Friday

Manzi secures second starting row in sunny Portimao as Okamoto returns

Stefano Manzi qualified sixth on Friday afternoon for the first World Supersport race at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. His teammate, Yuki Okamoto, rode his Yamaha YZF-R9 for the first time since the Phillip Island test and made significant progress throughout the day on the Portuguese circuit, which is new to him.

Under near-perfect conditions, Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing took to the track on Friday at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal to begin the second round of the 2025 World Supersport Championship. Stefano Manzi started strong in free practice, once again proving he is among the fastest riders, while Yuki Okamoto got his first taste of the highly challenging Portimão circuit.

In the afternoon qualifying session Manzi set a 1’43.720, securing sixth place on the grid for Saturday’s Race 1. The Italian was unable to get the most out of his R9 due to traffic in his fastest laps but remains a strong contender for the podium this weekend.

Okamoto showed steady improvement across both sessions on Friday and ended the day with a fastest lap of 1’46.280. This time earned him 28^th place on the grid for the first World Supersport race of his career.

Stefano Manzi (P6 – 1’43.720 / +0,776):
“It was a good first day here in Portimão, and fortunately the weather was great. This morning we already made a big step compared to the test so I was quite happy with the bike. We didn’t do any major changes for qualifying so I could focus on riding. The bike felt good but unfortunately I was a bit unlucky in my final couple of laps, where I encountered some traffic. Anyway, I’m happy and confident with what we did today so I’m looking forward to race tomorrow.”

Yuki Okamoto (P28 – 1’46.280 / +3,336):
“I really enjoyed riding on this circuit today, which is new for me. It’s a very difficult one and there are a lot of points where I need to improve. I will work hard together with the team to improve for tomorrow’s race, that I will enjoy for sure.”

Kervin Bos – Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team manager:
“It was a good first day for us in Portimão, where the conditions were excellent. Stefano made a big step forward compared to the test and we have a very strong race pace with him, which gives us a lot of confidence going into tomorrow’s race. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to put in that one ultimate lap, even though he came close a few times. Regardless, we are satisfied with the work we did today.

On Yuki’s side, there was one clear mission today. After the crash in Phillip Island he is coming to Portimão for the first time this weekend where he has never ridden before, putting him at a significant disadvantage. His task was to get faster in every session and improve himself, and that’s exactly what he did today. We expect to make a big step with him tomorrow, as we now have the information we need to help him move forward.”

Saturday

Manzi celebrates his birthday in Portimao with a trophy in Race One, and a positive WorldSSP debut for Okamoto

Stefano Manzi finished second on Saturday afternoon in the first World Supersport race at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Starting from the second row, the Italian made an impressive start and moved up quickly, ultimately crossing the finish line in second place after an intense battle. Yuki Okamoto completed his first race in the World Supersport class in 24^th position.

Just like on Friday, conditions were nearly perfect at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve on Saturday. The first race of the weekend started at 12:35 local time on the Portuguese circuit, covering seventeen laps. Manzi made an excellent start from sixth on the grid and immediately moved up to second place.

In the second half of the race, Manzi came under heavy pressure from Bendsneyder and had to fight hard to defend his position. He successfully held on, crossing the line in second place to secure his third podium finish of the season. Manzi is now the sole leader in the championship standings with 65 points. The Italian rider, who turned 26 on Saturday, will start Race 2 from fourth on the grid.

Yuki Okamoto made a strong start in his debut World Supersport race, gaining multiple positions right away. The Japanese rider was able to keep up with the riders ahead in the early stages before dropping back slightly. In the end, the 25-year-old finished in 24^th place.

Stefano Manzi (P2 / +0,836):
“To be honest, I hoped to be able to win on my birthday but I think today this second place was the best I could manage. During the test here two weeks ago I wasn’t very strong, and also yesterday I qualified in sixth position. We made a big step this morning in the warm-up session but Can was too fast in the beginning of the race. In the end I managed to close the gap to him a bit, but we still need to make a step for tomorrow’s race, let’s see if we can be stronger in the beginning. I will certainly give it my all.”

Yuki Okamoto (P24 / +45,842):
“I have finished the first World Supersport race of my career today in Portimão. It was a difficult race and I finished in 24^thposition, but I need to keep learning and improve step by step. I want to thank the team for the support and their hard work, I think we can have a better race tomorrow.”

Kervin Bos – Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team manager:
“Another podium for Stefano with this impressive second place. We are getting faster and faster here in Portimão, but we are still losing some time in the final sector. We will go over all the details to see if we can improve that, and I am confident that we can. If we can fine-tune everything, we will fight for the victory tomorrow.

For Yuki the goal was to finish the race, keep improving, and gain as much track time as possible. He accomplished that task, even though it is clear that he still has a significant gap compared to the rest. That is understandable of course, due to missing many test days and the race weekend at Phillip Island.”

Sunday

Manzi extends his championship lead with a second podium and a solid debut weekend for Okamoto

Stefano Manzi secured another second-place finish on Sunday afternoon in the second World Supersport race at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. The Italian was in the fight for victory but ultimately had to settle for second place. With two trophies from the Portuguese circuit, Manzi will head to Assen in two weeks as the championship leader for Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing’s home race.

Manzi made another strong start, moving up from the second row to second position behind Can Öncü. In the ninth lap, the Turkish rider crashed, handing Manzi the lead. The Italian held onto the top spot for more than four laps before being overtaken by Bo Bendsneyder, who went on to claim his first victory.

Finishing in second, Manzi maintains a 100% podium record this season. This marks his 45th World Supersport podium, with 40 of those achieved in 52 races for Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing. The 26-year-old Italian now has 85 points after four races, giving him a 13-point lead in the standings.

Yuki Okamoto made a strong start and fought his way into the top 20. The Japanese rider maintained a consistent pace and ultimately crossed the line in 21st place, wrapping up a solid debut weekend as a World Supersport rider.

Stefano Manzi (P2 / +2,348):
“It was a very nice race. We improved ourselves compared to yesterday because Can was not making such a big gap this time. I was pushing very hard and the bike felt more comfortable, the team did a great job of improving the bike. When I was leading I tried go alone, but Bo caught me and was a bit faster in the end. In the final two laps I slowed down a bit and secured the second please. I am happy with these two podiums this weekend and I look forward to the team’s home race in two weeks’ time.”

Yuki Okamoto (P21 / +50,132):
“It was a very difficult race. I still needed a bit more time to understand the circuit and the tyres, but the time is limited. Now I will concentrate on the next race weekend in Assen and give it my all.”

Kervin Bos – Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team manager:
“It was a very strong weekend for Stefano with two second-place finishes. We are still in the development phase with the R9, and at the moment we are still figuring out what works and what doesn’t at each circuit. That was also the case this weekend, where we were able to make small steps forward in every session. This time we weren’t fast enough to win, but we are already looking forward to the next race weekend: our home race in Assen. We are always fast there, and we are really looking forward to it.

For Yuki it was a very difficult first weekend, of course. He made progress and that is the most important thing. When you come to Europe for the first time, return from an injury and have to ride in Portimão for the first time, you know it will be tough. We are going to map out a good plan for him so that we can make more mileage, progress step by step and move further up the field. I am convinced that Assen will suit him better than Portimão.

As mentioned, our home race in Assen is coming up, an important event for our partners and sponsors as well. We have many extra activities planned throughout the weekend, including the presentation of our new Motonext project on Friday evening and a big VIP dinner on Saturday evening. It promises to be a spectacular event, and we are really looking forward to it.”

The Dutch Round at TT Circuit Assen will take place from April 11 to 13.