SBK, Locatelli between dream and reality: Yamaha's bitter wake-up call at Phillip Island

R1 struggling at Phillip Island, no riders in the Friday Superbike combined top 10: Locatelli comments on the situation.

In the first round of the 2026 Superbike World Championship, it’s unlikely we’ll see Yamaha on the podium. After the early-week test, today’s Superpole also confirmed that the R1 isn’t competitive enough at Phillip Island. The best Yamaha rider was Xavi Vierge, eleventh in the overall times. Andrea Locatelli was only fifteenth, and compared to the test he wasn’t able to make the progress he had hoped for, facing a weekend with no expectations.

Locatelli, 1.2 seconds off the best time set by Nicolò Bulega, expected a different level of competitiveness in Australia: “Honestly,” he told Speedweek, “I came to Phillip Island to win. The reality is what you see on track, but as always we keep working to improve. Track conditions and the wind are constantly changing, and we’re trying to figure out which solution gives us the best grip and better lap times. For now, there’s nothing else we can do, but I remain optimistic and I’ll give my all.”

Even if he’s not where he wants to be, the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK rider sees steps forward compared to the early-week test: “The goal was to regain the necessary feeling after the difficult test. Now I feel more comfortable, but something is still missing. We’ll work on it, stay positive, and keep our fingers crossed to make a good step forward.”

His new teammate Vierge is ahead of him, a scenario that was hard to predict given Locatelli is in his sixth year with the R1: “For Xavi it’s different than for me,” he explains. “In the area where we have the biggest problems, he seems to have the best feeling of his Superbike career. I, on the other hand, have never ridden other bikes. He’s really showing he can do it, and that’s positive.”

Taking a look at the data from the former Honda HRC rider could help him take another step heading into the weekend. Loka doesn’t want to get too down: aware of the tough situation, he wants to react and get the best out of both the Yamaha and himself. At Phillip Island he encountered a reality he didn’t expect, but he doesn’t like feeling sorry for himself and will do his best to score as many points as possible.