CHONGQING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese motorcycle manufacturer ZXMOTO has secured a landmark double victory in the World Supersport (WorldSSP) category at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship, marking a breakthrough for the country's presence in top-level production-based racing.
Valentin Debise powered the ZXMOTO 820RR-RS to victory in Saturday's WorldSSP Race 1, starting from second on the grid before taking the lead early and controlling the race to finish 3.685 seconds ahead of Spain's Jaume Masia.
"I felt from day one that this bike had something special," Debise said. "This result is a real team effort."
The team followed up with another win in Sunday's Race 2, underlining the competitiveness of the Chinese-developed machine across the weekend.
The victories came in the WorldSSP class, a support category within the Superbike World Championship, rather than the premier WorldSBK class. However, the results represent a milestone for a Chinese manufacturer competing against established international brands in a globally recognized championship.
ZXMOTO, based in Chongqing, was founded in April 2024 by entrepreneur Zhang Xue. The company unveiled its first model at the Chongqing International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition in September that year, with initial deliveries beginning in March 2025.
Zhang told Xinhua on Monday that the results had strengthened his confidence in China's manufacturing capabilities and reflected the company's focus on innovation and performance.
According to Zhang, ZXMOTO achieved an output value of 750 million yuan (104 million U.S. dollars) in 2025, with nearly 70 million yuan invested in research and development.
Industry observers say the rapid rise of ZXMOTO reflects the broader strength of Chongqing's motorcycle sector. Official data show that one in every three motorcycles exported from China is produced in the city.
Analysts note that Chinese manufacturers have increasingly shifted from cost-based competition to technology-driven development, with greater investment in engine design, lightweight materials and performance optimization.
Zhang said the WorldSSP victories represented not only a breakthrough for the company but also growing confidence in China's ability to compete in high-performance segments of the global motorcycle industry.
"Within the next five years, we aim to capture over half of the market share currently held by these international big brands," he said. Endlitem
