The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team returned to action at the Circuito de Jerez–Ángel Nieto, Spain, for a one-day private test, with Stefano Manzi immediately making an impression on his WorldSBK debut by setting the third fastest lap time.
Both riders faced tricky conditions in the morning, as light rain affected the opening hours of testing. When the track finally began to dry around 11:00 local time (test going on from 10:00 to 18:00 non-stop), Manzi headed out for his very first laps aboard the Yamaha R1, focusing on gaining confidence and understanding the Superbike.
The 2025 WorldSSP Champion completed a total of 95 laps, steadily improving throughout the day. In the final stages, he delivered a time attack, securing third overall with a 1’39.349 (on lap 87 of 95), while gathering valuable data and experience on the R1.
On the other side of the box, Remy Gardner’s day was limited by shoulder pain following his Superpole Race incident on Sunday. Despite the discomfort, the Australian still managed 16 laps in the morning session, setting a best time of 1’39.695 to end the day in ninth position. Gardner then decided to stop his test before lunchtime, preserving energy and track time for upcoming sessions.
Stefano Manzi – P3 (1’39.349)
“First of all, it’s amazing to make my WorldSBK debut — it’s been an exciting day and I couldn’t wait to ride the bike. Our main goal today was to complete as many laps as possible. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t ideal early on, and we lost a bit of track time, but we still managed to do a lot of work and I’m happy overall. Today was all about getting comfortable and building confidence with the Yamaha R1. From the next tests, we’ll start to focus more on details, so I’m already looking forward to being back on track.”
Remy Gardner – P9 (1’39.695)
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t ride as much as we planned today because of my shoulder. Still, we completed a few laps and decided to save half a day for later, which could be useful. I’m satisfied with what we managed to do, and now the focus is on the next test in a month’s time. I’ll take some rest to recover properly and come back in good shape for the next outing.”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team concluded its 2025 campaign today at the Circuito de Jerez–Ángel Nieto, with Remy Gardner finishing 11th in Race 2 after an unfortunate Superpole Race incident that ended his sprint on the opening lap.
Following a positive Warm Up session, both Gardner and Alessandro Delbianco entered the Tissot Superpole Race feeling confident. However, Gardner’s promising start was short-lived — after a lightning getaway that placed him among the leading group, he was taken out just three corners into the race. On the other side of the garage, Delbianco delivered a consistent performance, crossing the line in a solid 14th place.
Despite some pain in his right shoulder from the earlier crash, Gardner was declared fit to race and lined up 11th on the grid for Race 2. The Australian rider showed great determination, maintaining a steady rhythm and pushing through the discomfort to secure 11th at the flag. Delbianco also fought hard for points, displaying good pace throughout and ultimately finishing 17th.
Remy Gardner – Superpole Race: DNF / Race 2: P11
“It’s a shame to finish the season like this. We had a really strong opportunity today, but unfortunately it was taken away in the Superpole Race. I was taken out early on and felt some pain in my right shoulder afterwards, which affected me in Race 2. Still, our pace was good and we could have achieved a strong result — the whole team deserved it. Anyway, we’ll look ahead to next season with confidence and aim to be consistently fighting at the front.”
Alessandro Delbianco – Superpole Race: P14 / Race 2: P17
“Overall, it’s been a decent day, and I’m happy to have completed both races. In the sprint we showed good pace and enjoyed some close battles, and I was confident heading into Race 2 as well. It wasn’t easy to manage the full race distance here, as it was my first complete WorldSBK race this year, but lap by lap the feeling improved, and that’s really positive. I’d like to thank the Team and Yamaha for the opportunity — it’s been a great experience.”
The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team wrapped up the 2025 season on a high note at the Circuito de Jerez–Ángel Nieto, securing a double Top 10 finish in the final race weekend of the year. Sara Sánchez and Natalia Rivera battled fiercely until the chequered flag in Race 2, ultimately finishing eighth and tenth respectively.
After a promising Warm Up 2 session, both riders approached the final race with confidence. Sánchez was third fastest in the 10-minute outing, with Rivera ninth, showing strong pace ahead of the decisive race.
In Race 2, Rivera and Sánchez launched well from sixth and thirteenth on the grid, immediately joining the battle for the podium. The pair maintained a strong rhythm throughout the 11-lap contest, remaining in contention until the final stages. Sánchez crossed the line in eighth, with Rivera close behind in tenth, sealing a positive conclusion to the season.
Sara Sánchez – P8
“It’s a bit of a bittersweet ending. Of course, I would have liked to finish the season with a podium. The pace was there, but starting so far back made things difficult, and considering my physical condition, it wasn’t easy to handle all the battles. It’s been a demanding season with ups and downs, but I want to thank all the guys who supported me throughout the year. It’s been a pleasure working with them, and I can only wish them the best.”
Natalia Rivera – P10
“It’s been a thrilling debut season for me, and overall I’m happy with the progress we made. Today we were in the fight for the podium, and even if I’m a little disappointed not to be closer, that’s a good sign — it means we’re pushing and aware of our potential to be up there. The goal for next year will be to keep improving and consistently fight for those positions. I want to thank the team for all their support — I can’t wait to start next season!”
The Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team returned to action today at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, delivering a solid performance with both riders inside the top ten. Sara Sánchez crossed the finish line in eighth but was later demoted to ninth for exceeding track limits on the final lap, while Natalia Rivera secured a strong tenth place just behind her teammate.
The day began positively with Warm Up 1, where both riders gathered valuable data ahead of Race 1. Sánchez was third fastest, improving on her Superpole time, while Rivera placed 13th, showing consistent pace.
