2026 WorldSBK Championship preview: all you need to know
The 2026 season of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship arrives with one of the most reshuffled grids in recent memory. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s move to MotoGP paired with an influx of riders coming from MotoGP, Moto2 and MotoE together with strategic team switches have dramatically altered the competitive landscape.
Here’s a guide on who is who and what to expect in the 2026 Superbike grid!
12 Rounds without a Number 1 plate on grid
The scenario for the fight for the title is already set: World Superbike 2026 calendar features 12 Rounds, each one with the traditional schedule of three races per weekend – Race 1 on Saturday, the 10-lap sprint Superpole Race and Race 2 on Sunday. Starting on Phillip Island on the third weekend of February, the calendar suffered minimal changes from 2025, with the same track remaining, only altering some dates.
The 2026 WorldSBK season will be notable for two reasons. It will be the last year with Pirelli as single tyre supplier. This is a massive implication for all manufacturers – who had been racing with Pirelli as their default tyre since 2004! – and there are voices that claim teams signed some riders for 2026 in advance for the tyre change for 2027.
The second defining factor of 2026 is the absence of the defending champion. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu is no more on the WorldSBK grid: this will be the first the reining champion will not be on track to defend its title since 2013, when Max Biaggi opted to retire after crown himself the year before.
With this new panorama, all the eyes are looking to the 2024 and 2025 runner-up: Nicolò Bulega. Nearly everyone is expecting the Italian to grab the championship this year; but the fight is far from over: the list of riders capable to be in the podium has expanded more than ever after many years of monopoly from Toprak, Bulega, Rea and Bautista.
Let’s see the main protagonist of the 2026 WorldSBK season!
Aruba.it Racing Ducati
#11 Nicolò Bulega / #7 Iker Lecuona
Both Bulega and Ducati are the reference duo of the grid. Nicolò Bulega is the main title contender, and Ducati has won the last two years Manufacturer champion. A solid pair that will be very hard to beat for the rest of the grid. But there are novelties also in this box: for 2026, Ducati Corse brings a renewed Panigale V4R, with revised aerodynamics and a new swingarm and other modifications. It’s a new brand homologated model, but not a completely new start for the technical staff. Will they suffer from youth problems or have Aruba Ducati already mastered their last SBK factory racer?
The other big novelty in the red garage is the arrival of Iker Lecuona. The Spaniard comes from HRC Honda to the most desired seat in the paddock after the dismissal of Álvaro Baustista. For Lecuona will be big pressure to perform on the most competitive team, but also a tremendous opportunity.
ROKiT BMW Motorrad
#9 Danilo Petrucci / #88 Miguel Oliveira
BMW makes one of the boldest moves of the offseason with a complete renewal of their rider line up. Danilo Petrucci joins the factory effort, while five-time MotoGP race winner Miguel Oliveira makes his Superbike debut, replacing the departed Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. There’s also new faces in the ROKiT BMW Superbike garage, as Phil Marron – Toprak’s crew chief – also departs for MotoGP and the former WorldSPP champion Andrew Pitt will take his role.
On paper, this is a fascinating pairing. Petrucci already understands the championship’s demands, while Oliveira’s smooth riding style could suit the BMW M 1000 RR. The early phase of the season will revolve around Oliveira’s adaptation curve — if it’s quick, BMW could remain firmly among the front runners. Clearly, BMW Motorrad will feel Toprak’s loss: it’s impossible to replicate his performance, at least during the first year of this renewal, and many fans expect to see which the real potential of the M 1000 RR is. Surely, we can expect podium position from the BMW pair even in its first year with the Bavarian machinery.
PATA Maxus Yamaha
#55 Andrea Locatelli / #97 Xavi Vierge
PATA Maxus Yamaha enters 2026 with a refreshed lineup following the acquisition of Xavi Vierge after the retirement of the all-time WorldSBK recordman Jonathan Rea. Vierge’s style had the approval of Rea, who was consulted by the team about the Spaniard’s capabilities. And surely, it’s paying off, with Vierge doing a great winter testing and top Yamaha in many tracks.
