Ahead of the 2026 WorldSBK season, rookie Jake Dixon has shared his feelings on joining the official HRC team.
The 29-year-old British rider joins HRC after six years in the Moto2 World Championship that saw him win seven races in all. A switch to WorldSBK, of course, is a return to Dixon’s roots, to some extent, having been a race winner in BSB before transitioning to the World Championship in 2019.
For Dixon, the move to Honda is something he says he’s “always dreamed of”, and that the team was “welcoming” to him even if the scale of the project was “intimidating” at first.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be a factory Honda HRC rider and to represent Honda in WorldSBK,” Dixon said.
“Being part of this project is something I’ve always dreamed of and I’m genuinely excited to get started and begin this new chapter. When you join a factory project like this, you know there will always be new things to try and learn, and you also need to be smart and use your time effectively.
“Having such a strong and experienced crew around me makes a huge difference.
“Meeting the team for the first time was a little intimidating, I admit, simply due to the project’s size and scale, but everyone was extremely welcoming and that gives me confidence heading into the season.
“I truly believe 2026 will be a year of learning and growth, and I know the team will help me develop step by step.”
Dixon admitted that the CBR1000RR-R he will race this year is a machine that “demands respect”, after crashing three times in his first test at Jerez last November.
“As for the CBR1000RR-R, it’s a powerful machine that demands a lot of respect, so right now the focus is on really understanding it and knowing when to take risks and when not to, rather than trying to be a hero,” he said.
“Our track time during winter testing was limited due to bad weather, but riding in the wet was useful anyway, especially for me as a Superbike rookie on a new bike, because every lap helps me to build experience.”
The seven-time Moto2 race winner is not the only British addition to the HRC WorldSBK setup this year, though, as Jonathan Rea joins as test rider.
The six-time WorldSBK Champion rode the CBR1000RR-R for the first time at January’s test in Jerez, giving similar feedback to Dixon according to the 2026 rookie.
“It’s also great to work alongside a strong test team: Nagashima has already done a fantastic job, and the arrival of Jonathan Rea is a real asset for Honda,” said Dixon.
“We know each other quite well and exchanging ideas and feedback has been very positive. Our comments about the bike seem similar too, which is important for development.”
