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Mattia Rato reflects on an “incredible” first day aboard the MotoxRacing WorldSBK Yamaha R1.
After being announced as Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s replacement at MotoxRacing Yamaha for the 2026 WorldSBK season, Mattia Rato quickly got his first taste of WorldSBK machinery. Moving up from the CIV Italian Supersport Championship to the highly competitive World Superbike class, Rato faces a significant challenge despite his best sixth-place finish two years ago in Imola. Adapting to the powerful 1,000cc machinery at Jerez during the post-race test in October, Rato acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to the new bike’s braking characteristics. Although Rato was initially dissatisfied with his performance, he remains optimistic about his ability to progress and become more competitive over time. Despite feeling too slow at the moment, Rato is determined to continue testing and improving before the 2026 WorldSBK season kicks off.
