World Superbike Championship 2026: Bulega Leads into Phillip Island Opener

The 2026 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) is set to commence at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia from February 20-22. All eyes are on Nicolò Bulega as the clear favorite entering the fresh season, following a strong performance in pre-season testing.

Phillip Island: A Historic Venue

The Phillip Island circuit, known for its prompt layout and unpredictable conditions, has hosted countless memorable races in motorcycling history. The 4.445 km circuit features 12 turns and a long 835m main straight [WorldSBK Australia]. Even as the track often delivers surprises, Bulega’s recent form suggests a potentially dominant start to the championship.

Bulega’s Dominance and Ducati’s Strength

Nicolò Bulega, twice a WorldSBK vice-champion, is widely considered the frontrunner for the 2026 title. He achieved a hat-trick of wins at Phillip Island in 2025 and secured his first WorldSBK race victory in 2024. He will continue with the Aruba.it Ducati team, now partnered with Iker Lecuona, who joins from Honda [Cycle News]. Ducati is expected to remain the bike to beat, with several Panigale V4R machines entrusted to new riders.

Rider Lineup and Team Changes

The 2026 grid features several notable changes. Lorenzo Baldassarri and Alberto Surra will ride for Proceed Eleven and Motocorsa respectively, while Barni Racing will field the experienced Álvaro Bautista alongside Yari Montella. Tarran Mackenzie remains with MGM Optical Express Racing, and Sam Lowes enters his third season with Marc VDS Elf. Andrea Iannone will not be competing this season [Crash.net].

BMW and Yamaha’s Challenges

BMW faces a challenging season following the departure of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu to MotoGP and Michael van der Mark to the Endurance World Championship (EWC). Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci will lead BMW’s efforts, while Yamaha will have six R1M bikes on the grid across three teams: Pata Crescent, GRT, and Motoxracing. Andrea Locatelli and Xavi Vierge will spearhead the Pata Crescent team, with Stefano Manzi joining GRT after winning the 2025 Supersport Championship.

Other Manufacturers

Bimota, returning with support from Provec, will continue with Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani. Honda has focused on MotoGP converts Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra, but both riders have suffered injuries, leading to replacements Tetsuta Nagashima and Ryan Vickers. Kawasaki will field a single ZX-10RR for Garrett Gerloff, hoping for improvements over his 2025 performance.

Supersport Championship Preview

The Supersport category will also join the WorldSBK event at Phillip Island. Can Öncü, now with Ten Kate Yamaha, is the favorite, but Dominique Aegerter (Kawasaki) and Jaume Masiá are expected to be strong contenders. The category will notice numerous debuts and the introduction of new manufacturers like ZXMoto.

Phillip Island Test Results

Recent testing at Phillip Island saw Nicolo Bulega set the fastest time with a 1:28.630, followed by Sam Lowes (+0.666s) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (+0.698s) [Cycle News]. Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes rounded out the top five.

Television Broadcast Information

All three WorldSBK races will be broadcast live on TV8. Supersport free practice and Superpole will be available on Sky Sport, Now TV, and VideoPass WorldSBK.com [WorldSBK Australia].

Track Information:

• Track length: 4,445 m
• Main straight: 835 m
• Curves: 12 (7 left, 5 right)
• Direction: counterclockwise
• Track record: 1:27.916 (Nicolò Bulega, Ducati, 2024)