Italiano
SIXTH AND SEVENTH IN JEREZ’S SUNDAY, RECORD NUMBER OF POINTS – BEST EVER CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION FINISH FOR GO ELEVEN!
The 2026 WorldSBK World Championship concludes with an action-packed day for Team Go Eleven and Lorenzo Baldassarri. With the points secured this Sunday in Jerez, the rider— number 34—solidified sixth place in the Riders’ Championship, while the team claimed fifth in the Teams’ Championship—an impressive result considering Go Eleven had only one bike. A final amount of 236 points sets a new record for the Italian squad!
Sunday in Jerez brought cooler temperatures than the previous days, resulting in different, faster track conditions. Baldassarri was immediately able to clock lap times in the 1:38.5 range, feeling comfortable on the bike.
Warm Up:
P 1 N. Bulega 1.37.907
P 2 S. Lowes + 0.047
P 3 I. Lecuona + 0.088
…
P 7 L. Baldassarri + 0.551
In the Superpole Race, Balda gets off to a good start but loses two positions on the opening lap—a near-identical repeat of what happened in Race 1. This time, however, he has the pace; he fights back, overtaking Surra at Turn 1 and then Bridewell at Turn 9—a corner that proved to be a real strong point for him today. He sets off in pursuit of Alvaro and Alex Lowes, closing the gap lap by lap, but the race is too short, and he finishes seventh. Although he drops a row on the starting grid, this seventh-place finish is a clear improvement over Saturday’s result; his race pace is strong, which bodes well for Race 2.
Superpole Race:
P 1 N. Bulega 16’21.253
P 2 I. Lecuona + 0.797
P 3 S. Lowes + 4.740
…
P 7 L. Baldassarri + 10.738
In Race 2, Balda got off to a strong start—one of his best of the year. Finding another rider ahead of him in Turn 2, he lost his flow and slipped back to tenth. However, he clearly had the pace, quickly reclaiming positions from Surra and Vierge. A few laps later, he dived to the inside of Bassani at Turn 9. He kept a consistent pace in the low 1:39s while chasing down Montella, proving to be one of the fastest riders on track. The two Italians closed the gap to Alex Lowes together, with Balda overtaking him in a brilliant late-braking maneuver into Turn 6. The Go Eleven rider was flying; he closed the small gap to Montella and, once again at Turn 9, moved into fifth place. He continued to open the gap, lap by lap, until four laps from the end, when rain began to fall and changed the final stages. Balda managed the situation, but behind him, Montella —representing the Barni team—proved to be the fastest on track. On the final lap, that rider managed to overtake him, forcing Balda to settle for sixth. It was a great final race, and the whole team was pleased to finish on a competitive note and with smiles on their faces.
Race 2:
P 1 N. Bulega 32’56.372
P 2 I. Lecuona + 4.696
P 3 S. Lowes + 13.349
…
P 6 L. Baldassarri + 18.120
An extraordinary season for Team Go Eleven comes to a close—a season of great personal redemption for Lorenzo Baldassarri, who has finally emerged from some difficult years, and a testament to a successful gamble by the whole team. A sixth-place finish in the Championship marks their best-ever result in Superbike, capped by a record-breaking 236 points—5 more than in 2024. In the Team standings—represented by one rider—Team Go Eleven managed to overtake both BMW and the Yamaha Reference Teams during the Jerez Round. A year that will go down in history!
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Rider):
“An exciting final day—we’ve wrapped up a great season, both for me and for the whole team. After some difficult years, this has been a wonderful personal comeback, and I’ve achieved some truly rewarding results. Thanks to our technical package, we remained competitive throughout the whole season; it’s just a shame we weren’t able to carry out any winter testing. Aside from a few minor mistakes, it’s been a fantastic year, with us consistently finishing in the top six. Securing sixth place while setting a personal points record makes me proud—we battled all year long against the best teams and manufacturers. Today, we regained our competitive edge on track; I was genuinely fast. It’s a pity to have lost fifth place right at the end, but once it started to rain, I didn’t feel entirely confident. We’ll take the positives from this round in Jerez. I want to thank everyone who stands by me and offers their support, as well as my whole crew. I can’t wait for next season to begin!”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“We’re wrapping up a great season for us with a solid Sunday in Jerez; today’s sixth and seventh-place finishes are worth even more than yesterday’s, because Balda was competitive and the lap times were fast. I’m proud of the whole team—we didn’t have a single technical issue or forced retirement all season, which is a testament to the excellent work done. We managed to beat our points record, and I have to thank the entire technical staff, as well as Balda himself, for such consistent results!”
SATURDAY PICS: CLICK HERE
