Who could move to World Supersport in 2027? (Part 1)

In previous articles, I shared my predictions about who could reach the Moto3 World Championship from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup or MotoJunior (Part 1 and Part 2), and who could move up to the Moto2 World Championship from the European Championship (here) or from Moto3 (here). This time, the focus shifts to the WorldSBK paddock, and I will more precisely make some predictions about the Supersport World Championship. Such predictions are based, as in the previous articles, on results and other factors, including certain patterns that have emerged over the past few years.

Here is Part 1, focusing on the riders likely to join the WorldSSP from the Moto2 World Championship.

DISCLAIMER: This article contains analysis and predictions based on results and other factors. Therefore, it should not be considered as confirmed news.

Tony Arbolino

The Italian rider was until a few years ago one of the top names in Moto2. However, he is now going through a difficult time, which includes lack of results and several changes (impacting team and management) happened during just few years. Every time he seems to turn things around, he ends up struggling once again. His deal with REDS Fantic Racing for 2026 feels like a last chance and, if he cannot find the right direction, he may be forced to consider a move to the Supersport World Championship, which would still offer an excellent opportunity to relaunch his career. Unless his management, which is Fabio Quartararo's agency, can work a small miracle.

Sergio García

After a difficult 2025 season, where he even parted ways with the MSI team before mid-season, returning to the Moto2 World Championship with the ITALJET Gresini Moto2 team looked like a great opportunity to rebuild his career. He was not necessarily expected to fight for victories as he did in 2024, but at least to become a regular top ten finisher. However, things are going much differently: in the opening eleven GPs of the 2026 season, García has scored only five points, all by finishing 11th in the chaotic Le Mans race. Apart from that, he has consistently finished outside the points, sometimes even beyond twentieth place.

At this rate, García's place in the Moto2 World Championship is hanging by a thread, and his Spanish nationality also plays a role. I will explain this later on...

Alonso López

Personally, I think he will remain in Moto2 and could even stay with ITALJET Gresini, especially because he has partly redeemed himself after a difficult 2025 campaign and generally scored good results before his injury at Brno. However, someone like López, who has won races and collected multiple podiums from 2022 through early 2025, is expected to deliver more than that. The first eleven GPs of the 2026 season have been for López like tuna pasta: enjoyable enough and perfectly satisfying if you like tuna, but lacking that "wow" factor. The "AlonShow" he often delivered in previous years is kid of missing.

His situation is somewhat similar to what Albert Arenas lived in 2025: not an extraordinary season, but still a positive one (in fact Arenas lived his best season in Moto2). How did that end? Arenas was not re-signed by Gresini and instead chose to move to World Supersport. Whether the same will happen to López remains to be seen, but it cannot be ruled out, especially considering two factors that could work against him.

1. His injury at Brno, and the three races he missed because of it, came at a stage of the season which is often critical in contract negotiations for the year after.
2. His Spanish nationality, which brings us to the next point.

Quick Note #1

It is well known that MotoGP Sport Entertainment Group is OK with seeing riders from heavily represented countries leave the World Championship, in order to maintain as much variety in nationalities as possible. Spain, for reasons we all know, is one of those countries.

In a situation like this, it is hardly surprising that Spanish riders who have been in the Moto2 class for several years and deliver good, though not exceptional, results eventually find themselves without a seat. The situation is naturally different for rookies such as José Antonio Rueda and Ángel Piqueras in 2026 (the latter also spent a long period sidelined with fractures sustained in the Austin crash). However, if their performances fail to improve and simply level off, they could face the same risk in 2027 and 2028.

We have seen a number of examples during the last few years, including Jaume Masiá, Jeremy Alcoba and the rather "extreme" case of Marcos Ramírez: "Capitán Andalucia" was left out of the Onlyfans American Racing team at the end of 2025, despite having already signed a contract for 2026, to leave room for Filip Salac...
This is nothing surprising. Already back in 2024, Carmelo Ezpeleta had told Speedweek that the intention was to make the Grand Prix fields more international and kind of closer, under this aspect, to what we see in the Olympics.

Quick Note #2: Arón Canet and Adrián Huertas

Speaking of Spanish riders who may leave Moto2, I will briefly mention Canet and Huertas. I will not go into detail: this article focuses on the Supersport World Championship, while both riders currently appear to be heading toward World Superbike, at least according to multiple media outlets. Canet is expected to partner Sam Lowes at Marc VDS, something that was reportedly already agreed back in 2025. For what concerns Huertas, he may return riding a Ducati machine and that would round up a circle, as he became the 2024 Supersport World Champion with the Italian manufacturer. Whether things will unfold this way remains uncertain, but these appear to be the most likely scenarios.

Zonta van den Goorbergh

The young Dutch rider, whom I interviewed back in 2022 (and I may interview him again for an "update"), is experiencing his fifth Moto2 World Championship season and the fifth one with the Momove Idrofoglia RW Racing Team. Across those five seasons, however, the son of former racer Jurgen van den Goorbergh has never truly made a breakthrough, managing only occasional points finishes and rare top ten results.

There were already rumours linking him to the Supersport World Championship and Ten Kate Racing Yamaha for 2026, but in the end he stayed where he was. With Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing expected to replace at least either him or Ayumu Sasaki, that scenario now looks increasingly likely. Unless his manager, Edoardo Rovelli, can somehow work some magic and secure him another Moto2 ride, perhaps even with a stronger team than the one he is in currently.

Ayumu Sasaki

While van den Goorbergh's chances to remain in Moto2 are not that solid, his teammate Sasaki finds himself in a very similar situation. The Japanese rider has shown little improvement compared to 2025 and has scored points only four times in the opening eleven races. At times luck has not been on his side, like when in Brazil he couldn't even start due to a technical issue, but overall his performances have been very similar to those of last season. At this rate, it is difficult to imagine Sasaki securing a seat with a top Moto2 team (somethign he shared with Palmen in Motorradsport in 2025), unless he brings significant financial backing.

As mentioned, either Sasaki or van den Goorbergh will almost certainly have to leave Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing after this season. If things do not improve, even the rider who once fought for the Moto3 World Championship title may have to consider a move to Supersport.

I will wrap up with two more names.

Mario Aji: In my opinion, his Moto2 journey will come to an end after this season. If that happens, a return to the Asia Road Racing Championship seems more likely, although I could be wrong.

Joe Roberts: His performances have been inconsistent and below those of his teammate Filip Salač, who has been in good, and often excellent, form. However, American passport and his long established relationship with the OnlyFans American Racing team could help him keep his Moto2 seat.

See you soon for Part 2, where we will look at riders from other championships who could make the move to the Supersport World Championship.