What crisis? The Superbike grid is full, but one big name is missing

Wednesday, 12 November 2025 at 11:57

Six manufacturers, fourteen teams, and twenty-one riders: for now, this is the World Superbike grid. One of the big names is still missing from the list: will Andrea Iannone manage to save his participation?

So many problems

Superbike in this era is having an identity crisis. The technical regulations, the foundational basis of any racing series for production-derived machines, are a tangled mess that doesn’t work and doesn’t appeal to fans. For some years the twelve-round calendar has been almost exclusively European, with Australia the only surviving event outside the continent. What’s more: five of the eleven European events are held between the Iberian Peninsula and Italy. Once upon a time, Superbike was the alternative to Grand Prix racing. The rivalry fueled comparisons, competition and, in a word, sparked interest. Now, with a monopolistic promoter, it’s a second-tier series fully subordinate to the main championship.

But participation isn’t dropping

And yet, despite the situation being far from idyllic, manufacturers continue to believe in Superbike. Supersport bikes have almost disappeared from the streets and are now purchased mainly for track use. Still, (almost) everyone is here: BMW, Ducati, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, and the latest addition Bimota, the artisanal jewel now within Kawasaki’s orbit. At the moment, fourteen teams are confirmed, with a total of twenty-one riders, and we still don’t know the two names who will race with MIE Honda. Italians dominate: nine representatives. Then there will be four British riders, three Spaniards, and one rider each from Thailand, Australia, Turkey, the United States, and Portugal. In terms of nationality, it’s a well-varied lineup.

The big absentee: Andrea Iannone

The provisional list has been joined by Brit Tarran Mackenzie, who, in the late-season stint aboard the Ducati Panigale V4, revived the aspirations of the German MGM team. The retirement announced in the summer was averted by the good results and the sponsors secured by the son of a former racer and ex-British Superbike champion. The reigning world champion of the last two years, Toprak Razgatlioglu, won’t be there as he moves up to MotoGP with Pramac Yamaha. We might occasionally see the most successful rider ever, Jonathan Rea, back on track, as he will be a Honda test rider. For now, Andrea Iannone is not on the list: there’s still no sign of the self-managed team that would allow him to continue his career. And time is relentlessly ticking away. The 2026 World Championship will kick off on February 21–22 at Phillip Island. Next tests are on November 26–27 at Jerez, with the anticipated debut of Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira on the title-winning BMW.