KAYLA YAAKOV Shows Early Speed Before Setup Setback at Mid-Ohio Supersport Q1

August 16, 2025

from www.roadracingworld.com

• KAYLA YAAKOV demonstrated genuine pace early at Mid-Ohio, sitting fourth in Friday practice on her No. 19 XPEL Ducati Panigale V2 before a setup change backfired in qualifying. While the adjustment dropped her to ninth in Q1, she’s only half a second off fifth place – exactly the kind of gap that disappears overnight when you’ve got a team that knows what they’re doing.
• The Rahal Ducati Moto rider isn’t sweating the Friday setback, and neither should we. Her morning pace proved the speed is there, and team principal Ben Spies is confident they can find that crucial half-second to put her back in top-five contention. It’s the kind of measured optimism that comes from actually having the goods to back it up.
• While teammate PJ Jacobsen grabbed headlines with his lap record and provisional pole, YAAKOV’s consistent improvement trajectory tells its own story. She’s targeting a top-five grid position for Saturday’s race, and based on her practice pace, that’s not wishful thinking – it’s a reasonable expectation from a rider who’s clearly found her groove on the Ducati.

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