SBK rookie Stefano Manzi (Yamaha) is disillusioned: the glass isn’t half full

Stefano Manzi’s desire to move up to the Superbike category after winning the 2025 Supersport World Championship was understandable. However, the timing was unfavourable – at least as a Yamaha rider. The R1 stood no chance against Ducati and Bimota; even Kawasaki was more competitive, and towards the end of the season, Honda was also set to overtake Yamaha. Furthermore, with the switch from Pirelli to Michelin for 2027, the Italian will only benefit to a limited extent from his experience this year as a rookie.

Two tenth-place finishes at his home race in Misano were the 27-year-old’s best results in the 2026 Superbike World Championship. In 15 of 36 races, Manzi failed to finish in the top 15. With 46 points, the Yamaha rider finished his first season in 18th place in the World Championship.

“It wasn’t the best year of my career, nor was it the worst. But it’s really hard to see the glass as half full – I just can’t,” Manzi admitted. “It was a challenging debut season. But I believe I’ve learnt a lot over the course of the year, and we’ve worked hard every day together with the whole team. My fighting spirit and the desire to prove myself have brought me to where I am today over the last few years. That kept the flame burning even in the toughest moments. When things aren’t going well, the questions get louder and the doubts grow. But the desire to prove myself is still there. That’s why, during the winter break, it’s time to roll up my sleeves and work even harder.”

Not only is the tyre supplier new for the coming season, but the updated balance system could also shift the balance of power and make Yamaha more competitive again.

“We’re already looking ahead to what’s next,” emphasised Manzi. “We’re all highly motivated to come back stronger, and we’ll soon be back on the track to prepare as best we can for the 2027 season.”