Marc Reiner Schmidt (Photo FIM/XIEM)
With two thrilling victories in the Superpole S1GP, Marc Reiner Schmidt (Team 11) is crowned 2026 World Champion with one heat to spare. Making his debut on the Ducati, the German rider leads the Borgo Panigale manufacturer to success.
Two excellent second-place finishes for Steve Bonnal. In the Rookies Cup class, one win each for Raphael Payet (KTM) and Melvin Viola (Gazza Racing).
Qualifying took place in adverse weather conditions; cold wind and rain made the Mettet street circuit even more technical and difficult, which in this 2026 edition changed its layout with a longer off-road section and a faster asphalt section.
Marc Reiner Schmidt (Team 11) was consistently the fastest in every session, followed by Steve Bonnal (TSV Racing) and, surprisingly, Gabin Pernat (Team Insane Parts Suzuki). Marc Reiner Schmidt secured the three points for the super pole and extended his lead in the standings.
Race One
Marc Reiner Schmidt failed to capitalize on his pole position and at the first corner had to give way to Steve Bonnal who, thanks to a perfect getaway, managed to put his wheels ahead of the standings leader. Behind him, a great start for Elia Sammartin, who slotted into third position, while the very young Raphael Payet moved into fourth place.
Steve Bonnal tried to hold on to the lead, but during the third lap Marc Reiner Schmidt made a clean pass at the end of the longest straight; the German immediately managed to build a slight gap that led him to win the first heat ahead of Bonnal. Sammartin, with a flawless race, took home third place. Julen Avila Cortes, after a difficult start to the race, had to push hard to recover up to fourth position.
Excellent performance for wildcard Edgardo Borella, who finished in sixth place. In the Rookies Cup, it was Raphael Payet who took home the victory.
Fast Race
At the start of the Fast Race, Steve Bonnal tries to get his wheels ahead of Marc Reiner Schmidt, but by the second corner the German has taken the lead. The Ducati rider immediately set an incredible pace, and Steve Bonnal couldn’t keep up, having to settle for second place at the finish line.
Behind the top two, Elia Sammartin once again showcased great speed and determination, having to defend against attacks from Julen Avila Cortes in the final laps; unfortunately, the Italian rider was demoted in the standings because he failed the noise test at the end of the race. In the Rookies Cup class, Melvin Viola (Gazza Racing) takes home the victory in this second heat of the day. Thanks to this win, Marc Reiner Schmidt is World Champion with one race to spare.
Albert Arenas clinches the 2026 WorldSSP title
Albert Arenas has secured the 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship at the Circuito Estoril, adding to his 2020 Moto3 crown and becoming only the second rider, after Sandro Cortese, to win world titles in both categories.
Arenas also joins an elite group of riders to win the WorldSSP title in their rookie season immediately after competing in Moto2, following Sandro Cortese (2018), Andrea Locatelli (2020) and Dominique Aegerter (2021).
Arenas took control of the championship early in the season, moving into the lead at the opening round after securing his first WorldSSP victory in Race 2 at Phillip Island. The title battle remained closely contested, with Jaume Masia taking over at the top of the standings before Arenas reclaimed the championship lead in Hungary.
From there, the AS BLU CRU Racing Team rider maintained his advantage through the remainder of the campaign before sealing the title at the Tissot Estoril Round.
With three races remaining, Arenas holds an 89-point advantage over his closest challenger, Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory). His title-winning campaign has so far included 3 victories and 16 podium finishes, underlining his immediate impact in his first WorldSSP season.
“It has been super special to come up and start from Race 1, get the first victory, then fight for the lead of the championship and be able to be so consistent. It feels so good and so special to give this title to my team. They did an incredible job throughout the whole season, and it’s amazing to see the hard work they’ve put in, also for Yamaha. I’m super happy about the achievement and, of course, we have three more races and we’ll focus 100% on trying to deliver more performance, but it was a nice, nice championship,” Arenas said.
A second World Championship
Arenas first made his mark in international competition in 2011 before progressing through the European Moto3™ Championship and into the Moto3™ World Championship.
During five seasons in Moto3, Arenas collected four victories and eight podium finishes, culminating in his first World Championship title in 2020. He moved to Moto2 the following year and spent five seasons in the intermediate class before making the switch to WorldSSP for 2026.
His move to the production-based championship immediately reignited his title-winning form. After taking his first WorldSSP victory at Phillip Island, Arenas established himself as a consistent front-runner and ultimately became a World Champion once again in his rookie campaign.
