WSBK Superbike Mandalika J3, Xavi Virginie (Honda/3) can’t believe it!

After a 2022 season without a podium, Xavi Virginie finally gets on the box during Race 2 at Mandalika. Author of an exceptional round, the Spaniard is exultant, and rightly so. This great performance allows his employer Honda to be ahead of Kawasaki in the manufacturers' standings, but beyond that, to give confidence to the whole team who were a little lost when arriving on the Indonesian track. A podium that reshuffles the cards and which provides a glimpse of a glimmer of hope in the ranks of the winged firm. He is now 7th overall, just four points behind 5th place.

“You have no idea how happy I am, I don’t have the words” entrusts Xavi Virgo at the end of the Indonesian weekend. “We continued to make progress over the weekend and now we are here. The day was not easy, with two races and two red flags. But we managed to move from thirteenth to sixth place this morning in order to be able to start from the second row in race 2” adds the Spaniard. 

 

 

Devant Michael Rinaldi when Superpole Race, Xavi Verge was able to give himself a lot of confidence before starting the final battle on the asphalt of Mandalika. During testing, it turned out that the Honda ran correctly with worn tires. This did not fail to be verified during the official performance, finished in third position after an error in Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) at turn n°10: “It's true that Rinaldi went wide, but we were also at the limit with our tires and we didn't make any mistakes. This podium is our reward. We are improving race after race and we will now do our best to continue on this path in the next rounds.”

 

 

So seen as having great potential not long ago in Moto2, Xavi Virgo had not managed to transform the try in the way he wanted in 2022. This saving podium also helps his mind in addition to his total points, as he confided to GP One after arrival: “When the results don’t come, it’s easy to lose your mind. I tried to use all my experience to progress mentally and today, I think I have the level to fight in this championship.”

Concerning his mount, La Honda CBR1000RR-R, that's another subject. “In the last laps, I lost the front. We have to make sure we get the most out of the braking, but this causes us to lose speed in curves. So I have to compensate and take more risks. Here, with adhesion, it is possible, but it wasn't in Australia. Our performance depends enormously on the tires, we quickly find ourselves in difficulty when things don't go our way. But I believe in the potential of the machine and the work of the team, whom I thank for giving me a competitive bike today”.

 

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com