Ducati WorldSBK rookie’s “last-minute” 2026 deal: “I already had other ideas”

Alberto Surra will be one of several rookies on the 2026 WorldSBK grid, but his plans were looking much different until a late call from Motocorsa Ducati came.

Surra raced much of the 2025 WorldSSP season with the Evan Bros Yamaha team, replacing Aldi Mahendra. His arrival at Magny-Cours had an immediate impact, the Italian on the podium in his first race in the championship.

Surra was not on the podium again before the end of the season, but never finished outside the top-10, and was in the top-six in each of his last three starts.

It was enough for the 21-year-old to get the attention of the Motocorsa team at the end of the season, after the Italian team’s Ducati became available for 2026 following the announcement of its split with Ryan Vickers.

“I got this fantastic opportunity from the Motocorsa team with Ducati, and I'm really happy,” Surra told Italian publication Corse di Moto.

“We started talking at the end of the season; it was a last-minute offer, and I had already had other ideas, but I jumped at it right away. 

“I've made my mark in World Superbike, this year in Supersport, and I have 99.9 per cent thanks to the Evan Bros team, especially Fabio Evangelista and Mauro Pellegrini. But also the entire team, who made it possible. 

“I managed to bring home some good results, and I've also made myself known to Motocorsa.”

Surra missed both the October and November tests in Jerez, so will not get his first taste of World Superbike machinery until 2026.

“In January we will have two two-day tests in Spain and Portugal,” he said, “then there will be the two-day test in Australia in February, and then we get started.”

The Italian added that he had opportunities to be in  Supersport next year, but felt that he could not afford to pass up the chance to go to Superbike when it was presented to him.

“I had some opportunities to go there [to Supersport], but in the end I decided to go straight to the premier class,” Surra said, “primarily because I'm young, 21, and these opportunities only come around once, so I took them right away. 

“And there's always time to return to Supersport if things go badly, even though I'm sure they won’t. 

“But we riders are always ready for new challenges, and I find this one even more stimulating.”