Yamaha team confirms late-season WorldSBK rider switch
Motoxracing Yamaha has confirmed a change of riders ahead of the final three rounds of the 2026 WorldSBK season.
The Motoxracing Yamaha team has announced a rider change ahead of the Italian WorldSBK at Cremona Circuit.
The Italian WorldSBK is the third-last round of the 2026 season and the main story heading there is the possibility for MotoGP-bound Nicolo Bulega to mathematically clinch the title.
But further back there is a change in rider line-up at the Motoxracing team, the only Yamaha team on the grid that is not factory-supported.
The Motoxracing team started the season with Bahattin Sofuoglu and Mattia Rato as its rider line-up.
Rato made the step to WorldSBK from the CIV Italian Championship’s Supersport class, while Sofuoglu was going into his second season with the Motoxracing team in WorldSBK.
The line-up will be changed for the final three rounds of 2026, though, as Sofuoglu departs the Italian squad.
WorldSBK confirmed the departure of Sofuoglu from the Motoxracing team this morning, adding that he will be replaced there by Twan Smits, who wildcarded earlier this year at Assen on a YZF-R1 run by the Team Apreco squad.
Smits finished 21st in Race 1 and the Superpole Race, and 22nd in Race 2. Signing with the Motoxracing team marks the first time Smits has been signed to a full-time WorldSBK team.
He will partner Rato, whose position at Motoxracing is unchanged.
As for Sofuoglu, he is set to return to the World Supersport Championship from Cremona, riding for the QJ Motor team aboard its SRK 800 RS machine. Sofuoglu is a previous winner in World Supersport with MV Agusta.
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
