The inaugural season of the new Sportbike World Championship concluded in dramatic fashion at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain, dealing a crushing blow to David Salvador. Entering the season finale with a twelve-point championship lead and securing pole position for the opening race, the 23-year-old Spaniard looked entirely untouchable and poised to clinch the ultimate crown. However, all those championship aspirations vanished into thin air just two laps before the checkered flag.
The title race turned on its head when Yamaha rider Carter Thompson collided heavily with Salvador, sending the championship leader tumbling into the gravel trap and robbing him of crucial points. To make matters worse for the title contender, his primary championship rival, Xavier Artigas, went on to win the race, seizing a comfortable thirteen-point advantage heading into the second and final heat of the season.
“Unfortunately, I didn't fully understand what happened; I didn't see the bike coming. I just heard the noise and then took a heavy blow to my left leg. I was pushed off the track and crashed without any chance to avoid the contact,” Salvador explained regarding the race-altering incident. He added that he was deeply disappointed because he genuinely wanted a fair, clean fight for the championship victory until the very end.
Although Race Direction handed Thompson a long-lap penalty for the aggressive contact, the Australian rider still managed to cross the finish line in sixth place. The lenient punishment sparked widespread debate within the paddock regarding the consistency of disciplinary actions taken by officials throughout the racing calendar.
Despite the immense heartbreak of missing out on the individual crown—with Artigas securing eighth place in Race 2 while Salvador finished fourth—there remains a major silver lining. Salvador successfully secured a coveted promotion to the factory Supersport team with Kawasaki for the upcoming season, allowing him to turn the page quickly and focus on future glories.
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