DesmoSport Ducati press release:

DesmoSport Ducati’s Callum Spriggs rode to an inspiring 17th-place finish in race one of the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) at Phillip Island this morning, charging forward from toward the rear of the grid.

The 22-year-old rookie crashed on lap two of yesterday’s single qualifying session at the 4.445-kilometre circuit, forcing him to start out of 36th position in the 39-rider field across all three races at the opening round.

When the lights went out on the first race of the season, Spriggs weaved his way into the top 20 by lap three and made it as high as 13th on lap eight, before encountering difficulties in the closing stages and finishing 17th.

“Going into my first Superbike race I knew I had a big challenge, starting from 36th on the grid,” Spriggs reflected. “I’d never actually done a race start on the Ducati, but it wasn’t too bad actually. I was feeling good, picked my way through to 13th, but I dropped back toward the end with a few dramas. I brought it home from there and now definitely look forward to tomorrow.”

DesmoSport Ducati co-owner and three-time Superbike world champion Troy Bayliss said it was an encouraging way for the Queenslander to begin his premier class career aboard the official 1299 Panigale S.

“We’re happy to be here at round one of the ASBK, alongside WorldSBK, showing our new colours of DesmoSport Ducati and getting Callum out there for his first experience racing the bike,” Bayliss explained. “He’s had a bit of a hard weekend, having to start a long way back on the grid, but he showed good potential and came through nicely. It’s not a progressive grid this weekend, so we’ll take it in our stride, and Cal did a really good job.”

Race two of the ASBK is scheduled to take place on Sunday morning at 11:50am and race three later that afternoon at 4:10pm, alongside the opening round of the Superbike World Championship.