2026 World Superbikes Phillip Island entry list

Ahead of the opening round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, the entry list for the Australian round has been confirmed. The 21-rider field has changed a little from the provisional list that was released back in November, with one team forced to revise their lineup due to injuries and another withdrawing entirely.

With 2025 WorldSBK Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu, moving across to MotoGP this season, there will be no #1 plate on the grid, but plenty vying for it. Chief among those is 2025 runner-up, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who’ll be partnered by Iker Lecuona this season. Lecuona spent the past four seasons with Honda HRC.

In place of Razgatlioglu at ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, the factory BMW squad has signed Danilo Petrucci. Michael van der Mark has been replaced by Miguel Oliveira, who makes his WorldSBK debut after spending the past six seasons in MotoGP.

The retirement of Jonathan Rea sees his place at Pata Maxus Yamaha taken by Xavi Vierge, who had partnered Lecuona at Honda HRC from 2020 to 2025. Andrea Locatelli continues for 2026 – his sixth season with the factory Yamaha team.

There are two new faces at Honda HRC – Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon – but neither will race at Phillip Island. Chantra was injured in the off-season, while Dixon fractured his hand on the second day of the WorldSBK pre-season test at Phillip Island. HRC will still field a two-rider entry, with Tetsuta Nagashima and Ryan Vickers to suit up for the opening round.

Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team retains Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, with Kawasaki WorldSBK Team continuing with Garrett Gerloff for 2026.

Outside of these factory teams, there are some notable moves, including Alvaro Bautista’s switch to Barni Spark Racing Team. Winless on the factory Ducati last year, the two-time WorldSBK Champion will join Yari Montella on Barni’s satellite Panigale V4R.

Tarran Mackenzie has secured a ride with MGM Optical Express Racing, also on a Ducati Panigale V4R, while the experienced Lorenzo Baldassarri returns to WorldSBK with Team Goeleven. Andrea Iannone, who rode for Goeleven last year, had been listed with the new Cainam Racing Team, but that squad does not appear on the entry list for Round 1.

The rookies for 2026 are led by last year’s World Supersport Champion, Stefano Manzi, who joins GYTR GRT Yamaha alongside Australia’s Remy Gardner. The aforementioned Oliveira is the most high-profile newcomer, followed by the injured Chantra and Dixon.

The most interesting WorldSBK debutants are Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing Ducati) and Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team Yamaha), who have just nine World Supersport (WorldSSP) starts between them. Surra comes from the Moto2 European Championship and achieved a podium at Magny-Cours in his seven WorldSSP starts last year. Rato steps up from the Italian Superbike Championship after only two WorldSSP races last season for a best result of 17th.

The 2026 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship gets underway at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from 20-22 February. For more details on the Australian round, including schedule and ticketing options, click HERE.