On the back of a positive third round, PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda riders Tarran Mackenzie and Zaqhwan Zaidi are hoping for another strong showing at the fourth round of the 2025 Superbike World Championship, taking place at the Italian circuit of Cremona.

At the latest Dutch championship round, which ran in mixed conditions at the TT Circuit Assen, Mackenzie did well to score points in all three of the weekend’s races, proving competitive in both the wet and dry and bringing home a SBK career best result of ninth in the Superpole race. Team-mate Zaidi again made progress throughout the weekend, the Malaysian improving on his performance with each session and working systemically with his team to score a best result of seventeenth in Race 1.

Last year’s Cremona round was a new addition to the SBK calendar, which levelled the playing field to some extent. Though Mackenzie had completed a positive test earlier in the 2024 season, the race weekend proved challenging for the Brit, who struggled to find the right feeling. Rookie Zaidi has of course never competed at the Italian circuit, so he will be making his very first laps of the track in Friday’s practice sessions.

The Cremona Circuit hosted the Superbike for the first time in 2024 and has a five-year contract with the championship organisers. Measuring less than 4km in length, which makes it the shortest track on the WorldSBK calendar, modifications were made to the layout and spectator viewing facilities in preparation for the 2024 edition, which also represented the circuit’s first international event. In its current configuration, the track measures 3.768 km in length and incorporates six right-hand turns and seven left-handers.

Tarran Mackenzie

“I’m looking forward to getting back there and keeping the ball rolling from Assen. At last year’s Cremona test I felt quite comfortable but then struggled all race weekend, so I’m hopeful that what we learned at Assen can translate into a better feeling in Cremona. We have a run of rounds now so it would be nice to carry the momentum on through each one and hopefully have some strong results and get back in the points.”

Zaqhwan Zaidi

“I’ve heard a lot about the Cremona Circuit and am looking forward to experiencing it for myself this weekend. The weather looks like it will be good and hopefully this will allow the team and I to make the most of every session. The goal, as ever, will be to continue to work in the right direction and make small gains throughout the weekend.”

Track Information:

Country: Italy
Name: Cremona Circuit
Length: 3.768 km
Start/finish: 400 m
Turns: 7 left, 6 right

LAP RECORDS: Best lap – Petrucci (Ducati) 1’28.289 (2024). Superpole – Bulega (Ducati) 1’27.953 (2024).

2024 SBK RESULTS: 

Race 1 - 1. Petrucci (Ducati); 2. Bulega (Yamaha); 3. Bautista (Ducati)

Superpole race – 1. Petrucci (Ducati); 2. Lowes (Kawasaki); 3. Iannone (Ducati)

Race 2 – 1.Petrucci (Ducati); 2. Bautista (Ducati); 3. Bulega (Yamaha)

Weekend schedule (CET):

Friday
10.20 - 11.05 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2

Saturday
9.00 – 9.20 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.00 – 11.15 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1

Sunday
9.00 – 9.10 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2