WorldSBK – Great Britain – Donington Park – 2026
World Superbike heads to Donington before the summer break
From 10 to 12 July 2026, Donington Park hosts Round 8 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The historic East Midlands circuit is the championship’s final stop before the mid-season summer break, with the next round following in early September at Magny-Cours.
Donington Park holds a unique place in the WorldSBK history books: it staged the very first round of the Superbike World Championship back in 1988 and has remained a near-permanent fixture ever since. For 2026, the British round marks roughly the midpoint of the title campaign – a crucial weekend with bragging rights and championship momentum on the line before the summer shutdown.
The circuit
The 4.023-kilometre National layout of Donington Park winds through 12 corners with a distinctive elevation change. The mix of flowing curves, tight hairpins and the legendary Craner Curves demands a fine balance between grip, commitment and rhythm. The downhill sweep from Hollywood through Craner Curves into the Old Hairpin is among the most iconic sequences in motorcycle racing: the bikes accelerate close to 270 km/h before braking hard for the tight left.
High corner speeds, changeable British summer weather and tricky wind exposure make Donington one of the most demanding rounds of the season – both technically and strategically. Tyre wear and setup decisions often decide the outcome here.
Weekend racing programme
The Donington round features three WorldSBK races plus the full WSBK support package. In addition to the two main WorldSBK races on Saturday and Sunday, the traditional ten-lap Tissot Superpole Race on Sunday morning helps shape the grid for the feature race.
- WorldSBK – 3 races (Race 1 on Saturday, Superpole Race and Race 2 on Sunday)
- WorldSSP – 2 Supersport World Championship races
- WorldWCR – 2 races of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship
- Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup – young talent support cup
What is at stake in 2026
British fans will witness a particularly strong grid in 2026. Miguel Oliveira and Somkiat Chantra have both made the switch from MotoGP to the Superbike class, while home heroes such as Alex and Sam Lowes plus former Moto2 rider Jake Dixon are in action in front of their home crowd. WorldSBK regulars including Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Locatelli round out the field.
Ducati, BMW, Yamaha and Kawasaki all see Donington as a key benchmark: the flowing, aero-demanding layout ruthlessly exposes the strengths and weaknesses of every superbike package on the grid.
Provisional schedule (local time, BST)
The detailed timetable is released by the WSBK Commission a few weeks before the event. The outline below follows the standard format used at European WorldSBK rounds and should be treated as an indicative guide only.
Friday, 10 July
- WorldWCR and Yamaha R3 BLU CRU – free practice (morning)
- WorldSBK Free Practice 1 – morning
- WorldSSP Free Practice – morning
- Yamaha R3 BLU CRU Superpole – midday
- WorldWCR Tissot Superpole – afternoon
- WorldSBK Free Practice 2 – afternoon
- WorldSSP Tissot Superpole – late afternoon
Saturday, 11 July
- WorldSBK Free Practice 3 and warm-ups
- WorldSBK Tissot Superpole – morning
- WorldWCR Race 1
- WorldSSP Race 1
- WorldSBK Race 1 – afternoon
Sunday, 12 July
- Warm-up sessions for all classes
- WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race – morning
- WorldWCR Race 2
- WorldSBK Race 2 – afternoon
- WorldSSP Race 2 – late afternoon
Event facts
Event: MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship – Rd. 8
Date: 10–12 July 2026
Circuit: Donington Park (GP layout), Castle Donington, Derby, United Kingdom
Track length: 4.023 km (National Circuit)
Corners: 12
Time zone: BST (UTC+1)
Website: worldsbk.com · donington-park.co.uk
