Third row for Alcoba and seventh for Aegerter after Superpole at Balaton

Riding for the Kawasaki WorldSSP Team, Jeremy Alcoba and Dominique Aegerter have completed the first day of practice and Superpole making up the fourth WorldSSP round at the Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary.

The riders took to the track in sunny but cool conditions for free practice this morning, working to adapt their Ninja ZX-6R 636 machines to the winding Hungarian track.

Jeremy Alcoba set a time of 1’43”327 and placed fifth, while Aegerter focused less on lap times and more on the setup of his bike, finishing the session P27 with a time of 1’45”705.

In the afternoon, the duo headed out for Superpole, which established the grid for Race 1. Putting in a best time of 1’42”623, Alcoba qualified eighth. Aegerter was also able to significantly lower his earlier reference, setting a 1’43”337 to place nineteenth.

As a result, the Spanish rider will line up on row three of the grid and the Swiss rider from row seven for Saturday’s 18-lap race.

Jeremy Alcoba: “I’m quite pleased with my Superpole because I improved my lap time significantly with respect to last season and particularly because we found a good setup for the bike. I pushed to the limit and made a few small mistakes in the last sector, without which I could have probably placed on the first or second row, but all in all I’m pleased because my starting position means a strong result is within reach and, if I can start well, I can run with the fastest guys. I’m optimistic for tomorrow’s race and want to thank the team for all their hard work.”

Dominique Aegerter: “Today wasn’t easy, especially this morning when our pace was not very fast. The bike was difficult to ride, and I was struggling to get it to turn, but for qualifying the team did a great job, I improved my riding and we were able to improve. We need to continue on this path, trying to improve through every sector. Nineteenth place is not what we hoped for today, and for the race I’ll need to push hard from the start to make up ground and score as many points as possible. We need to stay positive, keep working hard and give it our all.”

Gerloff Gets His Weekend Underway At Balaton

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) took to the track at Balaton Park on Friday, 1 May, for two Free Practice sessions on his official Ninja ZX-10RR, in preparation for what will be three races at the Hungarian Round.

After a less than ideal Assen WorldSBK race weekend last time out, Gerloff was keen to get back into stronger form right away at Balaton. The Texan rider was on it from the start, ending FP1 in sixth place overall, with a best lap time 1.122 seconds from the fastest rider.

Although still riding well and setting a lap time just 1.131 seconds from the best in FP2, Garrett ended up 14th in the combined qualifying times at this short and very technical circuit.

FP3, Superpole Qualifying, and Race One will be the next challenges for Garrett and his tech crew on Saturday, 2 May, before a ten-lap Superpole Race and then a final 21-lap Race Two complete the race card on Sunday, 3 May.

Garrett Gerloff: “Today started well and I was really happy to be inside the top six this morning, especially after Assen. It was nice to come here, feel good and be inside the top ten, like well into the top ten. In the second session, FP2, I felt good also, but everybody seemed to go a bit faster, so I moved down the order a little bit. I think that with some changes we can fight more with the other riders for a top ten. That is our goal for tomorrow, and just keep fighting.”

Top Four For Alcoba In Race One

Kawasaki WorldSSP Team rider Jeremy Alcoba finished the first 18-lap race of the Balaton Park weekend in a strong fourth place, after starting from eighth place on the grid. Dominique Aegerter (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) finished Race One inside the points, in 12th position.

In warm and sunny conditions on Friday 1 May in Hungary, Alcoba finished 5th in FP1, with Aegerter 27th.

Later on the opening day of action, after Superpole Qualifying, Alcoba would earn a third row start in eighth place, while Aegerter would finish 19th.

During Race One, Alcoba made real progress through the whole 18 laps, setting the second-best lap of the race as he pushed on towards the leading group. His determination and pace paid off well on the final lap, as he got to within 0.770 seconds of the race winner, Valentin Debise. He was just under 0.4 seconds from a podium placing on his Ninja ZX-6R 636.

