Stefano Manzi ends his runner-up streak with a hard-fought home victory at Cremona, extending his WorldSSP championship lead and matching a historic podium record.
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For five straight races, Stefano Manzi had to watch someone else stand on the top step. Five times, he was close—fast, relentless, but never quite first. That changed in front of a roaring Italian crowd on Saturday, as the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing rider finally converted consistency into victory with a stunning performance in Race 1 of the WorldSSP weekend at Cremona.
It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.
Manzi had looked sharp all weekend, qualifying on the front row for the first time this season. But the race was no runaway. Under grey skies on the red-hot asphalt of northern Italy, he was hunted from the start by a hard-charging group that included Moto3 World Champion Jaume Masia, the fearless Can Öncü, and the ever-threatening Valentin Debise.
The home hero got the holeshot and held his ground, but lap three brought chaos—Öncü collided with another rider and was out. The pack tightened. Masia, Debise, and eventually Tom Booth-Amos all tried to break Manzi’s rhythm, but every time they attacked, he answered with surgical precision, particularly on the brakes at the end of Cremona’s brutal back straight.
What followed was not a cruise, but a calculated defence. Manzi’s riding was composed, aggressive, and defiant. With one lap to go, he found just enough breathing room to cross the finish line 0.344 seconds ahead. It was his second win of the year, his 16th consecutive podium, and—maybe most importantly—a home victory that resonated far beyond the chequered flag.
“I’m happy—it’s a good day when you win at home,” he said. “I had to fight for it. That’s racing. But we’re showing what matters: consistency. We’ve been second too many times. This is what we’ve been working for.”
In a season where everyone’s been waiting for the tide to turn, Manzi proved he’s more than just the most consistent man in the field. He’s the championship leader by 30 points—and now, a man riding with momentum.
Further down the field, Yamaha riders were everywhere—Lucas Mahias took fifth, rookie Aldi Satya Mahendra impressed with ninth, and Italian wildcard Niccolo Antonelli finished a strong 11th. Yuki Okamoto just missed out on the points in 16th, while Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s race ended early.
As for Race 2 on Sunday, the grid is reset, but the tone is set. Manzi starts from second. He’s still the hunted. But now, he’s also the one with something to protect.
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