29 Superbikes for MotoGP opener as ASBK grid gets a shake-up

ASBK 2027

ASBK taking shape ahead of season opener

Twenty-nine riders feature on the provisional Superbike entry list for the opening round of ASBK’s new summer championship, with a much-expanded field and a markedly different mix of machinery set to join the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island on October 23–25.

That is a welcome change from the closing stages of the short 2026 championship, which ended with just 12 starters in the wet final race at Queensland Raceway on June 28. Seven were on Ducatis and five on Yamahas, leaving only two manufacturers represented.

This time, six manufacturers are represented. Yamaha supplies 17 of the 29 entries, Honda and BMW have three apiece, and Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki have two each.

Ducati has gone from the most numerous motorcycle in the previous season’s final race to one of the smallest contingents on this provisional list. Those two V4 Rs will, however, be ridden by reigning champion Harrison Voight and five-time champion Josh Waters. There is still considerable quality behind the quantity.

Six manufacturers and 29 entries

The 29 names also exceed the 27 announced ahead of the 2025 Phillip Island opener and the 24 listed for the opening round earlier in 2026. It is one of the biggest Superbike entries in recent seasons, and an encouraging starting point for a championship trying something different.

Several significant names are absent from the first provisional entry list, including Cru Halliday, Glenn Allerton, Anthony West and Olly Simpson. Allerton has confirmed he will be on the grid, while Halliday is not yet sure. Westy will not be on the grid as he plans to pursue opportunities elsewhere in Asia.

The omissions extend beyond individual riders, with Stop & Seal Racing also conspicuously absent. It will be interesting to see if the Bolger-managed squad that formed such a big part of the paddock in recent seasons will be back this year.

Waters changes camps, Harry returns to defend

The biggest move remains Josh Waters and Adrian Monti’s switch from McMartin Racing to DesmoSport Ducati. Waters takes his familiar number 21 to Ben Henry’s team, with his established crew chief moving with him.

The rider who finished runner-up in the short 2026 championship will now try to wrest the crown back from his former team-mate while working from a different Ducati garage. Henry is still evaluating his motorcycle and electronics options, so the entry list’s simple “Panigale V4 R” description does not settle which generation Waters will race.

Across the paddock, Harrison Voight returns to defend his title with McMartin Racing, Jamie Stauffer continuing as crew chief and GSE Services increasing its support.

Craig McMartin’s plan is to begin with the familiar previous-generation V4 R. With Harry returning from his European commitments straight into the Phillip Island race weekend, continuity has obvious value. He will carry number one as McMartin’s sole rider on this list.

YRT unchanged, Roulstone back on the Honda

Yamaha Racing Team continues with Mike Jones and Jonathan Nahlous, retaining the pairing that contested the short 2026 championship.

There is plenty of scope for that combination to build on its first season together. Jones brings championship-winning experience, while Nahlous has already demonstrated that he can run at the sharp end on the factory-supported R1.

Cameron Dunker remains with Blue Marlin Pools East Racing after finishing fourth in the previous championship, just two points away from third. Morgan McLaren-Wood is also listed under the Blue Marlin banner, having appeared with MotoGo Yamaha during the closing round in June.

Jacob Roulstone is back in the mix on the number 112 Honda CBR1000RR-R. The former Moto3 racer was a winner at Phillip Island during February’s ASBK opener, so his return adds another rider with proven pace at this circuit.

Roulstone’s international programme has also included a Moto2 World Championship call-up this year. For the MotoGP crowd, his presence on the domestic grid provides another familiar name to follow.

Lytras gains Addicted to Track support

Perennial privateer John Lytras looks to have picked up useful backing, with Addicted to Track now listed as his entrant and sponsor.

The Queenslander has regularly worked away on his Yamaha against better-resourced opposition. Additional support should pay dividends as he tries to turn that effort into more consistent results further up the order. The entry list does not spell out the extent of the arrangement, but it is a positive development.

Addicted to Track also appears alongside New Zealander Richard Markham-Barrett and his BMW S 1000 RR.

Two other machinery changes appear under the Apex Racing Team banner. Jack Favelle is listed on a Honda CBR1000RR-R after racing an Addicted to Track Yamaha in the previous campaign, while Luca Durning moves from the DesmoSport Ducati to a BMW M 1000 RR.

Hamod returns with Unitek Racing

Marcus Hamod is another rider changing both team and manufacturer, moving from Honda to a Unitek Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

The 18-year-old Wollongong rider’s first full-time Superbike season was cut short by health issues. He now returns with the South Australian team after a positive test at The Bend.

