Valentin Debise gets his wish: Caricasulo stays with ZX Moto

Everyone had expected Supersport newcomer ZX Moto to make an impact, but not such a spectacular debut: with six wins and nine podium finishes, Valentin Debise finished as runner-up in the world championship, triggering a boom in sales figures for the up-and-coming Chinese manufacturer. Debise finished 81 points behind the exceptionally consistent world champion Albert Arenas (Yamaha) – the Spaniard stood on the podium in 17 of the 24 races.

“On the one hand, I was a bit sad not to have clinched the title – I felt we could have done it. Finishing as runner-up is, of course, still brilliant, especially as it’s my best World Championship result to date,” said the 34-year-old at the EICMA motorbike show. “That makes me all the more motivated for 2027, when we’ll be back on the attack with the new bike – I can’t wait! After finishing second, the title is clearly our stated goal. When I look at the field, there are once again several riders with the potential to win, and more are joining from Moto2. So the races will once again be very competitive and close, but I’m happy to take on the challenge.”

With four manufacturers (ZX Moto, Kove, QJ Motor and CF Moto), China is an interesting market for the Superbike World Championship. The 2027 calendar features a race in China for the first time, at the Shanghai Circuit. For Debise, who has nine million followers on social media, it’s set to be a busy weekend.

“Nothing better could have happened to us than having a race in China next year. The many fans there – not to mention the ones I’ve gained this year alone – will make for an intense weekend,” Debise predicts. “Racing in front of them and in the home country of ZX Moto will be brilliant. It’s just a shame that the round isn’t until the end of the season and we still have a long wait ahead of us. Before then, we’ll visit the factory with the team and meet staff and fans. We’re looking forward to it.”

After the World Championship runner-up’s contract was extended early, ZX Moto kept his team-mate Federico Caricasulo in suspense for a long time. After Debise had spoken up in support of the Italian, the 30-year-old from Ravenna was also confirmed for 2027 shortly before EICMA.

Teams & Riders, 2027 Supersport World Championship: