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SOMKIAT CHANTRA
Most recently, a single-year MotoGP rider inside the LCR Honda squad, Thai rider Chantra first came to wider notice as the winner of the Asia talent Cup( designed to help young riders along the path of full MotoGP engagement). That job was clearly done in Somkiat’ s case, if only during last season, but he arrived in MotoGP as a two-time Moto2 race winner, as well as scoring two further podiums and two pole positions. As part of a completely changed HRC rider line-up in 2026, almost everything will be new for Chantra, but coming from an even more extreme form of racing motorcycle in MotoGP, Somkiat is in a great position to make a strong impact, even in his first WorldSBK year.
Team Honda HRC Motorcycle Honda CBR1000RR-R SP Date of birth 15 / 12 / 1998
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Nationality Great Britain
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WorldSBK RIDERS
AXEL BASSANI
Another product of national racing and the junior classes inside WorldSBK, Bassani was rated as a simply very good rider until he was the somewhat surprising pick for the Motocorsa Ducati WorldSBK team’ s foray into WorldSBK in 2021. Axel would go on to score podiums and become the top Independent Rider more than once, before joining KRT in 2024. His first year as a factory rider was a tough lesson in some regards, but on the 2025 bimota KB998 he showed flashes of his undoubted talent on a bike with a chassis made in his home country of Italy.
Team bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team Motorcycle bimota KB998 Rimini Date of birth 24 / 07 / 1999
Nationality Italy
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