Can Öncü Secures Front-Row Fight with Second-Row Start at Phillip Island

Turkish star shines in WorldSSP Superpole as Yamaha riders lock in strong grid positions for 2026 season opener. 

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The 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship season got underway at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, with Can Öncü delivering a strong Superpole performance to secure a second-row start for Saturday’s opening race.

Under near-perfect sunny conditions on Friday, riders tackled the fast and flowing Australian circuit, with Öncü quickly establishing himself among the front-runners.

Now riding for Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing after finishing runner-up in 2025, the Turkish rider showed impressive pace throughout the day. He finished fourth in Free Practice 1 before heading into the crucial Superpole session aiming for a spot on the first two rows.

A red flag interruption shortly after Öncü went out on fresh tyres disrupted his momentum, but he responded strongly to claim fourth place on the grid with a best time of 1’32.450, putting him in a strong position for Race 1.

“It is not a bad start for us, I think,” said Öncü. “We have to be positive as the Phillip Island circuit is very different, and you need some slipstream in the straight! I am quite happy with the job we did.

“I did every lap on my own and we were working towards the race throughout as this will be the first race for a few years with no pit stops here. We are heading in the right direction and I am looking forward to my first race with my new team.”

Strong Showing from Yamaha Contenders

There was also an encouraging debut for Albert Arenas, who joins the WorldSSP grid in Australia with AS BLU CRU Racing Team. The 2020 Moto3 World Champion impressed with fifth place in Free Practice and briefly ran as high as third during Superpole.

However, disruptions following the red flag shuffled the order, and Arenas ultimately qualified seventh, securing a third-row start for his maiden Supersport race.

Further down the grid, Roberto Garcia will line up 11th for GMT94 Yamaha, with team-mate Lucas Mahias in 13th. Yuki Okamoto, aboard the second Pata Yamaha Ten Kate R9, qualified 24th.

Indonesian rising star Aldi Satya Mahendra endured a difficult session. A series of technical issues prevented the AS BLU CRU Racing rider from setting a time in Superpole, meaning he will start from the back of the grid.

With the grid set and no mandatory pit stops for this year’s race at Phillip Island, all eyes now turn to Saturday’s opening contest. Lights go out for Race 1 at 14:30 AEDT as the 2026 WorldSSP season officially begins.