Yamaha’s next generation R9 racebike won in its World Supersport debut last weekend. But it won’t be racing in the Daytona 200, because World Supersport electronics are not compatible with MotoAmerica rules and MotoAmerica-legal electronics are not yet available. The R9 will make its MotoAmerica debut at Barber Motorsports Park on the weekend of April 4-6. Meanwhile, R9 streetbikes may not be imported into the U.S. and available for purchase from dealers until the third quarter of 2025.
From a press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Race Win for Yamaha R9 on WorldSSP Debut as Manzi Victorious in Phillip Island
History was made in Australia as Stefano Manzi took the all-new Yamaha R9 to a maiden victory in its debut outing in the FIM Supersport World Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
It was poetic for Yamaha, as Manzi opened the R9’s World Championship account with victory just 126 days after closing the iconic R6’s chapter in the history books with a win in Jerez back in October.
It hasn’t been a straightforward week ‘down under’ for the Italian, who struggled initially in the two-day official test but, working hard with the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate team, he made progress session by session. The twice vice-champion qualified eighth for the R9’s debut race but being on the third row of the grid didn’t hinder Manzi as he launched off the line to join the battle for the podium on the opening lap.
It was Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing’s Can Öncü who took the holeshot from fourth on the grid, with Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) holding his third-place starting position in the opening exchanges.
As the race reached the halfway point with the mandatory pit stop window opening, it was Öncü, Manzi and Jaume Masia fighting for the lead. Entering the pits on the same lap, Masia seemed to gain an edge on the two R9s on the restart but was later handed a 3.5 second penalty for leaving pit lane too early.
Following the pit stops, Marcel Schroetter and Tom Booth-Amos joined the fight for the lead making it a five-way scrap at the front. Manzi asserted himself at the head of the field, but was unable to make a break, leading to a dogged battle with Masia in the closing stages. A pass at the bottom of Lukey Heights was enough to secure the Italian enough breathing room to cross the line first and make history with the R9’s maiden win on its race debut.
Öncü crossed the line fifth for Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing, with 2017 champion Lucas Mahias completing his race in ninth. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (GMT94 Yamaha), who had looked to have pace to fight for a podium, retired with a technical issue on lap six.
Having shown impressive pace as a rookie, reigning WorldSSP300 champion Aldi Satya Mahendra’s (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing) WorldSSP debut came to an early end as he crashed unhurt at turn ten on the opening lap.
In WorldSSP, the grid for the second race is set by the fastest laps in the opening race meaning Manzi, who set the third fastest lap, will start from the front row. Mahias moves to sixth on the grid with Öncü ninth.
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) – 1st
“It is amazing to open the era of the new R9 with a win! There are not many words at the moment, I need to thank Yamaha and the team as they have put a lot of effort in to this project to make this possible. It was not easy, because it was a hard fight and the pit stop also made things challenging, but I am happy to be able to say I finished first! In the winter tests in Spain, the test earlier this week and even yesterday I was not super quick, but in the end we were able to close the gap. When we left the pits and Masia had a gap on me, I thought either I’ve done something wrong, or he did something wrong, so my only goal was to catch him and win. It was a hard fight, like always in this class, but I am a fighter, so in the end it was good for me!”
Niccolò Canepa – Road Racing Sporting Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe
“This is an incredible result for Yamaha, for the R9 to take the win in its first WorldSSP race is a dream. We felt confident in the package heading into the season, but pre-season testing was hampered by bad weather and our WorldSSP teams participated in private tests away from their rivals. Since we arrived in Australia, our teams have made progress session after session and fighting for the podium was our target. Stefano rode an incredible race in true ‘Manzi style’ and he will now go down in history as the last winner on the R6 and first on the R9. Congratulations to him, the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team and all of the engineers who have worked so hard on this project over the last year. We still have work to do, but we could not have made a better start!”
More, from another press release issued by Yamaha Racing:
Manzi Completes Successful Debut for Yamaha R9 with Second on Sunday in Phillip Island
After taking victory in the opening race of the season, Stefano Manzi rounded out a successful debut weekend for the new Yamaha R9 in the FIM Supersport World Championship with a second-place finish in Race 2.
Conditions for Sunday’s 18-lap race were cooler and wind speeds were higher, presenting different challenges for the Supersport riders but Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) got off to a good start to lead into the first corner from third on the grid. Fellow R9 rider Can Öncü slotted in behind the Italian.
By the time of the pit stops at mid-race distance, Manzi and Öncü had lost some ground. Öncü returned to the track in sixth but Manzi lost more positions in the pits, returning to the track tenth. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (GMT94) was one of the biggest benefactors of a slick stop as he joined the battle for the lead in the second half of the race, even taking the number one spot when Marcel Schroetter crashed out of the lead.
A close battle ensued, but ultimately it was Manzi and Tom Booth-Amos who came through to fight for the win. Manzi took the lead at turn one on lap 14, but the British rider fought back hard. The duo exchanged the lead several times in the closing laps. Booth-Amos had built a small gap with two laps to go, but Manzi looked to have a chance of closing this down until a mistake at the hairpin made the gap insurmountable with the Italian crossing the line 0.6 seconds from the winner.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s pace paid off with a fourth-place finish while GMT94 Yamaha team-mate Lucas Mahias, who had lost time after he’d got caught up in another rider’s crash, finished sixth.
Can Öncü (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing) crashed out while battling for a top four finish on the final lap, but rookie team-mate Aldi Satya Mahendra enjoyed better fortune on Sunday as he secured his first WorldSSP points in 13th.
Manzi’s 1-2 scorecard sees him leave Australia joint championship leader with Booth-Amos on 45 points. Mahias sits sixth, Rinaldi eighth and Öncü ninth.
The second round of the season takes place between 28-30 March at the Autodrómo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão.
RACE 1 RESULTS: https://resources.worldsbk.com/files/results/2025/AUS/SSP/001/CLA/Results.pdf?version=5378bfa11357e4b3269387f9ca7b781f&_ga=2.27588085.891106535.1740119521-1594232413.1726744531&deliveryName=DM1505457
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) – 2nd
“I can say in the end it has been a great, great weekend with the win yesterday and second today. Today I was struggling a little bit more, especially with the wind, but it was good to finish second and I was close to first but one mistake on the last lap, when I hit a false neutral, meant I couldn’t fight for the win in the last few corners. It is a good start, but there is still room for improvement so this is encouraging as I think the team and Yamaha can further improve the bike and hopefully we will be in a strong position as we return to Europe.”
