2025 WorldSBK line-up: Who has signed, who is rumoured?
10/03/2024 06:15 AM
This is how the 2025 World Superbike grid is shaping up after ELF Marc VDS Ducati re-signed Sam Lowes for next season:
| 2025 WorldSBK Rider Lineup: | ||
| Rider | Team | Contract |
| Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing - Ducati | End of 2025 |
| Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing - Ducati | End of 2025 |
| Jonathan Rea | PATA Prometeon Yamaha | End of 2025 |
| Andrea Locatelli | PATA Prometeon Yamaha | End of 2025 |
| Alex Lowes | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | End of 2025 |
| Axel Bassani | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Multi-year contract |
| Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | End of 2025 |
| Michael van der Mark | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | End of 2025 |
| Iker Lecuona | Team HRC | End of 2025 |
| Xavi Vierge | Team HRC | End of 2025 |
| Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team | End of 2025 |
| Yari Montella | Barni Spark Racing Team | End of 2025 |
| Garrett Gerloff | Kawasaki Puccetti Racing | End of 2025 |
| Ryan Vickers | Team Motocorsa Racing | End of 2025 |
| Sam Lowes | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | End of 2025 |
| TBA | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Independent Team, Yamaha |
| TBA | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Independent Team, Yamaha |
| TBA | Petronas MIE Racing Honda | Independent Team, Honda |
| TBA | Petronas MIE Racing Honda | Independent Team, Honda |
| TBA | Team GoEleven | Independent Team, Ducati |
| TBA | GMT94 Yamaha | Independent Team, Yamaha |
| TBA | Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team | Independent Team, Yamaha |
Ducati:
So far in WorldSBK there is only one rider contracted to ride a Ducati in 2025. Nicolo Bulega signed a two-year deal when he joined last season so he is set to stay for next season.
Alvaro Bautista has finally put pen to paper to remain with Ducati in 2025. The Spaniard is going into his fifth season with the team in 2025.
After a successful weekend at Portimao, the Barni Spark Racing Team re-signed Danilo Petrucci for the 2025 season. Barni Spark will also be extending to a two-rider team in 2025 as they confirmed that they will promote Yari Montella from World Supersport to Superbikes.
ELF Marc VDS Ducati has made the expected decision to re-sign Sam Lowes for the 2025 season. The British rider will get a second year in the Superbike class.
Motocorsa Racing Ducati will replace Michael Ruben Rinaldi with Ryan Vickers from the British Superbike Championship.
Andrea Iannone has yet to put pen to paper to remain in his satellite Ducati squad despite winning at the last round in MotorLand Aragon.
Yamaha:
Both the Pata Prometeon Yamaha riders Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli are locked into deals to stay with the team for the 2025 season.
When it comes to the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team though neither of their riders have signed for 2025 yet. Remy Gardner has missed out on a return to MotoGP in 2025, so he will most likely stay in WorldSBK with GRT Yamaha. Dominique Aegerter's future at this point is completely unknown, but rumours suggest he could return to World Supersport in 2025.
The talk is that Philipp Oettl will most likely be replaced in the GMT94 Yamaha squad.
Augusto Fernandez could look to join Yamaha in WorldSBK as he has been pushed aside by KTM in MotoGP. The Spaniard has been linked to a test rider role for Yamaha in MotoGP, but did tell Motorsport.com: "The idea is to continue with a big bike, if I don't get anything in MotoGP™ I'll go to World Superbike, I won't go to Moto2™, that's for sure."
Yamaha could promote to WorldSBK is Stefano Manzi. The Italian has ridden for Ten Kate Yamaha for two seasons and is currently third in the World Supersport Championship. Manzi will most likely replace Aegerter in the GRT Yamaha squad.
Alessandro Delbianco has also thrown his hat in the ring for a return to WorldSBK in the 2025 season. The Italian rider replaced the injured Aegerter and did wildcard with the Motoxracing Yamaha team at Cremona. Delbianco will likely replace Ray in the 2025 season, with the British rider heading back to British Superbikes.
Kawasaki:
The Kawasaki Racing Team will become the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team for the 2025 season. The team may be changing name and machinery but the rider lineup will stay the same. Both Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani have committed their future to the team.
Just before the Portuguese WorldSBK round Garrett Gerloff and Kawasaki Puccetti Racing announced their partnership for 2025. Puccetti will run the current KRT Ninja ZX-10RR machines next year.
Rinaldi has also confirmed that his manager has been speaking to Manuel Puccetti about a ride in 2025. The Italian could join forces with the American in the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing squad next year.
BMW:
Both Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark will remain in the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team for the 2025 season.
However, there is currently no BMW satellite squad for the 2025 season. This is because the Bonovo Action BMW announced their departure from WorldSBK at the end of the 2024 season. This departure has now left Scott Redding without a ride for the 2025 season.
Honda:
Spaniards Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge are contracted to remain with Team HRC for the 2025 WorldSBK season.
Petronas MIE Racing Honda has not announced their 2025 lineup yet. Tarran Mackenzie has done a good job in his rookie WorldSBK season and deserves to stay. However, there had been rumours that his team-mate Adam Norrodin will be replaced next season.
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