Superbike Advocates Racing looks back at the first half of its debut WorldSBK season

A debut campaign defined by determination, continuous improvement and growing confidence as the Anglo-Australian team prepares for the final four rounds

Superbike Advocates Racing only came into being at the start of 2026, but the rookie team has already made a strong impression, delivering a string of increasingly impressive results in the Superbike World Championship with rider Tommy Bridewell.

The Anglo-Australian squad made its WorldSBK debut at the Portimão round in March. With little time to complete any pre-season testing, the team knew that it was facing a steep learning curve and that the first race weekend would also serve as a test bed for Bridewell and his Panigale V4 R. BSB-veteran Tommy faced an additional challenge, in that many of the WorldSBK tracks would be new to him. But despite it all, the team very much hit the ground running, already reaching the points zone in Race 2 in the Algarve.

“There’s still a lot to learn of course, but you can’t expect to do it all in one weekend”

Using the third round, at the Assen TT Circuit, to really build on those initial foundations, the team stood out in qualifying before bagging more points in Race 1. A new track for the British rider, Hungary’s Balaton Park posed a challenge, but the squad rose to the occasion and, despite a crash in Race 2, the weekend proved positive overall. Superbike Advocates Racing headed into round 5, at Autodrom Most, with a lot more information and knowledge.

“We started this project not knowing exactly where we’d be, and now we’re fighting against factory teams”

The Czech round marked a turning point for the team, with Bridewell able to bank points in all three of the weekend’s races. After a rather difficult Friday, the squad worked hard to identify the best possible setup for the Panigale V4 R. The solution allowed Tommy to battle against factory riders and ultimately score two top ten finishes in Sunday’s races!

“I think this is testament to the efforts of my team, and myself, that we are able to keep making this kind of progress”

Round six at Spain’s Motorland Aragón brought the team its biggest points haul to date. Already strong in practice, thanks also to a useful test session at Misano, Tommy qualified a solid eighth for the weekend’s races. A lightning start to Race 1 propelled the British rider up into the leading group, his impressive pace allowing him to fight up at the sharp end and secure his first top five race finish! Sunday brought more positive race results, only heightening the team’s drive and motivation moving forward.

“For the team and I to finish top five in the world is a big statement”

Considering the results on Spanish soil, Tommy had high expectations heading into round seven, at Italy’s Misano World Circuit. A few technical niggles on Friday hindered the team’s progress but qualifying nevertheless brought an encouraging P9 for Bridewell. The rider worked hard to reach the points zone in both long races but was left a little disappointed with the race results, which perhaps didn’t reflect the team’s efforts over the course of the weekend.

“We want to continue the upward trajectory, but we know that’s not always going to be easy”

An exhilarating weekend at World Ducati Week soon followed, with Tommy lining up for the Race of Champions alongside a host of current MotoGP and WorldSBK riders. More than able to hold his own despite the level of competition, Bridewell crossed the line an impressive P6, ahead of several MotoGP riders, including a certain Marc Márquez.

From WDW, the team travelled straight to Donington Park for its home SBK round. Keen to do well at a track he knows inside out, Tommy’s motivation was clear to see as the work got underway on Friday. Qualifying on row three and spurred on by the support of his home crowd, the Superbike Advocates rider made a very convincing start to Race 1. Pushing from start to finish, the Brit was able to effectively overcome a minor technical issue and finish top five for the second time this season.

“I rode with my heart today, and we were able to equal our best ever result”

Now fifteenth in the championship standings, Bridewell is eager to build on momentum during the second part of the season. With four rounds remaining - at Magny-Cours (France), Cremona (Italy), Estoril (Portugal) and Jerez (Spain) - Superbike Advocates Racing is using the summer break to rest, reset and regroup before returning refreshed and ready for the final push.