Everything you need to know about the four 2025 WorldSBK Rookies
02/14/2025 04:21 AM
You don't watch World Supersport or British Superbikes? Don't worry, here is what you need to know about the three 2025 World Superbike Rookies!
For the 2025 World Superbike Championship, 23 different riders will line up on the grid. The rider market in World Superbikes had not been as explosive as it has been in the past. However, some new faces will be on the grid for the 2025 season.
The four riders will all come from different backgrounds and three different Championships. Two of the new riders are from the World Supersport Championship, one new addition comes from British Superbikes, and one from the Asia Road Racing Championship.
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
Yari Montella has been through several different Championships in the past. The Italian came through the Grand Prix as he won the 2020 FIM CEV Moto2 European Championship, before moving into Moto2 in 2021. However, after that did not work out Montella moved on to World Supersport in 2022.
The 25-year-old has been in the World Supersport Championship for the last three seasons. During his time in the series he has ridden for Kawasaki and Ducati, but he had more success with the Italian manufacturer.
In 2024 the Italian finished third in the World Supersport Championship, during which he rode for the Barni Spark Racing Team. After such an impressive year with seven race wins and seven further podiums the Italian team decided to promote him.
Montella will ride alongside Danilo Petrucci in the Barni Spark Racing Teams World Superbike garage.
Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing)
The first thing that you need to know about Bahattin Sofuoglu is who his uncle is. If you have followed World Supersport in the past you may recognise his last name. Bahattin's uncle is five-time World Supersport Champion, Kenan Sofuoglu.
Sofuoglu grew up training with his uncle and close friend Toprak Razgatlioglu. In 2025 The Turkish rider will join Razgatlioglu in World Superbikes and will continue his uncle's legacy. The 21-year-old will ride for the Yamaha Motoxracing Team, as they expand to a two-rider setup for 2025.
Across the last five years, Sofuoglu has come through the World Superbike system. In 2020 he made his full-time debut in World Supersport 300 with Yamaha, before moving into World Supersport in 2022 with MV Agusta. He stayed with the Italian manufacturer for two and a half seasons before switching to Yamaha at the end of the 2024 season.
Sofuoglu will partner Tito Rabat in the Italian team as he makes his way into World Superbikes.
Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing)
British fans will be excited by the arrival of another British Superbike star into World Superbikes. Ryan Vickers has been given a chance by Motocorsa Racing for the 2025 World Superbike season. The British rider will get to debut on a Ducati Panigale V4 R on the world stage.
Vickers has fought his way through the British Superbike system and arrived in the Championship at a young age. In 2018 Vickers won the British Junior Superstock class by more than 100 points before debuting in BSB in 2019 at the age of 20.
During his six years of domestic Superbike racing Vickers has raced on a Kawasaki, a BMW and a Yamaha. It was during his two-year stint at OMG Racing on a Yamaha R1 that he found his most success in British Superbikes. He won nine races for the team and stood on 11 further podiums across the two seasons.
Vickers will replace Michael Ruben Rinaldi in the Motocorsa Racing squad and will make his debut on the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Zaqhwan Zaidi (Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team)
The 2022 Asia Superbike Champion, Zaqhwan Zaidi, will make his debut in World Superbikes this season. The Malaysian has a wealth of experience in other Championships such as the Moto2 World Championship and World Supersport.
However, his primary levels of success have come in the Asia Road Racing Championships. As well as winning the Asian Superbike Championship the 29-year-old is also a two-time Asia Road Race SS600 Champion.
In 2024 Zaidi raced in the Asia Superbike 1000 class in the Asia Road Racing Championships. The Malaysian rider rode for the Honda Asia-Dream Racing Team on a Honda CBR1000RR-R. He ended the season in sixth place and had two podium finishes.
Zaidi will replace Adam Norrodin in the Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team and will ride alongside Tarran Mackenzie.
The post Everything you need to know about the four 2025 WorldSBK Rookies appeared first on BikeSport News.
