Could the new Kawasaki ZX-10RR transform Garrett Gerloff’s WorldSBK fortunes?

A new Kawasaki ZX-10RR has been announced by the Akashi marque, the first refresh of its flagship Superbike since 2021, but could it be the change Garrett Gerloff needs to reignite his WorldSBK career?

The ZX-10RR has been an ageing motorcycle for a while by World Superbike standards, especially given the almost bi-annual refresh BMW has been giving its M1000 RR since 2021; the prospect of a new Ducati Panigale V4 R in 2026; and, not least, the rebranding of Kawasaki’s full factory WorldSBK effort to Bimota from 2025.

However, the latest model update, announced on 3 November, by Kawasaki proves the ZX-10RR is not entirely spent as a racing prospect. It’s not necessarily taking the race-focused design philosophy of the KB998 – this is still a Kawasaki – but the new bike does include some important updates over the previous model.

The most noticeable change is also perhaps the biggest change of all as far as the race bike is concerned, as Kawasaki brings winglets to the ZX-10RR for the first time. 

They have a similar shape to those on the Honda CBR1000RR-R or the Yamaha R1, and are certainly smaller and less intricate than those on the KB998. Kawasaki says the new wings increase front downforce by “approximately 25 per cent”.

On the chassis side, Kawasaki says that the geometry has been adjusted compared to the previous model to “match the effect of the new winglets”, and that these changes also help to improve rear traction.

The position of the air intake has also been changed, although seems to be more of a stylistic thing to match the looks of the ZX-10RR with the ZX-6R 636 that Jeremy Alcoba will campaign again in the 2026 World Supersport Championship alongside the recently announced Dominique Aegerter.

Beneath the fairing, the engine is updated, but only to maintain the performance levels of the previous bike’s motor while meeting new Euro5+ emissions regulation.

Can this update help Kawasaki’s WorldSBK effort?

There was only one Kawasaki on the WorldSBK grid in 2025, that ridden by Garrett Gerloff. That fact will remain in 2026, but could the new bike help to improve on the American’s 2025 season that saw him inside the top-10 only seven times in 33 races?

Gerloff has been open already in the 2026 preseason about his need to make next year’s World Superbike Championship work for him, or he’ll be out of the paddock, but will more front downforce really be the answer to his lack of performance?

Given the much starker difference between the 2025 ZX-10RR and the Bimota KB998, it’s hard to see that the comparatively minor changes brought to the 2026 ZX-10RR could bring Gerloff the kind of results that Alex Lowes and, at times, 

 were able to achieve in 2025.

Plus, a lack of increase in engine performance combined with an increase in downforce – and therefore drag – is likely to, as it has with the Bimota, further expose the relative weakness of the Kawasaki engine versus the more extreme and powerful motors from the likes of BMW, Ducati, and Honda.

It is also worth considering that Gerloff will not get a chance to ride the new bike with its 25 per cent front downforce increase – in race trim – until January, whereas Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega was already able to sample the new Panigale this summer.

Of course, it would be quite a jump for Gerloff to go from struggling to make the top-10 to challenging Bulega in 2026, but even the Bimota riders last year were able to ride the KB998 at the post-race Jerez test, so it’s clearly going to be a bit of a delayed start for Gerloff.

Even still, given the limited changes compared to the 2025 bike, it could be the case that there will not be much margin to find with the new machine, anyway.

All in all, it’s hard to see this model refresh being the sole answer to Gerloff’s and Kawasaki’s largely underwhelming performance next season, but with Gerloff teaming up again with his old crew chief Les Pearson it could be one of multiple factors that contribute to an improvement in results for the American.