Gardner, Bayliss and Relph head to Hungary WorldSBK round with redemption, momentum and opportunity on the line
Australian riders are lining up for Balaton Park with plenty to prove and plenty to look forward to, with Gardner aiming to erase the memory of last year’s cruel WorldSBK outing, Bayliss juggling his World Supersport ambitions with a new British Supersport opportunity, and Relph carrying strong energy into race week after an encouraging Misano test.
Gardner seeks redemption
Gardner is eager to finally show what he can do at the circuit. Last year, Remy displayed encouraging pace on Friday, only for his weekend to end almost immediately when he was taken out just two corners into Race 1 and later declared unfit to continue.
Gardner says the quick turnaround after the Netherlands has come at the right time.
“It’s great to be back racing so soon, especially after a demanding weekend in the Netherlands. We’re all eager to show our true potential and turn things around. Last year in Hungary wasn’t our luckiest weekend, but before the incident we showed strong pace. The track seems to suit us, so we’re confident we can have a good weekend and achieve solid results.”
Alongside Gardner, rookie Stefano Manzi arrives encouraged by his recent form in the Netherlands. The reigning 2025 WorldSSP Champion will ride the Yamaha R1 at Balaton Park for the first time, with both rider and team hopeful of another step forward as they continue to chip away at the gap to the front runners.
Track action begins on Friday with free practice sessions. Superpole is scheduled for 11:15 local time on Saturday, followed by Race 1 at 15:30 CEST. On Sunday, the Superpole Race will take place at 11:10, with Race 2 scheduled for 15:30.
Oli Bayliss eyes busy stretch
Bayliss is also looking forward to Balaton Park, while at the same time preparing for a major addition to his 2026 campaign. Triumph has confirmed that the Australian will partner Max Wadsworth in the 2026 Quattro Group British Supersport Championship, returning to action with the Macadam Triumph Factory Racing team. He will stand in for Brad Perie, who continues to recover from an injury sustained at Donington Park.
He also has previous British Supersport form to draw on, having competed at Snetterton last year, where he qualified fourth and finished fourth in the sprint race before taking second in the feature race.
For now, though, his attention is fixed on Hungary.
“17 corners — seven right, 10 left. Tight, technical and 4.075km of non-stop work… definitely one of the busiest tracks on the calendar. I enjoy circuits where you’ve got to keep the bike moving and really focus on flow.”
And after taking an eighth and a fourth at Balaton Park last year, he sees room to improve.
“Had an eighth and a fourth here last year, so I’m keen to get back and try to improve on those results this weekend.”
His recent British Supersport test at Oulton Park only added to the positive feeling surrounding the weeks ahead.
“It was a really enjoyable couple of days at Oulton Park. Once I found a rhythm and got to grips with the track, I had a lot of fun out there. We finished the test on a positive note with a best lap of 1min36.975, which put us second overall on combined times.”
For Bayliss, that pace has reinforced his belief that he can make an impact once his British season begins.
“It’s a great sign heading into the season when I join the team from round three onwards in the British Supersport Championship. I’m really looking forward to getting started — the Macadam Racing team has been fantastic to work with, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together while I fill in for Bradley Perie.”
Before that, however, there is still World Supersport business to handle.
“Now it’s on to Balaton Park for the next round of the World Supersport Championship. Hopefully the PTR Triumph Racing team and I can put together a strong weekend there.”
Bayliss also underlined the value of extra bike time and experience on new tracks.
“A huge thank you to Dave Wadsworth and the Macadam Racing crew, as well as Simon Buckmaster, for giving me the chance to compete in both championships. It means more bike time on the Triumph and the opportunity to learn some new circuits, which I’m really excited about. There are a few clashes between the two championships, but thankfully not too many, and I’m looking forward to my first British round in mid-June.”
Relph rebuilds momentum after Assen crash
Tayla Relph is heading into Balaton Park with enthusiasm and a sense of building momentum, despite carrying the physical after-effects of a crash at the previous Assen round. The Aussie WorldWCR rider was in good form last time out, qualifying are career-high 4th in Superpole, before being taken out by another competitor in the first corner of race 1.
“Race week is looking fine and I really wanna make Balaton mine Seriously though, it’s race week and I’m pumped! The calendar is so good this year and having our rounds so close together means we can continue the momentum we keep building”
Relph has also taken encouragement from a confidence-boosting test day at Misano, where she returned to the circuit for the first time since 2024 and immediately found speed.
“Just what the doctor ordered A very confidence inspiring test day at Misano today First laps around here since 2024, and despite being battered and bruised with a mad limp – to have finished the day with a new PB by 3 seconds was exactly what I needed to boost the spirits again.”
Her mindset remains defiant as she works to be in the best possible shape for Hungary.
“Down but never out. Setbacks only add fuel to the fire hehe. We’ll be staying in Misano for the next few days for some further examinations on the body to make sure I am as good as I can be heading into Balaton”
