Thai rider Somkiat Chantra exploded with form to fiercely overtake and claim 14th place in the final 2026 World Superbike race at Jerez.
The 2026 World Superbike Championship's final round, Race 2, took place on Sunday, 18 October, at the Circuito de Jerez - Ángel Nieto. This was truly the last race of the season after a grueling year of competition.
This weekend, “Kong” Somkiat Chantra, the Thai rider with bike number 35 from the Honda HRC factory team, faced significant challenges due to grip issues on both the rear and front tires. He and his team worked hard to improve the bike's condition.
Before Race 2 on Sunday, the Thai rider started from 18th on the grid but was involved in a scramble that dropped him to 20th. Thanks to the dedicated work of Somkiat and his team, the bike was notably improved, allowing him to gradually increase his speed and overtake six opponents in an exciting effort to finish 14th, 35.099 seconds behind the winner. His British teammate Jake Dixon finished 15th, 36.006 seconds behind.
This performance earned Somkiat Chantra 2 points to end the season on a high note after continuous hard work in bike development throughout the year. He accumulated a total of 23 points and ranked 21st in the championship standings.
Somkiat Chantra made history as the first Thai rider to secure a contract with the Honda HRC factory team and compete in the World Superbike Championship in 2026 for the first time.