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The 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway with the Australian Round, and it delivered plenty of surprises. Shock results were in abundance, there were epic comebacks and more at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. We’ve gathered the best debriefs for you to enjoy after an incredible weekend…

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati): “I became with the Italian rider with the most wins so I’m happy”

A triple for Bulega, who said: “In dry conditions, I was very fast. I had it confirmed that in dry conditions, I’m very strong here. Before Race 2, I was a bit angry because I didn’t want rain. I tried to turn this anger into energy. From half distance, the track started to be a bit slippery. I’m happy to win the race in different conditions than the dry. I didn’t expect to be so fast in the wet. In the first laps, I had a very good feeling, so I tried to stay calm and ride like I was able to at that moment. On Saturday night, Biaggi sent me a message, and he said that he was looking at me. I said to him, ‘Thanks Max, I’m really happy but today I equalled you!’. The second one was Melandri. I became with the Italian rider with the most wins so I’m happy.”

Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “It’s one of those things where you roll your sleeves up and go to work. I had to do that… on three occasions!”

A rollercoaster weekend for Oliveira, who fought from last on the grid in all three races: “In the Superpole Race, I wasn’t expecting to get into the top nine, but I managed to do it. Second last lap, I started to get a few issues with shifting and then on the last lap I just got stuck in the same gear. I couldn’t shift back from sixth. My life was much harder in Race 2 with the rain because, to make a comeback, with low visibility is nearly impossible. On the out lap, my ass was already slipping off the seat because it was so wet. During the race, my handlebar got loose and the grips started to twist. I hope everything that had to happen, happened this weekend! It was tough but the key point was when I crashed. I knew I made a mistake. Not being able to restart, I accepted the situation. It’s one of those things where you roll your sleeves up and go to work. I had to do that… on three occasions!”

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team): “Second the whole race was not in my plan”

Montella reflected on his maiden podium in Race 1 and said: “I didn’t expect that! I understood that in the first long run I did, I think on Tuesday, I said, ‘Hmm, not bad!’. I saw the pace of Bulega and mine, I said, ‘Probably’. We made another long run on Friday afternoon, and it was confirmed. I expected to fight for the podium or top five. Second the whole race was not in my plan. It wasn’t easy but I used all the experience I gained from last year, all the downs, to make an upgrade. I tried to be focused on all the mistakes and crashes, and I tried to work on it this winter.”

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven): “I had many difficult years, but it wasn’t for nothing. You either come back or fall down and stop”

A shock podium for ‘Balda’ on his return to WorldSBK, who said: “I felt good on the bike, I felt one thing together, finally. It’s what I wanted to expect when I made my first step in WorldSBK. Coming here with this bike and to one of the best tracks in the world, where I got my first podium in Moto2 in 2015, so to be back on the podium here is a big achievement. I had many difficult years, but it wasn’t for nothing. You either come back or fall down and stop, which I was very close to doing. I grew up mentally and physically. I saw Bassani coming but it was not only this, but my rear tyre on the left side was also finished. I was thinking what to do, whether I risked crashing or I was okay with P4. I risked crashing because I wanted the podium!”

Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team): “On Sunday, finally we did what we were able to do that we showed during the weekend”

A double Australian podium for Bassani, who stated: “Before the race, I was not expecting a race like this. During the test at Jerez, we did some laps in the wet, and my feeling wasn’t very good with the bike. I had some difficulties on entry to control the bike, and in the second half of the race, it wasn’t easy to control the rear with the throttle. We finished a double P2, we must be happy. On Sunday, finally we did what we were able to do that we showed during the weekend. The change inside the team, I feel a bit more relaxed and it’s a bit easier to explain my sensations that I have on the bike. Most especially, I feel like everything inside the team is calmer. For Uri, it’s easier to speak to the mechanics because he came from that side of the team. We can improve because it’s only the first weekend together.”

Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team): “I don’t feel that I’m at my 100% yet. I’m confident more than happy”

Bautista became the second-oldest rider to take a WorldSBK podium in Race 2, and he said: “On Saturday, we worked a bit on the electronics because, until then, we hadn’t worked on them; just the setup of the bike. We made a lot of changes during the test and also during the weekend. I wanted to try them in Race 1, but I made a mistake; entering Turn 11, I touched the gear lever, I went up a gear and the bike pushed me. I tried the changes on Sunday, and it definitely helped me. In the Superpole Race, we were able to be more competitive than in the test and the weekend. In Race 2, in wet conditions, it’s more your feeling with the bike. I’m quite happy because I never felt that I was risking a lot. I was able to make a good pace. We are working well. I don’t feel that I’m at my 100% yet. I’m confident more than happy.”

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team): “I think the bike’s a little bit better, and Axel’s riding a lot better”

Lowes was full of praise for teammate Bassani after his double rostrum: “We stayed with the dry bike with wet tyres and I didn’t have any grip. I had a good start and then I realised I couldn’t lean the bike like the other guys. I went backwards again. At Turn 1, the crash I had, it’s not like it was a little slide; what happened is it was just gone. The base setting we had in the second half of last year, I’ve been really happy with. It hasn’t been working here. Between Saturday and Sunday, we made probably the biggest change I’ve ever made on the bike in a race weekend to have the bike more like Axel’s, which has been working well for him, and I was able to match him. Honestly, I think the bike’s a little bit better, and Axel’s riding a lot better. He’s more confident with his crew around him. He’s doing a great job and he’s a great teammate. I’ve got to try catch up at Portimao now!”

Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “In the wet, I expected me and Miguel to be much faster”

A difficult start to the season for Petrucci, who said: “I was quite confident to have a better race in the rain, but from the first lap, we understood it was difficult. We had the same limitations as in the dry. A lack of traction and stability through the long corners. It was really easy to crash; I almost did a couple of times. I can’t wait to ride the bike at Portimao for testing; we’ll have more time to work on the bike. In the wet, I expected me and Miguel to be much faster. We had the same feelings, feeling the same limitations in the same corner, so this is good.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “It’s always tricky in the wet but I was able to do a good job, so we need to be positive about this”

Locatelli salvaged a P5 finish in the wet Race 2 after a tricky weekend. He said: “I think what I did well was the first couple of laps, get the feeling, try to get the bike to its potential. I keep it consistent. It’s always tricky in the wet but I was able to do a good job, so we need to be positive about this. We struggled all weekend. In Race 2, I finished P5, whatever. I look at the positive things; I don’t want to see the negative points. Xavi had a good feeling from testing. Unfortunately, he crashed. He was doing a good job. It wasn’t bad working with Giulio, but it’s probably a bit early to say something more. It was a tricky weekend.”

Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing): “I just set off and I knew I could be a minimum top ten”

Mackenzie scored a career-best P4 in Race 2 and said: “When I saw the forecast for Sunday and it was rain, earlier in the week, I thought that if it stays wet, maybe I could get a good result. I had a good Warm Up lap. I know that sounds strange, but I pushed hard and I understood where the bike was. I just set off and I knew I could be a minimum top ten. I passed Alvaro and felt really strong. I was catching Alex and then there was a mid-point where I passed Alex and Alvaro had already got by. I held the gap to Locatelli, but I didn’t feel so good at the end; I was having lots of rear moments. I backed off a little bit, but when Alex crashed, I had a big gap, so I just finished it at that point.”

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