New factories, new riders and no defending champ in sight… WSSP 2026 is shaping up as one of the most wide-open battlegrounds in years
If you’re looking for a global racing success story to prove that stagnating racing classes can be refreshed by one really good idea that is then firmly driven home by the powers that be, look no farther than WSSP. The 2026 version features a whopping eight manufacturers in all, and yet another all-new one from China. Just like last year, the reigning champion in this class has moved on.
The runner-up is inside the champ’s old team, and there has been another influx of new riders, from both inside production-derived racing classes and, as is the norm nowadays, the MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3 paddock.
As ever, the European-only WSSP Challenge riders, five in all, will not be at PI, but that still leaves 28 regulars on pretty well-balanced bikes from the 600cc Honda to the 955cc Ducati. WSSP is a veritable full-spectrum class in terms of its machinery.
ZXMOTO Factory – Evan Bros Racing
We are starting with the newest of the new. Founded in 2024, Chinese manufacturer ZXMOTO has teamed up with a proven multi-championship-winning team – and a double WSSP race winner from last year in Valentin Debise. And not forgetting the seven-times WSSP race winner Federico Caricasulo as the other rider. If the race version of the 820RR-RS triple is good from the off, the possibilities are obvious enough with this collection of talents around it.
Pata Yamaha – Ten Kate Racing
There’s no stronger or more successful WSSP team than the determined Dutchies from Ten Kate. They can count on Yuki Okamoto again, plus many people’s tip for champion, Can Oncu. If the Turkish rider stays injury-free and wheels-up all the time on his YZF-R9 triple, he is at least a strong contender again. If there is a pre-season favourite, maybe it’s him.
Orelac Racing Verd – Natura Ducati
From also-rans to contenders, the Orelac team has eased along from strength to strength since ‘going Ducati’; aided last year by signing proven double WSSP race winner – and Moto3 world champion – Jaume Masia. He’s back again as a double WSSP race winner, and British rider Josh Whatley joins him on the Panigale V2.
Feel Racing WorldSSP Team Ducati
Injured in a pre-season test at PI last season, just before his return to WSSP, Philipp Ottl is ready to have the full year of racing he didn’t quite get in 2025. He’s had 13 WSSP podium finishes, including two last year, but not quite a full-on win yet. This is what was once the Aruba.it team, which knows how to win titles.
PTR Triumph Factory Racing
No introduction needed for Australia’s Oli Bayliss, and probably none needed for Phillip Island race winner in 2025 Tom Booth-Amos. This strong Anglo-Australian rider set-up remains as it was in 2025, but should be even better this time around on their PTR Street Triple 765 RS machines.
Kawasaki WSSP Team
Jeremy Alcoba came into WSSP strongly in 2025, then quite badly, and then proved his expected prowess by taking two podiums on the official Ninja ZX-6R 636 Kawasaki, which was also in its rookie WSSP year. The return of double WSSP champion, and recent podium finisher in WSBK, Dominique Aegerter could possibly make this entire effort hyper-potent from the very start.
GMT94-Yamaha
Roberto Garcia and 2017 world champion Lucas Mahias look like another potent pairing, especially as Mahias was rejuvenated by the three-cylinder R9 in 2025. Garcia has already ridden for the team in 2025, taking a fastest lap in one race. Christophe Guyot’s French crew are always a popular paddock presence.
AS Racing Team Yamaha
A new combo in many ways, the former MV Agusta official team, run by Andrea Quadranti, will host 2024 WSSP300 champion Aldi Satya Mahendra (injured for much of 2025) and Albert Arenas – the 2020 Moto3 champion, no less. Now, all that seems worth keeping an eye out for, surely? Especially on the Yamaha R9 that proved to be the dominant force last season.
Renzi Corse Ducati
Race winners more than once with the outgoing Valentin Debise last season, Stefano Renzi’s team has taken the less experienced but potentially exciting WSSP prospect Riccardo Rossi, who is already a two-time Moto3 podium finisher.
WRP Racing Ducati
MotoE champion in 2019 Matteo Ferrari is one half of the rider line-up, with WSSP300 race winner Petr Svoboda the other. Could be a good combo but the competition they face is deep and wide and tall.
Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team Ducati
The sad loss of team owner Genesio Bevilacqua in mid-January is a blow for all in this once WSBK championship-winning team, which this year has Leonardo Taccini and reigning MotoE world champion Alessandro Zaccone as its two-rider line-up.
Motozoo by Madforce Dubai MV Agusta
Andrea Giombini has started six previous WSSP600 races, but on the ageing/race-winning three-cylinder F3 800 RR, it might be a slightly tough season.
D34G WorldSSP Team Ducati
2023 MotoE champion Mattia Casadei is another strong Italian, in what is just a one-man squad for former WSBK rider and Stock1000 champion Davide Giugliano.
VFT Racing Yamaha
This team has been podium runners at Phillip Island in WSSP, with Nicholas Spinelli finishing second in 2023. Filippo Farioli is the full-time rider in 2026.
Cerba Yamaha Racing Team
Xavi Cardelus has previous experience in WorldSSP, including last year on the D34G Ducati.
Compos Racing Team Triumph
Oliver Konig (a former WSSP300 podium rider and WSBK privateer) is back in the paddock, this time in the WSSP class alongside his Czech compatriot Ondrej Vostatek.
EAB Racing Team Ducati
Danish battler Simon Jespersen secured a brilliant podium at the Balaton Park circuit last season, and was even testing back in November at Jerez in readiness for this season.
Flembbo by Racing Development MV Agusta
Jacopo Cretaro is the second MV rider in the WSSP line-up, and comes in with several WSSP starts under his belt.
WSSP Challenge Riders
Line-ups you are not scheduled to see at PI, but who will compete in the class-within-a-class WSSP Challenge in Europe, include French battler Corentin Perolari and all-time female racing legend Ana Carrasco, both in the Honda Racing World Supersport squad. They are running CBR600RRs.
Andreas Kofler (Motorsport Kofler Yamaha) is a recent double IDM Supersport champ.
We started with one Chinese manufacturer – ZXMOTO – and we are ending with another. Raffaele De Rosa (QJ Motor Factory Racing) and Marcos Ramirez will compete on the latest QJ Motor Factory Racing SRK800RS fours. But they are not scheduled for a trip to Australia.
