Spanish rider Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) landed his first race win of the inaugural FIM Sportbike World Championship season in the closing race of his home round at MotorLand Aragon. The Spaniard now sits in third in the Riders’ Championship, four points behind Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI), and a total of 17 points behind current leader David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI).
Artigas launched his home round from the third row to start Race 1 taking P9 in the Tissot Superpole session. By the time Taiyo Aksu (PATA AG Motorsport Italika Racing) crashed on Turn 4, bringing out the red flag and resulting in the race being restarted over an abbreviated five laps, Artigas was running in fifth and this would be his starting position for the restarted race. Once the race got rolling again, Artigas fought his way up to P3 with three laps to go, trailing only the Aprilia-powered Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) and title leader David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI). As they rode into their last lap, it was Artigas who broke the door open, cutting inside and shuffling Vannucci wide. While the #38 slipped by the #34 on the exit of Turn 17 in the run to the line, Artigas’s P2 came as his first podium since Assen Race 1.
Race 2 was Artigas’s last chance to get his first race win in his home country until the season finale at Jerez, and this time he set off from P5. By Lap 10, he found himself stuck in that position, but it was the last lap where he made his moves, eventually crossing the line in P3. However, penalties for Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing) for causing a crash with Salvador, who’d crossed the line in P1, and Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) for forcing Vannucci off the track at Turn 14, who was second on the track, meant the #34 was promoted to a first victory of the 2026 campaign.
On how it feels to finally stand on the top step, Artigas said: “The feeling is amazing, I’m super happy because we’ve been deserving it for many races. Unlike at Most, here, we see the results. I’m super happy with the team and their work. We crossed the line in third, but a victory is a victory. It was a difficult race, just as in Race 1, on this kind of track with the long straight, they are one step ahead. I’m happy because in the corners I feel really strong and can overtake by some margin. Some riders can’t control this, it’s crazy, but it is what it is.”
Artigas had landed in P2 once before, but his season until now had been one of coming up just shy of the rostrum spots. Setting aside his Race 2 crash at Most, he had finished in the top six of every race prior to Aragon. Yet, the podium found a way of eluding him, including their season-opening round at Portimao, where Artigas finished both races within half a second and Race 2 just +0.140s shy of P1.
On his luck’s recent positive turn, Artigas said: “We know our potential, but in this category, you never know what your results will be. I feel strong, and we will battle until the end. First and second in a weekend are super good results, we will try to keep these results for the next races. I’m looking forward to Misano, I like the track a lot, I’ve done many laps there in the Italian and European championships, I think I can stay strong there.”
Artigas continues the hunt at Misano, kicking off on June 12th! WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 50% off!