Confident Alberto Surra: What the best rookie has in store for 2027

When Alberto Surra joined the Ducati Motocorsa team for the 2026 World Superbike Championship, there was some scepticism, as the Turin-born rider had failed to make a lasting impression in his 20 starts in the Moto3 World Championship and ten in the Moto2 World Championship. However, the 22-year-old impressed in the 2025 Supersport World Championship as a replacement for the injured Aldi Mahendra at Team Evan Bros (then still riding a Yamaha), securing several top-five finishes and a third place in the first race at Magny-Cours.

Surra coped even better with the heavier and significantly more powerful Superbikes: he stormed into the top 10 on his World Championship debut at Phillip Island at the start of the season. In the final quarter of the season, he climbed into the top five and shone in the sprint races at the Cremona Circuit and at Estoril, securing four third-place finishes. With 198 points, the Italian finished eighth in the World Championship and was named best rookie of the 2026 season.

“Alberto made enormous progress in his first Superbike year,” praised Motocorsa boss Lorenzo Mauri. “We still need to improve in many areas and have a lot to learn on some circuits. Next year, both the tyres and the regulations will change, so there’ll be plenty to do over the winter. We’re finishing Alberto’s first season in eighth place and fourth in the independent riders’ standings. It really has been a fantastic year!”

Motocorsa and Surra had agreed to extend their partnership at an early stage. With the experience gained this year, the Turin-based rider is likely to be a force to be reckoned with in the top five by 2027.

“I’m very happy with my performance – it was my first year in the Superbike category and my team and I secured four podium finishes. All in all, it was an exciting season,” Surra also emphasised. “It’s crucial that we carry on together in 2027, and I’m already looking forward to another great season. I’ve set myself the goal of becoming the best independent team with Motocorsa – it won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible either. To achieve that, we need podium finishes and – who knows – maybe we’ll even snag a win.”