The FIM Sportbike World Championship sent the Aragon Round out with a bang as late penalties saw a podium shakeup at MotorLand Aragon. Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) capped off a stunner in Spain at the head of the pack for his first win in the class and the paddock. Behind the home hero, Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) showed the speed he so frequently had last season in WorldSSP300, landing his first podium since Estoril 2025. In P3, Harrison Dessoy (PHR Performance Triumph) was sent up to earn his first bronze medal in the Championship.
CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER SEES GRAVEL
Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing) launched off the line to seize the holeshot ahead of Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) and Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) into the opening Lap’s Turn 8-9 “Corkscrew” section. Determined not to slip out of the podium places again, Vannucci pushed hard to lead the race by Lap 2, tailed by Bartolini less than a tenth behind him and Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) seven tenths farther back at the outset of Lap 3. By the subsequent lap, David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) was up into P3 from his P10 grid start, followed close behind by his teammate and compatriot Antonio Torres. With three laps to go, Vannucci and Bartolini battled with the Kawasaki teammates for the race win, until suddenly, on the change of direction into Turn 2, Bartolini and the Championship leader made contact, sending the #38 into the gravel. Two laps later, Torres made an aggressive move into Turn 14, bumping Vannucci down off the track. For the incident, Bartolini and Torres were handed three-second penalties, which swept them down the podium to P6 and P7.
As a result of the penalties, Xavi Artigas was sent up the order for his first win in the class. Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) showed his Yamaha R7’s power in Race 1, where he set the fastest lap and thus started Race 2 from pole for the first time this season. He finished the race in second, but with the penalties applied when it was all said and done, he was sent up to P2 for his and Yamaha’s first WorldSPB podium. Harrison Dessoy (PHR Performance Triumph) punched his ticket up onto the podium in P3 for Triumph’s third consecutive podium.
SEABRIGHT SEES P4
Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) made a play for the podium of his own, but he was outpaced by his teammate by half a tenth to see the Brit to P4. Alvaro Fuertes (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) earned his best result of the WorldSPB maiden season at home, improving his mark from P8 to P5 in Race 2 at Aragon. Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing) and Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) finished P6 and P7 despite their penalties. Despite falling off the podium, Torres sees the Championship gap ahead of him cut to 13 points.
FLEERACKERS BACK IN THE TOP 10
Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) righted the ship for a P8 finish after an off-pace Race 1 here, where he finished in P18. He was followed by Pepe Osuna (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) in P9, tying his best result of the season so far earned in Race 2 at Most. Rounding out the top ten, American rider Julian Correa (Pons Motosport Italika Racing) took his best result his own in P10.
DUTCH RIDERS CRASH OUT
Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) ran wide through the gravel and crashed on Turn 8-9, while his bike careened forward back onto the track and collided with Alessandro Di Persio (ARCO Yamaha MotoR University Team). Later, Oliver Svendsen (Kove Racing Team 109) crashed out on Turn 14. Kas Beekmans (VLR Racing Team Suzuki) and Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) crashed on Turn 12, and Veneman was helped to the medical centre.
The top six from the WorldSPB Race 2: Full results here!
- Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki)
- Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse) +0.038s
- Harrison Dessoy (PHR Performance Triumph) +0.110s
- Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) +0.232s
- Alvaro Fuertes (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) +0.290s
- Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing) +2.913s
Fastest Lap: David Salvador (Kawasaki), 1'58.961s
Championship Standings
1. David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) 126 points
2. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) 113
3. Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) 109
4. Jeffrey Buis (Track&Trades Wixx Racing) 90
5. Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) 90
6. Ferre Fleerackers (Track&Trades Wixx Racing) 80
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