Riichi Takahira wrote his name into the history books at Circuito Estoril today by claiming the FIM Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup crown, becoming the very first Japanese rider to take the title after a wild season finale.
Only four points stood between Takahira and title rival Xarly Mendez of the Dominican Republic arriving at the final round. Aymon Bocanegra of Brazil, fresh off a win on Saturday, also sat mathematically in the fight should disaster strike both leaders. Mendez had commanded the standings for large stretches of the year before Takahira seized the initiative at the previous stop in Cremona.
Saturday brought a sixth-place finish for Mendez, leaving him four points behind Takahira to start the last race. Unfortunately, his championship bid vanished just three laps in with a crash at Turn 7. He managed to remount and finish the distance, but running outside the points meant the dream was over.
Takahira's rookie campaign had started quietly with a pair of seventh-place results at Balaton Park. A runner-up finish at Aragón in Round 2 proved he was finding his feet, before a stunning double victory at Magny-Cours in Round 4 blew the championship wide open. Another win at Cremona pushed him to the summit of the standings. At Estoril, a fourth-place result and a seventh-place finish were all he needed to lock down the 2026 FIM Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup honors. The focus now shifts toward earning him a Yamaha-supported seat in the 2027 FIM Sportbike World Championship.
Despite the heartbreak of his early-race crash, Mendez held onto the runner-up spot in the final standings. Meanwhile, Brazil's Aymon Bocanegra rounded out the top three overall, adding a third-place finish to his Saturday victory.
Out on the track, the final race victory went to Chris Clark of the USA, with Emanuele Pastore of Italy coming home in second place.
Reflecting on his championship triumph, Riichi Takahira said: “I am so happy to win the championship. The race was very crazy, so I tried my best to get the best result possible. It has been an incredible season. Thank you to all of my family and everyone who has supported me.”
