Now that the 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign is finished, the paddock is buzzing with rider market rumours about who is changing garages and who is staying put. History was made this season when a rookie took the Riders’ Championship for the first time since Dominique Aegerter did so with the Ten Kate Racing Team back in 2020. With new manufacturers rising up and consistent powerhouses returning to the class, 2027 is already shaping up to be another hotly contested fight for the title.
Looking at the returning riders, EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory Racing Team announced that its rider pair, Valentin Debise and Federico Caricasulo, will stay with the squad in 2027. Over at GMT94 Yamaha, one of their two seats is locked down as the team announced a mutual parting with WorldSSP veteran Lucas Mahias, securing Spanish rider Roberto Garcia for next season instead. Czech outfit WRP Racing confirmed that Italian rider Matteo Ferrari will return next season, though Spanish rider Borja Jimenez's status with the team remains unclear. Meanwhile, continuing with the Honda Racing World Supersport Challenge team, Ana Carrasco will press on for her third season in WorldSSP in 2027.
There is plenty of movement happening elsewhere on the grid. The Kawasaki WorldSSP Team has their 2026 rider pair squared away, bringing in 2026 WorldSPB runner-up David Salvador to move up to WorldSSP to ride alongside five-time WorldSSP race winner Jaume Masia. Jeremy Alcoba is trading his green leathers for blue ones after putting pen to paper to sign for the 2027 season with the defending Champion AS BLU CRU Racing squad, where the Spaniard will look to make a splash following a tremendous close to the 2026 campaign. Following Masia's departure, Orelac Racing Verdnatura announced that fellow Spanish rider Marcos Ramirez will join the team after spending the 2026 season with QJMOTOR Factory Racing.
Finally, a major structural shift has arrived from Yamaha Motor Europe, who announced that they and Ten Kate Racing will conclude their partnership after eight years on Yamaha machinery. This means whoever they choose to ride for them next season will not be competing on the R9 platform.
