Chinese CFMOTO debuts in CIV Sportbike: at Misano with Boccetti Racing

A new manufacturer on the CIV Sportbike 2026 grid: Boccetti Racing will debut the CFMOTO 675 SR-R this weekend at Misano.

The CIV "Racing Night" taking place this weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli offers further topics of interest. While much of the attention will focus on the first night races for the Superbike and Supersport classes, scheduled for Saturday, July 25, there will be a historic première among the Sportbikes. Twenty-two days after our preview on June 29, Boccetti Racing Team has confirmed its presence as a wild card with a CFMOTO 675 SR-R entrusted to Valentino Casalboni. There is a lot of curiosity about the absolute debut of the Chinese brand in the Italian series, although a full-time entry will likely have to wait until next year.

Boccetti Racing, a team with a brief past in CIV Superbike and currently competing in the one-make Suzuki GSX-8R Cup with Walter Laudati, has decided to embark on an unprecedented project. Gianluca Boccetti’s squad will represent CFMOTO in CIV Sportbike, taking charge of developing the 675 SR-R with direct support from the national importer Padana Sviluppo. Despite some delays in preparing a bike that has only in recent weeks covered its first kilometers with an exceptional rider like Marco Gaggi, Boccetti Racing will tackle the fourth round of the CIV SPB at Misano as a wild card. With the understanding that this will be a true “test race” with a view to 2027.

“We’re ready to dive into this new challenge with CFMOTO, debuting the 675 SR-R in CIV Sportbike,” Team Manager Gianluca Boccetti told us. “It’s a decision that came after several meetings and aspects that needed sorting from a technical, managerial, and organizational standpoint. It took some time to get the project off the ground, but we can’t wait to hit the track. We will race under the CFMOTO ‘umbrella’ as a team supported by Padana Sviluppo, which will assist us on the technical side. For me and the team, it’s a source of pride to defend the colors of a Chinese manufacturer. We’re betting on a synergy that blends Italian mechanical expertise with Asian technological drive.”

Once it was confirmed that fielding Marco Gaggi, a regular front-runner in the World Sportbike Championship with Team BrCorse, was not possible, Boccetti Racing quickly reached an agreement with Valentino Casalboni (born 2008). “We’re very happy with the deal reached with Valentino, a fast, young rider with extensive experience in the smaller categories (best rookie in CIV Moto3 in 2024, ed.),” continues Gianluca Boccetti. “This year he was supposed to contest the entire Dunlop Cup 600 season, but due to a lack of budget he had to revise his plans. He accepted our proposal with great enthusiasm, and we thank him for his availability. We’re confident he can provide the feedback we’re looking for. Maybe, why not, laying the groundwork right away for next season.”

Speaking of expectations. “It’s hard to set targets,” admitted Boccetti. “We need to gather data and understand how the CFMOTO responds to the demands of a race weekend. We’ll take the opportunity to see where we stand, thereby verifying the merits of a 675 SR-R that’s continually evolving. In previous test sessions, the bike surprised us with its reliability and potential. The signs are positive, even though a race is always a different story. In short: we want to keep our feet on the ground. At Misano we’ll race with a ‘hybrid’ version, as we await a new package of updates expected in the coming months. Obsessing over results and performance isn’t our focus right now.”