A late fight between the leading trio at the very end of the race aided Alcoba’s last lap efforts to a degree, but in setting the second-fastest lap of the whole race, it was already clear that Jeremy was riding at a very high tempo around the intense 4.075km-long Balaton Park circuit.

Aegerter also made improvements from his starting position in Race One, going from the seventh row to 12th place, earning four more championship points in the process.

There will be one more 18-lap Balaton Park race on Sunday, 3 May, with Alcoba starting from second place this time around, while Aegerter will launch from 20th place on the grid.

Manuel Puccetti: “Alcoba had a great race today, finishing fourth, just 0.7 seconds shy of the win. Had he overtaken the rider in front of him earlier, he probably could have fought for the win, but we’re satisfied with the result. Tomorrow, Jeremy will start from second on the grid, having set the second-fastest time today, and this makes us optimistic for the outcome of Race 2. Aegerter finished in the points after a strong comeback, confirming the progress he and the entire team have made.”

Jeremy Alcoba: “I am really happy about today’s opening race and to finish in fourth place. We had really good pace and made a good ‘comeback’ because at one point we were 1.5 seconds back. We recovered some of the gap to the guys in front on the last four laps. I did not expect this pace, because it was really strong from the guys out front and also from me, but we were struggling in some parts of the track. I think the team and I did a really good job, so I am super-happy. Tomorrow we start from second place on the grid because we did the second-fastest lap of Race One. The weekend has been super-good, so why not end with a good result, even better than today?”

Dominique Aegerter: “My starting position of P19 was not the best for the race start, but I tried my best. We finished P12 and we tried hard to improve and be fast, but I am still struggling a little bit in the feeling to the bike. There are a few setting changes we will try tomorrow, in the warm-up. We will only have ten minutes but for everybody it will be the same. I hope we can improve tomorrow in the second Balaton race to be closer to the front guys. Jeremy did a great job today so congrats to him. We need to be where he is to fight at the front, but I still need some time to try to improve.”

Gerloff In The Points Again In Race One

At the Balaton Park Circuit on Saturday 2 May, Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) had an intense Race One experience on his way to recording a 13th place finish – and earning three more championship points.

On his Ninja ZX-10RR, Garrett had earned a fourth row grid spot for finishing 12th overall in Superpole Qualifying, setting a best lap of 1’39.419.

In Race One, held over 21 laps, Gerloff was eased off his chosen racing line into a chicane early in the race, ran across the chicane and then had to drop one second from his lap time or face a strict penalty. As it was so early in the race, this meant that Garrett lost several positions, and he ended Lap One in 16th position.

He pushed himself back up the order from that point on and joined a four-rider group in the latter stages, gaining one more position on the last lap to end his opening day of race action in 13th place.

The traditional ten-lap Superpole Race and then a second 21-lap Race Two will round out the action at Balaton, on Sunday 3 May, with Garrett looking to take an even better finish than in Race One.

Manuel Puccetti: “Today’s results don’t reflect the work and improvements made by Gerloff and our team. After securing a fourth-row start in Superpole, our rider was forced into a straightaway in a chicane in Race 1 and lost several positions, but he still managed to finish in the points thanks to a very fast race pace. I’m confident he can achieve good results tomorrow in both the sprint race and Race 2.”

Garrett Gerloff: “I am actually pleased with today and I feel like I am riding really well and the bike is working in a good way. I qualified on the fourth row, which I was decently happy with. I am frustrated about the race because I had moved up one or two positions but I ended up getting pinched off in the braking zone into T9, and had to go straight through the chicane. When you do that, you have to lose one second on your lap time, otherwise you get a penalty. I lost that second – but I lost more than that – because it was the first lap of the race, so everybody passed me. I was like “you gotta be kidding me!” But I tried my best and was able to catch up to a big group and I feel like I was riding well. I am hoping that means we have more chance tomorrow to move up the ladder of finishing positions.”

Kawasaki WorldSSP Team Riders Take Points in Sunday’s Races

Kawasaki WorldSSP Team riders Jeremy Alcoba and Dominique Aegerter earned points in the second race of the Balaton Park weekend, with Jeremy finishing seventh and Dominique 15th.

