Albaida (Spain), 29 March 2026 – A magnificent show on this first day of the S1GP. Local hero Julen Avila Cortes (KTM MTR Team) secured pole position and the victory in Race One. Fellow Spanish rider Ferran Cardus (Honda) finished in second place, while Steve Bonnal (TSV Racing) rounded out the provisional podium. Following a technical issue, Marc Reiner Schmidt thrilled the fans with a spectacular comeback. In the Rookie Cup, Mitja Kresniqi (Gazza Racing) was the fastest rider.
Time practice & Superpole S1GP
The 2026 racing season kicks off with the Superpole. In Q2, German rider Marc Reiner Schmidt (Team 11) took the lead on his new Ducati; the multi-time world champion is still in the development phase with his new bike, but thanks to his raw speed, he managed to pull off an excellent lap that earned him the provisional pole position. Behind him were local hero Julen Avila Cortes (KTM MTR Team) and, in third, Steve Bonnal (TSV Racing).
The top nine times earned the right to make the cut and move into the final phase to try and finish among the top three, who then battled for pole position in a single “flying lap.” In this qualifying session, the fastest was Steve Bonnal, who lowered the bar and set the best time of the day, finishing ahead of Schmidt and Avila.
In the Superpole, supported by his home crowd, Julen Avila Cortes delivered a perfect lap and, with a stratospheric time, took the top spot on the grid. Second place went to Bonnal and third to Schmidt; both made small mistakes that cost them precious tenths of a second.
S1GP Time Practice Q1:
SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, Ducati) 59.041; 2. AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 59.214; 3. BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) 59.240; 4. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda) 59.582; 5. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) 59.807; 6. BEISCHROTH Colin (GER, Honda) 1:00.058; 7. KRASNIQI Mitja (SUI, Honda) 1:00.194; 8. PERNAT Gabin (FRA, Suzuki) 1:00.300; 9. SARDA Adrien (FRA, Suzuki) 1:00.353; 10. NEDVED Jonas (CZE, Honda) 1:00.359
S1GP Time Practice Q2:
BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) 58.943; 2. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, Ducati) 59.010; 3. AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 59.037; 4. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda) 59.486; 5. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) 59.486; 6. PERNAT Gabin (FRA, Suzuki) 59.724; 7. KRASNIQI Mitja (SUI, Honda) 1:00.058; 8. BEISCHROTH Colin (GER, Honda) 1:00.247; 9. SARDA Adrien (FRA, Suzuki) 1:00.580
S1GP Superpole:
AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 58.870; 2. BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) 59.258; 3. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, Ducati) 59.757
Race One:
At the start of the first heat, Steve Bonnal took the lead into the first corner, but right behind him, Marc Reiner Schmidt seized the lead with an incredible move in Turn 2, followed by Ferran Cardus (Honda). The pole-sitter, Julen Avila Cortes, had to settle for third.
In the opening laps, Schmidt managed to build a small lead over the pursuers thanks to an incredible pace, but a technical problem forced him to stop in the pit lane, rejoining the race far behind. Ferran Cardus then held the lead for a couple of laps but ultimately had to surrender to the speed of Julen Avila Cortes, leaving the two Spaniards at the front. Steve Bonnal couldn’t find the right rhythm to stay close to the leaders and finished in third place. After returning to the track in the middle of the pack, Marc Reiner Schmidt completed an incredible comeback to finish in fifth position. In the Rookie Cup, the best rider was Mitja Kresniqi (Gazza Racing), who finished sixth in the overall standings and first in his class.
S1GP Race 1 Top Ten:
AVILA CORTES Julen (ESP, KTM) 20 laps in 19:56.461; 2. CARDUS Ferran (ESP, Honda) +04.418; 3. BONNAL Steve (FRA, TM) +10.185; 4. SAMMARTIN Elia (ITA, Honda) +17.955; 5. SCHMIDT Marc Reiner (GER, Ducati) +25.179; 6. KRASNIQI Mitja (SUI, Honda) +32.855; 7. NEDVED Jonas (CZE, Honda) +34.640; 8. BEISCHROTH Colin (GER, Honda) +34.965; 9. VIOLA Melvin (FRA, Honda) +38.427; 10. PAYET Raphael (FRA, KTM) +47.459
Time Table: 09:25 Warm UP – 11:35 Fast Race – 14:30 Superfinal
Complete results available HERE.
SUPERMOTO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – GP of Comunitat Valenciana – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1.340 Mt. (800 Mt. Tarmac – 340 Mt. Off Road)
Temperature:14°
Weather: SUN
The FIM Supermoto Worldchampionship will be broadcasted delayed, by clicking HERE you will obtain the full tv list.
In the photo: Julen Avila Cortes
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