Shropshire's Tom Booth-Amos determined to bounce back after challenging Portugal round

Shropshire racer Tom Booth-Amos has vowed to come back stronger after a challenging weekend at the second round of the 2025 World Supersport Championship in Portugal, writes Michael Wincott.

Booth-Amos, riding for PTR Triumph Factory Racing on a Street Triple RS 765 Triumph, claimed two 12th-place finishes, taking his championship tally to nine points.

The Newport rider admitted the weekend did not go as planned but remained determined to build momentum for the rest of the season.

He said: “Sadly we’re not where we wanted to be this weekend, or where we know we can be.

“We’ve struggled a lot with set-up and not feeling comfortable as I need to be on the bike.

“However, we’ve had two race finishes and managed to get some points, but we need to have a look, understand a few things and come back stronger at Assen in a few weeks time.”

The Portuguese round was held at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, with Booth-Amos keen to put a disappointing start to the season behind him.

His campaign began in Australia, where two heavy crashes prevented him from showing his evident pace. Now fully reset, the Shropshire rider approached Portugal determined to get results and kick-start his season.

“Portimao is a great track and I’m feeling really good going into the weekend,” he said ahead of the races.

Friday morning offered ideal conditions for the opening free practice session. Booth-Amos completed 15 laps, setting a best lap of 1:44.597 - just 0.839 seconds off the fastest time set by Valentin Debise.

The afternoon Superpole session, held in scorching conditions, determined the grid for the first race. Booth-Amos completed 13 laps and showed competitive pace throughout.

A late red flag with five minutes remaining, caused by smoke and liquid on the track from another competitor, limited opportunities for riders to improve. Booth-Amos gave it his all and qualified 11th with a lap time of 1:44.245.

Booth-Amos made a strong start in the opening 17-lap race, finishing the first lap in 10th place. He became embroiled in a six-way battle for 10th, leading on several occasions.

However, with two laps remaining, the Newport racer was passed and ultimately finished 12th.

Sunday’s second 17-lap race saw Booth-Amos again demonstrate solid racecraft. Starting 12th on the grid, he moved into the top ten during the early laps and held the position for several circuits before dropping back to 11th.

A mistake at turn five caused him to lose another position, followed by a long lap penalty for an “unsafe rejoin.”

Despite these setbacks, Booth-Amos regrouped and pushed on to finish 12th, adding valuable points to his championship tally.

Looking ahead, Booth-Amos and PTR Triumph Factory Racing will now prepare for round three of the FIM Supersport World Championship at Assen in the Netherlands from April 17 to 19.