BSB: Carl Fogarty to make stunning return in 2026 as a Ducati team owner

Four-time World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty will return to racing next year as a Bennetts British Superbike Championship team owner.

Fogarty has joined forces with businessman Lee [Lecha] Khouri, who also runs the Superbike Advocates Racing Ducati team in the Australian World Superbike Championship, and will run the 2026 Ducati V4 R.

Of course, the Fogarty-Ducati partnership is one of the most famous in motorcycle racing, with all four of his WorldSBK titles coming in the famous red of Ducati. To this day, Fogarty still has a strong connection with the Italian giants.

Meanwhile, new business partner Khouri has an extensive personal collection of Ducatis, with no less than 66 to his name. Khouri is also a big supercar fan and owns multiple Ferraris such as the iconic F40 and Enzo.

In BSB, Fogarty’s team will partner with Jackson Racing and will run one rider. The aim is to then expand in 2027 to a two-rider effort.

“I’ve been saying for the last few years how I’d like to be involved in a team again and I said I would if it was in Britain,” Fogarty told MCN. “I follow BSB, I know the teams and I want to be in my own bed on a Sunday night. My days of traveling around the world are over.

“The desire has always been there and over the last two years I’ve found myself a little bit bored so I started mentioning the idea to a few people last year and over the winter it all came together pretty quickly.”

Fogarty’s long association with Ducati started in 1992, with the Brit celebrating title glory in 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999. During that time, Fogarty celebrated 55 wins with Ducati, as well as 100 podiums and 21 poles.

It’s not yet known who will represent Fogarty on the track next season, but he’ll be keeping a close eye on potential candidates this year.

“We’ll be looking at somebody who can win straight away. We’ll have a winning team and a winning bike so we want a winning rider from the off. Nothing changes there.”

Fogarty has dipped into team ownership before with the Foggy Petronas Racing effort in WorldSBK back in 2003, running the three-cylinder Petronas FP1. Ever-evolving regulations and homologation complications meant that the 899cc machine was largely uncompetitive, and the team closed its door at the end of 2006.

Fogarty’s return is a huge coup for BSB given his popularity not only within the motorcycle racing industry, but also within the mainstream media following his successful stint on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2014.