The EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory team concluded a mixed but productive weekend at the Aragon circuit in the 2026 World Supersport Championship, with strong qualifying pace and consistent top-ten finishes from Valentin Debise, while Federico Caricasulo endured a challenging campaign across practice, Superpole and both races.
The opening day kicked off with free practice and Superpole qualifying. In morning free practice, Debiso completed 13 laps to take eighth place, and Caricasulo registered 11 laps to rank 12th. The afternoon Superpole saw Valentin Debise deliver outstanding speed, fighting for pole position until the final moment and ultimately securing second place, merely 0.015 seconds shy of top spot. Caricasulo qualified 15th, only three tenths of a second outside the top ten. Debise admitted it was a tough session overall but managed a rapid final lap, also crediting Caricasulo as his track reference. Both riders noted the need to optimize bike setup for Aragon’s extreme heat, with front-row qualifying giving them a solid foundation for the races ahead.
Race 1 got underway at 12:30 CET over 15 laps. Starting from the front row, Debise ran third on the opening lap, dropped to seventh on lap four, and held steady pace before claiming eighth place at the finish. Caricasulo made a decent start but lost multiple positions on lap two. Plagued by technical issues throughout the race, he pitted midway to collect data for subsequent sessions and finished at the back of the field. Post-Race 1 grid ranking set Debise 10th and Caricasulo 15th for Race 2. Debise commented that high temperatures made the race demanding, though the team gained valuable data and championship points, leaving room for further improvement. Caricasulo felt good in the warm-up but was pushed off track by a rival on the first lap and lacked his ideal race pace; his pit-lane time attack also failed to deliver a faster lap time, locking him into 15th on the Race 2 grid.
Race 2, scheduled at 14:00 CET over 15 laps, brought another solid top-ten result for Debise and more frustration for Caricasulo. Debise held his grid position at the start, dropped back in the early laps, then regained rhythm in the second half to climb back into the top ten and secure eighth place once again. Caricasulo enjoyed a positive start but slipped down the order gradually throughout the race, eventually crossing the line in 19th position.
Following the Aragon weekend, Valentin Debise sits third in the overall riders’ standings with 163 points, while Federico Caricasulo is 19th on 20 points. In the team classification, EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory occupies third place with 183 points, and ZXMOTO ranks third in the manufacturers’ standings with 165 points.
Reflecting on the weekend, Debise praised the team’s technical progress, acknowledging traffic cost him time but highlighting strong pace on a clear track and steady step-by-step improvement. Caricasulo rued a difficult weekend, citing intense heat as an extra barrier and being unable to find race speed or make up ground, vowing to bounce back soon. Team Principal Fabio Evangelista stated the team is working through a new project, with Aragon’s sweltering conditions presenting a fresh setup challenge. He noted the team is on the right path to perfect bike performance in high heat, satisfied with Debise’s consistent points finishes and the valuable race data collected despite Caricasulo’s tough weekend.
The EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory team will next head to Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the seventh round of the 2026 World Supersport Championship, taking place from June 12 to 14, ready to bounce back and compete strongly at their home round.
