Can Waters make it five crowns in a season that promises fireworks from rider-team reshuffles?
We saw Josh Waters ride his McMartin Racing Ducati V4 R to a history-making fourth individual title last season. Can he go back-to-back for five in 2025, a rare outcome in the hyper-competitive Australian Superbike championship? Perhaps in Waters’ favour, there are no new models being introduced – but there are some interesting rider moves and the Yamahas (particularly the privateer R1s) have now crossed the threshold to legitimately challenge for race wins. The opening round, a support class to WorldSBK, is shaping up to be a thriller. Let’s look at the contenders.
McMartin Racing Team Ducati V4 R
- Josh Waters
- Harrison Voight
Last year was huge for the McMartin Racing team as it delivered a fourth ASBK title to Josh Waters. Consistency was the key – Waters was aware of what had to change from the previous season and that essentially meant taking optimum points from tracks that don’t favour the Ducati or himself. Team boss Craig McMartin says nothing will change within the team for 2025 so that means Harrison Voight will again feature at selected rounds when his European commitments allow. It’s been an interrupted preparation for Waters though, after a crash at Phillip Island during testing several weeks ago left him with a broken collarbone. The break is serious, but Waters says it will be fine for round one. “The crash was on the exit of Siberia and I didn’t even think I’d broken a bone, I just thought I’d dislocated my shoulder or something. It wasn’t until X-rays at the hospital that I found out it was broken.”
Anxious to get back on the bike as soon as possible, the intention was to ride at Phillip Island directly after the Victorian state titles, but this may be pushed back to the final round of the Motul Summer Night Series, where Voight is also expected to ride. The reality is, the 2024 champion could roll up to Round One without having ridden for a few weeks – but it would be a brave punter who would bet against him winning at the Island. As for his hopes for a fifth title, Waters says: “You don’t know who will be strong, you really don’t know until it all starts. Everyone is optimistic at the start of the season, but we don’t have long to wait now.”
Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) Yamaha R1 M
- Mike Jones
- Max Stauffer
John Redding and his factory-backed Yamaha Racing Team surprised everyone when they took new signing Mike Jones to a thrilling title in 2022 – but in the two years since the Queenslander has come up short. Season 2023 produced some intense battles with eventual champion Troy Herfoss and, while last year yielded the most race wins of any rider, the championship push from Jones lacked consistency, something he says will be a focal point for 2025. “An advantage for me is that everything stays the same; same crew and essentially the same bike.
Last year we had a solid season with the most race wins, but our ‘bad’ races let us down, points wise. Consistency is what it’s all about.” It’s also no secret the R1 struggles against the Ducati at Phillip Island. “Maybe it’s better to re-evaluate our expectations at Phillip Island and accumulate the best points possible,” Jones says.He added that the addition of riders like Herfoss and Voight add a layer of complexity to the championship. “When not everyone is racing for a championship, you have to take that into account. Guys like Troy and Harry will be in the mix for race wins at some point, which means consistency becomes even more important.” Out of the Stop&Seal camp are reports that Cru Halliday is enjoying a greater level of freedom with setting up his R1, but Jones has full faith in the YRT crew. “Kev (Marshall) knows what works. We’ve had a few updates but essentially our R1 is the same bike as 2016. I’m always trying to find ways to improve, but our package is so well refined and we know what works. More than anything, the rider makes the difference.”
New teammate Max Stauffer says he is beyond excited to start racing the factory bike, but has had to be patient waiting for his wrist to heal – an injury picked up after a crash at the FIM Inter-Continental Games at Jerez, Spain. “It’s taken longer than I thought to heal. It was a significant break: the fifth metacarpal, up towards the end of my wrist,” Stauffer says. Battle hardened from international experience at Suzuka and Jerez in 2024, 2025 could be the year Stauffer cracks it wide open. “I’m so excited to get started, build new relationships, work out the bike. Dad (Jamie) will still be there but just as a spectator, sitting on the hill! It will be cool to have him at the meeting, helping out but able to relax a little. Five years is a hard slog.” Stauffer is enthusiastic about his pairing with Jones. “It’s great to have Mike as a mentor. The Games at Jerez were a great chance to get to know one another.”
Desmosport Ducati
- Broc Pearson
Penrite Racing Ducati
- Troy Herfoss
2024 was the year Desmosport Ducati’s Broc Pearson became an ABSK race winner and legitimate title threat. The payoff for the Ben Henry-owned team was a proud moment in a paddock where developing young Superbike talent over multiple seasons is an increasingly difficult proposition. Troy Herfoss was given much of the credit for that extra step in performance last season, and in 2025 Herfoss will saddle up again on a Ducati V4 R prepared by Henry – but this time in Penrite colours.
After a stunning MotoAmerica King of the Baggers title win last year, Herfoss will return to the US for Indian and S&S Cycle and has repeatedly stated he believes racing in ASBK is ideal preparation. The Penrite deal was put together by longtime collaborator Deon Coote, Herfoss’s team boss at Honda. Coote linked with young stars Max Stauffer and Cam Dunker last season, keeping not only himself but Penrite active in the paddock. Expect race wins from both riders this season and a possible championship tilt by a determined Pearson.
Addicted to Track Yamaha R1
- Anthony West
- Jack Favelle
- Ryan Yanko
- Michael Edwards
Addicted to Track team boss Mark McGregor has announced an expanded line-up while confirming veteran Anthony West will remain. West is enjoying a career resurgence after racking up podiums in the second half of last year, with the top step the next goal. West and the team worked to bridge a gap of over one second per lap to put themselves in the frame for podiums, a mission that started in New Zealand last year when West picked up the NZSBK title. “We started the year probably a second behind the YRT guys and finished it on almost an equal footing,” McGregor says, adding that the breakthrough came when West changed his riding style slightly, prompted by data logging results. “It’s such a useful tool. Westy said it was only the third time in his 28-year career he has changed his style.”
Joining West will be Jack Favelle, who has shown strong progress in Supersport last season and has already begun racing the Yamaha R1 pre-season. After several guest rides last year, prolific Queenslander Ryan Yanko will also race a Superbike full time, with veteran Michael Edwards racing selected rounds.
In Supersport, Josh Newman will make the step up after winning the Supersport 300 title last season in what McGregor says will be a learning year. Returning for selected rounds will be Declan Van Rosmalen, splitting time between Europe and Australia. Addicted to Track will also field Alvin Wu in the Supersport 300 class after racing in the Queensland Junior Cup last year – a series McGregor has been heavily involved with.
Stop&Seal Yamaha R1
- Cru Halliday
- Tom Toparis
- Arthur Sissis
In one of the biggest shake-ups on the grid, Stop&Seal fields three Superbikes, with ex-Yamaha frontrunner Cru Halliday joining Arthur Sissis and Tom Toparis. Halliday brings with him ex-MotoGP tech Brent Stephens as crew chief while Sissis made the podium in the last year’s final round, a great omen for 2025. Toparis is still adapting to the superbike but expect him to make strong progress quickly.
Superbike Advocates Ducati V4 R
- Glenn Allerton
Glenn Allerton will be 44 years old when the ASBK series gets underway but the three-times champion is never short of competitive drive and could be a dark horse for the title. The close of last season marked the end of Allerton’s second stint with BMW, a pairing that had plenty of potential but was often thwarted by injury and a BMW M 1000 RR package that has proved a difficult puzzle to solve. Racing with Ducati means a serious financial commitment and Allerton has teamed up with Lee Khouri and Mitchell Pirotta to make the team possible.
After a successful first hitout at the second round of the Motul Summer Night Series, it’s now a matter of fine tuning and waiting for the final race parts to be delivered before the first round. His crew chief will be ex-MotoGP tech Matthew Casey, who has previously worked with David Munoz and Aleix Esparago. Ex-Ohlins tech Byron Draper will be handling the YSS suspension, a brand that has been used by Barni Ducati in the Italian championship. With no BMW presence in the paddock this year, electronics technician Jake Skate has joined the team and is getting familiar with the V4 R and the MoTeC ECU they will be running.
MotoGO Yamaha R1
- Cameron Dunker
Patrick Li and the MotoGO team were originally slated to have two riders on their roster – Cameron Dunker and the 2024 Supersport champion JJ Nahlous. In a recent statement, Nahlous announced he has opted out of the MotoGO team and will stick with his family-run Complete AV outfit. As AMCN goes to print Dunker, is still on board with MotoGO – the team having secured the services of top-level staff in Stew Winton and Glen Richards.
Who else?
Returning amongst the privateer contingent and smaller teams this year is Unitech Racing’s Ty Lynch. Lynch will be on hand at Phillip Island but unfortunately won’t be riding due to ongoing recovery from a shoulder reconstruction.
On the grid will be Caboolture Yamaha-backed John Lytras. Lytras, with dad Aaron underpinning his small family-run team, impressed in the second half of last season both in ABSK and in the Aussie Flat Track Nationals.
While a lot of the focus rests with Yamaha riders, Matt Walters has confirmed he will be back on track, switching back to the Aprilia RSV4 1100. “We’d talked about the idea of returning with Kawasaki, but we really wanted to see if we could make the Aprilia fast and reliable. The dyno numbers are staggering. It’s tuned so well, Phil Armour has it really dialled in. It wasn’t his problem when I took it to him but he took on the challenge. Our biggest problem is that I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world where an 1100cc Aprilia is racing with the MoTeC ECU.”
Yamaha vs Ducati
The everyman’s bike against the pure racer
Looking at the Superbike field for Phillip Island through a wide-angle lens, the Yamaha is by far the most prolific motorcycle on the grid – and for three main reasons. Relative affordability, strong factory support to privateers and the least complex package to dial in all combine to make the R1 a favourite around the world, not just in ASBK. To put it on the top step ahead of the Ducati V4 R at the Island, well, that’s a different story.
Factory Yamaha rider and 2022 champion Mike Jones is acutely aware of where the challenge lies. “Phillip Island is harder for the R1, we use the higher gears – fourth, fifth and six a lot, and that’s where the Ducati shines. Corner entry and mid-turn speed is the Yamaha’s strength. We need more edge grip and that also suits my riding style. The problem is, we have to use a low edge-grip tyre at Phillip Island, where you pick it up and drive it more. So there are a few things stacked against us, but it all evens out. Any track that has technical, slower speed sections suits us more.”
Fans will be in for a treat with up to five Ducati V4 Rs roaring around the track against the swarm of R1s.
