Locatelli Claims First Podium of 2025 with a Flawless Ride – FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK)
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) secured his first podium finish of the 2025 season in Race 1 at Portimão, delivering a composed and consistent performance that reflected the hard work and steady progress he and his team have made since the season opener.
In the morning’s Superpole session, Locatelli narrowly missed out on the front row, qualifying 4th, just 0.1 seconds off. During the race, he slotted in behind Bulega right after the start and remained in podium contention throughout. Even as grip levels dropped in the closing laps, he maintained a steady pace and successfully defended 3rd place to the finish.
Andrea Locatelli:
“I stayed focused and believed in myself all the way through. Honestly, I’m really happy. We’ve been doing a great job since yesterday, and the base setup of the R1 was strong coming into the race.”
“I struggled a bit with front-end feel during the race, so we’ll try to improve that for tomorrow. But I never lost concentration and managed to control the situation from start to finish. Today’s result is a reward for all the work the team has done.”
“It’s only Round 2, and the season is long—we have many different tracks to face. I want to keep believing in myself and keep fighting. Tomorrow, I’ll give it my all again to reach the podium and hopefully take my first win.”