WorldSBK: Brad Ray confirmed at Motoxracing for 2023

Reigning British Superbike champion, Bradley Ray will make the step up to join the WorldSBK grid for 2023. Ray will join the Motoxracing Yamaha team, sticking with the Japanese Manufacturer for the up-and-coming season.

Bradley Ray will have a delayed wait for the start of his campaign, as waits until Assen, in the Netherlands to start his season. This is due to Ray only competing in the European rounds of the championship.

Ray started his career on minibikes, where he became the FAB-Racing MiniGP70 champion before moving onto bigger bikes. He would later compete in both the British Motostar series and the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Ray would achieve a win in the Red Bull Rookies Cup beating riders such as Toprak Razgatlioglu and Joan Mir.

Unable to find a way into Grand Prix, Ray would return to the UK where he raced a Superstock 600. This experience would allow Ray to make the jump to British Supersport where he would finish third in the championship.

In 2017 he made the step up to BSB onboard a Hawk Suzuki GSXR-1000RR, where he would instantly impress. Finishing in the top ten instantly, he would eventually end the first season in a remarkable sixth position. He would continue with Suzuki and would wildcard at the 2018 Donington Park WorldSBK round achieving points finishes.

He would later switch manufacturers and would join the SYNETIQ BMW TAS team. This would be tough and would struggle in his first year on the bike finishing 13^th in the standings. He would join OMG Racing and would instantly gel with the team, achieving a podium in his first year.

The perfect season

For the 2022 season, OMG Racing would use Yamaha machinery, where Ray would achieve incredible results. Taking nine race wins, 23 podiums, three pole positions, and 11 fastest laps, this would make Bradley Ray the 2022 British Superbike champion. These results sparked interest with Sandro Carusi, who would sign him up for the 2023 WorldSBK season.

Speaking about the move up to WorldSBK, Ray was delighted: “After what’s been an incredible debut year with Yamaha in the UK delivering nine wins and 23 podiums in part one of my career quest to become British Superbike champion, I’m absolutely delighted that Yamaha have rewarded me with this opportunity to take the next step with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team. I’ve dreamed of being World Superbike Champion since my race debut at three years old and I’m only too aware that it wouldn’t be possible without the support of a manufacturer like Yamaha and the team I have around me. I’m very keen to get started in WorldSBK and hope to follow in the footsteps of many of the successful Brits in the Championship. It’s time to take aim for that next title, step by step!”

Sandro Carusi, Team Principal at Motoxracing Yamaha added: “I’m very pleased to welcome Bradley to our team and appreciate that Yamaha has chosen us to follow him as he makes his WorldSBK debut. I’m sure that we can do a great job together. I want to thank Yamaha for the support and particularly for the faith put in us after just one year in WorldSBK.”

Bradley Ray is the 20^th rider to join the 2023 WorldSBK grid and is the fifth rookie confirmed. He will join ex-MotoGP riders such as Remy Gardner and Danilo Petrucci on the grid next year. The Brit will also race against, two-time WorldSSP championship Dominique Aegerter who continues his relationship with Yamaha.

Image from worldsbk.com