Two of MotoGP’s future stars have had an early taste of a very different racing machine, with Dani Holgado and David Alonso testing CFMoto’s new V4 SR-RR superbike.
Holgado, who will step up to MotoGP with Gresini Ducati in 2027, was joined by future Honda rider Alonso and Aspar Moto3 rider Maximo Quiles for the test organised by CFMoto and the Aspar team.
The prototype was covered in camouflage during the session as CFMoto continues development of its highly anticipated flagship superbike.
The test comes shortly after the V4 SR-RR reached an impressive 315.82km/h, or 196.2mph, during testing earlier this year. That makes it the fastest Chinese combustion-engined motorcycle recorded to date.
The 997cc V4 machine is expected to eventually reach the production market, but its racing potential could be even more significant. With MotoGP switching to 850cc engines from 2027, CFMoto's new superbike could instead form the basis of a potential World Superbike project.
CFMoto has previously been linked with ambitions to expand beyond its existing Moto2 and Moto3 involvement, with both MotoGP and WorldSBK discussed as possible targets.
A move into WorldSBK would be particularly significant, as CFMoto would become the first Chinese manufacturer to compete in the premier class of the production-based world championship.
MotoGP, however, appears to be a more complicated route for the manufacturer. KTM has recently secured its future in the championship after overcoming its financial difficulties, while Ducati, Aprilia, Honda and Yamaha have also committed to the sport under the new manufacturers' commercial agreement covering the next five years.
For Holgado and Alonso, the CFMoto test offered valuable experience on a machine far removed from the prototypes they will race in MotoGP. For CFMoto, meanwhile, the session provided another glimpse of its ambitions to make a bigger impact on the global racing scene.
