The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rolls into the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for Round 2 of the 2026 season. There’s some positive news for three riders who faced medical checks ahead of the Pirelli Portuguese Round. Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC), Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) have all been declared fit ahead of this weekend’s action, although the former will be reassessed after Friday’s FP1 session.

Chantra was injured in a testing crash at Sepang towards the end of 2025 and required surgery on both forearms, which forced him out of the Australian Round. The #35 was back on the Honda machine at Portimao in testing a few weeks ago, where he tested alongside Rea, who will replace Jake Dixon at Portimao. He has been given the green light for Friday’s action, although will be reassessed after FP1.

Elsewhere, Lowes will race at Portimao. The #14 had a high-speed crash at Phillip Island which left him with fractures to his left wrist, although he did not require surgery. The British rider was able to test on his Ducati Panigale V4R machine at Portimao in the same test as Chantra, where he was quick, and will hope he can replicate that pace with a bit more rest and recovery ahead of the round.

Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) has also been declared fit. The rookie crashed in Race 2 at Phillip Island when he highsided on the exit of Turn 4 and was declared unfit with a right shoulder contusion.

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