WorldSBK: New Line-Ups and Major Movements for 2026 | 22 riders – 14 teams – 8 nationalities The 2026 WorldSBK grid features sweeping changes, with top contenders switching teams or machinery and several riders stepping up from other categories. Press: WorldSBK

Double runner-up Nicolo Bulega continues with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, joined by Iker Lecuona, who arrives from Honda. Alvaro Bautista, third in the 2025 standings, begins a fresh chapter with Barni Spark Racing Team.

Read our 2025 WorldSBK reports here… 

A rebuilt line-up emerges at ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, where winner Danilo Petrucci partners Portuguese star Miguel Oliveira as the squad continues the momentum of its back-to-back Riders’ Championships.

Yamaha’s structure sees Xavi Vierge join Andrea Locatelli at Pata Maxus Yamaha, while 2025 WorldSSP Champion Stefano Manzi steps up to WorldSBK to race alongside Remy Gardner at GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.

Honda introduces an entirely new pairing, bringing Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra into the category for 2026. New additions to the premier-class grid include Lorenzo Baldassarri, Alberto Surra and Mattia Rato, adding depth to an already competitive field.

WorldSSP: A Landmark Year With Nine Manufacturers

33 riders – 21 teams – 14 nationalities | WorldSSP reaches a historic milestone in 2026 with nine manufacturers, one of the most diverse grids the championship has ever seen. Newcomer ZX Moto makes its debut with seasoned riders Valentin Debise and Federico Caricasulo.

Among the major rider moves, 2025 runner-up Can Oncu joins Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing, the squad that earned its 11th Riders’ Championship in 2025. Two-time WorldSSP Champion (2021, 2022) Dominique Aegerter returns to the category, this time competing with Kawasaki.

WorldSPB: New Era Begins With Six Manufacturers

33 riders – 18 teams – 16 nationalities | The inaugural FIM Sportbike World Championship (WorldSPB) launches in 2026 with six manufacturers—Aprilia, Kawasaki, Kove, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha—ready to shape the newest category on the international stage.

The field blends proven winners with emerging talents. Former WorldSSP300 Champions Benat Fernandez (2025) and Jeffrey Buis (2020, 2023) step up to WorldSPB, leading a group enriched by a wide roster of newcomers: Xavi Artigas, Taiko Aksu, Gabin Cazard, Julian Correa, Alvaro Fuertes, Arai Agaska, Alessandro Di Persio, Thomas Benetti, Harrison Dessoy, Mattia Sorrenti, Ferre Fleerackers and Kas Beekman.

The championship debuts with an international identity, featuring riders from Europe, North and South America, and Asia. With a record number of manufacturers, revamped line-ups and the birth of a brand-new category, the 2026 season is set to mark one of the most significant chapters in the history of production-derived motorcycle racing.

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