As the 2025 Mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) gets set to head to Queensland Raceway for round five next month, CycleOnline breaks down the key topics after what has been an intriguing season to date in this edition of Top 10.

1. Josh Waters needs to be stopped:
McMartin Racing’s Josh Waters has pieced together a brilliant 2025 championship so far, and as a result, holds a sizeable 53-point margin over Mike Jones at the mid-point of the series. Most of the competition are left scratching their heads on how to stop the defending four-time champion and his Ducati Panigale V4 R, which is in the sweet spot currently across a range of conditions. Now is the time for the rest of the Superbike field to turn the tide, otherwise, Waters will be well on his way to a record-setting title number five. That said, wily veteran Ant West is only four points back from Jones himself, so with a string of podiums to his credit, the best of the Queenslander in ASBK could still be yet to come.

2. Mahaffy aims for Supersport championship:
It’s been a strong Supersport campaign for Stop and Seal Racing’s Jack Mahaffy this year, who boasts a 26-point advantage over teammate Archie McDonald. The problem is that McDonald missed round three after favouring his STK600 European Championship commitments, with the New South Welshman returning for the fourth stop and claiming an emphatic clean sweep on the day. It’s not expected that McDonald will miss any more ASBK action, so 26 points is the margin, and we’ll see whether Mahaffy can hold firm or if last year’s class runner-up McDonald can successfully overhaul him for the title.

3. Supercars supports at Queensland Raceway:
The Supercars Championship is Australia’s premier four-wheel racing category, and garners a lot of mainstream attention as a consequence. Therefore, it’s always a good idea when ASBK shares the same weekend, as it gains access to a new audience of passionate motorsport fans who love the thrill of on-track action. Another round at QR may not be ideal from a diversification standpoint, however once again, tapping into a new crowd can convert general motorsport fans, and Ipswich usually produces a strong turnout in the South East Queensland region.

4. Jones needs to capitalise in Sunny State:
Said before again and again, Yamaha Racing Team’s Mike Jones needs to capitalise on the Queensland leg of the series, and particularly QR, where he posted a 1-1 performance during last year’s visit to the circuit, but it was Waters who managed to extend in May. Morgan Park wasn’t overly kind to Jones either, as he experienced an electrical gremlin in race one that resulted in a DNF, before a commanding race two win may be the shot of confidence needed to get the upper-hand. All eyes will be on the number 46 to see if he can do so.

5. Allerton’s successful switch:
After seven seasons with BMW, three-time ASBK champion Glenn Allerton made a high-profile move to the proven Ducati Panigale V4 R machine this year as part of the Superbike Advocates Racing team. The switch has marked a significant rise in performance for the experienced racer, who claimed his first victory in the class in nine years during Queensland Raceway’s second encounter in tricky, rain-affected conditions. Is there a ceiling for Allerton as he continues to gel with his new machinery? Who knows, but this revitalised version of the decorated racer will be fun to watch over the ensuing rounds.

6. Pearson building back to form:
Broc Pearson and the DesmoSport Ducati team claimed their first podium of the season at Morgan Park, and while the second-season Superbike rider may have felt like a cowboy riding a bucking bull throughout round four, the results show that both he and the team are making progress. A switch in electronics systems has taken more time than initially anticipated to adjust to, but a podium result highlighted by P2 in race one last time out is a sign of life that things are starting to turn for the 24-year-old real estate agent.

7. ASBK’s new generation:
While a lot of the recent attention has rightly been cast upon Cam Dunker and Max Stauffer – now a Yamaha Racing Team rider – there are more young guns on the rise. This year marked a step up to the premier Superbike division for last year’s Supersport champion, Jonathan Nahlous, and all things considered, it’s been pretty solid for the class newcomer. Eighth overall in the standings, with a series high result of fourth overall at Sydney Motorsport Park, is exactly what you want to see out of a young rider. Front-running pace and consistent performances are all you can ask for in season one, so look for further building out of the 18-year-old rookie in the season’s second half. In addition, few expected Jack Favelle – teammate of West on the Addicted To Track team – to make the impact that he has to date, demonstrating top-five form on multiple occasions and cementing himself as one of ASBK’s very best emerging teenagers.

8. The back half of the series heads south:
We started this year’s championship at the famed Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, before steadily making our way up the eastern coast of Australia, with both New South Wales and Queensland having played host to the past three rounds. One more stop in QLD will then mark a journey back towards the south, with another Phillip Island round followed by One Raceway in NSW, and The Bend in South Australia as the season finale, drawing the curtains on what will be a strong eight-round championship for 2025.

9. Sissus and Toparis’ struggles:
It’s been a challenging season to say the least for both Arthur Sissis and Tom Toparis, who were tipped to be far more competitive entering this year’s series. Both racers have struggled to come to terms with the Michelin tyres, with last year’s sixth-place finisher Sissus classified a lowly P15 after four rounds of racing – and absent altogether last time out. In addition, injuries have held Toparis back once again this year, with each rider struggling to match the pre-season expectations, as Stop and Seal team leader Cru Halliday continues to fly the flag. Look for more out of the squad as they work to turn their 2025 campaigns around.

10. Kawasaki’s Supersport surge:
It was a gamble for last year’s P3 rider, Olly Simpson, to transfer from Yamaha to Kawasaki machinery, however all signs point to the Supersport challenger having dialled in his BCperformance Ninja ZX-6R, together with teammate Hayden Nelson after four rounds. Though the Supersport class won’t feature at QR, Simpson captured a strong second race victory at the venue for round three, which was a massive result for both he and the team. Simpson and Nelson hold down positions three and four in the championship, respectively, and may still be within striking distance of a title tilt if either of them catches fire across the remaining three rounds.