Craig McMartin
Interview reflecting on ASBK 2025
A former front-line racer turned championship-winning group proprietor, Craig McMartin has steadily constructed one of the formidable operations within the ASBK paddock.
With Josh Waters securing his fifth Australian Superbike Championship, the McMartin Racing Ducati squad as soon as once more proved {that a} tight-knit group with clear route can outperform some larger outfits.
There isn’t any doubt that the Ducati is the perfect software to have in ASBK competitors, however it is usually maybe one of the advanced to get the perfect out of. Time after time, McMartin and his crew have proved to do this much better than anybody else.
We sat down with Craig McMartin to speak concerning the 2025 season, the strengths of the Ducati platform, behind the scenes, the fact of working a top-tier ASBK outfit, and the place McMartin Racing is headed.
Season Rewind & Staff Efficiency
How do you mirror on the group’s season as an entire? Had been the outcomes consistent with your expectations?
McMartin – “I’m very happy with the season; it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Was there a defining second this 12 months the place you felt the group had actually hit its stride?
McMartin – “QR was one second that stands out, because it hasn’t been one in all our robust tracks.”
What was the hardest race weekend for the group, and what did you study from it?
McMartin – “One Raceway was powerful because the expectation to win the championship weighed closely on Josh’s shoulders. I feel I didn’t stress sufficient to Josh that it didn’t matter if he gained the championship there or not.”
In a season stuffed with variables, what was essentially the most important inside problem you needed to handle?
McMartin – “There was nothing main, small issues just like the mechanics, like a sure sort of microfiber, they usually have inexperienced ones within the bag, and Josh doesn’t like inexperienced, so I take them out and go away them at dwelling.”
On Josh Waters
Josh simply secured his fifth championship, the final two of these, after all, coming with you. What makes him such an efficient winner?
McMartin – “His pure expertise is outstanding, and his work ethic away from the monitor is superb; his coaching and willingness to ask how he can enhance are second to none.”
Do you keep in mind the second you realised he was the correct rider on your program?
McMartin – “He crammed in for Wayne at MotoGP assist races and gained all three races for the primary time on the bike. Adrian and I made a decision to do the final two rounds of ASBK with him, and his outcomes and match with the group labored properly.”
Are you locked in with Josh for 2026?
McMartin – “Josh is locked in for 2026. Josh, Gin and their children are a part of the household. We have now a lot enjoyable collectively, so there isn’t any purpose to vary.”
How does Josh’s suggestions form the group’s technical route?
McMartin – “It’s a mix of his suggestions and Adrian wanting on the knowledge that determines the setup modifications.”
In your eyes, what’s essentially the most underrated a part of Josh’s method to racing?
McMartin – “Josh by no means went properly at QR, and we requested him to vary his using and method to that monitor. He listened and did every thing we requested him to do, so his willingness to enhance himself to win in any case these years may be very underrated.”
How a lot of the group’s success is right down to chemistry versus outright velocity?
McMartin – “It’s a little bit of each, the group get on so properly collectively as all of us wish to win however all the time have enjoyable and laughs alongside the way in which, plus Josh’s outright velocity is superb.”
The Ducati Platform
What makes the Ducati platform so efficient in ASBK?
McMartin – “Ducati produce the bike to a excessive degree in commonplace trim; the engine produces good energy, which leaves extra time to work on the chassis.”
Has the Panigale developed in ways in which have modified how you use the group?
McMartin – “No, we might work the identical it doesn’t matter what bike we’ve got.”
What space of the bike supplies essentially the most important aggressive benefit?
McMartin – “The engine.”
The place is the bike nonetheless susceptible, or no less than, not as robust as you’d like?
McMartin – “Handing over sure forms of corners, the Yamaha has an excellent chassis that fits a whole lot of our tracks and has a bonus in that space, as Mike said in your interview, with him pondering the one space the Ducati is best is on acceleration out of the nook, the bikes are pretty even throughout all of the tracks.”
How a lot freedom do you must innovate on the Ducati bundle inside ASBK guidelines?
McMartin – “We have now the identical freedom as the opposite producers, possibly not as a lot as Yamaha, as they’ve been given extra with parity, however the others we’re the identical.”
Staff Construction & Management
What’s the toughest half about working a top-level ASBK group right now?
McMartin – “All the things away from the monitor, I construct the bikes, ebook flights, lodging, and so on. The races are the enjoyable half, as I’ve a tremendous group of people that will go above and past on the monitor.”
Is there somebody within the storage who deserves way more recognition than they get?
McMartin – “Everybody within the storage deserves extra recognition for his or her exhausting work; the individuals within the group are extra vital than the gear you’ve gotten.”
What’s a very powerful trait you search for when bringing somebody into the group?
McMartin – “How they slot in with the remainder of the group is primary; we will educate them concerning the bike.”
How has your management fashion developed out of your early days to now?
McMartin – “It hasn’t modified.”
Technical Philosophy & Technique
Are you a data-first group proprietor, or is intuition nonetheless a serious a part of your decision-making?
McMartin – “Undoubtedly knowledge first, as all our choices are made by checking the info.”
What’s the largest technical breakthrough you’ve had lately?
McMartin – “We have now realized loads over the previous couple of years; not one factor stands out. Simply a whole lot of small issues add up.”
Is there one space the place you by no means cease attempting new concepts?
McMartin – “There’s not loads we will do to the engine in our guidelines, so we’re all the time attempting to make the general bundle higher.”
How a lot does rider desire form your technical route?
McMartin – “Rider desire is primary; we all the time hearken to Josh and ask what he wants and make last choices with the info.”
Do you assume the present ASBK rules reward intelligent engineering or easy consistency?
