Somkiat Chantra: Overcoming the first-year WorldSBK challenge, gaining experience to build on, ready to continue full season with Honda HRC in 2027.
The first season in the World Superbike Championship was full of challenges for "Kong" Somkiat Chantra, the Thai rider from the Honda HRC factory team. He faced injuries, adapting to the Honda CBR1000RR-R race bike, and the challenges of a new competition format in WorldSBK 2026. Despite obstacles, he remained committed to working closely with his team and engineers, showing improvement late in the season and earning Honda HRC's trust to continue into the 2027 season.
"Kong" Somkiat Chantra is one of the Thai riders who has made history in global motorsport. He progressed through the “Honda Race to the Dream” program, then moved up to the Moto3 World Championship with a wildcard entry in his home race. He advanced to the Moto2 World Championship with Idemitsu Honda Team Asia in 2019, achieving his first victory in Indonesia in 2022, followed by a win in Japan in 2023, before stepping up to premier class MotoGP with Idemitsu Honda LCR in 2025.
In 2026, "Kong" Somkiat Chantra was entrusted by Honda HRC to play a key role in developing the Honda CBR1000RR-R for WorldSBK competition. Using his MotoGP experience, he collaborated with the team and engineers to gather data and enhance the bike’s performance for continuous competitive improvement.
However, the season began with setbacks when "Kong" Somkiat Chantra suffered an accident during practice in Malaysia, injuring both arms and missing critical testing and the opening race in Australia. His British teammate, Jake Dixon, also had a pre-season injury. As a result, Honda HRC adjusted plans, fielding test riders in races to continue development.
Despite needing time to recover, "Kong" Somkiat Chantra dedicated himself fully and returned to racing at Portimao, Portugal, where he scored his first WorldSBK points. He then faced another injury at Assen, Netherlands, marking another significant test in his debut season.
After recovering, the Thai rider continued gaining experience and adapting to the bike. In early October, Honda HRC Castrol gave him a key opportunity to race in MotoGP at the Japanese Grand Prix at Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan, where he performed impressively, finishing 13th.
Returning to MotoGP in Japan was a pivotal moment that boosted "Kong" Somkiat Chantra’s confidence. He brought back experience and riding techniques to apply in WorldSBK, which began to show in his improved performance late in the season.
Especially in the final two races at Estoril, Portugal, and Jerez, Spain, "Kong" Somkiat Chantra and his teammate narrowed their lap time gap from nearly two seconds behind the leaders to under one second, reflecting progress in adapting and developing the bike with the team.
Although there are still areas to improve, such as qualifying times and race starts, positive signs include more consistent race pace and the ability to overtake and advance positions during races. Notably, in the final race, he overtook his teammate to finish successfully, closing the 2026 season with 23 points and 21st place in the world championship standings.
Despite a challenging first season, Honda HRC values "Kong" Somkiat Chantra’s dedication, work attitude, and development. The factory team sees potential for continued growth and has decided to continue working with the Thai rider for another season to advance bike development and elevate WorldSBK results in 2027.
Moving into his second season, "Kong" Somkiat Chantra’s journey reflects the success of the "Honda Race to the Dream" program, which aims to create opportunities for Thai riders to reach global competition and inspire new generations of riders with motorsport dreams.
From the challenges of his first season to new opportunities in 2027, "Kong" Somkiat Chantra is ready to build on his experience, improve his skills, and raise performance alongside Honda HRC, supported by the cheers of Thai motorsport fans as he competes on the world stage.