Don’t miss Honda HRC sending riders to compete in "World Superbike 2026," led by Somkiat Chantra, a MotoGP rider aiming for victory in the championship race.
The World Superbike Championship 2026 is set to ignite excitement with its first race of the season this weekend, February 20-22, at Phillip Island Circuit, Australia, attracting speed fans worldwide.
This year marks a historic first as Somkiat Chantra, a Thai rider, competes in the premier class of the World Superbike Championship with the global factory team Honda HRC.
Dr. Arakorn Pornprapha, President of Thai Honda Co., Ltd., said, "This season represents another milestone for Thai Honda as we successfully promoted our Thai rider to Honda HRC’s factory team. This achievement stems from Somkiat’s determination, skill, and performance, which impressed international observers and earned him a place in Honda’s factory team. This is a new chapter in Thailand’s motorsport history."
"This year, I invite Thai fans to support 'Kong' Somkiat as he competes and delivers strong performances for Thai fans. Although he will unfortunately miss the first race due to injury, he has made excellent progress in recovery and is expected to return soon. Please also look forward to our race bike, which Honda engineers have worked hard to develop for success in World Superbike," Dr. Arakorn added.
The 2026 World Superbike Championship will feature 12 rounds. Each round includes three races. Practice sessions take place on Friday and Saturday morning, followed by the 'Superpole' qualifying session to determine the starting grid before the first race on Saturday.
Somkiat Chantra, Thai rider number 35, revealed, "This season, the team has integrated electronics from MotoGP, showing excellent development. My recovery is steadily improving, and if fully fit as planned, I will return to test at Portimão and race there for the first time. My goal is to bring the Thai flag onto the podium this year."
The 2026 World Superbike Championship opens its first round from February 20-22 at Phillip Island Circuit in Australia.