He’s just really hit his stride—and now he’s already gone. Twan Smits is taking the next leap in his career and moving to the Superbike World Championship with Yamaha. The 22-year-old Dutch rider will finish out the season for Moto X Racing in WorldSBK. While this is a bitter loss for EURO MOTO Superbike, it’s a major step up the career ladder for Smits.
The promotion is a logical step. At the last two race weekends in Assen and at the Nürburgring, Smits swept the board both times: pole position and then both victories. You can hardly make a stronger case for yourself.
And yet the Dutchman is only in his second year racing a Superbike in the EURO MOTO series. He has now also completed his first test ride on the World Championship Yamaha. “This R1 is truly next level,” says Smits. Braking later, plenty of electronics, and endless possibilities that come with them. In short: this toy has gotten even more powerful. “It’ll take some time to tap into the bike’s full potential,” the Dutch rider acknowledges. The first signs of progress have already been noted.
“I still can’t find the words to describe how I feel,” says Smits. The WorldSBK had been his biggest dream ever since he started racing in the R3 Cup. When Yamaha called, he could hardly believe it at first. And suddenly, his first World Superbike Championship weekend in Cremona is just around the corner, set for September 25–27. And if he manages to score his first World Championship points right away, it would be the perfect debut—exactly what he’d hoped for.
Smits has withdrawn from the EURO MOTO final at Hockenheim. His Apreco Team Yamaha will have to manage without him. The dates conflict. On the other hand, it’s for the best. Smits is part of Yamaha’s “bLU cRU” program, which is designed to support talented riders from the Junior Cup through the national series all the way to the World Championship. For him, the plan seems to be working out quite well right now.
