A new look and rejuvenated Yamaha Racing Team combined with continued and increased support at every level, are at the heart of the 2026 season for Yamaha at ASBK events.
The new ASBK calendar that will see a shortened five round championship starting in February at Phillip Island and finishing at Queensland Raceway in July, while then swinging into a new phase for the 2027 series that will see the ASBK run through the summer, starting in October and finishing in May 2027.Yamaha Racing Team
YRT enters its 24th year as Yamaha’s official road racing team and the opening round at Phillip Island will mark the 100th ASBK round as team owner for John Redding. Redding’s dedication to racing in Australia is without peer and he continues to devote countless hours and resources to not just YRT, but many of the riders and competitors that roll onto the grid at an ASBK round.
Piloting the YRT YZF-R1M machines will be three-time Superbike champion, Mike Jones and up and coming star, JJ Nahlous. Jones’ signature was announced at the end of the 2025 season, and his new deal will see him on the YRT machine for another two seasons.
Jones is a fiercely determined competitor, yet one of the most respected riders in the ASBK paddock, with years of domestic and international experience. Always a threat any time he rolls onto the track, Jones is back and more motivated than ever to rack up championship number four.
“For the last couple of seasons, we have been in the championship hunt right until the end, but we just need to find a way to make it happen in 2026. As a team we sat down at the end of last year and went through a list of things we all feel we need to do better, and it was an honest discussion where we hope we identified the things that will make us better and get the ASBK championship back in our hands.
“I know the guys have worked hard in the off season and the team has invested in some things we think will improve the bike while I have worked on my riding and I believe we enter this year in better shape than we have been in a while and confident of a successful year,” Jones ends.
The 2024 600cc SuperSport champion, JJ Nahlous, instantly made a name for himself in the Superbike field with his spirited and competitive rides in his first year in the premier class. He instantly gelled with the 1000cc machines and by the end of the year, was standing on the podium at The Bend after taking it to the established names in the class.
Nahlous is young, but he is a student of the sport, and his work ethic and dedication can’t be questioned as he loves riding motorcycles. Any given weekend can see Nahlous cutting laps on an R1 or R3, to switching to a dirt bike and hitting the local motocross track. If it’s got wheels and a motor, Nahlous wants to ride it, fast!
“I had a few offers in the off season and staying on Yamaha and working with YRT was what I believe the best one for me. The team have been super accommodating in getting me set up and willing to do what it takes to help me improve. We have already been able to set some PB’s around SMSP and the knowledge within the team will only help me get faster.
“I’m also looking forward to working with Mike Jones. I already have a good relationship with him and he has assisted me with my riding over the last couple of seasons, so to be up close to him on race day and absorb what he does and how he prepares will be a huge benefit to me and I can't wait to get the year started,” Nahlous confirms.
YRD Support
Yamaha will again offer parts and accessories at race prices for all Yamaha mounted ASBK riders as well as technical support on hand at each and every round of the ASBK series.
Stewart and Janice Winton will again be on deck to support Yamaha riders offering discounted parts and accessories throughout the week, or if you need it on race weekend, its highly liking they will have it on board the YRD support truck at ASBK rounds.
They will carry as many high turnover items as possible to suit the Yamaha R15, R3, R6 and R1 and have EFTPOS facilities on hand for payment.
Join the BLU CRU
If you race a Yamaha at the ASBK rounds in the Superbike, SuperSport 600cc, SuperSport 300cc and the Yamaha R3 Cup and put it on the podium at the end of the day, we want to reward you.
For the first time, Yamaha will make its bonus payments public and as long as you have entered on a Yamaha, run the approved Yamaha logos, race a Yamaha in all races for the that class and finish on the podium at the end of the round, Yamaha want you to be in the BLU CRU.
The equation is simple, race a Yamaha at ASBK rounds, land on the box at the end of the day, send us an invoice and we will throw some money into your account.
The 2026 Yamaha BLU CRU Bonus Bucks are:
Superbike
Race: 1st - $2,000/ 2nd - $800 / 3rd - $300
Round: 1st - $5,000 / 2nd - $3,000 / 3rd - $1,500
Championship: $50,000 / 2nd - $25,000 / 3rd - $10,000.
SuperSport 600cc
Race: 1st - $500 / 2nd $250 / 3rd - $100
Round: 1st $1,500 / 2nd - $750/ 3rd - $500
Championship: 1st - $8,000 / 2nd $4,000 / 3rd - $2,000
SuperSport 300cc
Race: 1st - $400 / 2nd - $200 / 3rd - $100
Round: 1st - $1,000 / 2nd - $500 / 3rd - $200
Championship: 1st - $8,000 / 2nd - $3,000 / 3rd - $1,000
Yamaha BLU CRU R3 Cup
Race: 1st - $250 / 2nd - $150 / 3rd - $75
Round: 1st - $750 / 2nd - $400/ 3rd - $150
Championship: 1st $5,000 / 2nd - $3,000 / 3rd - $1,500
# Win both R3 Cup and 300cc Supersport - $2,000
# All amounts EX GST.
Yamaha Supporting the Sport
Yamaha is the bike of choice at the ASBK. The R series range of bikes are high-performance, cost- efficient race weapons that are versatile as they are reliable. Add to that the only manufacturer funded team at the pinnacle of the sport, the support of riders via discounted parts for any size R machine and now the introduction of the bonus program to every rider on a Yamaha and you already have the biggest racing effort in Australia.
But we are also mindful of our place in growing the sport and will continue to introduce new riders to racing and find pathways for riders looking to take their racing to the next level.
In the ASBK, the ultra-successful Oceania Junior Cup, is a joint Yamaha and Motorcycling Australia venture that continues to bring in new riders to racing. And have several years, data shows the majority of these young riders coming into racing are staying with it long after they leave OJC. The grids in the 300, 600 and now Superbike fields are littering with former OJC riders, and it shows no signs of slowing down for 2026.
The R3 cup will continue for 2026 and 2027 and to be ran over multiple rounds for 2026, despite the shortened series. First stated in Australia nearly 10 years ago, the Yamaha R3 Cup is now run in several countries and regions as well as taking on world status in the WSBK.
In additional to this, Yamaha will again assist female racers, Tayla Relph and Avalon Lewis as the contest the FIM World Circuit Racing (WCR) for 2026. Both riders were inside the top 10 at the end of their 2025 campaign and both will be back for another crack in 2026 hoping to improve after the lessons learnt last year.
The Yamaha BLU CRU Asia Pacific R3 Cup has been a regular to our shores in recent years with another two rounds scheduled to be ran in Australia this season. Their championship will kick off at Sydney Motorsport Park and then move to The Bend circuit in SA with no less than 10 riders flying the Australian flag at the events, with nine of them in for the complete series, all with Yamaha Motor Australia assistance.
Throw in support for Jack Miller that included motocross and training bikes while here in Australia, assistance to Carter Thompson as he embarks on an international career and the support of all Yamaha teams here for the opening round of WSBK and you only then begin to understand the backing Yamaha Australia provides to its riders, teams and customers.
It all gets underway on February 20 at Phillip Island.