A dream debut for the latest 2023-spec Ducati Panigale V4 R and Panigale V4 S at the Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK). Not only did Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto and Lawrence Macalinao win both races in their respective categories, but they also shared the overall podium for an exceptional 1-3 finish for Access Plus Racing.
The team only had a handful of days to test their latest machinery ahead of the race weekend. However, it was immediately clear how much more capable their new Ducatis were on track.
TJ had no problems setting the 2nd fastest time in Qualifying with a 1:49.969, just 0.117 secs off pole. Even more impressive was his teammate who was able to set a sub-1:54 lap for the very first time around the Clark International Speedway (CIS). This was mainly due Lawrence’s new bike setup that allowed him to push more comfortably and set a 1:54.747 time good enough for P4 on the grid.
Temperatures were scorchingly hot as Race 1 got underway on Sunday morning. TJ was quick off the line and got the holeshot into turn 1. He then spent the next 10 laps in control of the race, keeping his closest rival Marvin Mangulabnan behind. The reigning 2-time PSBK champion later crossed the line in a very gratifying 1st place in Pro Class, which was a big relief coming from a rough race weekend at BRC last month. Lawrence gave Access Plus Racing another reason to celebrate. A good start allowed him to pull away from the rest of the Expert Class runners and already had the Pro Class riders in his sights. The rider ahead would later crash, gifting him a spot on the Pro Class podium which he shared with his teammate. Lawrence also scored 1st in the Expert Class with a 19.814 secs margin of victory.
As the tarmac reached boiling point in the afternoon sun, so did the action in Race 2. TJ followed Mangulabnan into turn 1 this time around and stayed calm as he waited for an opportune moment to overtake. That came up on lap 5 where a clean pass allowed J to take the lead. He again defended all the way to the chequered flag to capture his second win of the weekend. Lawrence, on the other hand, dropped a spot at the start but stayed close behind fellow Expert Class competitor Zaldy Canare. He later made his move on lap 6 and opened up a gap with his far better pace, eventually taking the chequered flag 1st in class and won by a mile.
Alberto’s pair of race wins now puts him 6 points clear ahead in the Pro Class standings while Macalinao is able to extend his lead to 14 points as the season reaches its halfway point. The 2023 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK) returns to the Clark International Speedway (CIS) for on August 5/6 for Round 4.
TJ Alberto, #77: “It was a really exciting weekend and happy to be back on top. The 2 race victories were really essential for the championship. We’ll be back in Clark in a month’s time where we hope to extract even more performance from the 2023-spec Panigale V4 R. The team put in a lot of work to get the new bike ready and we were rewarded with wins on its first outing.”
Lawrence Macalinao, #26: “Im really happy I think we took a big step forward in terms of pace and understanding of the bike. We made some changes in terms of setup, which made a huge difference this weekend. It helped me dip down into the 1:54 mark during Qualifying and score wins in Expert Class plus my first podium in Pro.”
Toti Alberto, Team Principal: “First of all, I’m happy and thankful to the Lord that everything went well for the race. We got a perfect score for TJ and Lawrence. Changing from the 2019 to the 2023 bike for TJ, we still have a lot of tuning to do to maximize its potential. Also really good to see Lawrence get into the 1:54 lap time. He easily won his class and congratulations on his 3rd place finish in the Pro category.”
Access Plus Racing is sponsored by Ducati Philippines, Angkas, Shell Advance Motorcycle Oils, ArmyNavy Burger + Burrito, Frontrow, Makati Diamond Residences, Katinko Oil and Ointment, Macbeth, Aella, LV8 Elevate, Extreme Components, STM, and Öhlins Racing.
