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Maximiliano Gerardo (or Maxi, as he prefers to be addressed) will continue his debut WorldSBK season in Jerez. The only Uruguayan racing in the series, he began the adventure in Spain as the Superstock 600 season kicked off on Saturday 11 April at MotorLand Aragon. His racing exploit began in 2009 and it took almost no time to be crowned the 250cc Champion of Argentina. He went on to compete in the Supersport 600 category which saw him become Champion of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in 2014. These successes allowed him to cross ‘the pond’ for 2015.

 “This is something very different from what we’re used to in South America!” says Gerardo, who turns 21 in three weeks’ time; born on 24 September 1994, his latest birthday will come on the Thursday following the Jerez race weekend. “I have had to learn a lot very quickly, as this is a very competitive category.”

Gerardo currently holds 21st position in the Superstock 600 standings, with his ninth place of Portimao – where he also posted the fastest race lap (and a new lap record) – being his best finish of the season so far. Alongside the joys of Portugal have been some lows, not least his three non-finishes.

“I don’t think the year has been too bad,” continues the Agro-On Wil Sport Racedays rider, who competes with a Honda CBR600RR. “I have been quite close to people in the races and, considering this is only the first year, that has been very satisfying for me. I hope that next year, if I’m able to come back, will be better still. It’s a very closely contested category and all of the European circuits have been new for me, while I’ve been fighting against riders who know the tracks very well.

“In every race I have tried to follow the guys at the front, to learn the track and to go quicker and quicker. I do think I have improved between Aragon and the latest race at Misano; I feel more comfortable with the team and more comfortable running in a group of many riders, as back in South America the riders aren’t so strong generally. You gradually learn to get used to it, running in such big groups of bikes.”

A character-building end to the season is predicted, with two races remaining at circuits on which he is yet to ride at Jerez and Magny-Cours.

“In Portugal, where we had our best race so far, I knew the track from a test we did in the FIM CEV Repsol last year,” Gerardo begins to conclude. “That weekend encouraged me and got me thinking more about 2016. Nothing is confirmed just yet, but the plan is to carry on in Superstock 600, to improve and to have a good season.”

This year’s Superstock 600 crown has already been sewn up, as dominant Turk Toprak Razgatlioglu – who has won all races bar one – claimed the title at Misano.