Jubilation at Yamaha: finally, the first victory in the new World Sportbike Championship

Seven manufacturers are confirmed to compete in the 2026 World Superbike Championship, with Yamaha having the largest contingent. The Japanese manufacturer is fielding eleven regular riders on the R7, representing just over a third of the field. However, the results in the first half of the season were disappointing: whilst Aprilia, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Triumph had already won races, Yamaha did not secure its first podium finish until the fourth round of the season, in the second race at MotorLand Aragon.

Yamaha’s star rider is Carter Thompson. The young Australian rides for the BrCorse team, which was the first to field the new R7 during the season – and was rewarded with second place at Aragon.

Since then, the 18-year-old has consistently been among the front-runners, climbing to third in the World Championship standings and securing his first victory in the second race last weekend! “I’m over the moon to have finally secured the race win. I’ve been on the podium a few times this year, but I really wanted that win. It’s also the team’s home race, which makes the victory even more special,” said the Yamaha rider jubilantly. “We knew we had good pace, but on Saturday we struggled to keep up with the field. So my plan was to move up the field and build a lead so I could ride at my own pace and follow my ideal line – and that’s exactly what we managed to do.”

The victory was just as important for Yamaha as it was for Thompson – whilst the R7 hadn’t previously been regarded as the sportiest bike, the opposite has now been proven. “This is a historic moment for Yamaha,” said racing director Niccolo Canepa, emphasising its significance. “The new R7 has secured its first victory in the World Superbike Championship. Carter put in a strong performance throughout the weekend and delivered an excellent race to claim his first win of the season, having come so close on several occasions since Misano. This victory also propels him into third place in the championship and underlines the progress made by the BrCorse team over the course of the season.”

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