MotoAmerica, The Ridge: Loris Baz's Superbike comeback falls short...

For its 5th meeting of a season which includes 10, the championship MotoAmerica Superbike moved to the Northwest of the USA, near Seattle, to Ridge Motorsports Park, where a attractions were returning Loris Baz at Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law, replacing Cameron Beaubier injured his shoulder during the first race of the weekend at Road America.

"I am delighted with the opportunity the team has given me and happy to be back with my second family," Le Français enthused on Thursday at The Ridge. "I loved the full seasons I spent with this team and I can't wait to ride the new V4 R. "It's a circuit I know well; I took pole position there during my last Superbike season in 2024, but it's a new challenge with the V4 R, as it's completely new this year. Nevertheless, a Ducati is still a Ducati."

And the weekend had started rather well, since, in the wet conditions, " Bazooka » had achieved the second fastest time in Friday afternoon's Practice session, behind the Ducati Panigale V4 R of PJ Jacobsen (Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL).

Unfortunately, on Saturday morning, in the dry conditions, the Haute-Savoie native obtained the 7th time in FP2 and then crashed heavily during qualifying, on his first flying lap.
His motorcycle was destroyed, and his weekend ended there.

Qualifications:

The first race, very eventful with numerous crashes in the wet, finally saw JD Beach (Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing) defied all predictions and won after starting from the third row, while Loris Baz's teammate, Benjamin Smithcrossed the finish line in 4th position.

In the paddock, Loris Baz explained: “Yes, he had a superb race and, as I said, it’s really great for the team. It’s the first time this year they’ve had a real reason to smile.”
The start of the season has been very difficult for the entire Ducati Warhorse HSBK Flo4Law team… but that's part of racing. It's not always easy.
Unfortunately, for me, it's not easy being here on the grid and watching others race, after having already spent the entire beginning of the season in front of the television.
But here's the thing, it does game of the race. There is eu, I have summer, I have eu another small fall, finally another beautiful fall en qualification after to have made a good Friday on the wet and a good Saturday morning on dry ground. Unfortunately, it is as it, and there had a lot of damages on the motorcycle. We have décidé with the team to pass this race and to be leaves in Laguna in 15 days en forms with another 100% motorcycle. So there you have it, a big thank you to the team And good luck to Ben for sa race. And and here, it does more that ? that 10 days à wait for me. »

Less eventful than the first, the second race saw victory in the dry, of Sean Dylan Kelly on his BMW di Orange Cat Racing, after Cameron Petersen (Wrench Motorcycles), who had a blistering start, had to back off because of a visor that wouldn't close…

Next meeting at Laguna Seca, on July 12th.

How to watch MotoAmerica?

As a reminder, it is possible to watch MotoAmerica via the streaming platform MotoAmerica Live+Some of the categories involved are also available for free via the channel YouTube of MotoAmerica.