2018 World Supersport entry list confirmed

The 2018 World Supersport championship entry list has been revealed with Lucas Mahias opting not to take up the #1 race plate as defending champion.

Mahias secured a maiden World Supersport title in Qatar but will defend his crown with his familiar #144 race number for GRT Yamaha, while dethroned champion Kenan Sofuoglu reverts to his traditional number of #54 for Puccetti Kawasaki.

Sofuoglu is joined by Hikari Okubo at the Puccetti squad, while headline rider switches see former Althea BMW rider Raffaele De Rosa move to the World Supersport championship in 2018 with MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag. Randy Krummenacher also returns to World Supersport with the Bardahl Evans Bros. Yamaha squad, with ex-World Endurance squad GMT94 turning to the series with 2008 125cc world champion Mike Di Meglio.

The 2018 World Supersport championship gets underway on the 24-24 February at Phillip Island in Australia with the 12-round campaign wrapping up in Qatar on the 26-27 October.

Full 2018 World Supersport championship entry list:

64 Federico Caricasulo ITA Yamaha YZF R6 GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team

144 Lucas Mahias FRA Yamaha YZF R6 GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team

54 Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Kawasaki ZX-6R Kawasaki Puccetti Racing

78 Hikari Okubo JPN Kawasaki ZX-6R Kawasaki Puccetti Racing

84 Loris Cresson BEL Yamaha YZF R6 Kallio Racing

TBA Yamaha YZF R6 Kallio Racing

66 Niki Tuuli FIN Honda CBR600RR CIA Landlord Insurance Honda

96 Andrew Irwin GBR Honda CBR600RR CIA Landlord Insurance Honda

3 Raffaele De Rosa ITA MV Agusta F4 RC MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag

86 Ayrton Badovini ITA MV Agusta F4 RC MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag

74 Jaimie van Sikkelerus NED Honda CBR600RR GEMAR Team Lorini

111 Kyle Smith GBR Honda CBR600RR GEMAR Team Lorini

13 Anthony West AUS Kawasaki ZX-6R EAB antwest Racing

21 Randy Krummenacher SUI Yamaha YZF R6 BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team

65 Michael Canducci ITA Kawasaki ZX-6R Team GoEleven Kawasaki

83 Lachlan Epis AUS Kawasaki ZX-6R Team GoEleven Kawasaki

38 Hannes Soomer EST Honda CBR600RR Racedays

47 Rob Hartog ESS* NED Kawasaki ZX-6R Team Hartog - Against Cancer

10 Nacho Calero ESP Kawasaki ZX-6R Orelac Racing VerdNatura

94 Mike Di Meglio FRA Yamaha YZF R6 GMT94 YAMAHA

15 Alfonso Coppola ESS* ITA Yamaha YZF R6 GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Junior Team

77 Wayne Tessels ESS* NED Kawasaki ZX-6R MTM / Wayne Racing Team

16 Jules Cluzel FRA Yamaha YZF R6 NRT

36 Thomas Gradinger AUT Yamaha YZF R6 NRT

35 Stefan Hill GBR Triumph Daytona 675 Profile Racing

81 Luke Stapleford GBR Triumph Daytona 675 Profile Racing

11 Christian Gamarino ESS* ITA MV Agusta F3 675 Scuola Italiana Piloti

25 Walter Sulis ESS* ITA MV Agusta F3 675 Scuola Italiana Piloti

5 Axel Bassani ESS* ITA Kawasaki ZX-6R SSP HUNGARY RACING

56 Peter Sebestyen ESS* HUN Kawasaki ZX-6R SSP HUNGARY RACING

*European Supersport Cup riders