On track at Phillip Island in Australia and flying the flag for the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, riders Kaito Toba and Syarifuddin Azman took part in the first sessions making up this opening round of the 2025 Supersport World Championship.

Conditions were already warm and sunny for the morning’s free practice, with the SSP field making the most of this 30-minute phase. Toba made a strong start, running inside the top ten for the entirety of the session. Exploiting his previous knowledge of the track, the Japanese rider looked comfortable aboard his CBR600RR, putting in a best time of 1’32.743. This put him in seventh place, just four tenths from the front. Championship rookie Azman took to the track for his very first WorldSSP practice. The Malaysian’s goal this weekend is to build on what he learned during test sessions that ran at this same circuit earlier in the week. Working to understand his CBR600RR and adapt his style to the bike and the bike to the track, Syarifuddin completed a total of eleven laps during this short phase, recording a fastest time of 1’34.601. The session was red-flagged and subsequently terminated with just over 5 minutes still on the clock, after another rider left oil on track.

The first Superpole session of the 2025 WorldSSP season got underway at 14.55 local time (CET+10). Experiencing this qualifying format for the first time, Azman worked hard to make progress inside what is a highly competitive field. Setting his best time (1’35.182) in the final minutes of the session, the young Malaysian qualified for his first WorldSSP races in twenty-first place. Team-mate Toba was thwarted in his attempts to set a fast time after he suffered a Turn 11 crash in the opening stages. Though unhurt, the rider was forced to return to the pit, the damage to his bike meaning that he was unable to take any further part in the session. Having not had chance to set a lap time, the Japanese rider will start Saturday’s Race 1 from twenty-second position on the grid.

Kaito Toba

“The morning practice was very positive, and I was feeling really good on the bike. I finished that session in the top ten and was feeling well prepared for the qualifying. But the Superpole unfortunately didn’t go to plan. I lost rear grip and suddenly found myself on the ground. It’s a shame, because I’m confident I could have qualified inside the top ten here. Anyway, all we can do is look ahead. I’m not hurt fortunately, and so the plan for tomorrow will be to get past as many riders as possible when the race gets underway. Let’s see what we can do.”

Syarifuddin Azman

“I am pleased that I was able to improve by about a second and a half between the test and this morning’s practice. But I’m not really happy with my position at the end of qualifying to be honest. I struggled to make a fast lap during the Superpole, but I’m still working to understand the bike, and the Pirelli tyres that are new to me. It’s all very different and I have a lot to learn, but I’m enjoying working with the team and we know what we need to do for tomorrow.”