McMartin – “I feel all motorsport rewards intelligent engineering.”
Rivalries, Competitors & the State of ASBK
Which rival group pushed you the toughest this 12 months, and the way?
McMartin – “Mike Jones has pushed us all 12 months; he has been on the identical bike for a very long time now and has learnt find out how to trip it properly.”
What do you assume ASBK is doing properly proper now, and what wants enhancing?
McMartin – “Not a lot, it’s a dictatorship that doesn’t hearken to the opponents or promote the game sufficient, however the employees and volunteers we take care of on the monitor are superb.”
Has the competitors change into extra unpredictable, or extra predictable, over the previous couple of years?
McMartin – “Extra predictable.”
Who’s the following massive risk rising within the class?
McMartin – “Jonathan Nahlous, the quantity of using he does in any respect the tracks is superb, and he has come a great distance this 12 months.”
In the event you might change one factor in ASBK to enhance competitiveness, what wouldn’t it be?
McMartin – “Testing ban, there are some riders who trip a lot, the decrease price range groups simply can not compete.”
Ducati’s Function & Worldwide Affect
How intently do you’re employed with Ducati in Italy? Do you get significant assist or perception?
McMartin – “Ducati Corse considers us the primary group in Australia, they usually do assist us with various things.”
How intently do you take note of WorldSBK developments, and do any of these concepts translate to ASBK?
McMartin – “We all the time regulate what developments are occurring, however not a lot interprets to ASBK as our bikes are a decrease spec than WSBK.”
Has Ducati ever been shocked by one thing your group has achieved right here?
McMartin – “No.”
Would you’re taking the group abroad for a wildcard if the chance arose?
McMartin – “Perhaps if we had the correct gear to be aggressive.”
The Enterprise Facet
How troublesome is it to steadiness the monetary realities of racing with the need to enhance the bike and this system always?
McMartin – “It’s very troublesome to steadiness it, I all the time look to enhance the bike and total bundle, however I’m a privateer group with a small price range, so there are issues I want to do however can not as there isn’t the price range.”
What do you assume sponsors misunderstand most about working a superbike group?
McMartin – “How a lot it prices to run the group.”
What’s the toughest a part of securing and retaining companions?
McMartin – “ASBK is so sluggish at getting the calendar and data out about TV and social media numbers, and so on., that the majority firms have already finalised budgets earlier than we get the data.”
Do you assume ASBK has change into dearer to compete in during the last decade?
McMartin – “Much more costly.”
Lengthy-Time period Imaginative and prescient
The place would you like the group to be in 5 years? Larger?
McMartin – “I wish to nonetheless be successful championships and having enjoyable.”
Do you are feeling a duty to assist develop the following era of Ducati riders?
McMartin – “No, it doesn’t work like that in right here as our championship.”
Is there a long-term plan for the group past ASBK, wildcards, worldwide occasions, a second rider, or growth?
McMartin – “You by no means know what the long run holds, possibly a second rider.”
What does success appear to be for the McMartin group within the lengthy view?
McMartin – “Extra championships.”
Philosophy
While you look again at your personal using profession, what classes nonetheless form the way you run the group right now?
McMartin – “I run it the way in which I all the time wished issues as a rider, I’ll all the time run it that approach.”
What’s a false impression about you that you simply’d prefer to appropriate?
McMartin – “Typically individuals overlook I’m a non-public group, I do every thing away from the monitor, construct and preserve the bikes, ebook flights and lodging and work with sponsors, and so on.”
What’s the funniest, or strangest, second you’ve skilled as a group proprietor?
McMartin – “Final season, after I thought Josh gained the championship, not realising Mike bought previous Troy on the final nook.”
McMartin Racing can be in motion this Friday evening on the St. George Summer season Nights Sequence with Harrison Voight. Josh Waters will trip the bike for the primary time this 12 months in a fortnight’s time at Phillip Island forward of the season opener on the Victorian venue on the weekend of February 22.
Ducati riders have gained 5 of the final seven Australian Superbike Championship crowns. DesmoSport Ducati gained with Mike Jones in 2019 on the 1299 Panigale R Last Version, whereas Wayne Maxwell gained in 2020 and 2021 on a McMartin Ducati V4 R.
Josh Waters comes into season 2026 with McMartin Ducati after successful the final two titles on the trot with the group and is the new favorite for a hat-trick. The final rider to win three titles in succession was Shawn Giles, who gained in 2000, 2001 and 2002 earlier than his streak was damaged by his younger Suzuki team-mate Craig Coxhell in 2003.
Josh Waters is the one rider to have gained 5 Australian Superbike Championships and is working in the direction of a record-extending sixth in 2026.
Mike Jones is the one rider to have gained three ASBK Championships on three completely different manufacturers of equipment. Mike’s first crown was gained on a Kawasaki earlier than his Ducati win in 2019. Mike’s Yamaha title in 2022 broke a 15-year drought for YRT. Jonathan Nahlous is predicted to affix Jones at YRT this season.
Anthony West had an ideal season in 2025 with Addicted To Observe on a Yamaha and virtually managed to usurp Jones for second within the title earlier than finally ending third. The veteran will line up on a DesmoSport Ducati V4 R in 2026 and is testing with the group at Phillip Island this week.
2026 ASBK Provisional Calendar
| 2026 ASBK PROVISIONAL CALENDAR | ||
| Spherical One | February 20-22 | Phillip Island, VIC (WorldSBK) |
| Spherical Two | March 27-28 | Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW |
| Spherical Three | Could 1-3 | The Bend, SA |
| Spherical 4 | Could 29-31 | Morgan Park, QLD |
| Spherical 5 | June 26-28 | Queensland Raceway, QLD |
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