Bagger World Cup: Former MotoGP rider Bradley Smith set to race at Silverstone

Races 5 and 6 of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup took place in Assen as part of the MotoGP World Championship. After three events, the new series has reached the halfway point – there will be a total of six race weekends in 2026.

Following the season opener in Austin at the end of March, where nine Harley-Davidson race bikes lined up on the starting grid, the field of riders has continued to grow. At the second event in Mugello at the end of May, a prominent name joined the line-up in the form of former MotoGP and Superbike rider Andrea Iannone. In Assen, former GP rider and two-time MotoE champion Jordi Torres made his debut. Both will compete in the remainder of the 2026 championship, right up to the season finale at the Red Bull Ring in September.

After the summer break, the next race weekend will take place at Silverstone from 7 to 9 August. There, former MotoGP rider and local hero Bradley Smith will line up on a wildcard for the Italian ParkinGO team in the Baggers class.

“When the ParkinGO team and Harley-Davidson approached me about Silverstone, the decision was very easy for me. This will be my 14th British Grand Prix, and the opportunity to race in front of a home crowd is always something very special,” says Bradley Smith, delighted with this chance. “I’ve really enjoyed this new adventure with Harley-Davidson Factory Racing in the MotoAmerica ‘King of the Baggers’ mission, and this wildcard gives me the chance to experience the bike on the world stage once again. The Bagger World Cup has already proved to be very competitive, with many of my friends and rivals competing there. Silverstone is a circuit I know very well and one that hosts some great races. There’s a lot to learn in the Bagger World Cup, particularly when it comes to the different tyres. But these lads are stepping onto my home turf, so my pride is on the line and the battle is on. Riding a Harley-Davidson in front of a home crowd at Silverstone makes this an opportunity not to be missed. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there waving your British flags.”

What’s more, Bradley Smith will be competing in his home races with a special Silverstone livery – to celebrate the championship’s first visit to the United Kingdom, according to an official press release on 7 July.