World Sportbike Ushers in a New Era of Accessible Global Racing
A fresh chapter in international road racing begins in 2026 with the introduction of World Sportbike, the newly announced entry-level category in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. This new entry-level class will replace the World Supersport 300 class—a class that has developed a generation of riders since its debut in 2017.
The new class will build on the foundation of WorldSSP300 with a renewed focus on balance, accessibility, and performance. Positioned as the bridge between grassroots national-level racing and the World Supersport class, World Sportbike will feature mid-capacity bikes that stand on performance without breaking the budget.
World Sportbike: Building on a Legacy, Accelerating the Future
The legacy of WorldSSP300 has been significant, and World Sportbike aims to extend that legacy even further. One only needs to look at the class’s alumni to appreciate its importance. Ana Carrasco made history by becoming the first woman to win a world motorcycle circuit racing title in 2018. Adrian Huertas followed by securing the 2021 title before climbing the ladder to World Supersport and clinching another championship in 2024. Aldi Mahendra captured global attention as Indonesia’s first world motorcycle racing champion in 2023.
With 2025 marking the final season of World Supersport 300, anticipation is already building. Teams and manufacturers are gearing up for World Sportbike’s inaugural season. While technical specifications and rulebooks are still to come, it’s clear that the vision is focused on elevating competition while remaining inclusive for a diverse and international pool of riders.
What we know now is promising: the motorcycles in World Sportbike will feature mid-tier displacement engines—presumably evolving beyond the current 300cc range—offering more dynamic racing and aligning better with the power delivery of higher classes. That opens the door for more manufacturers to step in with competitive platforms.
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