Yamaha confirms commitment to new 2026 WorldSBK class

After the publication of the technical regulations of the new World Sportbike Championship in WorldSBK, Yamaha has confirmed its participation in the class’ inaugural season next year.

The Sportbike class, referred to as WorldSPB, will debut in 2026 as a replacement for the WorldSSP300 class, in which Yamaha was victorious on three occasions: 2017 with Marc Garcia, 2022 with Alvaro Diaz, and 2024 with Aldi Mahendra.

Both the BRCorse team that Mahendra won with in 2024 and the Arco Motor University team that Diaz triumphed with in 2022 will be a part of Yamaha’s programme in the Sportbike class.

BRCorse will field Carter Thompson, who finished second in the 2025 WorldSSP300 standings, while Arco Motor University will race with Alessandro Di Persio, who won this year’s Yamaha R3 Blu Cru World Cup.

The bike list that was present in the technical regulations published on 5 November contained a different collection of motorcycles to what might have been expected based on the Sportbike class in BSB, for example, with Honda's eligible bike listed as the CBR600RR, and Kawasaki's the ZX-6R 636.

The bike the Yamaha teams will use will be the Yamaha R7, though, which is in-line with what is run in Britain.

Yamaha has announced a model refresh in 2026 for the R7, and says the race package that has been developed to meet the WorldSPB regulations has already been tested on-track by World Superbike rider Andrea Locatelli and by 2025 Supersport World Champion Stefano Manzi.

“2026 marks an exciting new chapter in World Championship motorcycle racing with the introduction of the new Sportbike class,” said Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Sporting Manager Niccolo Canepa.

“We already know the R7 is a great platform for racing from the R7 Cup series across Europe and WorldWCR, and the team here at Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport R&D have been working hard on developing the race kit for the new Sportbike category. 

“Initial tests have been very positive, with both Locatelli and Manzi enjoying the bike a lot. 

"Our aim, as always, is to win, and to do this we have put together a strong rider line-up and are very pleased to have signed 2025 WorldSSP300 runner-up Carter Thompson, a promising young rider with a lot of talent!

“The new Sportbike championship will feature as a core part of Yamaha’s step-up philosophy, with the winner of the R3 BLU CRU World Cup earning a supported ride in this series. 

“Alessandro di Persio will be the first rider to ‘step up’ from the R3 Cup to Sportbike next year, and after a dominant season in the R3 Cup we are looking forward to seeing what he can achieve.”