Canepa (Yamaha): Superpole has never been more important than in the 2026 SBK World Championship

Yamaha has been fielding the current R1 in the World Superbike Championship since 2016. Although the model has received a number of updates – most recently last year with new aerodynamics featuring winglets – the bike has, on the whole, been pushed to its limits. Since the exceptional rider Toprak Razgatlioglu moved to BMW, victories and podium finishes have become rare.

Star rider Andrea Locatelli secured four podium finishes in both 2024 and 2025, including just one victory (the second race at Assen in 2025). This year, a fifth place at Portimão (Race 1) was his best finish. In terms of an entire meeting, Misano was the most successful so far, with finishes of 7th, 8th and 7th.

“Overall, it was a positive weekend – Andrea’s best since the start of the season,” emphasised team principal Niccolò Canepa. “The team also did a good job throughout the weekend, as he was able to close the gap on the leaders between the two long races – even though his finishing position was the same at the chequered flag, we noticed an improvement in his race times.”

In comparison with team-mate Xavi Vierge, one thing stands out: despite similar lap times, the Spaniard only managed finishes outside the top 10. “That’s a perfect example of just how important the Superpole session is, because if you qualify for the first three rows of the grid, a good race is possible,” explained Canepa. “Loka had strong starts and was in the top five in the opening laps of all three races – so that’s what we need to focus on. With Xavi, we can see how a poor qualifying session can affect the whole weekend. His pace wasn’t bad, but he couldn’t make up the positions, which meant it was a difficult weekend for him.”

Vierge, however, has been in a slump since Balaton Park, failing to finish in the top ten. “It seems as though he’s lost some of the confidence he had at the start of the season,” the former racer noted. “That’s why we now need to work hard to give him a stable base set-up so that he can get the most out of the bike, just as he did at the start of the season.”