Stefano Manzi will ride for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team in the 2026 World Superbike Championship.
The 2025 World Supersport Championship leader, Stefano Manzi, will step up to World Superbikes in 2026 with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Manzi has put pen to paper on a two-year World Superbike deal with Yamaha Motor Europe, after completing three years with the manufacturer in World Supersport.
The Italian was given the opportunity to test the Yamaha R1 earlier in the season and impressed the Yamaha bosses with his performance on the Superbike.
"I am super happy and proud; this is a step that you dream of when you are riding in the smaller classes – you always want to be in the top class," Manzi said.
"I am excited to continue with this project with Yamaha because I started with Yamaha in 2023, and every year we have battled hard and achieved some great results with progress each season.
"This year, we started a new project with the R9 and it has been going so well, so to continue my relationship with Yamaha with another new challenge is really exciting.
"I enjoyed riding the Superbike earlier this year, and I am really looking forward to getting started but for now, my focus remains on doing the best job for the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team in World Supersport until the end of the season."
Niccolò Canepa - Road Racing Sporting Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe, added: "Now is the time to promote another potential Supersport World Champion to the Superbike class, and we are pleased to announce that Stefano Manzi will move to WorldSBK with GYTR GRT Yamaha next year, again an example of Yamaha’s step-up philosophy, promoting the young talent already within our ranks.
"Over his three years in World Supersport with Yamaha, Stefano has made huge progress and we have been impressed by his approach which has ultimately put him in the position he is in now, leading the Supersport World Championship by 59 points.
"He also impressed us as he made his debut on the R1 at the recent Misano test, so for us he was a natural choice for a WorldSBK ride and hopefully he will be making that step as a World Champion."
