Despite high expectations and strong early pace in Qualifying, Access Plus Racing experienced mixed fortunes during Round 3 of the 2025 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK). Still, the team soldiered on to come away with a win and two podium finishes at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC), maintaining its lead in the championship standings.
The weekend remained dry despite forecasts of rain, allowing riders to push to the limit. Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto delivered a dominant performance in Saturday’s Qualifying session, securing pole position with a new lap record of 1:32.580. His younger brother Troy also delivered a solid showing, qualifying P3 to place both Access Plus Racing Ducatis on the front row.
Race 1 on Sunday morning saw a slow start for both riders, with TJ dropping to P4 off the line and Troy also losing ground. But by the first corner, Troy had surged back to P2, with TJ slotting into P3. TJ later managed to pass Troy and began hunting down early leader Marvin Mangulabnan, who had built over a second’s gap on the Aprilia. The older Alberto then found a way past his championship rival, pulling clear to take a commanding win with a 28.270 secs margin — while also setting a new race lap record in the process. Troy’s charge, on the other hand, was short-lived. Loose debris caused damage to his #69 Ducati Panigale V4, costing him pace and dropping him to 4th at the finish.
Dashi Watanabe on another Aprilia would get the holeshot in Race 2, but TJ immediately struck back at turn 2 to reclaim the lead, with Troy following into P2. A lap later Mangulabnan passed Troy and began his pursuit of the race leader. TJ looked to be in control and was only a few corners away from victory. However, unsighted Mangulabnan managed to close the gap and made a decisive move on the last corner. It was a drag race to the chequered flag with TJ being forced to settle for 2nd, just 0.128 secs behind the winner. Troy’s woes returned, this time struggling with grip as he tried to stay in touch with the front runners. Pushing hard, he would crash on lap 6, but managed to rejoin the race and salvage a hard-earned 3rd place.
Dashi Watanabe, on another Aprilia, got the holeshot in Race 2, but TJ immediately struck back at Turn 2 to reclaim the lead, with Troy following into P2. A lap later, Mangulabnan passed Troy and began his pursuit of the race leader. TJ looked to be in control and was only a few corners away from victory — until Mangulabnan, unsighted, managed to close the gap and made a decisive move in the final corner. It turned into a drag race to the chequered flag, with TJ forced to settle for 2nd, just 0.128 secs behind the winner. Troy’s troubles continued, this time struggling with grip as he tried to stay in touch with the front runners. While pushing hard, he crashed on lap 6 but managed to rejoin the race and salvage a hard-earned 3rd place.
Although Access Plus Racing showed strong potential early in the weekend, the results didn’t fully reflect their pace. Still, the team came away with valuable points, allowing TJ to maintain a 29-point lead in the PSBK championship standings.
The series now heads back to Clark International Speedway for Round 4, scheduled for August 2–3.
Troy Alberto, #69:
“The results are disappointing, but I’m choosing to focus on the positives. On Friday and Saturday, we had enough pace to be in the fight for the win — something we hadn’t been able to say in the first two rounds. It’s been a tough weekend, but I’m keeping my head up. We’re learning, getting faster, and I’m already looking ahead to the next round.”
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