The opening round of the 2027 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) is set to deliver a huge field at Phillip Island from October 23-25, with 29 riders representing six manufacturers entered for the championship’s season opener.

The Phillip Island round will usher in a new summer-based ASBK calendar and will be only the second occasion on which Superbikes have competed for official ASBK points at the iconic Victorian circuit during the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix weekend. With MotoGP visiting Phillip Island for the final time, a large crowd is expected to witness the ASBK riders battle across three 11-lap Superbike races, with two scheduled for Saturday and one on Sunday. Defending champion Harrison Voight will lead the field aboard the McMartin Racing Ducati. Voight arrives at the opening round with strong form from his European and American campaigns and is already a multiple winner at Phillip Island.

Cameron Dunker will continue with Blue Marlin Pools East Racing Yamaha after an impressive year that has also seen him make his mark in the Australian Flat Track Nationals. Three-time ASBK champion Mike Jones and Jonathan Nahlous will also return with Yamaha Racing Team.

Waters Makes Ducati Switch

One of the biggest talking points heading into the new season is the move by Josh Waters to DesmoSport Ducati. The veteran has been a fixture in the ASBK paddock for three decades and spent the past five seasons with McMartin Racing. Waters will now campaign the latest evolution of Ducati’s Panigale V4 R as he looks to add a sixth Superbike championship to his career tally.

John Lytras will line up for Addicted to Track Yamaha, while Jack Favelle joins Apex Racing Team Honda and Marcus Hamod moves to Unitek Racing Yamaha.

Jacob Roulstone also returns to ASBK aboard a Honda. Roulstone made his ASBK debut at Phillip Island earlier this year and celebrated the occasion with a victory.

The entry list also features some exciting emerging talent, including 18-year-old West Australian Jayden Martin, who will bring his strong local form onto the national stage aboard a Yamaha.

International representation will also feature strongly, with three New Zealand riders – Luca Durning and Richard Markham-Barrett on BMW machinery, along with Morgan McLaren-Wood on a Yamaha. Japan’s Kota Higuchi will represent Suzuki.

With a mix of defending champions, established ASBK stars, new team combinations, young talent and international competitors, the 29-rider Superbike field sets up an intriguing start to the new championship era.

2027 ASBK Championship Calendar

Following the Phillip Island opener, the championship will move through a summer-based calendar:

Round 1: Phillip Island – October 23-25, 2026

Round 2: The Bend – November 13-15, 2026

Round 3: One Raceway – December 4-6, 2026

Round 4: Queensland Raceway – January 15-17, 2027

Round 5: Phillip Island – February 19-21, 2027

Round 6: Sydney Motorsport Park – March 19-20, 2027

The warmer-month calendar is also expected to provide opportunities for additional international riders and Australian racers currently competing overseas to join the ASBK paddock during the season.

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