Motoxracing Yamaha is revising its rider line-up before the WorldSBK visit to Cremona Circuit. Twan Smits will take Bahattin Sofuoglu’s place for the final three rounds of the 2026 season, joining Mattia Rato. Crash.net reported the change.

Cremona is the third-last round on the 2026 WorldSBK calendar. Motoxracing is the only Yamaha team on the grid without factory backing, and it opened the season with Sofuoglu and Rato. Rato moved up from the Supersport class of Italy’s CIV championship, and his place in the team is unchanged.

A full-season WorldSBK opportunity for Smits

Smits has already appeared in WorldSBK as a wildcard at Assen, where he rode a YZF-R1 run by Team Apreco. His results there were 21st in Race 1 and the Superpole Race, followed by 22nd in Race 2. The Motoxracing deal is his first full-season position with a WorldSBK team.

Sofuoglu is heading back to World Supersport from Cremona. He will ride for QJ Motor aboard its SRK 800 RS, returning to a category in which he has previously won a race with MV Agusta. The line-up change therefore sends Sofuoglu back to a championship where he already has relevant experience, while Smits gains the chance to complete the WorldSBK season alongside Rato.