Luke Power: "Me, WorldSSP And My Crazy Journey to Get Here"

It's way too easy to look at the headlines or at the riders who are fighting for the win at each race, while it's not that easy is to look further and find out more on kids who are making their way to the top. This is actually how you discover some incredible stories, and this is the case of Luke Power, racing in Supersport World Championship with the MotoZoo ME AIR Racing Team.

Born on 30th November 2004 in Australia, in 2022 Power left his home country and his family when he was still underage, and he did it to race in the MotoAmerica. The season was very positive and this even took him to the Supersport World Championship, where the squad owned by Fabio Uccelli welcomed him in 2023. So far, Luke's journey in WorldSSP has been far from easy, but the multiple Victorian State Champion showed some great speed in multiple occasions, despite being among the least experienced riders on the field. On the world stage, he has so far scored points in multiple occasions and a 10th place finish at Assen in 2024.

2025 season so far, his crazy ride as a motorcycle racer and more on him and his goals. Here is the interview given by Luke Power to Palmen in Motorradsport.  

Luke, you are living your third season in the Supersport World Championship. How is it going?

Not so bad. It's been a season of a little bit up and down. We started off quite strong in Phillip Island: I had a big crash on Friday at Phillip Island and had a big injury in my shoulder, but I managed to finish the weekend and we got 12th and 11th place, which was good. We got some good points and were quite close to the front, which was positive, especially considering the extent of my injury. So, we had a surgery after this and unfortunately, I missed the second round at Portimão.

The recovery was a little bit longer than I expected, and overall it's been a hard year because we haven't got the results I think we deserve. Still we've shown that we can fight in some of the top positions anyway, so now my focus is to try and put ourselves in a position to fight in these positions every weekend. It's not easy, since the level is very nigh, but I think our level is just as high and all we need to do is to put everything together in a full weekend.

How was it for you to race in Phillip Island for the first time as a World Championship rider, after taking part only in the European rounds in 2023 and 2024?

Incredible. I really like Phillip Island anyway, just the circuit. It's my home circuit and it was really nice to feel all the support from my family and friends and the home fans. It was good to be able to get my two best dry results in front of my home crowd, even with the injury. I still think we made a good weekend for them.

And what's your goal for the remaining races of this season?

My goal is to fight in the position I know we're capable of. I think that the top 10 is a big ask, but I think it's reasonable also. I think we definitely have the pace. We just need to have a full weekend, without any small setback. I think we can genuinely fight for the top 10.

What races do you consider as your best races so far in the WorldSSP?

I think when you're in the world championship, you never have a perfect race and for me, there's definitely not been any perfect races. But we've shown good pace in a lot of occasions. I think Phillip Island was a really good race for me in 2025. Also Most, again in 2025 and in 2024 as well. I think we showed that I can be competitive in this class, also fighting towards the front and near the top 10. Moreover, at Magny-Cours and Assen we were even first in the wet, and at Magny-Cours we showed really good pace on the dry as well, as we qualified in 15th, which is my best position in the dry to qualify.

And this chapter for you in World Supersport has come after an interesting journey that you've had so far in motorcycle racing. First of all, how did you fall in love with this sport?

It started because my father always wanted to race, but his parents didn't have the money to get him a motorcycle and to support him like this. I think he always wanted me to ride, and finally my parents bought me a bike before I was even one year old. I didn't start riding until I was three and once I started, I just loved it from the first day, according to what my parents told me. I was riding in the backyard, doing some riding in the farm and stuff like this, including a little bit of motocross. And when I was 10 years old, I started to ride on the circuits.

What can you tell us about your first seasons as a racer?

Coming from Australia, it's difficult to have a normal racing career, if that makes sense. We're so far away from Europe, and this is where the main racing is, so it's hard to have a normal career. I started riding in Australia with smaller bikes, like most kids do. And, you know, I obviously dreamed of racing in MotoGP one day, so I went to Asia Talent Cup selection, as it's part of the "Road to MotoGP", and I was accepted to race there in 2019. The year I spent in Asia Talent Cup was a big one for me. It was difficult, but it was a big, big opportunity to learn.

Then I came back to Australia and we had COVID, so I was stuck in my house for more than 12 months in two years and I couldn't even train more than five kilometers away from it, due to the restrictions. It was killing me, so I went outside and cycled five kilometers around the house for 45, 60 kilometers or even 100 kilometers, just to stay outside. And one day, I told my parents: "I want to go and race overseas."

And that's when you moved to MotoAmerica in 2022.

One of my friends had just signed to race in America, so I was speaking with him and with the team in America...and we ended up signing a deal to go to America as well! The crazy thing is that I was only 16 and I had only two or three races of experience on a Supersport machine, due to the pandemic. And honestly, I had a really good time.

Of course it was a difficult year, as I was a small fish in a bigger pond and in the deep end a lot, but I think we got some really good results: I finished on the podium two times (at Road America and Barber Motorsports Park, ed) and fought for the podium on quite a lot of times, and I finished fifth in the championship in my first year. Keeping in mind that it was my first full season on a Supersport bike, on a different bike than what I had ridden before and in the U.S., it was definitely a good year.

