As the Superbike World Championship continues, teams and riders are already working on what is to come for 2025 and beyond, with many teams still not having their places secured. Some changes are still expected.
Riders looking for a spot on the grid
The biggest name without a contract for the next season is current champion Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who chose to sign a one-year contract last season. Both riders from the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), Bradley Ray ( Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) have not signed for the next year. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) is also without a contract, while teammate Axel Bassani has a multi-year contract – of course, next year, it will be the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) revealed last year that he was signed for 2023 and 2024, so he is another free rider for 2025. In other teams, Andrea Iannone’s contract (Team GoEleven) expires at the end of 2024.
What is already known
Iannone addressed rumors about his future in Assen, stating: ‘I’m happy they’re talking about it. I know that if I’m on top, I have many chances. My goal is to be on a factory team, but we’ll see. I’m happy because after a long time I felt many things and interest from many manufacturers. I’m honored. I think after Assen in Misano we’ll know more about this’.
Alex Lowes was also asked about the silly season in Assen, and #22 said: ‘I really don’t know, it’s too early. As we’ve seen in MotoGP and in previous years in Superbikes, everything starts very early. We have a break after the Assen round, so maybe there will be more news during the break. As for me, I still don’t know’.
At BMW, van der Mark responded to rumors about his future, and clarified that all he wants now is to deliver results. When asked about the rumors linking Iannone to BMW, van der Mark simply replied: ‘I need good results and that makes everything a little easier’. During FP1, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers talked about his choice of riders for 2025, refusing to give any information: ‘We are happy with how things are going and it is too early to say anything’.
Although his future is secure, Razgatlioglu was asked who he wanted as a teammate and declared van der Mark as his preference: ‘I’m happy with Michael as a teammate and the atmosphere in the garage is very good and we work well together. If BMW asks me, it’s easy to say that Michael is a good teammate, a cool guy and respectful; we work together in the race and in Superpole’.
Gardner was quoted by Motorsport-Total.com where he said he has an option for 2025 to be with GRT Yamaha, while Aegerter – in the same article – said: ‘The conditions must be right’ to stay with the team and that there are ‘other alternatives’ for the two-time World SSP champion.
Source: WorldSBK
