SBK, Honda looks to bounce back: Dixon and Chantra rack up the kilometers in testing in France

The HRC WorldSBK team tested in France to prepare for the championship’s restart, eager to take concrete steps forward: next stop Estoril.

We’ve said it many times: Honda’s 2026 Superbike season is a total disaster. Between rider injuries, technical difficulties, and poor results, there isn’t much to salvage from the first eight rounds of the calendar. The HRC team has certainly worked hard to field competitive CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SPs, but the effort hasn’t been enough.

In an effort to raise the level for the final rounds of the WorldSBK season, the squad flew to Magny-Cours for two days of testing. The next round will be held in France (September 4–6). Also on track were the ROKiT BMW Motorrad team and the Elf Marc VDS team.

Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra, two Superbike rookies, had never raced at Magny-Cours before. In addition to advancing their adaptation to the CBR1000RR-R and trying development parts, they also had to get familiar with the French circuit. Being able to do so in a test before facing the race weekend is certainly an advantage. There’s a chance to gather data and set references that will be very useful in September.

The Honda HRC team encountered very hot conditions (38°C air, 65°C track). On Thursday, the work focused on identifying a base setup and improving the riders’ understanding of both the bike and the track. Dixon completed 69 laps, while Chantra did 103.

Friday saw a series of tests focused on suspension, electronics, and setup comparisons within their respective programs. Dixon completed another 70 laps, Chantra 94. It’s worth remembering that the British rider is still seeking peak physical condition after issues with his wrist and left hand following fractures sustained in a crash during the last pre-season test at Phillip Island. The fact he totaled 139 laps over the two days is a good sign of improvement.

The Honda HRC WorldSBK team will be back on track in just ten days (August 25–26) for another two-day test session at the Estoril circuit in Portugal, host of the penultimate round of the calendar (October 9–11).

Dixon liked the Magny-Cours circuit, even though it’s not easy to interpret with his Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP: "It’s a bit difficult to learn, but it’s a nice track. It was really hot. We tried different things, working mainly to find a good base setup for me. In the end, it’s a test, there are no prizes at stake, so we focused on following the plan prepared by the team and collecting as much information as possible. I finished the test satisfied. Now we have another two days at Estoril, where I’ll have to learn the circuit again while continuing to work on the bike’s setup. The goal is to keep working, building step by step".

Chantra also gave a thumbs-up to the test in France, where he had the chance to get to know his bike better and steadily increase his speed: "Over the two days we tried various solutions, including electronics and suspension, and we managed to gather a lot of useful information. This is important because during a race weekend we don’t have that much time to test different options, whereas here we were really able to focus on this kind of work. Overall, I’m happy with how the tests went. I was able to improve my lap time session after session as I learned the circuit. And on the first day I set my best time in the hot afternoon, which was very positive".

Heading to Estoril after the Magny-Cours stop will be extremely valuable for the Honda HRC team and its riders. Dixon and Chantra have never raced there with the CBR1000RR-R, so they’ll have the opportunity to continue their adaptation and gather more data useful for development. You can’t say the Japanese manufacturer isn’t making an effort to take steps forward in this 2026 season.