Alongside Vierge, Pata Yamaha has opted for stability keeping Andrea Locatelli on his side. A smart move by the blue team, as the Italian finished third in the championship in his best season in WorldSBK so far. The big unknown is whether Yamaha can close the gap to Ducati, as last year were spectars of the fight between the red machines and Toprak onboard the BMW.
Honda HRC
#96 Jake Dixon / #35 Somkiat Chantra
Few teams underwent as radical reset as Honda HRC. The factory squad replaces both Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge with two recruits from the Grand Prix sphere: Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon. Chantra arrives directly from MotoGP machinery, while Dixon steps up after years as a Moto2 frontrunner.
This is clearly a long-term project. Both riders bring speed but limited Superbike experience, meaning early consistency could be the main hurdle. Also, Chantra will miss the start of the season due to injury training in winter. Overall a difficult perspective for the riders and the team. On the positive side, experience will come from the test rider: Jonathan Rea is helping Honda to extract the maximum potential to the CBR1000RR-R package and who knows if we can expect to see a wildcard from the six-time World Champion.
Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team
#22 Alex Lowes / #47 Axel Bassani
The Japanese-Italian Bimota by Kawasaki is one of the few teams that has no changes in its rider line-up. This stability can be key for their performance in 2026, where they can expect to have more data gathered of the Bimota KB998 Rimini. Alex Lowes already showed the potential of this new machine, achieving four podium last year in the first outing of the KB998 Rimini. By his part, Axel Bassini hopes for a new change of direction with the arrival of a new crew chief, Uri Pallarés, former mechanic in KRT and Rea’s right hand also in its Yamaha years.
Kawasaki WorldSBK Team
#31 Garret Gerloff
The Texan rider will repeat at the single rider at Kawasaki WorldSBK Team. The green team will debut a renovated ZX-10RR with improved aerodynamics and few minor changes. Maybe it is not a revolutionary step but can be a better starting point for Garret Gerloff to improve in its second year in Kawasaki; at least, winter testing has proved much more successful compared to last year.
Ducati’s satellite armada:
Barni Spark Racing Team - #19 Álvaro Bautista / Yary Montella
Elf Marc VDS Racing - #22 Sam Lowes
Team PATA GoEleven - #34 Lorenzo Baldassarri
A major talking point is the arrival of Álvaro Bautista at Barni Spark Racing Team after departing the factory Ducati setup. Bautista brings immense experience and race-winning pedigree to the satellite squad. If Barni can provide Bautista with a package close to factory specification, he immediately becomes a podium contender and potential race winner. At his side, Yary Montella stays in the team after a successful rookie year.
After a rookie season for both rider and team, Elf Marc VDS Racing and Sam Lowes are back to the track with much more experience to take advantage of. Lowes already showed potential, achieving 5 podiums and a pole position. If he finds the regularity needed, is a serious contender for the best independent rider title and who knows if capable of achieving his first win.
After two seasons with Andrea Iannone, Team GoEleven turns to returning talent Lorenzo Baldassarri. Baldassarri’s previous WorldSBK experience should help him settle quickly back into the category, but he has to adapt to the Ducati, a bike he has never ridden.
Those are the main names, but there is more in the Ducati satellite files. Another debutant joins the grid as Alberto Surra replaces Ryan Vickers at Motocorsa Racing. Surra’s rookie campaign will likely focus on mileage and adaptation. Stability defines MGM Bonovo Racing, which retains Tarran Mackenzie after his substitute appearances in 2025 following the mid-season exit of Scott Redding.
GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team
#87 Remy Gardner / #62 Stefano Manzi
Joining Remy Gardner in the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, the reigning Supersport champion Stefano Manzi steps up to the premier class replacing Dominique Aegerter – who returns to Supersport. Manzi arrives with momentum and confidence, but the jump to WorldSBK is substantial. If he adapts quickly to the heavier, more powerful machinery, the team could regularly fight near the front of the independent runners. A patient build through the season seems the most realistic path.
The End of an Era
The coming season feels like a genuine transition year. Established stars remain, but the influx of talent ensures unpredictability across the grid. With so many riders facing new machinery, new teams, or even a new category altogether, early momentum will be crucial—but the true competitive order may take several rounds to fully reveal itself.
