Dixon out for season opener after turn 11 crash this morning

WorldSBK 2026

Phillip Island Test – Day Two
February 17, 2026

Jake Dixon Out

Honda HRC rider Jake Dixon’s WorldSBK campaign has been dealt an immediate setback after the Brit crashed at Turn 11 on his opening lap of Day Two at the official test at Phillip Island this morning.

Dixon was transported to the circuit medical centre for evaluation, where scans confirmed fractures to his left wrist and a contusion to his left elbow. He will now travel to Melbourne for further specialist assessment.

As a result of the injuries, Dixon has been declared unfit to compete in this weekend’s Australian Round.

The timing compounds the frustration for Honda. Dixon had been the fastest Honda rider on Monday, his 1m30.492 placing him tenth overall and within striking distance of the top six.

Jake Dixon was tenth quickest on Monday – Image RbMotoLens

The injury leaves Honda HRC without either of its permanent 2026 race riders for the season opener. New signing Somkiat Chantra was already sidelined through injury, with Tetsuta Nagashima confirmed to stand in for the Thai rider this weekend.

Whether Honda opts to field a second replacement at such short notice remains unclear.

For a project that showed incremental gains during the off-season, the loss of both full-time riders before the opening lights go out represents a significant blow to the big-budget HRC effort.

Honda HRC without either of its permanent 2026 race riders for the season opener.

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2026 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship calendar

……Date…….	Country	Circuit	WorldSBK	WorldSSP	WorldSPB
20-22 Feb	AUS	Phillip Island GP	X	X
27-29 Mar	POR	Algarve Int’l	X	X	X
17-19 Apr	NED	TT Assen	X	X	X
1-3 May	HUN	Balaton Park	X	X
15-17 May	CZE	Most	X	X	X
29-31 May	ESP	MotorLand Aragon	X	X	X
12-14 Jun	ITA	Misano – Marco Simoncelli	X	X	X
10-12 Jul	UK	Donington Park	X	X
4-6 Sep	FRA	Nevers Magny-Cours	X	X	X
25-27 Sep	ITA	Cremona	X	X	X
9-11 Oct	POR	Estoril	X	X
16-18 Oct	ESP	Jerez – Angel Nieto*	X	X	X

2026 World Superbike Championship Entry List

Rider	Bike	Team
I.Lecuona	Duc	Aruba.It Ducati
N.Bulega	Duc	Aruba.It Ducati
D.Petrucci	BMW	ROKiT BMW Motorrad
M.Oliveira	BMW	ROKiT BMW Motorrad
A.Locatelli	Yam	Pata Maxus Yamaha
X.Vierge	Yam	Pata Maxus Yamaha
Y.Montella	Duc	Barni Spark
A.Bautista	Duc	Barni Spark
A.Lowes	Bim	bimota by Kawasaki
A.Bassani	Bim	bimota by Kawasaki
S.Chantra	Hon	Honda HRC
J.Dixon	Hon	Honda HRC
S.Manzi	Yam	GYTR GRT Yamaha
R.Gardner	Yam	GYTR GRT Yamaha
S.Lowes	Duc	ELF Marc VDS
L.Baldassarri	Duc	Goeleven
T.Mackenzie	Duc	MGM Racing
G.Gerloff	Kaw	Kawasaki WorldSBK
A.Surra	Duc	Motocorsa
M.Rato	Yam	Motoxracing
B.Sofuoglu	Yam	Motoxracing
A.Iannone	Duc	Cainam Racing