CFMOTO takes over WorldWCR as Yamaha prepares for Moto3
CFMOTO will supply the entire WorldWCR field from 2027, adding another dimension to a racing programme that now spans Grand Prix success, investment in Kalex and a growing range of performance motorcycles.
Yamaha’s R7 will make way for CFMOTO’s 675SR-R in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship next season, with the Chinese manufacturer securing an exclusive supply agreement covering 2027, 2028 and 2029.
The change brings a three-cylinder motorcycle, increased performance and a new technical challenge for the riders. It also gives CFMOTO something with considerable value beyond the results sheets: an entire FIM World Championship competing on one of its own production-based motorcycles.
For a manufacturer steadily expanding its racing involvement and showroom range, that is a significant development. For Australian riders who have watched CFMOTO establish a strong presence through local importer Mojo Motorcycles, particularly with the hugely successful 450MT, it is another indication of the scale of the company’s ambitions.
Yamaha’s founding role comes to an end
WorldWCR announced on October 8 that its partnership with Yamaha Motor Europe would conclude at the end of the 2026 season. Confirmation of CFMOTO’s appointment followed on October 9, with separate announcements from the championship and manufacturer.
Yamaha supplied the R7 machinery on which WorldWCR was established in 2024, while technical partner JiR helped deliver the support required to put a new championship on track.
Since the opening round at Misano in June 2024, the series has welcomed 55 riders representing 25 nationalities. Ana Carrasco claimed the inaugural title, with Maria Herrera following in 2025.
That foundation deserves recognition. Creating a championship requires motorcycles, technical support, and a workable structure that lets riders and teams compete. Yamaha and JiR were central to making that possible.
A new motorcycle and new tyres
The 675SR-R uses CFMOTO’s own 675 cc three-cylinder engine. According to the championship announcement, the new platform will provide around 15 horsepower more than the current machinery, while all riders will continue to compete on identical motorcycles.
That figure is the organiser’s comparison between the championship platforms. The final WorldWCR race specification has yet to be detailed in these announcements.
The machinery change will also coincide with Michelin becoming the championship’s sole tyre supplier in 2027.
For the riders and their crews, that means learning a new motorcycle and a new tyre package together. They will need to reassess familiar reference points for braking, corner entry, throttle application, and race-long grip.
The likely sporting consequence is a greater premium on adaptation during testing and the opening rounds. Riders who quickly understand the triple’s power delivery and how it interacts with the Michelin tyres could establish an early advantage.
Experience and racecraft will still count, but the change creates an opportunity for the competitive order to move. It also makes the quality and availability of pre-season testing particularly important.
Lavilla describes the more powerful motorcycle as a means of helping riders develop their skills while preserving the equal technical conditions that underpin WorldWCR.
Supplying a championship carries a different responsibility
CFMOTO’s own announcement says its commitment includes race bike preparation, spare parts supply and an on-site technical team. The company also describes the appointment as the first time a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer has been selected to supply an entire FIM World Championship-level one-make series.
That commitment to support is one of the most significant parts of the announcement.
A championship supplier must keep an entire grid running with consistent machinery, sufficient spares, and technical assistance available throughout the season. Reliability and the ability to repair motorcycles between sessions become part of the brand’s public performance.
Commercially, the appeal is clear. Every race, podium battle and championship-winning performance will feature a CFMOTO. The 675SR-R gets a regular international showcase, with a direct link to a motorcycle customers can buy.
The technical lessons could also be useful. A field of identical machines, ridden by different competitors over a season, creates opportunities to learn about durability, component wear, set-up and serviceability.
The measure of success will be how well that operation serves the riders. Consistent performance, manageable running costs and prompt technical support will matter throughout the field.
Samantha Liu – General Manager, CFMOTO Motorsports Management
“Becoming the official motorcycle supplier for the 2027–2029 WorldWCR seasons marks an important new chapter in CFMOTO’s global motorsport journey.”
From Grand Prix partnerships to deeper involvement
CFMOTO already has a substantial World Championship story to tell.
Its Moto3 involvement began in 2022 through the PrüstelGP operation using KTM machinery. Australian Joel Kelso subsequently raced for the team and took a podium at Phillip Island in 2023.
The partnership with Aspar then delivered an exceptional 2024 campaign. David Alonso won 14 races and the Moto3 riders’ title, with CFMOTO and the team also securing the constructors’ and teams’ championships.
CFMOTO’s presence extends into Moto2 through Aspar, whose machines use Kalex chassis and the category’s control Triumph engines.
The new agreement places a CFMOTO production platform and its own engine at the centre of the competition, creating a closer connection between the racing programme and the showroom product.
The 675SR-R already has competition experience in the British Sportbike Championship through Moto Twelve. CFMOTO also says Aspar riders and technical staff contributed to testing and development of the production motorcycle.
The company’s racing involvement now has a deeper engineering dimension, too. CFMOTO has acquired a 51 per cent stake in Kalex.
Taken together, the Aspar partnership, Kalex investment and WorldWCR supply agreement show a company building several different routes into international racing: successful teams, engineering expertise and responsibility for a complete racing platform.
Yamaha’s next move adds another twist
Yamaha already has another major championship supply programme on the horizon. In June, MotoGP and Yamaha announced that the Japanese manufacturer would become Moto3’s exclusive motorcycle supplier from 2028 through 2033.
That project centres on a new racing prototype based on Yamaha’s CP2 production engine platform, extensively reworked for Grand Prix competition.
It puts an interesting perspective on the WorldWCR handover. Yamaha will leave one championship supply role while preparing for another.
China’s growing presence in the WorldSBK paddock
CFMOTO’s arrival also fits a wider shift already evident across the WorldSBK paddock.
Kove’s Beñat Fernández won the final WorldSSP300 riders’ title in 2025. QJMOTOR has established a World Supersport programme, while ZXMOTO took WorldSSP victories in 2026 with Valentin Debise.
These manufacturers run separate programmes, but together they show the growing breadth of Chinese participation in international motorcycle racing.
The provisional 2027 calendar builds on that relationship, with Shanghai International Circuit scheduled to host the WorldSBK and WorldSSP season finale on October 29–31.
WorldWCR’s provisional six-round calendar remains in Europe, starting at Portimao and ending at Cremona. The championship is not currently scheduled to race at Shanghai.
Nevertheless, the CFMOTO announcement explicitly highlights stronger ties with China, along with opportunities to reach new audiences and explore new destinations.
Australia already knows the scale of CFMOTO’s ambitions
In Australia, CFMOTO’s progress has been clearly evident through Mojo Motorcycles.
The brand has established considerable strength in road motorcycles, with adventure bikes a major part of that story. The 450MT has been a standout sales success, giving CFMOTO a prominent place in a segment that matters enormously to Australian riders.
Alongside that road motorcycle growth sits an already substantial rural business, particularly in side-by-side vehicles.
A broader performance push
CFMOTO’s development of the V4 SR-RR adds further context. The company has already demonstrated a pre-production 997 cc V4 prototype and claims more than 210 horsepower, showing the direction it is taking at the upper end of its sportsbike range.
A future WorldSBK or premier-class MotoGP programme would require its own technical, commercial and sporting commitments.
For WorldWCR, the immediate task is to make the transition work for its riders. The announcements raise practical questions about the final race specification, detailed support arrangements, and the costs facing entrants. How those are resolved will help determine whether the new package improves both the opportunity to compete and on-track performance.
For CFMOTO, delivering that programme successfully would strengthen its standing with riders, teams and championship organisers, while giving its production motorcycles a sustained presence in FIM World Championship racing.