The 2023 Australian Supersport 300 Champion already has experience in the premier class, making this a fresh start rather than a Superbike debut. Both Hamod and team principal Donna Hoeymakers have been encouraged by their initial work together.

Plowman joins the big boys

Ghage Plowman is stepping up to join the big boys on a Yamaha YZF-R1 after finishing fifth in the 2026 Australian Supersport Championship.

The South Australian is one of the more interesting additions to the premier-class list. Moving from the R6 to the R1 brings a substantial increase in power, tyre demands and the physical work involved, with Phillip Island offering a fast introduction alongside some very experienced opposition.

Jake Senior is making an even bigger change in machinery. Ninth in the 2026 Supersport 300 standings on a Yamaha R3, the Victorian now appears on the Superbike list with an R1.

Eddie Leeson also moves across from the support ranks. The Queenslander campaigned a Ducati Panigale V2 in Supersport Next Gen during the previous championship and is now entered on a Yamaha R1.

West Aussies make the long haul

There is a strong Western Australian contingent making the long haul across the Nullarbor, with Ross Hudson, Jayden Martin and Robert Wheeler entered on Yamaha R1s, and Mitchell Carr on a Honda CBR1000RR-R.

Four WA riders in a 29-bike field is a healthy showing, particularly given the distance, transport costs and time away involved in racing on the other side of the country.

Martin adds another lower-capacity racing background to the Superbike field. His recent overseas experience includes the European Yamaha R3 series and Britain’s National Sportbike Championship with Macadam Triumph. He now brings that experience to the R1.

For these riders and their helpers, the commitment extends well beyond three days at the circuit. Getting the motorcycles and equipment across the country, then making the return journey, is a sizeable undertaking before anyone considers tyres, fuel or race preparation.

Japan’s Kota Higuchi returns

Japanese entrant Kota Higuchi will ride the number 92 Suzuki GSX-R1000, joining Trent Binaisse in a two-bike Suzuki contingent.

Higuchi has competed as a privateer in the All Japan Road Race Championship and has Suzuka 8 Hours experience. He also raced the Phillip Island ASBK opener in February 2025, so this is a return visit. His entry lists backing from Bridgestone, Baby Face, Motul Japan and Baba Construction.

The international representation also includes the three riders listed as New Zealanders: Durning, McLaren-Wood and Markham-Barrett. Elsewhere in the machinery mix, Bryce and Jay Van Hoof bring Kawasaki ZX-10Rs, while Scott Bleazby joins Durning and Markham-Barrett in the BMW ranks.

How many will carry on to round two?

A 29-rider provisional entry is good news, especially as it still might grow further before the grid takes shape in a few weeks’ time. How many make the trip to The Bend three weeks later will tell us more about the championship’s strength beyond its opening weekend.

Racing alongside MotoGP or WorldSBK has an appeal all of its own. The chance to be part of the same event as the international stars, race in front of a much larger crowd and give supporters a special weekend can persuade riders to enter who would not otherwise contest a full national campaign.

The challenge is converting a bumper international-event entry into sustained numbers at the standalone ASBK rounds.

The tightly packed opening sequence makes that particularly relevant. Phillip Island is followed by The Bend three weeks later, then One Raceway another three weeks after that. Three rounds in seven weekends should help the championship maintain momentum, but it also puts pressure on people with jobs and businesses to return to between meetings.

Plenty in the paddock have noted how difficult it can be to secure so much time away from their day jobs in quick succession. Transport, preparation and repairs must fit around those commitments, as must the work that pays for the racing.

Our recent chat with Ben Henry about building fast Ducatis and paying the bills illustrated how much effort goes into keeping a team operating. Preparing the motorcycle is only part of it; sponsors also need attention, worthwhile experiences and a reason to remain involved.

Even with those practical concerns, the general feeling in the paddock remains positive. There is support for trying a different calendar, creating a summer focus for the championship and giving the new approach a chance to work.

Phillip Island provides a strong platform from which to launch it. The next task is keeping as many of these riders racing as possible through to the March finale.

Provisional Superbike Entry List

Version 1, dated September 14, 2026.
Entries remain provisional.

2026–2027 ASBK summer calendar

The six-round summer championship starts alongside MotoGP at Phillip Island and finishes under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park. The current schedule includes the confirmed February dates for the second Phillip Island visit.

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