Honda recorded its first top-10 finish of the 2026 WorldSBK season as Jake Dixon brought the CBR1000RR-R home ninth in Race 1 at the Italian round. The result came after a difficult start to the weekend for the rider: a crash on his first timed Superpole lap left him starting the race from 18th position.

Dixon’s view is that the final result understated the bike’s potential. He said Honda had supplied a package capable of fighting around sixth or seventh, but the deep starting position created a long recovery task. During that effort he lost time behind Alessandro Bassani and Andrea Locatelli, before having to defend from Álvaro Bautista later in the race. Dixon felt he had more pace available, yet could not make the crucial section of the circuit work strongly enough to continue his progress through the field.

Progress, with a faster step still needed

Dixon also linked his stronger showing to improved fitness, noting that he has not raced much during the year. He credited Honda for the work already completed and for gradually learning more about the motorcycle. His present assessment is that the CBR1000RR-R is operating at roughly a seventh- or eighth-place level, while its development now needs to become faster and more aggressive. The ninth-place finish therefore gives Honda a tangible first top-10 result, but Dixon’s own benchmark is higher: he believes the package can reach the fight for the positions immediately ahead.