Race 1 was interrupted by an early red flag, reducing the distance to just nine laps. At the restart, starting from 10th and 12th on the grid, Rivera and Sánchez both made good launches and began climbing through the field. Despite her physical condition, Sánchez displayed impressive speed, recovering to eighth and setting her fastest lap on the final lap — though a track limits infringement at Turn 13 dropped her to ninth. The penalty also cost her what would have been a front-row start (sixth) for Sunday’s Race 2, meaning she’ll line up 13th instead.
Rivera, meanwhile, produced a strong and consistent ride, staying close to the leading group and improving her rhythm as the race progressed. Setting her fastest lap on the final circulation, she crossed the line in tenth, which promoted her to sixth on the grid for Race 2 thanks to her strong pace in the closing stages.
Sara Sánchez – P9
“Starting from so far back was challenging, especially considering my physical condition. Despite that, and the shortened race, we managed to show strong pace and improve lap by lap. It’s a shame my final lap was canceled for track limits, which dropped me to ninth and denied me a sixth-place start for tomorrow. Still, we proved we’re fast and ready to fight back. I’ll give everything to make a big comeback tomorrow — let’s stay confident and see what happens!”
Natalia Rivera – P10
“It was a tricky race overall, even though our pace was good. The shortened distance didn’t help, as we had fewer laps to close the gap to the front, but I was getting faster every lap. Setting my best time on the last lap gives me a lot of confidence, and starting sixth tomorrow will be a great opportunity. I’ll try to stay with the leading group and push to fight among them.”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team was back in action today at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, securing valuable results on Spanish soil. Remy Gardner crossed the line in eighth place, while Alessandro Delbianco showed promising speed before an unfortunate crash.
After a strong Free Practice 3, where Gardner finished sixth and Delbianco impressed in eighth, both riders headed into the Tissot Superpole session with confidence. In the 15-minute qualifying shootout, Gardner pushed hard to claim a solid sixth place on the grid (later upgraded to fifth due to another rider’s absence) with a 1’37.780 lap. Delbianco, meanwhile, faced traffic in the tight field and couldn’t fully express his potential, finishing 17th with a 1’38.865.
In Race 1, Gardner made an excellent start and immediately joined the fight for the podium positions. Unfortunately, a mid-race issue cost him some pace, but he still maintained a consistent rhythm to bring home an important eighth-place finish. On the other side of the garage, Delbianco also enjoyed a strong start, making up positions early on and showing solid pace before a crash ended his race prematurely with 17 laps to go.
Remy Gardner – Superpole: P6 / Race 1: P8
“It’s been a bit of a bittersweet Saturday, to be honest. We definitely had the pace to fight for more. After a pretty good Superpole, I was confident we could battle for a strong result in Race 1, but I lost the rear brake which slowed me down mid-race. Still, we managed to finish eighth and gather good points. We know what to work on for tomorrow, and I’m confident we can fight closer to the front. Let’s stay positive and push for a strong season finale!”
Alessandro Delbianco – Superpole: P17 / Race 1: DNF
“First of all, I’m sorry to the team for the crash. I was feeling confident on the bike today. Qualifying was tricky to manage and I’m still adapting to this format, so after a very strong FP3 I couldn’t quite put together a perfect lap in Superpole. The start of the race was really good though, and I was able to overtake a few riders and show strong pace. Unfortunately, I crashed, but we’ll analyze what happened and take it as a lesson for tomorrow. I know our potential is high, and I’ll give my best to reward the team and Yamaha with a strong Sunday!”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team returned to action today at the Circuito de Jerez–Ángel Nieto, Spain, completing a productive Friday in preparation for the final round of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Following a medical check on Thursday, Dominique Aegerter was declared unfit to ride this weekend. As a result, Alessandro Delbianco stepped in as his replacement, joining Remy Gardner for the season finale in Spain.
In the morning’s Free Practice 1, Gardner concentrated on race pace, completing the entire session on the same set of tyres. The Australian rider finished 15th with a time of 1’39.873. On the other side of the garage, Delbianco focused on adapting to the WorldSBK-spec Yamaha R1, building confidence lap after lap, and ended the session 19th with a 1’40.467.
Later in the afternoon, under significantly hotter conditions in Free Practice 2, both riders improved their performance. Gardner once again worked on race setup and tyre management, still managing to improve his time to 1’39.707, placing him 11th at the chequered flag. Delbianco continued to make steady progress, enhancing his feeling with the bike throughout the session and closing the day in 17th with a 1’40.054.
Remy Gardner – P14 (1’39.707)
“First of all, I’m really sorry for Domi — he deserved to finish his journey with the team on track. As for today, the final position isn’t fantastic and we’re still missing a bit of pace, but I’m confident we can take a step forward and get closer to the front group. We’ll keep working on the areas where we’re lacking rhythm, aiming for a solid result tomorrow. Let’s stay focused and positive — even a small improvement could make a big difference here in Jerez.”
Alessandro Delbianco – P18 (1’40.054)
“First of all, I’d like to wish Dominique a speedy recovery — I’m sorry for him and I hope he’ll be back in good shape soon. As for us, it felt nice to be back on a WorldSBK machine. We used the morning to get familiar with the bike again, but overall it wasn’t too bad. We made good progress from morning to afternoon, improving lap after lap. I’m confident we can keep moving forward and get closer to the riders ahead. The goal is to have a clean and consistent Race 1 tomorrow and bring home a valuable result.”
