In his rookie year, Somkiat Chantra made history as the first-ever Thai rider to compete in the MotoGP category, earning his first championship points, a milestone that will forever be etched in the MotoGP record books. Despite facing two injuries that limited his ability to progress consistently, he showed determination and improvement throughout the season.
The entire team thanks Somkiat for his dedication. We wish him success in the next chapter of his career with the Honda HRC Team in WorldSBK. In the meantime, we remain focused on pushing forward, fighting, and making the most of the remaining races of the season together, as we have from the beginning of the year.
Honda Racing Corporation announces Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon as factory riders for its 2026 WorldSBK campaign.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is pleased to announce that Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon will join the Honda HRC factory team for the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship season. Both riders are proven Moto2 race winners with extensive world championship experience. Chantra’s representation of Asian motorsport and Dixon’s European racing heritage combine to form a talented international line-up with the speed and ambition to challenge at the sharp end of WorldSBK.
Taichi Honda – HRC General Manager:
“We are pleased to welcome Somkiat Chantra and Jake Dixon as factory riders of the Honda HRC WorldSBK Team from 2026. Chantra, the first Thai rider ever to win in Moto2 and to race in MotoGP, now takes an important new step within the Honda family, extending his career at the international top level as the first Thai rider to compete full-time in the Superbike World Championship as a factory rider. Dixon, a multiple Moto2 Grand Prix winner, has consistently demonstrated the speed and determination required to succeed in a championship as competitive as WorldSBK. Together, their talent, experience, and racing spirit will be valuable assets as we continue to strengthen our position in the series. We remain fully committed to the WorldSBK project, with a clear goal – to bring Honda back to the top of the championship.”
Somkiat Chantra (born 15 December 1998 in Chonburi, Thailand) currently competes in the MotoGP World Championship with IDEMITSU Honda LCR, having stepped up to the premier class in 2025. A graduate of the Asia Talent Cup, which he won in 2016, Chantra progressed through the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship before joining Moto2 with Idemitsu Honda Team Asia in 2019. He made history as the first Thai rider to win in Moto2 with victories at the Indonesian GP – Mandalika (2022) and the Japanese GP – Motegi (2023). He placed twelfth overall at the end of the 2024 Moto2 season with 104 points.
Jake Dixon (born 15 January 1996 in Dover, England) currently competes in the Moto2 World Championship with the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team. Runner-up in the 2018 British Superbike Championship, Dixon has established himself among the leading Moto2 riders with six Grand Prix victories: 2023 – Assen (Dutch TT) & Catalunya (Barcelona); 2024 – British GP (Silverstone) & Aragón (MotorLand); 2025 – Argentina (Termas de Río Hondo) & Americas (COTA, Austin). He counts a total of 21 podiums (including wins) and eight pole positions in the class.