Then you moved to Europe to race in the Supersport World Championship.

Yes. So far it's been a good two and a half years for sure. We've had some really tough times and we've had some really good times too, and I learnt a lot again. I think every year you are in the deep end, especially in the world championship, but I feel this is my place. Moreover, for me it's a privilege to work with this team, as they're like a second family for me.

Going back to your season in MotoAmerica, you moved there on your own, without your parents, with only 17 years of age. How was it to make such a step?

From 17 to 20, I don't spend the year with my family, which is not easy, but it's something you have to sacrifice if you want to try to have a career, and my family understands. I really hope to repay them with some amazing achievements. When I went to America, I actually stayed with my team manager, who was very kind to give me a place to stay for the year. I missed my family a lot, but the people I stayed with were amazing and really took care of me very well. Actually, we are still in touch today.

Favourite track in Australia, in the US, and in the World Championship?

In the US, I would say probably Road America or Laguna Seca. Talking about both Australia and the World Championship, itàs definitely Phillip Island. Even if you take away it's my home, the family, the friends, everything like this, just the circuit itself, for me, it's incredible. Every time I have a chance to ride here, it's like a kid in a candy store. Another World Championship circuit I enjoy, even if it's not in the World SBK calendar, is Lusail in Qatar. I raced there during my season in the Asia Talent Cup and I consider it different from any other racetrack: it's so flat you can put a ruler on the floor and it's perfect, then racing there by night makes the atmosphere really cool.

What about your favourite track in Europe?

Portimao, of course. It's very unique due to being a real rollercoaster, there is no other track like this. I also have a lot of good memories at Most and Magny-Cours, so I quite like these circuits as well.

At this stage, what's your goal for the future?

The goal of every rider is to race in MotoGP, as it's the pinnacle of this sport. It's been a long road to arrive here, for sure, in the Supersport World Championship, and it will be a long road if I want to make it to MotoGP. But I believe in myself and I think that I have to make the most of all the opportunities, keep pushing and keep working hard away from the racetrack and at the racetrack. I think the right opportunities will come and the right results will come to be able to hopefully one day make it there.

I don't know the path yet to make it there. It could be from Supersport to Moto2 and then maybe to MotoGP like Manu González, or it could be from Supersport to Superbike and then to MotoGP like Toprak Razgatlıoğlu will do. There are many different ways to arrive there. Of course, you have to take the opportunities which will come. I don't know what opportunities will come, but I need to keep working hard now because we have a job now also.

Are you 100% focused on racing or you're also doing something else outside the racetrack?

Racing is my life. It's the only thing I've wanted to do since I was three years old. When I was in school, all the kids would draw a picture of their dog or of their school book or their house or something like this. Me, I would draw motorbikes all the time and I would talk about my motorbike and drive kids crazy. Then I would go home and ride my motorbike. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do, even if it brings plenty of sacrifice. I know a lot of kids do this also, but coming from Australia, you have to move away from your family, from your friends, your girlfriend...everything! You leave your normal life and move to the other side of the world. It was hard to do it, but it has been my life and the only thing I want to do. My full focus is racing and trying to arrive in the top.

Who is your main source of inspiration as a rider?

I would say Marc Márquez, because the way he can ride and just control the bike is incredible. The only other person I know like this is Toprak. These two guys for sure on the bike are my inspiration, but off the bike, I would say also Márquez. Also Toprak to an extent, but Marc Márquez is my main inspiration. He is an eight-time MotoGP World Champion. He doesn't have to be polite or doesn't have to spend time with people, but even when I was 10 years old, I went to MotoGP and got to meet him, and he even spoke to me for five minutes. I was talking to him about my racing and he was asking me questions. It was great.

I think I've spoken to him maybe 10 times over the years now. I'm just another fan, but it's incredible that he's willing to give the time to people, even though he is what he is. He has all these different obligations with his job, but he would still spend time to talk to 10-year-old me. Even last year, me being 19 years old, I saw him in Silverstone and showed him a photo of when I was 10. I think even he remembered me from when I was in Asia Talent Cup or when I saw him in MotoGP some years after. It was really nice. After all this, I can say he definitely is my inspiration for the total person, for sure.

In conclusion, Luke, do you want to thank anyone in particular for your career?

I want to thank everybody who has played a part in my career so far. I don't know how long my career will go for, but itàs been a great ride so far and I am grateful to all the people who have played some part in my career to this point. For sure my team, Michael Hill, my friends, all the supporters back at home and all my sponsors who have backed me, even for one year, and those who are still with me now. But most importantly, I want to thank my mom and dad, because they've given me everything. I hope one day I can arrive to the top and make it up for them.

Palmen in Motorradsport thanks Luke Power for his time, and wishes him all the best for the upcoming races and seasons.

Photos taken from Luke Power's website.