Waters plays it to perfection in Sydney ASBK whitewash

Josh Waters’ domination of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) has continued at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the reigning champion again a class above on his McMartin Racing Ducati.

It was a classic Waters playbook in both 13-lap SW-Motech Superbike races on March 29 as he charged to the front early after phenomenal starts from seventh on the grid. Once he hit the lead, the Victorian applied the heat with brutal efficiency, leaving his rivals with plenty of head scratching ahead of round three in early May.

Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) was second overall in the ASBK Sydney Night Race with a 2-2 scorecard (as well as a bonus point for pole position), ahead of a resurgent Cru Halliday (Stop and Seal Yamaha, 5-3).

“That was a really, really good day,” said Waters. “I can’t wait to watch those starts on replay when I get home. I’ve even had some world speedway mates messaging me about the starts and what they can learn from me!

“Once again, a huge thanks to my team for providing such a great motorcycle, as well as all the sponsors which help to make it happen.”

ASBK SYDNEY NIGHT RACE SUPERBIKE RESULTS

Round two of the Australian Superbike Championship is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

After five season-opening wins on the trot, Waters has now extended his lead in the championship to 27pts (126 to 99) over Jones, with Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha, 85pts) remaining in third position. Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha, 72pts) and Max Stauffer (Yamaha Racing Team, 65pts) are next in a logjammed mid-table battle.

Related:
ASBK Sydney Night Race event program
Jones masters tricky conditions to claim pole position in Sydney

SW-Motech Superbike race one
It only took about five seconds of the SW-Motech Superbike opener to dispel any notion that Waters’ lowly qualifying position – one of many riders caught out in dicey Friday night track conditions – would bring hm back to the field.

Instead, he produced a mind-blowing start from the third row of the grid to lead from start to finish, backing off in the final stages to win by just under 1.5 seconds as he brought up his 37th career Superbike victory.

Meanwhile, Jones was as secure in second as Waters was in first, leaving most of the fireworks in race one to a battle for the final podium position which went down to the wire between Nahlous, Cameron Dunker (MotoGO Yamaha), Halliday and Jack Favelle (Addicted to Track Yamaha).

That’s how they finished, with Nahlous holding his nerve in the face of some intense pressure to celebrate his first podium in the premier category.

Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) and West were seventh and eighth.

SW-Motech Superbike race two
Race two was held under the floodlit 3.93km grand prix circuit, with Waters even more dominant than race one as he greeted the chequered flag by nearly two seconds without really breaking a sweat.

While Waters again played it to perfection – he set the fastest lap of the race on lap four as he doubled down on his dominance – it was a spicy battle for second between Jones and Halliday as the relative strengths and weaknesses of each rider around different parts of the circuit balanced out to make it a thrilling spectacle.

Halliday appeared to have the answers, until Jones’ last-gasp slipstream effort saw him pinch it from his former teammate by inches.

Ultra impressive rookie Favelle was a lonely fourth, while a little further back West, Nahlous, Pearson and Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati) flashed over the line in quick succession.

Round three of the ASBK Championship will be held at Queensland Raceway, on a circuit where Jones – as well as the one after at Morgan Park – is traditionally very hard to beat.

There’s still a lot to play out in 2025.

Images: RbMotoLens