Another major piece of the rider market puzzle has snapped firmly into place as Honda HRC announced that Somkiat Chantra will return for 2027. His 2026 campaign has been heavily limited and marred by injury, but this renewal stands as a clear vote of confidence from Honda HRC in his potential for both the remaining rounds of 2026 and the full championship to come.
Fresh off a head-turning wildcard appearance in MotoGP, both Chantra (carrying the #35) and teammate Jake Dixon (the #96) have clearly demonstrated improved pace through the most recent rounds. Even after a largely rain-abridged preseason ahead of their rookie season as full-time WorldSBK riders, Chantra managed to tie his season-best result of P13 across all three races over the weekend at Cremona. Alongside Dixon's own upward trend, the Honda CBR1000RR-R SP riders are becoming a machine to watch as the paddock heads into the final two rounds, suggesting the squad has finally unlocked something in the setup.
Reflecting on the new deal, Chantra shared his enthusiasm: “I am very happy to continue with Honda HRC in WorldSBK for another season. This year has been a new challenge for me, with a new Championship, a new bike and many new tracks to learn, but step by step I have gained experience and a better understanding of the CBR1000RR-R SP. I really appreciate the trust that Honda HRC continues to place in me, and I want to thank the team for all their hard work and support. I feel that we still have great potential to improve together, and I am very motivated to keep working, make further progress and achieve stronger results in 2027.”
Honda HRC General Manager Taichi Honda echoed that positive outlook on the future: “We are very pleased to continue with Somkiat for the 2027 season. This year he has approached his first WorldSBK season with great commitment and a very positive attitude, working closely with the team and our engineers as he has adapted to a new Championship. We believe there is still significant potential to develop together, and the continuity of our rider line-up will be important as Honda HRC continues to work on strengthening our WorldSBK project. We look forward to continuing this journey with Somkiat and seeing him take further steps forward in 2027.”
Fans can catch Chantra in action at the penultimate round at Estoril, which kicks off on Friday, October 9th.
