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Tanks are fueled, Tires pumped up, and the FIM Supersport World Championship riders are ready to take to the track and lay it all on the line in pursuit of being named World Champion! After last season’s conclusion in Jerez, Spain in October 2024, and an offseason full of rider changes and improvements to their bikes, the World Supersport season is back down under and have finished squaring away their setups at Phillip Island Gran Prix Circuit’s last days of preseason testing and now all that’s left is lights out this weekend!

THE WAIT IS OVER, DOWN UNDER: The 2025 World Championship is up for grabs in Oz

Australia’s pair of preseason test days saw Dutch Rider Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) burst onto the scene, claiming back-to-back P1’s in both days of testing. This will be his first season as a full-time grid member in WorldSSP, as last season he did participate, however only in two rounds, Jerez, and Estoril, earning a third-place finish in Jerez’s Race 2 but consistently in the hunt as across the four races, his worst result was only an 8^th place result at Estoril’s Race. Another breakout star has been WorldSSP rookie Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). The 24-year-old Spaniard ended P5 in Day 1 and a P2 in Day 2, seemingly adapting quickly from Moto2™ after joining the WorldSSP paddock this offseason. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) finished both days in third, adapting well to his new Panigale V2 after two very strong years on a Yamaha. His fellow Ducati rider, Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) made a consistently strong case for himself throughout testing, finishing within the top 5 across both days with a P4 on Monday and a P5 on Tuesday.

NEW TOYS FOR YAMAHA AND KAWASAKI: The new R9 and ZX-6R 636 have fans and their respective teams’ riders excited

Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing Team) is settling in well atop his new Yamaha R9, and while it is still early, and the bike doubtlessly needs more time to be optimized, a Day 1 P8 which improved to a Day 2 should be wind in the sails of the Turkish rider and his team. His Teammate and WorldSSP rookie Aldi Mahendra is still adapting to not only the new bike, but his new WorldSSP surroundings after winning the WorldSSP 300 World Championship and taking the next step in his career into WorldSSP. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 – Yamaha) has looked good so far as well with the new R9, the lighter chassis and higher torque seemingly being put to good use as the Frenchman landed P7 and P9 in Australian testing. 2024 runner-up Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) is looking to get the monkey off his back this season and claim the World Champion title for himself after back-to-back years placing second. Across the two days, his better day was Day 2, finishing in P8. Michael Rinaldi (GMT94 – YAMAHA), like Oettl, is also beginning his WorldSSP career after transitioning from WorldSBK this offseason, and Tuesday’s P14 finish will give him a baseline from where he can continue to settle in and show the potential he has shown throughout his career. Niccolo Antonelli has been in a similar position as Rinaldi in acclimating to the new bike, improving from Day 1’s P18 to P16 in Day 2 and was crash-free in Day 2 after a minor crash in Day 1. Jeremy Alcoba is the grid’s only Kawasaki rider, and therefore the only rider getting to enjoy the larger engine and new fairing of the new Kawasaki ZX-6R 636, his progress will be one to watch as his best result from the two days of testing was a P13 in Day 1.

CHALLENGERS TO WATCH: Keep an eye on these riders as the year progresses!

Filippo Farioli landed back-to-back P6 finishes across WorldSSP’s Australian testing days, the 19-year-old Italian shows a world of potential and it is hard to place a prediction on him as the rookie has clear upside but a lack of on-track time in World Supersport. Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) similarly impressed ahead of this weekend’s season opener, and his Day 2 P7 may be a sign of more success to come. Tom Booth-Amos enjoyed a temporary stint at P1 in Day 1, ending the day in P9. His Day 2 was tougher, however, as he suffered a crash in Turn 11 of his eighth lap. in Day 2 Xavi Cardelus (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) finished P10, the Andorran rider looking to establish himself in WorldSSP after a one-season partial appearance across 2 rounds in 2017.

 Leonardo Taccini and his teammate Simon Jespersen make up the EcoSantagata Althea Racing Team duo and scored a best placement of P12 and P14 on the weekend respectively. Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) landed a P13 finish on Day 2, and was the best-performing Honda on the weekend as his teammate Syarifuddin Azman has had his preseason hampered by a late appearance and subsequent crash in his first lap, ending his season and leaving his potential a mystery fans will have to tune in this weekend to uncover. Ondrej Vostatek (WRP Racing) is a young prospect to watch and will look to improve on his P17 Day 1 finish. Luke Power (Motozoo ME air racing) and his MV Agusta F3 800 RR will look to continue to dial in their setup after a best of P16 in Day 2. Loris Veneman (EAB Racing Team) suffered a crash in Day 2’s FP3  in Turn 6 which he was cleared from to continue and finished P23 in Day 2. Loic Arbel (Team Flembbo-Pilota Moto Production) rounded out the riders who tested both days, finishing with a best of P25 across the pair of days.

TOUGH BREAKS: Okamoto, Caricasulo and van Straalen ruled unfit after crashes in testing

Phillip Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) was impressive in Day 1, finishing P3, however in Day 2, he saw his test session cut short after a crash, suffering a left knee contusion. He was initially ruled fit; however, his knee has since been reevaluated and he has been ruled unfit for the season-opening Australian Round. Yuki Okamoto (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) suffered an injury after a crash in Turn 12 in Day 1, ruling him out of the Australian Round. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME air racing) also saw his trip to Australia end as result of Turn 12, a crash sent him to the medical tent where he was later ruled unfit, awaiting an official diagnosis from his team. Turn 12 completed its hat trick of ending riders’ weekends with Glenn Van Straalen (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team) suffering a crash there in FP1 of Day 1. He is being replaced this weekend by Australian 18 year-old rider Harrison Voight.

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