Superbike Advocates Racing confirm entry to the 2026 WorldSBK field: "We’re here to build, to learn quickly, and to fight"
In a surprise late addition to the 2026 grid, Tommy Bridewell and Superbike Advocates Racing throw their hat into the ring in WorldSBK’s 2026 season!
The Australian-owned, UK-based team has announced its entry to the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with their British rider Tommy Bridewell. The team will not be participating in the season-opening Australian Round, but they will be ready for race action for the rest of the season, from the Pirelli Portuguese Round, March 27-29th onwards.
The team has seized the opportunity to make their World Championship debut ahead of schedule, as the team revealed they had plans to make the move in 2027. In doing so, they will become the first Australian-owned team to ever compete in the category, a fact not lost on the team as they look to hit the ground running from Portimao onwards.
Tommy Bridewell is an 18-year veteran of British Superbike. His time in the category began in 2007, and he has competed in over 450 races in the category. Over that time, he has packed his cabinet with silverware, earning 112 podiums, 20 wins, and a British Superbike title in 2023. Across that period, he’s made a variety of appearances in the WorldSBK paddock, featuring in 20 races from his wildcard at Portimao back in 2008, to his appearances in 2025 at Donington and Aragon. His best performance was a P10 at Jerez in 2019. He will look to build on that base now competing in the Championship as a permanent grid rider in 2026 atop his Ducati Panigale V4 R.
On the opportunity, Bridewell said: “It’s an opportunity I’ve never been given before. We were testing for BSB at Portimao, and when the bikes arrived - full WorldSBK spec - I made a jokey comment to the team to the effect of ‘wouldn’t it be nice to leave them like that and not have to remove all the electronics.’ I think this gave the team food for thought, and before I knew it, the entry was submitted, and we were approved to compete in WorldSBK. A last-minute switch, but I couldn’t be more excited. I want to say a huge thank you to the team for the opportunity. I think it’s all coming together, and we’re in for an exciting year. Sure, I’ve got a lot to learn - I’ve been racing for many years and am going into the season as prepared as I’ve ever been, but I feel a bit like a rookie! I’m really looking forward to it, though. I just couldn’t turn down this chance, and I really hope the BSB fans can get to some of the races and support me and the other British riders. Let’s see how we do.”
The team was launched by Australian Team Owner Lee Khouri, founder of Supercar Advocates and an avid Ducati bike collector. The team’s breaking of barriers in becoming the first Australian-owned team to compete in the Championship’s history is not lost on Khouri, who hopes to do the land Down Under as well as their UK teammates proud. The team earned their stripes with the Ducati V4 R in the Australian Superbike Championship, where they finished fifth, and now prepare to step up to the World Championship. The team features experienced members like former TT winner Alan Jackson, as well as Technical Director Mick Shanley, who brings MotoGP and prior WorldSBK experience into their garage, alongside a cast of other very talented technicians and engineers.
On their new chapter, Khouri said: “To officially step onto the WorldSBK grid in 2026 is an incredibly proud moment - not just for our team, but for Australia. Superbike Advocates Racing will be the first Australian-owned team in the history of the Superbike World Championship, and that’s something that means a great deal to me personally. This project started with pure passion - passion for Ducati, for racing, and for building something that could compete at the highest level. What began in Australian Superbike has evolved into a World Championship campaign much sooner than we originally planned, and that reflects the belief we have in the people around us. WorldSBK is one of the most competitive Championships in global motorsport. We’re not entering to make up the numbers - we’re here to build, to learn quickly, and to fight”, Khouri concludes. “With Tommy’s experience, the Ducati Panigale V4R, and the strength of our technical structure, we believe we can establish ourselves as a serious and professional operation from day one. To represent Australia and the United Kingdom on the world stage in this way is something I’m extremely proud of. This is just the beginning.”
Catch the long-awaited season debut on February 20th, as well as a full season of pure motorsport from there with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