Starting from second place on the grid, Alcoba was fourth for some time, until rapidly reducing rear tyre traction saw him lose pace and finally track positions. He ended up a still-impressive seventh on his Ninja ZX-6R 636 machine, and 5.588 seconds from the win after 18 intense laps.

Aegerter, who had started from 19th position on the grid, took one more championship point for his 15th place finish, despite not quite finding the lap times he needed to move further forward.

After four rounds and eight individual races of the 2026 season, Alcoba is ranked seventh overall, with 65 points, which is the same points total as the rider who is officially sitting in sixth position.

Dominique is 14th in the championship table, having scored points in the most recent four WorldSSP races.

After Balaton Park, the entire WorldSSP circus will return to Central Europe, with Autodrom Most hosting Round Five, in Czechia, between 15-17 May.

Manuel Puccetti: “For our Supersport team this was, overall, the best weekend of the season so far. Alcoba, fourth yesterday and just missing out on a podium, again ran in the front group today and crossed the line seventh, despite unexpected rear tyre wear, while Aegerter, who continues to make progress, reached the points zone.”

Jeremy Alcoba: “I am quite happy overall with the weekend. I think we did a really good job. I put all my efforts on being in front and fighting with the top guys. I think we did this, and the team did a really good job. It was a shame for the second race because we had a problem with the rear tyre, which we need to analyse. We were still fighting with the leaders despite these problems. The speed is there, but for sure we are struggling in some parts of some corners, so we need to find something extra. But I am quite happy. I did my job, and I am happy with how things went in the weekend. We had an opportunity, but it was an unlucky day. I think in Most we can have a good weekend.”

Dominique Aegerter: “We started from 19th place on the grid and gained one championship point for 15th place. We tried to improve and I gave my best, but we couldn’t improve the lap times in our gap to the front. We need to work hard, see the data, check where we can improve and look forward to the next race. I hope we can find something better so I can ride in the race positions we should be in.”

Fifth Place The Best Result Yet For Gerloff

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) secured his best race result since joining Kawasaki in 2025 after finishing fifth in the second 21-lap race at Balaton Park in Hungary.

On Sunday, 3 May, Gerloff found good pace in the Superpole Race, but his top five finish in Race Two topped any single result he has had on the Ninja ZX-10RR in WorldSBK.

The Superpole Race in the morning was scheduled to be run over the traditional ten laps, but was contested over eight, due to a lap one collision involving three riders.

Garrett had a strong ride into a final eighth place in the shortened race, and as a result, started Race Two in eighth place on the grid. He was the second non-Ducati rider inside the top eight places in the ‘sprint’ race.

In Race Two, Garrett went three places better in one regard and one place better in another, as he was the first non-Ducati rider home this time, after a top-class performance to make it up to fifth place. After some surprisingly disappointing results at the previous round in Assen, Gerloff was particularly pleased to put in the kind of top five ride he and his team know they are capable of.

In the championship, Garrett is 14th overall, with 40 points, having posted ever-improving race results of 13th, eighth, and fifth at Balaton.

Autodrom Most in Czechia will be the venue for the fifth round of the championship, to be held between 15-17 May.

Manuel Puccetti: “A major race for Gerloff and a very well-deserved fifth place, his best ever result aboard the Kawasaki and further motivation for us to continue along this path, putting in maximum effort as always.”

Garrett Gerloff: “I felt a lot better today than I did at Assen last time out. That was one of the worst weekends I have had, and it felt difficult to explain – because I felt I was doing pretty well with my riding and I felt the bike was working not too badly – but we seemed to have no speed all weekend. I was just scratching my head. It is so difficult as a rider not to think that ‘you are just slow now’. So it was nice to come here to Balaton, make changes, and every change we made was helping me feel better and better. To finish with a top five in Race Two was one of the best things I could do for the team and myself. It has given us a lot of motivation to stay strong for the rest of the season.”