P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Honda rider Xavi Vierge will officially join Pata Maxus Yamaha for the 2026 WorldSBK season, replacing six-time champion Jonathan Rea.
Xavi Vierge, the Honda rider, will be joining Pata Maxus Yamaha for the 2026 WorldSBK season, replacing Jonathan Rea, the six-time champion. The Spaniard, Vierge, made his decision ahead of the recent Aragon race weekend to switch from the CBR1000RR-R to the Yamaha R1 for the upcoming season. Vierge’s four-year tenure with the Honda HRC team included a notable podium finish at the 2023 Indonesian round. Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Sporting Manager, Nicolo Canepa, expressed satisfaction with Vierge joining their team and highlighted his experience in Superbike and Grand Prix racing. With Vierge’s arrival alongside Locatelli at Pata Maxus Yamaha, and Manzi moving up to join Gardner at GYTR GRT Yamaha, Yamaha now boasts a lineup of four promising young riders for the next season. Despite previous discussions with GoEleven Ducati, Vierge ultimately settled on the Japanese marque for his 2026 WorldSBK campaign.
