Superbike Advocates Racing will join the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Tommy Bridewell as its rider, the team confirmed on the eve of the season. Owned by Australian entrepreneur Lee Khouri and operating out of the UK, the squad will skip the opening round in Australia and make its on-track debut at the Pirelli Portuguese Round in Portimão on March 27–29. The accelerated timetable—originally aimed at a 2027 entry—makes this the first fully Australian-owned team to contest WorldSBK, the team says.
What they bring to the grid
– Rider: Tommy Bridewell — a seasoned competitor with deep British Superbike experience.
– Machine: Ducati Panigale V4 R — a competitive platform with a strong power-to-weight ratio and proven electronics suite.
– Base: UK workshop for logistics and supplier access, with Australian ownership and direction.
Why they’re starting in Portugal
Skipping the Australian opener is a deliberate trade-off. Shipping to and from Australia carries high costs and complex logistics; by beginning in Europe the team frees up workshop time and concentrates testing on circuits that recur through the European swing. That focus should speed setup convergence and improve reliability during a compressed development window—at the cost of missing early championship points and the real-race data an opener supplies.
Technical approach and priorities
Superbike Advocates Racing is taking a pragmatic, telemetry-led path. The programme pairs a compact technical crew with a WorldSBK-proven Ducati V4 R platform and centres on:
– Electronics calibration: iterative firmware updates to traction control, engine braking and wheelie management.
– Chassis and suspension: rapid geometry and valving adjustments driven by rider feedback and high-frequency data.
– Tyre strategy: modelling degradation curves and tailoring maps for sprint and feature formats.
– Logistics and parts management: staged deployments to match European rounds and reduce freight complexity.
Because the staff is small, the team will prioritise reliability and usable race pace over chasing marginal qualifying times. Quick decision loops between Bridewell, race engineers and data analysts will be crucial: concentrated testing, off-session analysis and short software-hardware cycles replace a long, drawn-out validation programme.
Tommy Bridewell’s role
Bridewell’s value goes beyond outright speed. Since turning pro in 2007 he has contested hundreds of BSB races, accumulating podiums and wins and demonstrating steady, adaptable racecraft. His detailed feel for chassis balance, front-end feedback and tyre behaviour helps engineers turn subjective sensations into concrete setup changes—fork settings, shock rates and traction-control curves. That practical insight should shorten calibration cycles, especially across closely scheduled European events.
Strengths and trade-offs
Pros
– A competitive base machine in the Panigale V4 R with ready aftermarket support.
– A compact, experienced crew able to make quick, coherent decisions.
– Bridewell’s deep BSB know-how, which can accelerate setup stability and tyre management.
– Concentrated European testing that reduces logistical overhead and speeds iterative learning.
Cons
– Fewer opportunities to score points by missing the opener.
– Less live-race validation early in the year, which rivals contesting every round will accumulate.
– Limited on-site engineering bandwidth and spare-part inventories compared with factory squads.
– The compressed timeline raises the risk of unresolved software or setup edge cases surfacing at race weekends.
Operational model and leadership
Lee Khouri leads the project through Supercar Advocates, combining Australian ownership with a UK-based technical operation. Key figures include Alan Jackson, focusing on rider liaison and track operations, and Technical Director Mick Shanley, who brings MotoGP and WorldSBK experience. The governance separates commercial oversight from race engineering, with modular units—race engineering, data analysis, tyre management and logistics—feeding a central telemetry stack. That structure aims to shorten feedback loops and prioritise interventions based on measurable telemetry rather than guesswork.
Market and competitive context
WorldSBK is a crowded mix of manufacturer-backed teams and privateers. New entrants typically focus on reliability and incremental gains during their first season. This team’s Australian ownership is a distinctive commercial story that could attract regional sponsors keen on both Australian and European exposure. Technically, the challenge will be converting national-spec familiarity into world-level competitiveness—especially in electronics integration and tyre strategy—while managing supplier relationships and spares logistics.
What they bring to the grid
– Rider: Tommy Bridewell — a seasoned competitor with deep British Superbike experience.
– Machine: Ducati Panigale V4 R — a competitive platform with a strong power-to-weight ratio and proven electronics suite.
– Base: UK workshop for logistics and supplier access, with Australian ownership and direction.0
What they bring to the grid
– Rider: Tommy Bridewell — a seasoned competitor with deep British Superbike experience.
– Machine: Ducati Panigale V4 R — a competitive platform with a strong power-to-weight ratio and proven electronics suite.
– Base: UK workshop for logistics and supplier access, with Australian ownership and direction.1
What they bring to the grid
– Rider: Tommy Bridewell — a seasoned competitor with deep British Superbike experience.
– Machine: Ducati Panigale V4 R — a competitive platform with a strong power-to-weight ratio and proven electronics suite.
– Base: UK workshop for logistics and supplier access, with Australian ownership and direction.2