Access Plus Racing closed out the 2025 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK) with a dramatic and hard-fought weekend at the Clark International Speedway (CIS), capped by a successful final push that secured Troy Alberto 2nd overall in the championship.
Saturday’s Qualifying session set a promising tone for the team, with newly crowned 5-time champion Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto showcasing the potential of the Ducati Panigale V4 7G as he stormed to pole with a 1:48.592 lap. His younger brother Troy kept the momentum going with P3, lining up just behind title rival Marvin Mangulabnan and putting both Ducatis firmly on the front row.
Race 1, held unusually on Saturday afternoon, took an unexpected turn when a sudden downpour drenched the circuit just minutes before lights out. The team scrambled to switch both Ducatis to wet settings and tires, while Mangulabnan had opted for scrubbed wets—giving him superior grip at the start and allowing him to rocket into an early lead.
TJ and Troy initially struggled for pace on brand-new rain tires that needed several laps to reach optimal performance. Determined to chase him down, TJ pushed hard but slid out on Lap 4 in the tricky conditions. Troy, meanwhile, kept his composure and began reeling in Mangulabnan once his tires reached their operating window, but the gap was too large to close. He crossed the line in P2—only to be promoted to the win after Mangulabnan was disqualified post-race.
With dry weather returning for the final race of the year, Race 2 delivered an intense three-way battle on Sunday. Troy launched perfectly from pole, while TJ immediately climbed to P2 on the run to Turn 1. The trio swapped positions in the early laps until TJ broke clear and took command of the race.
The focus then shifted to the fight for 2nd. Troy was holding strong, but a mechanical issue caused his pace to fade, allowing Mangulabnan to slip past. With a clear road ahead, TJ cruised to his 12th win of the season—capping off his most dominant PSBK campaign to date, with Troy holding on for 3rd at the flag.
The 2025 PSBK season ends with Access Plus Racing securing 1st and 2nd in the championship with 13 wins out of 14 races.
The weekend also marked the debut of Access Plus Racing in the new PSBK SS600 category. With TJ focusing on his Superbike commitments, the team made a last-minute call to former Expert Class champion Lawrence Macalinao. Despite zero track time, no qualifying, and his first-ever outing on the Panigale V2, he delivered a stunning performance. Starting from the very back of the grid, he charged into the lead by the end of the first lap and went on to dominate the race, winning by more than 3 seconds.
Troy Alberto, #69:
“Not the ending I expected, but I’m happy to wrap up the season 2nd in the championship. Coming into the year, my goals were simple: finish every race and have the speed to fight for wins. I feel like I achieved both, despite the challenges we faced along the way. Now I’m looking forward to building on this momentum for 2026.”
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