Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi return to action at the Cremona Circuit in Italy this weekend, 25–27 September, for Round 10 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship, marking the second home round of the season for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Following a solid weekend at Magny-Cours, Gardner is eager to continue making progress in Italy, at a circuit where he has enjoyed strong performances in the past. The Australian also took part in a one-day test at Cremona following the French Round. Although rain disrupted the session, Gardner was still able to complete some valuable laps in dry conditions ahead of this weekend’s action.
It will also be a second home round of the season for Stefano Manzi. The 2025 WorldSSP Champion is looking forward to a strong weekend on home soil, at a circuit that holds fond memories for him after securing a double victory there last year. Manzi also joined the recent test, completing some useful laps around the Cremona Circuit as he prepares for the weekend.
Following Friday’s Free Practice sessions, the WorldSBK field will return to the track on Saturday for Superpole qualifying at 11:15 local time, with Race 1 getting underway at 15:30. Sunday’s schedule features the Superpole Race at 11:10, followed by Race 2 at 15:30 local time.
Remy Gardner: “I’m looking forward to another round at a place where we’ve had some decent races in the past. After Magny-Cours, we’re confident that we can take another step forward following a positive weekend there, and I can’t wait to get back on the bike. We also had a test day in Cremona after the French Round, where we managed to complete some dry laps. Unfortunately, the rain stopped us from riding any further, but it was still useful preparation ahead of the race weekend.”
Stefano Manzi: “I’m looking forward to enjoying a good weekend in Cremona, with the goal of having some strong races there. I’ve been quick at this circuit in the past, so I hope we’ll be able to put in a strong performance again. It will also be the second home round for me and the team, so we have some extra motivation heading into the weekend. We had the opportunity to complete some laps during a one-day test after the Magny-Cours weekend, and it was good to be back on the bike, even if the session was cut short by the rain. In any case, I can’t wait to be in Cremona. See you all there!”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team returned to action today for the final day of racing at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France, with Remy Gardner producing a strong Superpole Race to finish eighth at the chequered flag, before going on to score further valuable points in Race 2.
Following a productive Warm Up session, the Australian rider headed into the Superpole Race with confidence. In the 10-lap contest, Gardner made a strong recovery from 13th on the grid, fighting his way through the field to cross the line in eighth. Starting Race 2 from P8, he made a good start and showed a solid pace throughout the race. Pushing hard until the chequered flag, he eventually finished tenth to bring home further valuable championship points.
It was a more demanding day for Stefano Manzi on the other side of the garage. Following a difficult Superpole Race, the Italian pushed hard in the final feature race of the weekend, giving his all throughout the contest. Unfortunately, while running into the latter stages of the race, he struggled with grip and crashed with five laps remaining, bringing his race to an early end.
Both riders will now return to action in two weeks’ time for the tenth round of the season at the Cremona Circuit in Italy.
Remy Gardner – Superpole Race: P8 / Race 2: P10
“Overall, it’s been a decent day and we had some good battles, especially in the sprint race. We were able to push hard this morning and recover five places, which also promoted us to eighth on the Race 2 grid. We then tried to stay close to the pack, but despite having a good pace, we were missing a little something to stay with the riders ahead. Anyway, we bring home some valuable points and can look ahead to the next chapter with confidence.”
Stefano Manzi – Superpole Race: P18 / Race 2: DNF“Honestly, it was a day to forget. We struggled with confidence and grip, and unfortunately we weren’t able to make much progress in the sprint race. Afterwards, in Race 2, things were a little better and I was trying to make a final attack in the latter stages of the race, but I ended up crashing and that brought our weekend to an end. I’m sorry about that. Now we need to reset, look ahead and focus on the next one in Cremona in a few weeks.”
Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi endured a frustrating Saturday at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France, as both riders saw their Race 1 come to an early end. Despite showing encouraging pace throughout the day, qualifying was compromised by yellow flags before incidents brought both races to a premature conclusion.
Following a positive Free Practice 3, Gardner headed into Superpole with confidence. The Australian set a lap that would have placed him ninth on the grid, but it was cancelled due to yellow flags, leaving him to start Race 1 from 13th.
The 28-year-old made a strong launch and immediately showed competitive pace. However, contact with another rider forced Gardner off track in the early stages, leaving him with no option but to retire from the race.
It was a similarly frustrating day for Manzi, whose progress was also affected by yellow flags during qualifying, resulting in 15th place on the grid. The 2025 WorldSSP Champion made a solid start to Race 1 and showed promising speed in the opening laps, but unfortunately crashed at the final chicane, bringing his race to an early end.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will return to action tomorrow for the final day of racing at Magny-Cours. The Superpole Race will get underway at 11:10 local time, followed by Race 2 at 14:00.
Remy Gardner – Superpole: P13 / Race 1: DNF
“It wasn’t our day, so let’s try to reset and focus on the final day of racing. The positive is that the potential was there, including in qualifying, but the yellow flags cost us a third-row start, which would have been a massive help. In Race 1, our pace was good, but unfortunately another rider made contact with me and I was forced off track, which ended my race. It’s a shame, but we have another day ahead of us and another opportunity to show our potential.”
Stefano Manzi – Superpole: P15 / Race 1: DNF
“It was a complicated Saturday despite a positive start to the day. In qualifying, our chances were affected by the yellow flags, while in Race 1 we were showing decent pace and I felt we had the potential to have a good race. Unfortunately, I crashed at the final chicane, which is a shame, and I’m sorry for that. We’ll try to refocus and come back stronger tomorrow. Thankfully, we have one more day to race and another opportunity to show our potential.”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo of Stefano Manzi and Remy Gardner returned to action today at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France, for the ninth round of the 2026 WorldSBK season, ending Friday 13th and 14th respectively on the combined timesheets.
