Race. Closing on the top-five group, the team’s hard-working Spaniard was ready to make a run at the top positions until an unfortunate low-side crash at Turn 5 on Lap 4 dropped him from contention. The #97 was able to re-join the race and, showing very similar pace to the third-place podium battle, clawed his way back into the points to P14, gaining valuable data and race experience to help prepare for the next round.

Locatelli’s 11th-place finish in the Superpole Race saw him start Race 2 from his original P14 qualifying position, but the Italian surged forward into the top 10 on the opening lap and emerged at the front of close a three-way battle for ninth position, bettering Remy Gardner and Garrett Gerloff. Work continues on all levels to help “Loka” regain the speed and confidence that saw him win his first WorldSBK race in Assen last year.

Meanwhile, in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, Ampito Crescent Yamaha’s Beatriz Neila stormed to two excellent third-place podium finishes over the weekend. Neila closed the gap to her main competitors Maria Herrera and Paola Ramos in Race 2, setting a new lap record and finishing almost within striking distance of the lead duo, just 0.2s behind at the chequered flag.

Both the WorldSBK and WorldWCR categories return to competition in a couple of weeks at the “Cathedral of Speed” in The Netherlands, for the Dutch Round at Assen from 17-19 April.

FULL SUPERPOLE RACE RESULTS

FULL RACE TWO RESULTS

Andrea Locatelli – SPRC: P11 / Race 2: P9

“This morning, I felt some improvement and better confidence in the Superpole Race but honestly in Race 2, we were struggling a little bit again. I did my best and kept fighting to beat the guys I was with and secure P9, but we need to keep working and not lose the mentality, focus and belief to be back where we belong. I am sure that we can find a solution and return to the battle at a higher level. I cannot be happy, but maybe in some places – compared to Phillip Island – we can see the light this weekend. It is strange to be struggling, we know Australia is a difficult track for us but here in Portimão we were a little bit more competitive in the past. We will keep working and focus on Assen, we know that it can be a good track for me and the R1 so let’s see what we can do – I will focus only on myself to improve more and go faster.”

Xavi Vierge – SPRC: P7 / Race 2: P14

“First thing to say is “sorry” because we had good potential today for Race 2 – we worked so hard since yesterday and especially for the long race, I feel that we were strong and we found something on the R1 that gave me the potential opportunity to go with the front group. The fact that I really believe this is a positive point. But, I arrived in Turn 5 and everyone went a little bit wide – Montella crashed but I didn’t know exactly why I crashed, because I was super careful there because I saw the chaos. I think it was the only time during the races that I went gentle into this corner and I lost the front! It was a big pity, but anyway, I re-joined because every lap is super important for us. The first lap was difficult because the handle bar went down and I wasn’t able to use the rear brake lever well, but then I was able to make a strong pace especially in the last laps fighting back and achieving two points. So, I need to take the positives from this long race – and in the Superpole Race, I think we did also a solid job. I had a strong start and was able to go with the guys and finish seventh – which is also not what we want, but we are “growing up”. I will take the positives from the weekend. I think the R1 I had in the last race was my best feeling so far, it was working really well – we will start like this in Assen.”

Paul Denning – Team Principal, Pata Maxus Yamaha:

“After a tough start to the season in Australia, Portimao has given the Pata Maxus Yamaha team the opportunity to restart our season. Xavi did that in fine style, qualifying his R1 on the second row and delivering a highly competitive sixth-place position finish in Race 1, backed up by another strong run to P7 in the Superpole Race. The disappointment on an otherwise very strong weekend for Xavi and his crew was the crash in Race 2, when at the absolute minimum another top six was in Xavi’s pocket – and potentially better. His pace for the last third of the race matched the podium battle, so “well done” to him for retaining the focus and determination to claw his way back into the points after the crash. Xavi has truly arrived as a Yamaha rider, clearly the R1 and he suit each other’s style, and considering this has been his “first” real race weekend, the potential is very promising.

For Andrea, it was again a question of looking to take a step forward after Phillip Island – and even if the results were not what he or the package are fully capable of, we saw some positive signs of the “real Loka” fighting hard, always battling for position and in the end being rewarded with a ninth-place finish in Race 2 – in one of the most competitive WorldSBK fields ever. This rebuilding of confidence is critical, given that the next race is at Assen – the site of his first WorldSBK victory last year – so we know that Locatelli and the R1 have special credentials there and will be looking to take another step forward.”