Zhang Xue, founder of the Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Zhang Xue Motors, has addressed the sudden retirement of rider #53, Valentín Debise, during the second race of the 2026 World Superbike Championship (WSBK) Round 4 in Hungary. The incident occurred on May 3 at 20:00 Beijing time, when Debise, riding the Zhang Xue 820RR-RS, was forced to pull out early in the first lap due to a mechanical issue.
In a swift response on social media, Zhang Xue stated that the preliminary diagnosis points to a drop in engine oil pressure, which led to the failure. “It’s a mechanical problem. Unfortunately, we had to retire. That’s racing—anything can happen,” he said. He added that they are communicating with the team to analyze the root cause and will work on a solution quickly, noting that each team is allowed only three engines per rider and that such issues can affect any brand when operating at the limit.
Despite this setback, Debise had earlier won the first race on May 2, marking Zhang Xue Motors’ third victory of the WSBK season. As of the end of the Hungary round, Debise holds 97 total points, placing him third in the rider standings.
Zhang Xue emphasized the team’s commitment to improvement: “We will identify the problem, find a fix, and optimize the engine for future races.”