In Free Practice 1 this morning, Manzi enjoyed a solid session, completing a useful number of laps across the 45-minute outing. The Italian rider used just one set of tyres throughout the session and posted a 1’36.694 to initially finish 13th. He continued to make progress in the afternoon despite the hotter temperatures, focusing mainly on race pace and long-distance performance. Improving his lap time to a 1’36.554, Manzi ended the day 13th on the combined standings.
It was also a productive Friday for teammate Gardner, who made a strong return to action on French soil. The Australian rider set a competitive 1’36.446 in FP1, placing him seventh before he was later demoted to 15th after having his lap time cancelled for exceeding track limits. Gardner then turned his attention to long-run work in the afternoon, focusing primarily on race distance. He finished the 45-minute session with a 1’36.558, ending the day 14th overall and gathering valuable data ahead of the remainder of the race weekend.
Both riders will be back in action tomorrow for Free Practice 3 at 09:40 local time, followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:15 and Race 1 at 15:30.
Stefano Manzi: P13 (1’36.554)
“Overall, it’s nice to be back and it was great to be competing again. It was a decent day, and we produced some solid laps. In the afternoon, we were not too far from the front, so I hope we can continue along this line and get even closer tomorrow. We’ll be working hard to make it happen, so let’s stay confident and positive while also aiming to put together a strong qualifying session for the races ahead.”
Remy Gardner: P14 (1’36.558)
“It’s great to be back in action after such a long time and, overall, it wasn’t a bad day. Unfortunately, our lap time from the morning was cancelled due to track limits. That would have put us in the top 10 on the combined timesheets, so it shows there is still plenty of potential to express, which gives us confidence heading into the weekend. In the afternoon, our lap times were not too far from the front, so I’m confident that, if we can make the right adjustments, we can be in the fight tomorrow in Race 1 and target a strong result.”
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team is set to return to action this weekend, 4-6 September, as the FIM Superbike World Championship resumes at Magny-Cours, France, for the ninth round of the 2026 season, with Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi keen to be back on track.
Gardner delivered solid performances ahead of the summer break, collecting valuable points consistently and showing promising pace across the previous eight rounds. He and the team are now eager to keep building on that progress in the remaining four rounds, targeting regular battles for the front.
For rookie Manzi, it has been a learning process. The 2025 WorldSSP Champion has adapted well to the Yamaha R1 machine, producing some strong rounds and showing good speed overall in his first year in the WorldSBK class. The Italian is now keen to keep improving and make a name for himself for the rest of the season.
The race weekend schedule will see WorldSBK Race 1 take place on Saturday at 15:30 local time, following the Tissot Superpole qualifying session at 11:15. Times will differ slightly on Sunday, with the Superpole Race starting at 11:10 and Race 2 set for 14:00 local time.
Remy Gardner: "It's great to be back racing after so long, and I can't wait to be on track again and see all the guys. I kept myself very busy during the break, training hard and taking part in some tough competitions, so I'd be ready for France. I can safely say I'm well prepared for what's next and I feel good. We all know the competition is tight and it's going to be a tough task, but we'll give it everything to challenge the field and put ourselves in the front places. Let's approach the weekend with strong confidence."
Stefano Manzi: "We're finally back after such a long time! This weekend we'll be back in action and I can't wait to hit the track again. Of course, I kept myself in training a lot during the break, riding as much as I could and training hard to be ready for this round and the rest of the season. It's been a demanding season so far, with some good highs, which is the most important thing, and we'll try to keep building on them to improve further, aiming to be strong across all four remaining rounds."
Remy Gardner capped off the Donington weekend with another determined comeback in Race 2, recovering eight positions to finish 13th after starting from the back of the grid. Stefano Manzi, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on the points, crossing the line in 16th after a challenging final race of the weekend.
Following Sunday's Warm-Up, Gardner contested the Tissot Superpole Race, where he battled hard over the 10-lap sprint to finish 15th. Starting Race 2 from the rear of the grid, the Australian made another strong launch and immediately gained several positions before settling into a consistent rhythm.
Showing competitive pace throughout the 23-lap encounter, Gardner continued to work his way through the field, making further progress in the closing stages. His determined charge earned him 13th place at the chequered flag, an eight-position recovery that allowed him to add more championship points to his 2026 campaign.
It was a more demanding Sunday for Stefano Manzi. After recovering from 19th on the grid to finish 13th in the Superpole Race, the Italian pushed hard again in Race 2. However, grip issues in the closing laps prevented him from maintaining his pace, and he eventually crossed the line in 16th, just outside the points.
The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will now enjoy the summer break before returning to action at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France, for Round 9 of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship in September.
Remy Gardner – Superpole Race: P15 / Race 2: P13
"Overall, it was another positive day. We pushed hard in both races and, despite the difficult starting positions caused by qualifying, our race pace was competitive once again. We showed that today by fighting our way through the field and recovering several positions. That's encouraging heading into the summer break. We'll take some time to recharge before coming back ready for the final part of the season. There's still plenty of work to do, but the progress we've made gives us confidence and motivation for the remaining rounds. I'm looking forward to getting back on track and finishing the season strongly."
Stefano Manzi – Superpole Race: P13 / Race 2: P16
"It was a demanding Sunday, although there were some positives compared to Saturday, and that's been a recurring pattern during the first half of the season. On one hand, it's encouraging because it shows we're able to improve over the course of the weekend. On the other, we need to work on being more competitive from Friday onwards. We'll use the summer break to keep working hard, and I believe the remaining circuits should suit our package better. We'll come back fully prepared and determined to finish the season in the best possible way."
