GRT Yamaha confirm new rider for 2026 to replace Dominique Aegerter

GRT Yamaha have confirmed a new-look line-up for next season.

Stefano Manzi will be promoted into the World Superbike Championship from the Supersport class.

Italian rider Manzi has penned a two-year deal and will get his hands on a Yamaha R1 next year.

It means Dominique Aegerter will be replaced by GRT Yamaha.

Aegerter’s current teammate, Remy Gardner, had already announced his stay for the 2026 WorldSBK campaign.

Yamaha explain why Stefano Manzi got the nod

Manzi said: “I am super happy and proud; this is a step that you dream of when you are riding in the smaller classes – you always want to be in the top class.

“I am excited to continue with this project with Yamaha because I started with Yamaha in 2023 and every year, we have battled hard and achieved some great results with progress each season.

“This year, we started a new project with the R9, and it has been going so well, so to continue my relationship with Yamaha with another new challenge is really exciting.

“I enjoyed riding the Superbike earlier this year, and I am really looking forward to getting started but for now, my focus remains on doing the best job for the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team in World Supersport until the end of the season.”

Niccolo Canepa, Road Racing Sporting Manager at Yamaha Motor Europe, said: “Firstly, I would like to extend our thanks to Dominique Aegerter for his hard work and commitment, not only over the last three seasons in WorldSBK but prior to that too.

“He won two World Championships with Yamaha in WorldSSP before stepping up to WorldSBK in 2023. While our journey together in WorldSBK comes to an end, we are, together with his management, exploring the possibility to keep him in the Yamaha family moving forwards.

“Now is the time to promote another potential Supersport World Champion to WorldSBK, and we are pleased to announce that Stefano Manzi will move to WorldSBK with GYTR GRT Yamaha next year, again an example of Yamaha’s step-up philosophy, promoting the young talent already within our ranks.

“Over his three years in World Supersport with Yamaha, Stefano has made huge progress, and we have been impressed by his approach which has ultimately put him in the position he is in now, leading the Supersport World Championship by 59 points.

“He also impressed us as he made his debut on the R1 at the recent Misano test, so for us he was a natural choice for a WorldSBK ride and hopefully he will be making that step as a World Champion.”