Hope with new Supersport regulations: Fewer paid riders in future?

On 2 July 2025, SPEEDWEEK.com first reported on plans for new technical regulations for the Supersport World Championship from 2027 onwards. At the time, Ducati and Yamaha were putting some pressure on promoter Liberty and the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) to reduce the rated power from the current figure of around 145 to 130 PS in future.

Ducati and Yamaha – two manufacturers who rarely see eye to eye within the Manufacturers’ Association (MSMA) – have the same motive for the power reduction: it will save them the cost of the racing kit.

The other manufacturers, who have invested a great deal of money over the years to reach the current technical standard, are not happy about this. “Does Dorna prefer to please two manufacturers and fall out with everyone else?” asked one team principal at the time. “Probably yes.”

The fact that Ducati and Yamaha’s wishes are being accommodated comes as no surprise to anyone, as they are the two manufacturers in the SBK paddock that are most committed and therefore wield the greatest influence. Furthermore, this approach is in line with the FIM and Liberty’s intention to reduce power and costs in the medium term.

With a little foresight, there is little to counter the arguments put forward by Ducati and Yamaha; other manufacturers have now recognised this too, and are gradually introducing new models, such as Triumph and KTM.

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Greater durability, lower costs

“If we reduce the power slightly, durability will increase and costs will fall,” a senior manager at a manufacturer – whose name has just slipped my mind – told SPEEDWEEK.com. “So there’s no reason against it. Whatever is decided between Dorna, the FIM and the manufacturers should serve to advance the championship. Because if the championship grows, everyone benefits. And growth comes from increased interest from the media and sponsors. The more manufacturers involved, the better. The more races are decided in the final corner, with three or four riders from different manufacturers, the greater the interest.”

This means that some riders have to pay for their place.

A paddock insider on excessive costs

“We mustn’t forget, either, that many teams in the Supersport and Superbike World Championships struggle greatly to raise the necessary budget,” added the man with foresight. “The Supersport teams have less TV airtime and a smaller reach on social media, so it’s harder for them to attract sponsors. Or they aren’t organised enough to secure any. This means that some riders have to pay for their seat. We should reach a point where this is no longer the case and riders are selected by the teams based on their form or the interest they generate. To achieve this, the smaller classes must be affordable. And to do that, performance levels need to be reduced – I can’t see anything negative about this step. With issues like this, you have to look at the bigger picture.”