Nahlous Naps Maiden ASBK Race Win

JJ Nahlous claimed his maiden ASBK race win at the opening round of the 2026-2027 Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island over the weekend.

Friday brought crystal-clear skies and perfect racing conditions, as a growing crowd gathered for a memorable weekend of racing. The Australian Superbikes were the main support category for the MotoGP weekend, and they didn’t disappoint as their riders quickly found their feet and got down to business during the practice and qualifying sessions.

On a weekend filled with everything unique to Phillip Island, and the circuit’s last time hosting MotoGP, Nahlous won the opening race of the new season in impressive fashion.

Despite qualifying eighth, Nahlous was confident he had more speed, but then the mixed conditions provided a challenge for the 30 riders on the grid. It was a drying track, but the threat of rain was never far away, so it was a mad scramble to make any last-minute setup changes.

Nahlous burst from the box when the lights went out and quickly gained several positions. He was inside the top four on the opening lap and lurking dangerously behind the race leaders. He sliced his way to second and then engaged with race leader and fellow Yamaha rider Cam Dunker.

The pair traded blows for the next two laps as they put a gap on the pursuing pack. But Nahlous was able to wrestle his way to the front one more time and then made the pass stick. With fresh air and a clear track, he was able to slowly move away from Dunker to increase his lead to a race high of four seconds with two laps to go.

He managed to navigate his way through the lapped riders and often on unused areas of the racing surface, which made for some nervous moments, but he held on for an emotional win, his first in the Superbike class.

Just a few hours later and he was back on the grid for race two. The track was dry, but again the threat of rain was always in the air, and the officials deemed the circuit to be wet when a light shower passed over moments before the riders took to the grid.

Thankfully, more rain never came, and for the most part, track conditions were dry. Nahlous didn’t get the best of starts, but was able to get through the opening lap safely before working his way forward. He moved his way back to fifth, but by the time, the lead pack of four was well up the road, and he was unable to improve his position.

The third race, scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled when rain soaked the area, which also led to the cancelation of the GP races.

With a 1-5 result for the weekend, he holds down second in the points as the riders now turn their attention to round two at The Bend in three weeks’ time.

“I wanted to do well here, but I didn’t think a race win would happen, so I’m pumped and a little speechless at the moment."

“I messed up in qualifying and being the opening round, I just wanted to make sure I was consistent in each race and not do anything stupid and lose a heap of points in the first round. It turned out way better than that."

“Thanks to my team for having my back and being so quick to adapt and make the right calls at the right moment. It’s a great way to start the year, and everyone is excited about the results this weekend,” Nahlous ends.

It was a much more challenging encounter for Mike Jones, who has struggled at Phillip Island in the past and also finds the wet conditions difficult. He got the double whammy on the weekend as he faced both elements.

In the dry, he showed he was more than competitive, posting P5 and just over .6 from pole, but when the clouds rolled in and the track lost its grip, it became a lot more difficult for Jones to maintain the pace of the front runners in both races.

He finished ninth in race one but was moved up a position to eighth when a rider ahead of him received a penalty. He was clearly disappointed in himself and acknowledged he rode well within himself and was far too conservative on the track.

Race two was better, and even though the result was similar, he was eighth across the finish line, he was much closer to the leader. His 8-9 finishes see him in ninth after the opening round, and not doubt looking to move up the leaderboard at round two at The Bend.

“It was a disappointing weekend for me,” Jones laments. “There are no excuses, the team had the bike in good shape. I just didn’t ride well in those conditions and deliver when I needed to."

“I will be working hard in the coming weeks to ensure there is no repeat of Phillip Island and get myself and my team back in a position we can be proud of.” 

The ASBK hits The Bend on November 13-15 with the full lineup of classes and a big weekend of racing.

ASBK Results

Rd 1- Phillip Island

Superbike