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The 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship kicked off at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, and we were treated to a spectacle. It’s difficult to learn things from the Australian Round due to the unique layout at Phillip Island, vastly different from anything else, but some stories caught the eye. So, what did we learn from Round 1?

BULEGA OVERCOMES ALL CONDITIONS: Winning in dry, mixed and wet conditions

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was the clear favourite heading into Australia after his 2025 form and his testing pace this year. However, this year was no walk in the park. Dry conditions in Race 1 were the best when the lights went out and he won that comfortably. In the Tissot Superpole Race, drops of rain were falling before and during the race which added to the challenge; the #11 came out on top in these conditions too. In Race 2, it was a fully wet race, and ‘Bulegas’ was able to make it a second consecutive hat-trick ‘Down Under’. Every condition that was thrown at the WorldSBK field, Bulega was able to master.

ROLLERCOASTER FOR BMW: Oliveira’s epic comebacks, Petrucci shines in Superpole

BMW have historically struggled at Phillip Island, so perhaps it was no surprise to see them off the podium this year – particularly with two new riders in the form of Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and teammate Danilo Petrucci. The latter claimed sixth in Superpole, which was perhaps a bit of a surprise given he’d reached a high of ninth across the three practice sessions. Oliveira was unable to set a time in that session after a crash and then an issue starting the bike as he tried to get out, leaving him at the back of the grid for Race 1 and the Superpole Race. Petrucci converted his starting position into two P10s in the first two races, before claiming P6 in the wet Race 2. For Oliveira, his life was made tricky, but it was a good chance to show his race pace and racecraft, as he battled his way from P21 on the grid to P8 in Race 1 and did similarly in the Superpole Race before a quick shifter issue left him stuck in sixth gear on the final lap, dropping him to P18. For Race 2, he again started from the back and finished in P7, as he battled with his teammate. Some positive things to take for BMW in a weekend where not everything went their way.

YAMAHA’S STRUGGLES: Locatelli mostly out of the top ten, Vierge top rider in blue on pace

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) usually goes so well at Phillip Island. Prior to 2026, he’d only finished outside the top seven once, and that was when he crashed fighting for the win. This year was different. The only session he was in the top ten in was in the wet Race 2, when he salvaged a P5. ‘Loka’ and Yamaha will be hoping this is just a one-off; after all, struggling at Phillip Island doesn’t mean it’ll be a year-long challenge, even if being fast there generally means you can be fast everywhere. Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) would’ve been hoping for more in his debut weekend, but he scored points in Race 2, as did teammate Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Some positives from the weekend will be how quick Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was, fighting in the top ten as the lead Yamaha rider throughout the weekend; his three non-scores (a crash in Race 1 and Race 2 and a technical issue in the Superpole Race) weren’t reflective of his pace.

BIMOTA’S CLEAR STEP: Bassani and Lowes to be in the podium fight consistently?

Italian manufacturer Bimota had a solid return to WorldSBK in 2025, taking four podiums thanks to Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team). The #22 was consistently ahead of teammate Axel Bassani, but the Australian Round showed ‘El Bocia’ has made a step. He was fifth in Superpole – his best since Misano last year, when he was second and his best at Phillip Island – before converting that to two podiums on Sunday for his first rostrums since Imola 2023. Lowes too was strong, joining Bassani on the podium in the Superpole Race, whereas in last year’s visit to Australia, the duo were hovering between seventh and tenth in the races. There have been changes to the bike, as with every manufacturer, but also to Bassani’s side of the box with Uri Pallares coming in as his crew chief and the combination seems to have worked so far.

GERLOFF’S QUICK START: New ZX-10RR help the Texan out of the blocks

Kawasaki introduced a new homologation of the ZX-10RR machine for 2026, with the easiest difference to spot being the winglets on the front fairing. The idea was to introduce more downforce, giving Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) some more speed through the faster corners, where better to try that than Phillip Island? He was eighth in Superpole, nine places higher than in 2025, and took three points-scoring finishes with 11^th, sixth and tenth. Last year in Australia, the #31 managed just three points, showing a clear improvement compared to last season. He also has had a change in the box with Les Pearson coming in as his crew chief and the pair enjoyed podium finishes together with both Yamaha and BMW; so, don’t be surprised if this partnership pays off throughout the year.

INDEPENDENT STARS IMPRESS: Podiums for Montella, Baldassarri and Bautista

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), teammate Alvaro Bautista and Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) could hardly have had different expectations heading to Australia. Montella showed glimpses of speed in his rookie campaign, but mistakes cost him strong results. Bautista is the rider with the most wins at Phillip Island, and all came with Ducati. Baldassarri was returning to WorldSBK after two years away. Montella and ‘Balda’ stole the headlines in Race 1 as they claimed their maiden podiums, but Bautista used his experience in the rain to take his first for Barni Ducati in Race 2. All three will be hoping this isn’t just a flash in the pan and can keep their form rolling at Portimao.

More to come in 2026: follow all the action using the WorldSBK VideoPass!