That would be a bombshell: Ten Kate Yamaha is in talks with Domi Aegerter

Since 16 July, regular readers of SPEEDWEEK.com have known that Domi Aegerter and Kawasaki’s Supersport World Championship works team will be parting ways at the end of this season. “We tried everything with Dominique, but it just isn’t working on our bike,” said team principal Manuel Puccetti at the time. “When Domi moved from MotoE to the Supersport World Championship, he adapted very quickly and was outstanding and incredibly fast in both classes. That’s why I’d expected him to perform better. But after three years in the Superbike World Championship, he probably hasn’t yet found a way to adapt to this bike. Or perhaps our team hasn’t found a way to give him the perfect bike – I don’t know. I believe he could perform better on a bike with a larger engine capacity.”

Dominique’s brother Kevin, who has been managing the veteran rider from Rohrbach in the canton of Bern for years, has been exploring all the options for 2027 for some time now. One thing is certain: Aegerter cannot return to the World Superbike Championship. The attractive opportunities in the Supersport class are also limited.

Will the dream team be reunited?

As SPEEDWEEK.com discovered on Thursday at Magny-Cours, a sensation is on the cards. Negotiations between Aegerter and Team Ten Kate Yamaha have progressed so far that discussions are already taking place regarding details such as the team line-up.

The most successful team in the Supersport World Championship and the Swiss rider made history together in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, securing 27 wins and 35 podium finishes across 44 races and comfortably clinching the title on both occasions. This makes Aegerter Yamaha’s most successful rider in the middleweight class.

Following three difficult years in the Superbike World Championship – where Aegerter never had the best machinery at Yamaha and was also hampered by several injuries – and a disastrous year with Kawasaki, a return to Ten Kate represents his best chance of making a comeback.

Stumbling blocks and rivals

Before the contract can be signed, a few stumbling blocks still need to be cleared and a financially acceptable basis established for both sides. Furthermore, Aegerter is not the only one who wants this spot.

Yamaha insiders expect the contract with Can Öncü to be extended, meaning the Turkish rider – who finished fourth in the World Championship at Magny-Cours – will ride for the top Dutch team for another season. And should Yamaha Japan decide to give the struggling Yuki Okamoto another chance, the 23-year-old will likely ride for Ten Kate for a third season, despite scoring a meagre three points this year. Another candidate for the seat is the 20-year-old Australian Harrison Voight.