Stefano Manzi
WorldSBK 2026 – GRT Yamaha
Supersport World Championship chief Stefano Manzi will step as much as the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2026 with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Group.
Manzi, who’s presently in his third season with Yamaha within the FIM Supersport World Championship, will make the step into the premier class of manufacturing racing on a brand new, two-year contract with Yamaha Motor Europe.
Stefano Manzi
“I’m tremendous blissful and proud; it is a step that you just dream of when you find yourself using within the smaller courses – you all the time wish to be within the high class. I’m excited to proceed with this undertaking with Yamaha as a result of I began with Yamaha in 2023 and yearly we have now battled arduous and achieved some nice outcomes with progress every season. This 12 months, we began a brand new undertaking with the R9 and it has been going so effectively, so to proceed my relationship with Yamaha with one other new problem is admittedly thrilling. I loved using the Superbike earlier this 12 months, and I’m actually wanting ahead to getting began however for now, my focus stays on doing the perfect job for the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing staff in World Supersport till the tip of the season.”
Twice a runner-up within the Supersport class with Yamaha in 2023 and 2024, Manzi is presently main the 2025 championship on the all new R9, having prolonged his result in 59 factors with an emphatic double victory in Hungary this previous weekend.
9-times a World Supersport race winner on the R6, Manzi impressed by adapting shortly to the R9 for 2025 – successful the brand new Supersport mannequin’s first ever race in Australia earlier than occurring to take one other six victories thus far.
Earlier this 12 months, the 26-year-old examined the R1 WorldSBK for the primary time on the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, exhibiting constant enchancment all through his day on the bike to make a optimistic impression.
Manzi started his worldwide motorbike racing profession within the Purple Bull Rookies Cup, wherein he completed third general in each 2013 and 2014. He competed in Moto3 and Moto2 Grand Prix between 2015 and 2021, attaining a finest results of fourth place in Moto2. He moved to the World Supersport Championship in 2022 and completed sixth general earlier than becoming a member of Yamaha in 2023.
Manzi’s arrival completes the 2026 line-up for the GYTR GRT Yamaha Group, with the Italian set to line-up alongside Remy Gardner who stays with Filippo Conti’s staff for a fourth 12 months subsequent season.
Niccolò Canepa
Highway Racing Sporting Supervisor – Yamaha Motor Europe
“Firstly, I wish to prolong our because of Dominique Aegerter for his arduous work and dedication, not solely over the past three seasons in WorldSBK however previous to that too. He received two World Championships with Yamaha in Supersport earlier than stepping as much as WorldSBK in 2023. Whereas our journey collectively in WorldSBK involves an finish, we’re, collectively along with his administration, exploring the chance to maintain him within the Yamaha household transferring forwards.
“Now’s the time to advertise one other potential Supersport World Champion to the Superbike class, and we’re happy to announce that Stefano Manzi will transfer to WorldSBK with GYTR GRT Yamaha subsequent 12 months, once more an instance of Yamaha’s step-up philosophy, selling the younger expertise already inside our ranks. Over his three years in World Supersport with Yamaha, Stefano has made big progress and we have now been impressed by his method which has finally put him within the place he’s in now, main the Supersport World Championship by 59 factors. He additionally impressed us as he made his debut on the R1 on the latest Misano take a look at, so for us he was a pure alternative for a WorldSBK experience and hopefully he can be making that step as a World Champion.”
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