Canepa Reflects on Challenging WorldSBK Opener at Phillip Island

Yamaha celebrates a historic WorldSSP 1-2 finish in Australia but faces key challenges in WorldSBK as Niccolò Canepa outlines areas for improvement ahead of Portimão.

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The 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship roared into action at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia, hosting the opening round for both WorldSBK and WorldSSP. While Yamaha celebrated a major success in the Supersport category, the WorldSBK campaign proved more demanding than expected.

Yamaha’s 2026 WorldSBK line-up features two new additions, with Xavi Vierge joining the Pata Maxus Yamaha squad and reigning 2025 WorldSSP Champion Stefano Manzi stepping up to the premier class with GYTR GRT Yamaha. Meanwhile, the WorldSSP structure began its title defence after the R9’s successful debut season last year.

Following the opening round, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Sporting Manager and double Endurance World Champion Niccolò Canepa shared his assessment of the weekend.

WorldSBK: Strong pace but missed opportunities

Canepa admitted expectations were high heading into Phillip Island, despite limited winter testing. However, adapting to the circuit’s unique tyre specifications proved difficult.

Phillip Island’s distinctive tyre allocation, different from most European rounds, made it challenging for Yamaha to extract the full potential from the R1 package.

There were positives. Xavi Vierge impressed throughout testing and race weekend, frequently finishing as the top Yamaha rider. He showed competitive pace, including in Superpole, and ran inside the top ten during Race 1 before suffering a heavy crash at Turn 3. Fortunately uninjured, the incident triggered a difficult remainder of the weekend, compounded by a technical issue in the Superpole Race.

Andrea Locatelli also endured a challenging round. After nearly winning at Phillip Island in 2024, he struggled to rediscover his previous feeling with the R1. Winter testing did not provide the best foundation, and the difficulties carried into race weekend. Despite the setback, Yamaha remains confident in his podium potential once the championship returns to Europe.

Home hero Remy Gardner attracted significant attention at his local round, but a lingering winter injury impacted his performance. Although not fully recovered, Gardner pushed through the discomfort. With a month before Round 2, he now has valuable time to regain fitness.

Stefano Manzi showed encouraging signs in his rookie WorldSBK appearance. Despite a crash during testing that affected his confidence, he demonstrated competitive pace and finished as top Yamaha in the Superpole Race. Yamaha views his early progress positively, recognising the steep learning curve in the Superbike category.

Canepa acknowledged that improvements are needed before Round 2 in Portimão, stressing that both technical adjustments and operational refinements will be addressed ahead of the European leg.

WorldSSP: A perfect 1-2 and historic podium

In contrast, the WorldSSP class delivered a major highlight for Yamaha.

The newly formed AS BLU CRU Racing Team secured a remarkable 1-2 result. Albert Arenas adapted quickly to the Yamaha R9, finishing fourth in Race 1 before making a decisive tyre strategy call in Race 2 to claim victory on slick tyres. His strong performance sees him leave Australia as the WorldSSP championship leader.

Another standout story came from Aldi Satya Mahendra. After a technical issue in Superpole forced him to start from the back of the grid, the Indonesian rider produced a stunning charge. By Lap 2 of Race 2, he was already leading, executing bold overtakes on slick tyres in damp conditions. He ultimately secured a historic podium, the first ever in WorldSSP for an Indonesian rider, highlighting the success of Yamaha’s BLU CRU development programme.

Can Öncü also delivered a solid performance, showing consistent speed throughout the weekend. In Race 1, he was caught in another rider’s incident, losing ground early but still fighting for a podium until the final lap. In Race 2, a tyre gamble on wets proved costly as slick-shod rivals gained a decisive advantage, though Öncü was the highest finisher among those who chose wet tyres.

Focus shifts to Portimão and new Sportbike class

Looking ahead, WorldSBK teams will participate in an important test at Portimão before Round 2. With limited winter track time, Yamaha views the session as crucial preparation for the European rounds.

Round 2 will also mark the debut of the all-new Sportbike class, attracting significant attention with multiple manufacturers involved. Yamaha is eager to evaluate its competitiveness in this new championship category.

Despite a mixed start in Australia, Yamaha leaves Phillip Island determined to regroup and return stronger when the 2026 season continues in Portugal.