2026 WorldSBK rider line-up: The grid so far, and the latest rumours

Here is what we know about the 2026 World Superbike Championship rider line-up so far.

As WorldSBK takes its long summer break between the Hungarian and French rounds in 2025, the 2026 grid is still yet to take its full shape.

Here, we will look at the deals that have already been signed for next season, as well as the rumoured moves that could happen between now and the end of the year.

The table below shows the confirmed riders with their 2026 teams. Below that, you'll find the latest rider market moves for each manufacturer.

Ducati

There are eight Ducatis on the grid this year but that is seemingly set to reduce to seven next year given the reported financial difficulties of the MGM Bonovo team this year, although nothing is confirmed yet.

MGM already lost Scott Redding earlier this year, replaced by Tarran Mackenzie, who could also be off the grid in 2026 depending on how he performs in the remainder of the season on the German team’s Ducati.

The factory Ducati team still has one seat open as Nicolo Bulega’s teammate, the Italian having re-signed at the Aruba.it Racing team ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Round in May. 

Alvaro Bautista is an option there still if he can negotiate a new deal with Ducati after it decided not to exercise the option to keep the Spaniard on the terms agreed in the deal that currently exists between the two parties.

WorldSSP rider Jaume Masia and Moto2 rider Aron Canet have also been linked with the second factory Ducati seat for next year, but Canet is also linked with BMW and Masia could remain for a second season in Supersport but perhaps in the Feel Racing (the outfit which also runs the factory WorldSBK team) organisation instead of the Orelac squad he’s raced with this year.

In the satellite teams, Andrea Iannone seems certain to leave Go Eleven which opens a seat there, and the recent confirmation of Danilo Petrucci’s departure from Barni means there is a seat alongside Yari Montella, who has already re-signed for next season with the Italian team he stepped up to Superbike with this year.

Jonathan Rea has been linked with both Go Eleven and Barni as he looks to leave Yamaha at the end of his current deal, and Alvaro Bautista has also been mentioned as an option for Go Eleven.

Alessandro Delbianco, who is currently racing in the CIV Italian Superbike Championship, is also linked with Go Eleven thanks to his reportedly positive relationship with the owner of Pata, Remo Goppi, which has been the title sponsor of the Italian team since the beginning of this season.

The final two Ducati seats for next season belong to Marc VDS and Motocorsa, who will retain Sam Lowes – who re-signed earlier this year for a third season in WorldSBK with Marc VDS – and Ryan Vickers who signed a two-year deal to bring him to WorldSBK with Motocorsa beginning this year and ending in 2026.

BMW

BMW seems set to maintain its two-bike effort in WorldSBK next season and could field an all-new line-up.

Toprak Razgatlioglu’s departure to MotoGP with Pramac Yamaha next year has opened the door for Danilo Petrucci to take one of the two factory M1000 RRs.

The second bike currently belongs to Michael van der Mark, but his renewal at BMW is uncertain.

Aron Canet has been linked with BMW since June, and continues to be despite Petrucci’s signing with the Bavarian brand. Canet’s signature at BMW would, of course, leave van der Mark on the market.

Yamaha

Yamaha is half-full already for next year, with Andrea Locatelli and Remy Gardner having re-signed to continue in their current positions in the factory and GRT teams, respectively.

Gardner’s GRT teammate has also been confirmed as Ten Kate Yamaha Supersport rider Stefano Manzi. The signing of the Italian at GRT means that Dominique Aegerter is without a ride.

That leaves the second seat at the factory team, currently held by Jonathan Rea, to be decided. Rea, theoretically, could remain at Yamaha next year, although it seems unlikely.

Yamaha has not been strongly linked with many riders as an alternative to Rea, but should the Northern Irishman leave a reunion between Yamaha and Michael van der Mark could be a possibility should BMW replace the Dutchman.

The Motoxtracing Yamaha team is also to be decided for 2026. It currently fields Bahattin Sofuoglu and Michael Ruben Rinaldi but no announcements have been made for 2026.

Honda

Honda is wide open for 2026, with both factory bikes potentially available as both Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona are out of contract for the 2026 season.

There are rumours linking Lecuona to Ducati for next season should he leave Honda.

Vierge, on the other hand, has been most strongly linked with BMW before it announced Petrucci. The second seat there is still open but Aron Canet could take it from Vierge, who was set to ride for Honda in the Suzuka 8 Hours after Lecuona withdrew through injury, but visa troubles meant Vierge, too, had to withdraw.

As for who could come into the HRC team, there are many options. Jonathan Rea was reportedly talking to Honda at Donington, and Alvaro Bautista has also been linked with a move back to the team he last rode for in 2021.

Jack Miller has also been rumoured as a possible HRC WorldSBK rider for 2026 if he is unable to find a place on the MotoGP grid.

One rider who seems certain to make the move to HRC in 2026 is Jake Dixon. No announcement has yet been made but Dixon seems set to replace one of Vierge and Lecuona next season.

There is also the MIE team, but in recent seasons the line-up there has been confirmed quite late before the start of the season, so we could be waiting a while before we get confirmation of the Japanese squad’s line-up which is currently Tito Rabat and Zaqhwan Zaidi.

Bimota

Bimota will enter its second season in WorldSBK with the KB998 in the same situation as it has contested its first: one team, two bikes, with Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani on-board.

Kawasaki

There is only one Kawasaki on the grid this year and it belongs to Garrett Gerloff at the Puccetti-run Kawasaki WorldSBK Team. None of this will change in 2026, with Gerloff having re-signed earlier in 2025 to stay out for next season.