The Superbike World Championship is preparing for medium-term changes. In fact, the FIM has already confirmed that the premier class of motorcycles derived from the series will have to adopt new regulations in order not to find itself in difficulty compared to MotoGP, which will adopt its new technical regulations in 2027, among other things with a change in displacement. But in the world championship of production derivatives, the lower categories will also change.
The SBK Commission, which met after the Misano round, the fourth of the 2024 season, explained in a statement that one of the confirmed changes is the disappearance of the smallest category, the Supersport 300, in 2026. In other words, 2025 will be the the last season of a championship born in 2017, which has seen five different champions, all Spanish: Marc García in the inaugural campaign, Ana Carrasco in 2018, Manu González in 2019, Adrián Huertasen 2021 and Álvaro Díaz in 2022, and which is currently led by another national driver, Íñigo Iglesias.
World Superbike explained the decision in a statement: “The SBK Commission is currently working on the introduction of a new World Superbike class for 2026, marking a significant evolution in the racing landscape. This new class will replace the World Supersport 300 , which has fulfilled its mission of providing a sustainable and accessible platform for emerging talent to enter the World Championship.”
“Building on this success, the introduction of the new class aims to further enhance the sporting and commercial relevance of the [piccola] class. One of the main objectives of this initiative is to make the progression path of riders who move up to higher categories, in particular to the Supersport 600 World Championship, easier. By bridging the performance gap between the entry and intermediate categories, the objective is is to create a smoother transition for drivers, encouraging their development and preparing them for the competitive demands of the higher classes,” they continued, explaining that they want to make the progression of drivers between the categories easier.
Ana Carrasco is becoming a world champion
Furthermore, this change is designed to attract greater interest from manufacturers, allowing them to present machines that reflect a growing market segment.” The new category will feature agile motorcycles, with more powerful mid-size engines, details of which will be specified by the SBK Commission in the coming weeks and months. The final season of Supersport 300 will take place in 2025, giving teams and manufacturers sufficient time to prepare for the transition to the new class in 2026. This period will ensure a smooth transition. and well coordinated, allowing all interested parties to adapt to the new technical and sporting regulations”, concluded those responsible for the plans, which will be detailed shortly.
The Commission took other decisions. In the SBK category, for example, “any Super Concession part won at the last check of the season must be entered into the following season”, and “no further tokens will be won until the Super Concession part is fully introduced in one of the following season’s rounds” .
#Goodbye #Supersport #SBK #category
