With a breakthrough Misano victory in WorldSSP300 and strong runs in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, this young gun is finding consistency at the sharp end

Few teens get the chance to juggle two world-class championships, but Carter Thompson has made it look natural. After writing his name into the history books with Australia’s first WorldSSP300 victory at Misano in June, he’s also emerged as a regular frontrunner in the Red Bull Rookies Cup thanks to his raw speed and sharp racecraft.

Carter Thompson claimed his maiden Red Bull Rookies win at Jerez in Spain in April after overcoming a long-lap penalty after a high-speed collision with another rider.

Now a genuine dual-threat, Thompson is learning to manage the contrasting demands of a stiff, lightweight Rookies KTM and the heavier, flex-happy Kawasaki 300, all while proving he has the tactical nous to survive the chaos of a 15-bike freight train to the flag…

Great to catch up with you, Carter. Firstly, congrats on your results, they were definitely something special. How do you feel 2025 is going overall?

Thanks, yes, it’s been not too bad. Those two wins were definitely a high point but I’ve struggled a bit in the mid-season in Rookies. Now I’m just trying to regroup and get some more solid points on the table. But, overall, the performance this year is definitely a big improvement from last year. Now it’s about trying to stay consistent and to keep fighting.

He backed up his Red Bull Rookies win with his first in WorldSSP300 in June

One thing I wanted to ask you about was your race strategy. With the nature of the classes you’re competing in, there’s often a large lead group. Can you have a race strategy other than to stay in that group?

It depends on the track. A lot of the time if you make a strategy, it normally doesn’t go the way you planned. You have to try and improvise at the time. But you do need to try to stay in the front group and keep fighting, staying as close to the front as you can. And then the last couple of laps, attack. Especially once you get past the two-thirds race distance, you need to make sure you’re as close to the front as possible.

Everyone was talking about your win at Misano in Supersport 300. Can you tell us about that race and how far back you were able to plan those moves?

I definitely came into the last lap of that race a little bit farther back than I’d planned. But I knew I had a good warm-up that morning and we made a few changes to the bike to grab a little extra pace. On the back straight I overtook as many people as I could, whenever I could. And then the last couple of corners, I just pushed as hard as possible to stay at the front. I felt comfortable the whole race; I was able to stay there in the mix the whole time quite comfortably. And then really push hard at the end.

You make it sound and look easy, but when you watch so many bikes competing for that same spot of racetrack, the reality is very different. How confident were you feeling heading into the final lap?

I knew I had a few tenths up my sleeve for the last lap when I needed to put a banker down and make a little gap for the finish line. I knew I had a good chance, but I also knew there were a few riders that definitely could have stayed with me. The Prodina Kawasakis have been quite strong all year. I just had to make sure I executed it the right way.

At the time of the interview, Thompson was eighth in the Red Bull Rookies championship

You’ve got no problem with taking your spot at the front at any stage of a race. That’s not for everyone, but you must feel comfortable leading? Talk us through it.

I quite like leading the group. I like riding with a clear track. For me, I enjoy riding alone and if I can get to the front, I feel more comfortable. Then I try to set a comfortable pace and manage it. Definitely, it’s safer if you’re not caught up in the chaos of the group. Especially in 300s, you can have a rider that’s slipstreamed his way up, but he’s not as experienced as the other riders in the front group. He could make a mistake and bump you wide. But generally, I feel I have a little bit more control over the race if I’m in front.

What do you find the biggest differences are between a Moto3 Red Bull Rookies bike and the production 300? Is it engine power? Frame flex? Braking power?

The difference for me is frame flex and suspension. The power is not too much different but the 300 doesn’t get up to speed as quickly as the Moto3. Still, overall top speed is quite similar. The Kawasaki has got a lot more flex in it and it takes time to get used to that. It flexes that much that sometimes it feels like it’s sliding but in reality, it’s not. And it’s definitely a softer bike with a lot more weight to transfer; it’s a lot heavier. I definitely have a different riding style for each bike. You can’t ride them the same way because the suspension won’t react the way you want it to – on either bike.

He has the speed and skill to challenge the best, seen here leading Hakim Danish, who sits third in the Red Bull Rookies title chase

You’re getting a name as a versatile rider, switching between the two paddocks. How do you feel you’ve been received in the WSBK paddock?

It seems like a big family atmosphere in the World Superbike paddock. I definitely enjoy it and it’s nice to go back and forth between the paddocks. The MotoGP paddock definitely has its advantages, but also disadvantages – same as Superbikes. Experiencing both is nice to me.

Have you thought about next year yet? Will it be Sportbike or something else?

There are opportunities to ride bigger bikes, depending on what happens. We’re not sure yet 100 per cent. Definitely, if I choose to, I’ve got a good pathway through Kawasaki and I have a great relationship with everyone there, so that’s definitely a good option for us. We’ll see what comes about with the Rookies this year and see how the end of the year turns out.