Stefano Manzi delivered a determined performance in the opening feature race of Round 7 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship at the Misano World Circuit, securing a top ten finish on home soil after a hard-fought Race 1. Teammate Remy Gardner was also on course for a strong result before an unfortunate crash with three laps remaining.
Following an encouraging Free Practice 3 session, local favourite Manzi approached the Tissot Superpole with confidence. In the 15-minute qualifying session, he pushed hard to secure a strong grid position but ultimately had to settle for 15th place with a lap time of 1'32.803, just a few tenths shy of a third row start.
In Race 1, the Italian made an excellent start, gaining several positions on the opening lap. Showing competitive pace throughout the 21-lap contest, Manzi remained involved in close battles and continued to fight despite experiencing some grip issues in the closing stages. Maintaining his consistency to the chequered flag, he secured 10th place and valuable championship points in his first WorldSBK race weekend at home.
Saturday proved more challenging for Gardner. After qualifying 13th with a best lap of 1'32.790, the Australian was optimistic heading into the race. A strong start allowed him to remain in contention for a top ten finish, demonstrating solid pace throughout the opening and middle phases of the race. However, as grip levels dropped in the final laps, Gardner lost control and crashed while running in 11th position with only three laps remaining.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will return to action on Sunday for Warm Up, followed by the Superpole Race at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00.
Stefano Manzi – Superpole: P15 / Race 1: P10
"Overall, it was a decent Race 1 and we can take away some valuable points and a positive result. Unfortunately, we couldn't qualify any higher than 15th, as the field was extremely close and just a few tenths would have made a significant difference. In the race, I made a good start and was able to settle into my rhythm, which was quite competitive overall. Towards the end, I began to struggle a little with grip, but I kept pushing and managed to bring home a solid top-ten finish. We'll continue working hard overnight and aim to take another step forward tomorrow."
Remy Gardner – Superpole: P13 / Race 1: DNFRemy Gardner – Superpole: P13 / Race 1: DNF
"Qualifying wasn't too bad, but once again the field was incredibly tight and we missed out on a few positions by just a small margin. Starting slightly further up the grid would certainly have helped. In Race 1 we tried to push hard, but the conditions were quite demanding. The pace was reasonable during the early stages, but as the race progressed I started to struggle with grip. Unfortunately, I crashed with three laps remaining. I'm sorry for the team, but we have another opportunity tomorrow and our goal is to bounce back strongly."
