Ducati-riding Access Plus Racing encounters setbacks at 2025 PSBK Round 3

MANILA: Ducati-backed Access Plus Racing has encountered some setbacks in the third round of the 2025 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK), despite a solid qualifying performance. 

Brothers Timothy Joseph “TJ” and Troy Alberto displayed dominance prior to the actual race. The elder secured pole after clocking in at 1:32:580 — which also earned him a new lap record. 

The younger Alberto, on the other hand, qualified to nab the third spot on the grid. 

Race 1

The first heat of the weekend saw a slow start for both riders atop the saddle of their Ducati Panigale V4s. TJ dropped to the fourth position and Troy also lost ground. 

At the first corner, Troy recovered and sped to second while TJ climbed to third. 

TJ later managed to pass Troy to begin his hunt for early leader Marvin Mangulabnan, who had built over a second’s gap aboard his Aprilia. TJ found a way past his championship rival to take a commanding win with a 28.270-second margin. He also set a new lap record in the process. 

Meanwhile, Troy’s bike caught loose debris and suffered damage. This cost him to lose pace and drop to the fourth position. 

“Five wins out of six races so far this season. At the end of the day, it was another weekend where we kept the championship lead. My only focus is on the title, and I’m looking forward to heading back to one of my favorite tracks — Clark International Speedway,” TJ commented. 

Race 2 

For the second head, Dashi Watanabe, who also uses an Aprilia machine, got the holeshot — although TJ immediately struck back to reclaim the lead. Troy trailed behind to secure second. 

A lap later, Mangulabnan passed Troy and began his pursuit of the race leader. Although TJ appeared to be in control, with just seconds away from victory, Mangulabnan closed the gap and made a decisive move on the last corner. 

Neck and neck, the two battled it out leaving TJ behind to settle for the second spot. 

Flashback from Race 1 happened as Troy’s woes returned after he struggled with grip trying to stay in touch with the front runners. Pushing hard, he crashed on lap six. 

Despite yet another setback, he managed to rejoin the group and salvage a hard-earned third place. 

“The results are disappointing, but I’m choosing to focus on the positives. On Friday and Saturday, we had enough pace to be in the fight for the win — something we hadn’t been able to say in the first two rounds. It’s been a tough weekend, but I’m keeping my head up. We’re learning, getting faster, and I’m already looking ahead to the next round,” Troy stated. 

Eyes on the prize 

Although Access Plus Racing faced some misfortunes on the track, the results did not fully reflect their pace. Still, the team came away with valuable points, allowing TJ to maintain a 29-point lead in the PSBK championship standings. 

The third round of the 2025 PSBK was held at the Batangas Racing Circuit. 

The series will head back to Clark International Speedway for Round 4 this August. 

“Overall, I’m still happy with where we are in the championship. We didn’t lose any points — and now there’s one less round for the competition to catch up. My focus now is to help Troy get on the pace at Clark and start battling inside the top two,” Access Plus Racing Team Principal Tori Alberto said. 

Also read: 

TJ Alberto to defend PSBK title on Sunday

1st Ducati Streetfighter V4 Supreme in PH finds home in Bigboy Cheng’s garage

Ducati launches DesertX Rally-inspired apparel 

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