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The FIM Supersport World Championship kicks off in just a few days at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and there are plenty of things to watch out for across the season. With 2025 Champion Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) heading to WorldSBK, the world title is anyone’s game this year. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) replaces the #62 at Ten Kate Racing, while two-time Champion Dominique Aegerter (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) is back and there’s a new manufacturer on the grid, too: ZXMOTO.

IS ONCU THE FAVOURITE? The #61 aims to follow in Manzi’s footsteps

It’s perhaps odd to say for a 22-year-old rider, but 2026 could be considered make or break for Oncu. Remarkably, he’s entering his seventh WorldSSP campaign already – albeit he effectively ‘lost’ two of those through a serious arm injury. His first win came in 2023 for Kawasaki but he had to wait until 2025 for his next, when he took six as he finished as runner-up to Manzi. For this year, Oncu moves into the Italian’s vacated seat at Ten Kate Racing, and will be hoping to win the title with the Championship’s most successful team.

AEGERTER RETURNS: Two-time Champion aims for more success

After three years in World Superbike, Aegerter is back in WorldSSP. His success in his two seasons in 2021 and 2022 was off the charts: 44 races, 35 podiums, 27 wins, 11 poles (out of 22). This was, of course, when he was with Ten Kate Racing and on the Yamaha R6 and plenty of things have changed since then. For 2026, the #77 links up with Manuel Puccetti’s Kawasaki WorldSSP Team, putting him on the ZX-6R 636 machine which ended the year so strongly in the hands of Jeremy Alcoba. The Spaniard is also back as the team run two bikes again, and both will want to be at the sharp end of the grid.

ZXMOTO JOIN THE PARTY: Eight manufacturers on the grid

There’s a new brand on this year’s grid. Chinese factory ZXMOTO will make their presence known in 2026 after linking up with the successful Evan Bros squad to form the ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing team. Their riders are familiar to Fabio Evangelista’s team, too: Valentin Debise was with the team in 2024, when they ran Yamaha machinery, and took seven podiums while Federico Caricasulo had his most successful WorldSSP season with the team when he took three wins and nine podiums from 12 races in 2019, and narrowly missed out on the title to teammate Randy Krummenacher. In terms of the other manufacturers, Yamaha are out to defend their title with the Yamaha R9, and Ducati, MV Agusta and Triumph will aim to add more wins to their tally after claiming victories last season. Kawasaki will want to add their name to the winner’s list for the first time since 2023, while Honda and QJMOTOR will look to continue making progress.

THE CONTENDERS: Expect plenty of competition at the front of the field

Several riders will feel they’re in title contention before the season starts. Oncu is arguably the favourite at this stage given his performances last year, but expect strong competition from his Yamaha stablemates first and foremost. Rookie Albert Arenas (AS Racing Team) will want to make a name for himself after moving from Moto2. His teammate, Aldi Mahendra, returns fit after missing the second half of last season, while Roberto Garcia and GMT94 Yamaha teammate Lucas Mahias showed their potential in 2025. Elsewhere, Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) will want to start 2026 how he ended 2025, in strong form, while Aegerter and Alcoba are both aiming high. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) took a first win last year in Australia and will want more victories in 2026, looking to mount a title challenge.

BIG NAMES: Ramirez makes the move to WorldSSP

Aside from Arenas, there are plenty of big names joining the World Supersport grid this season. One of the biggest is Marcos Ramirez (QJMOTOR Factory Racing), who took two Moto2 podiums in 2023 and 2024. The Spaniard competed in WorldSSP back in 2015. 2025 MotoE Champion Alessandro Zaccone (Egosantagata Althea Racing Team) joins the grid, as does his rival Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing). Former WorldSBK rider Oliver Konig (Compos Racing Team) is back in the paddock, competing on a Triumph machine, while Riccardo Rossi (Renzi Corse) makes the move from Moto3.

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