WorldSBK Indonesia: Maiden podium leaves Vierge ‘lost for words’

Team HRC’s Xavi Vierge took his first steps on the WorldSBK podium as Sunday’s race action came to a conclusion in Indonesia.

Vierge did not win any race at Mandalika, but his first podium since joining the Superbike class, for third place in Race Two, was a personal kind of victory all in. “I have no words right now,” he said, before chatting out many more.

“We’ve tried so hard for this since the first day I jumped on the bike, but has been not easy. Sometimes we get close, but we always miss some tenths. After a really difficult start this season, the team gave me the support to stay calm. We prepared a plan to make many laps with a stable base. This gave me the opportunity to have the confidence back. Lap by lap, I got the speed.”

Better qualifying is key for Vierge, as he stated. “Since the beginning, we had a very good pace to fight for that position but of course we struggled a lot on the qualifying. So, we start from 13th position. This makes not an easy weekend, but just we can make a good start and finish seventh.

“Today we had the chance in the Superpole Race to win some great positions, and we achieved it.

“It was not easy because again the track, and the eight laps only that we did, and this helps a lot for the long race so, I’m super happy. I want to say thank you so much to Honda, to the team for the big support.”

Now the challenge is to replicate the success across the European season. Is the bike and rider package ready for this?

“It’s difficult because our bike from Australia to here is the same,” said the Spaniard. “In Australia I have so many problems because the tyres are so hard, so we are not able to ride like I want. Here with the softer component, more grip, I can be better. So it’s difficult to