A positive WorldSBK Sunday for Honda HRC and Xavi Vierge at Balaton

The Honda HRC team rounds out the eighth WorldSBK round at Balaton, with rider Xavi Vierge placing fifth in the Superpole race, and seventh in Race 2.

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 1000^th 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.