South Australia has secured another major event, winning the rights to hold an annual round of the global FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) on a multi-year deal. The event will be held at the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend for the championship’s 41st season from 2028. Dr Sam Shahin, Managing Director of Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, said today’s announcement secures the long-term future of one of the world’s premier motorcycle racing championships for South Australia and represents another milestone in a vision that began when The Bend opened in 2018.
“Securing WorldSBK is a significant achievement for The Bend and today’s announcement marks a historic day for motorsport and for South Australia. From the outset, our vision has been to create a proud facility capable of attracting the world’s leading motorsport categories and hosting the highest levels of international competition. A decade on, we celebrate a major milestone; WorldSBK is coming. This championship is set to bring the top motorcycle manufacturers, teams and riders to South Australia, creating a powerful platform that will showcase our venue, our passionate motorsport community and our state to a global audience,” Dr Shahin commented.
The inaugural event at The Bend is expected to attract thousands of interstate and international visitors. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said securing WorldSBK further strengthens South Australia’s position as Australia’s motorsport capital and will deliver significant economic, tourism and profile benefits across the state.
“Securing WorldSBK further strengthens South Australia’s position as Australia’s motorsport capital and will deliver significant economic, tourism and profile benefits across the state, and in particular our regions. South Australia has built one of the strongest motorsport portfolios in the country. From the world-class facilities at The Bend to the Adelaide street circuit, we are attracting premier events, passionate fans and global attention.” Premier Malinauskas commented “With WorldSBK joining MotoGP, the Adelaide 500 and the AirTouch 500 Enduro, this announcement reinforces our commitment to motorsport and reflects our determination to ensure South Australia remains the home of motorsport in this country. It also provides a pathway for the next generation of riders, engineers, officials, volunteers and motorsport enthusiasts to engage with world-class competition right here at home,”
WorldSBK and MotoGP are the two pinnacles of world championship motorcycle racing, both sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia and FIM – the global governing body. MotoGP is contested on purpose-built prototypes, while WorldSBK is the world’s premier production-based championship — raced on heavily modified versions of the Yamaha, Ducati, Honda, BMW and Kawasaki superbikes sold in showrooms. These bikes reach speeds approaching 340km/ which is faster than an Australian Supercar and within striking distance of a Formula 1 car, putting the world’s leading manufacturers in direct competition. The Bend has established itself as one of the most advanced and versatile motorsport facilities in the world. Purpose-built to host international competition, the venue features premium accommodation, corporate facilities and multiple circuit configurations capable of supporting the world’s leading motorsport categories. WorldSBK Sporting Director Gregorio Lavilla said the move to Shell V-Power Motorsport Park represented an exciting new chapter for the championship.
“We are delighted to announce The Bend as the future home of the Australian Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship.Australia has always held a special place within WorldSBK, and it remains an important market for our championship, manufacturers, teams and fans.” Mr Lavilla commented “The Bend is an impressive venue with exceptional facilities and a strong commitment to motorsport. We believe it provides an outstanding platform for WorldSBK and we are excited to begin this journey together from 2028,”.
The Bend will join the list of iconic international venues to host this world-class championship, which is contested across a global calendar and draws a substantial international audience both at the events themselves, as well as broadcast, digital and social media platforms.
“WorldSBK has an incredibly passionate global fanbase and we look forward to welcoming them to The Bend and delivering an event experience that reflects the significance of this championship and its place on the international calendar,” Dr Shahin commented.
Further details will be released over the coming months, but fans are encouraged to register their interest today at thebend.com.au to be the first to hear about event and ticketing information for the first Australian Round at the Bend in February 2028.