Oli Bayliss goes second quickest in WorldSSP qualifying

Bayliss powers the PTR Triumph onto the front row at Phillip Island as Masia snatches 2026’s first WorldSSP pole

The 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship is officially underway and the opening Tissot Superpole session at the Australian Round has delivered an early boost for local fans, with Oli Bayliss storming to second quickest to lock in a front-row start. Pole position went to Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), who continued his strong form from testing to top the times with a 1:32.115 – his second career WorldSSP pole and the perfect launchpad for Saturday’s Race 1. Bayliss was right in the fight throughout qualifying, firing in a sequence of rapid laps that briefly had him sitting atop the timing screens before he ultimately secured P2 with a 1:32.287, marking his first front-row start in WorldSSP. Completing the front row was Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing), who made an immediate statement for the new ZXMOTO project by putting the Chinese manufacturer into P3 with a 1:32.439.

Behind the leading trio, Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) showed a clear step forward compared to earlier running across the week and put himself in contention for the front row before settling for fourth. His 1:32.450 left him just a fraction over three tenths away from Masia’s benchmark, but it was still enough to lead the second row. Tom Booth-Amos looked set to keep Triumph firmly in the spotlight as he ran strongly mid-session, however his qualifying came undone in dramatic fashion when a highside at the fast Turn 11 brought out the red flag and sent him to the medical centre. Despite the interruption and the flurry of late improvements from others, his earlier 1:32.554 held up for fifth. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) improved in the closing stages after returning to the box for late adjustments, climbing the order with a 1:32.617 to claim sixth.

Further back, Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) continued an encouraging adaptation to the category, translating a solid practice performance into seventh on the grid with a 1:32.673, which will see him launch his first WorldSSP race from the third row. Former MotoE standout Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing) was the best of the incoming ex-electric racers in eighth on a 1:32.710, while Ondrej Vostatek again looked comfortable at the Australian circuit to put his Ducati Panigale V2 ninth with a 1:32.819. Mattia Casadei (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team) also found trouble at Turn 11 in the final minute, but his 1:32.827 was enough to cling to 10th.

Turn 11 proved a defining danger point across the session, with multiple riders taking tumbles at the high-speed corner. Oliver Konig (Compos Racing Team), already on the back foot after a technical issue triggered a red flag in Free Practice, crashed heavily at Turn 11 in Superpole and was sent for medical checks before being declared fit to continue. Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) also hit the deck at Turn 5 with 17 minutes remaining, but walked away unhurt.

WORLDSSP ROUND 1 PHILLIP ISLAND SUPERPOLE