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The 2026 World Superbike (WorldSBK) and World Supersport (WorldSSP) seasons have ended with two riders at the top: Nicolò Bulega of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati and Albert Arenas of AS BLU CRU Racing Team. Both secured their championships before the final race weekend at Jerez, Spain, leaving fans to enjoy a final round of racing while looking ahead to the provisional 2027 calendar.
Bulega closed the year with a record 726 points, while Arenas claimed the WorldSSP crown in his rookie season. Here are the title-defining moments, the final standings and the races fans can look forward to next year.
Nicolò Bulega seals the 2026 WorldSBK championship at Cremona
Bulega became the 2026 WorldSBK champion on September 27 at Cremona Circuit, Italy. A second-place finish in Race 2 was enough to secure his title with two rounds remaining. His Aruba.it Racing – Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona won all three WorldSBK races at Cremona, but Bulega’s season-long advantage proved decisive.
In its official social-media announcement, WorldSBK described the moment with the words “The Shape of Redemption.” It is a compelling headline for a major career milestone, though the championship result speaks clearly for itself.
By the end of the season, Bulega had 726 points, a new single-season WorldSBK points record, finishing 163 points ahead of Lecuona. At the Jerez finale on October 16–18, he won all three WorldSBK races to complete an extraordinary season.
Official race report: Bulega crowned champion at Cremona
Champion celebration photo and records: See Bulega’s title-winning celebration and season records in WorldSBK’s official October 22 article.
Albert Arenas wins WorldSSP in his rookie season
Albert Arenas secured the 2026 World Supersport championship on October 10 at Estoril, with one round still to go. Racing for AS BLU CRU Racing Team on Yamaha machinery, Arenas built his title challenge through repeated podium finishes and the ability to collect points across a competitive season.
The 2020 Moto3 world champion joined WorldSSP for 2026 and made an immediate impact. By the time he clinched the title, he had already won races during the season. That makes his victory at Jerez on October 17 particularly meaningful: it was his first race win as the newly crowned champion, and his fourth WorldSSP victory of 2026, not his first victory of the season.
Arenas finished the championship with 389 points, ahead of Valentin Debise on 308 and Jeremy Alcoba on 274.
Official reports: Arenas crowned 2026 champion and Arenas wins Jerez Race 1.
2026 championship photograph: See Albert Arenas celebrating on the podium in the official WorldSBK October 20 feature. Official photo appears on WorldSBK’s website; not reproduced here.
Final 2026 WorldSBK rider standings
| Position | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolò Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | 726 |
| 2 | Iker Lecuona | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | 563 |
| 3 | Yari Montella | Barni Spark Racing Team | 318 |
| 4 | Sam Lowes | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | 268 |
| 5 | Alex Lowes | bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | 259 |
Ducati riders occupied the first three places in the riders’ championship, while Sam Lowes finished just nine points ahead of his brother Alex Lowes for fourth.
Official final WorldSBK standings
Final 2026 WorldSSP rider standings
| Position | Rider | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert Arenas | 389 |
| 2 | Valentin Debise | 308 |
| 3 | Jeremy Alcoba | 274 |
| 4 | Can Öncü | 263 |
| 5 | Tom Booth-Amos | 230 |
| 6 | Jaume Masià | 229 |
Official WorldSSP final race report and championship standings
How the 2026 season ended at Jerez
Jerez hosted the final race weekend on October 16–18. In WorldSBK, Bulega completed a clean sweep of the weekend’s three races. In WorldSSP, Arenas won Race 1 on Saturday, while Jeremy Alcoba won Sunday’s shortened, red-flagged Race 2 ahead of Kawasaki teammate Dominique Aegerter. Their one-two result closed the WorldSSP season with a notable moment for Kawasaki.
Official Jerez WorldSSP Race 2 report
Are there any WorldSBK or WorldSSP races left in 2026?
No. The Jerez round was the final race weekend of the 2026 season for both championships. The next scheduled racing season starts in February 2027, subject to changes to the provisional calendar.
When does the 2027 WorldSBK season start?
The provisional 2027 WorldSBK calendar begins at Phillip Island, Australia, on February 19–21, 2027. WorldSSP is also scheduled to race at the season opener. The announced calendar features 12 rounds in nine countries and is scheduled to conclude in Shanghai, China, on October 29–31, 2027. Valencia returns to the calendar, while the Chinese round is set to make its debut.
These dates remain provisional, so fans should check the official championship calendar before making travel plans.
Official provisional 2027 WorldSBK calendar
What to follow before racing returns
With both titles decided, attention turns to rider and team announcements, preseason testing, technical development and the teams aiming to challenge the 2026 champions. Bulega’s record season and Arenas’s rookie championship offer two compelling reference points as the next season approaches.
For full race classification, original reporting and updates to the calendar, visit the official WorldSBK website.
Independent motorsport coverage by Creations by Digital PH. This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by WorldSBK, WorldSSP, the FIM, teams or manufacturers.
For another perspective on motorcycle racing, read our MotoGP championship update ahead of Sepang.
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