The weekend on Australia’s fastest island ends with points on the board

Friday, October 17th

A particularly demanding track welcomed the riders for FP1, initially completely wet, offering a chance to work on a rain setup. As the asphalt gradually dried, however, the mixed conditions made it difficult to improve lap times due to the reduced grip and slippery surface.

In the afternoon, the track dried completely, finally allowing the riders to work in full dry conditions. Riccardo Rossi had a strong start, showing good pace in the early stages before dropping slightly toward the end, but with encouraging signs ahead of Saturday. Nicola Carraro showed solid progress, setting some strong time attacks in the final minutes: a bit of traffic in the last sector denied him direct access to Q2 by just one position, after a lap that could have put him in the top five.

Saturday, October 18th

FP2 took place on Saturday morning in dry conditions, allowing teams and riders to continue the work started on Friday afternoon. Riccardo Rossi used the session to focus on his bike’s setup without aiming for a time attack. Excellent progression for Nicola Carraro, who kept improving his references throughout. The session was cut short due to rain, which arrived right during the second run after the tire change, partially affecting the planned work.

Q1 proved to be challenging for Riccardo Rossi, who ,despite good speed, encountered traffic on all of his few available laps within the 15-minute session. A different story for Nicola Carraro, who immediately entered the top four after his first fast lap, temporarily securing a Q2 spot. On his second attempt, after changing tires, he further improved his time and finished second, earning a spot in Q2.

In the first Q2 run, Carraro immediately set a lap faster than the 2024 circuit record. In the second run, he struggled to find a clear lap due to a slower rider ahead but still finished the session within the top 15, leaving positive feelings ahead of the Grand Prix.

Sunday, October 19th

A strong wind welcomed the riders at the start of the Grand Prix, making the opening phase more challenging than expected, especially for Nicola Carraro, who lost a few positions in the first meters. Riccardo Rossi, on the other hand, had a better launch, gaining a position on the opening lap and maintaining a good pace in the early stages.

On the third lap, Rossi had to serve a penalty due to an issue from previous sessions. However, he managed to do so quickly, minimizing the damage and rejoining the race with a solid rhythm. Despite temporarily losing ground, the Genoese rider showed consistency and effective pace management.
Carraro, after a difficult start, displayed great maturity in managing the race. With focus and tactical intelligence, he stayed close to the second group, avoiding pushing too hard during the middle phase in order to preserve his tyres for the final laps.

Rossi finished outside the points, but showed encouraging signs that confirm the team’s progress and potential heading into the final three rounds of the season.
Carraro’s strategy proved successful: in the final laps, Nicola picked up the pace, increased his rhythm, and gained four crucial positions, making the most of his renewed confidence with the bike. He crossed the line in 13th place, returning to the points after his forced break due to a muscle injury. A result that reflects his determination and clear physical recovery.

Comments

Riccardo Rossi ready to improve next weekend:
“It was a tough weekend. I had a better start on Friday morning, but some obstacles made the rest of the weekend more difficult. Anyway, we stay focused and ready to improve for Malaysia next week, which is also one of my favorite tracks.”

Nicola Carraro speaks about the race:
“The race was affected by the wind. It’s a shame because I had a bad start and had to recover positions throughout the GP. When the groups split, I found myself in the second group, eventually finishing in P13. Now we look ahead to the next race to be as ready as possible.”