The eighth round of the 2025 Superbike World Championship has drawn to its conclusion at new circuit Balaton Park in Hungary. A very important milestone was also reached at Balaton on Sunday, in that the Superpole race marked the 1000th WorldSBK race start. Unfortunately, Honda HRC rider Iker Lecuona was unable to compete today, having sustained an injury in a multi-rider crash that occurred at the start of Saturday’s Race 1. This meant that Xavi Vierge was the factory team’s sole representative on track today.
Just prior to the morning’s sprint race, a special 1000th WorldSBK race commemorative photo was taken on the main straight. Vierge then started today’s Superpole race from seventh on the grid, having gained two places due to the withdrawal of Iker and Iannone. The race got underway on a damp track following heavy rain earlier in the morning. Xavi, who had opted for slick tyres at both front and rear, made a very strong start and moved straight up into fifth place. A contact on lap one unfortunately caused the Spaniard to slip back to ninth. Quick to react, Vierge battled hard to pass his closest rivals and progressed to fifth by lap four. Demonstrating impressive pace, Xavi climbed as high as fourth, only surrendering one position in the final stages. A solid fifth-place finish nevertheless guaranteed the Spaniard more precious points and a second-row start for the afternoon’s second and final race.
The second and final 21-lap SBK race ran a few hours later, in dry conditions. Fifth on the grid thanks to his Superpole race result, Vierge dropped to seventh over the first few laps. Again able to maintain consistent pace, Xavi managed the second half of the race effectively to secure final seventh position.
After eight of twelve championship rounds, Vierge has consolidated seventh place in the general standings with 112 points, while Lecuona, unable to collect points this weekend, now lies sixteenth with a tally of 90. The Honda HRC team now has two days of testing scheduled at Aragon on August 25–26, in preparation for Round 9, set to take place on September 5–7 at the Magny-Cours circuit in France.
Xavi Vierge
97
Honda HRC
Considering how the weekend started on Friday, we were able to make some improvements, and overall, I think it turned into a solid weekend. Today especially, as the Superpole Race was a positive one. We knew we had a good opportunity because, with those track conditions, we were better able to make up for our weak points. We made a good tyre choice and started the race well. It was a pity about the contact with Montella; he hit me really hard at turn 11 shortly after the start of the race. The impact was strong enough to trigger my airbag, and for almost half a lap I could barely breathe. Of course, I lost ground and contact with the front group fighting for the podium. Still, finishing in the top five was a good result and allowed me to start from the second row in Race 2, which was helpful. In the long race, I made a another good start, but unfortunately, as the laps went by, I kept struggling with edge grip and drive. It’s difficult for me to manage that because as soon as I try to go with the group in front, the tyres spin more and overheat. We’ve also struggled in the braking zones here, which made things even more complicated. I had to accept the pace I had and just manage it to the end. P7 is not the result we want, especially with such a big gap to the front. But this is our situation, we understand our problems, and we’re giving our best with what we have. Now we’ll focus on the test in Aragon in about three weeks’ time. There, we’ll try different set-ups, but without losing sight of our current base which gives me good feeling with the front of the bike. As soon as we lose that, we’re lost — just like we were on Friday and during the last round. We must keep that feeling no matter what, and try to limit our weak points as much as possible.
Considering how the weekend started on Friday, we were able to make some improvements, and overall, I think it turned into a solid weekend. Today especially, as the Superpole Race was a positive one. We knew we had a good opportunity because, with those track conditions, we were better able to make up for our weak points. We made a good tyre choice and started the race well. It was a pity about the contact with Montella; he hit me really hard at turn 11 shortly after the start of the race. The impact was strong enough to trigger my airbag, and for almost half a lap I could barely breathe. Of course, I lost ground and contact with the front group fighting for the podium. Still, finishing in the top five was a good result and allowed me to start from the second row in Race 2, which was helpful. In the long race, I made a another good start, but unfortunately, as the laps went by, I kept struggling with edge grip and drive. It’s difficult for me to manage that because as soon as I try to go with the group in front, the tyres spin more and overheat. We’ve also struggled in the braking zones here, which made things even more complicated. I had to accept the pace I had and just manage it to the end. P7 is not the result we want, especially with such a big gap to the front. But this is our situation, we understand our problems, and we’re giving our best with what we have. Now we’ll focus on the test in Aragon in about three weeks’ time. There, we’ll try different set-ups, but without losing sight of our current base which gives me good feeling with the front of the bike. As soon as we lose that, we’re lost — just like we were on Friday and during the last round. We must keep that feeling no matter what, and try to limit our weak points as much as possible.