WorldSBK: How will the 2024 grid look?

The 2024 WorldSBK is looking to be a new golden era for the Championship with new riders, tracks, and rivals joining the grid next season. With just months until the beginning of the 2024 WorldSBK season, what seats are still available?

Aruba.it Ducati

Alvaro Bautista will remain with his Championship-winning team in 2024, returning with the number one plate. It will be his fifth season with the factory Ducati team, in which he has won two consecutive titles.

Joining the reigning Champions in 2024 will be the reigning WorldSSP Champion – Nicolo Bulega. The Italian is just 24 years old and won the title with the Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team. Bulega won 16 races in 2024, dominating the season from start to finish – onboard the Ducati V2.

Satellite teams

The Barni Spark Racing Team will continue with Danilo Petrucci next season – entering his second season in the WorldSBK class. The MotoGP and Dakar stage winner, had a solid first season, claiming three podiums.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi will have a change of scenery next season, joining the Motocorsa Racing squad. Rinaldi will leave the factory team after three good seasons – winning four races.

There will be a new team and rider to the WorldSBK grid next season, with the Marc VDS Racing Team running a sole Ducati. Sam Lowes will be riding the Ducati Panigale V4 R – ending his Grand Prix career after 10 years.

Another new rider next season will be the shock return of Andrea Iannone, who has not raced since 2019. Iannone received a four-year ban for racing in 2019, ending his Grand Prix hopes. Iannone will ride for Team Go Eleven next year – replacing German, Philipp Ottl in the team.

Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK

Big changes are incoming for the factory Yamaha team, with the six-time WorldSBK Champion – Jonathan Rea joining the Japanese factory. Rea leaves Kawasaki after eight seasons and looked instantly fast in pre-season testing.

Andrea Locatelli will remain with the Yamaha squad next season in his fourth season in the Superbike class. Locatelli had an impressive season in 2023, finishing fourth position in the standings.

Satellite teams

The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team will have an identical line-up next season, with Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner. The team finished fourth position in the standings last year and as the first Satellite squad.

Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team will continue their relationship with Bradley Ray next season. Ray did test with the GMT94 team at the Jerez test but would resign for his second season with Motoxracing.

GMT94 Yamaha decided to sign Philipp Ottl next season for his first season, racing for Yamaha in WorldSBK. The Moto3 race winner claimed his career-best finish in 2023 – finishing fifth in Australia.

Kawasaki Racing Team

Alex Lowes will remain with Kawasaki next season, hoping to claim his first WorldSBK win since 2020. Lowes had a difficult season in 2023, with injuries and crashes causing his results to suffer. The Brit finished 11^th in the standings in 2023 – his worst season since 2016 with Yamaha.

Joining Lowes and completing Kawasaki’s line-up will be Axel Bassani who switches manufacturers. The Italian talent will have his first season on a factory bike next year after showing promise with the satellite Ducati.

Satellite teams

Isaac Vinales will continue to race for TPR by Vinales Racing in 2024, entering his four-year racing for Kawasaki. Issac Vinales is the cousin of MotoGP rider, Maverick Vinales and previously raced in Moto2. The Spaniard had a tough season with TPR in 2023, with a best result of 15^th.

Two teams are yet to confirm their line-up for next year, with Oreclac Racing VerdNatura yet to announce their rider. Another unconfirmed team is Kawasaki Puccetti Racing who had three riders on their machine last season. These two teams are the only two rides left on the grid for next year.

ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

BMW have an exciting line-up next season with Toprak Razgatlioglu joining the German factory. The 2021 WorldSBK Champion has already tested the 2024 machine at Portimao in December. It also ends a four-season-long relationship with Yamaha – winning 37 races with the Japanese factory.

Michael van der Mark will be Razgatlioglu’s teammate next season after months of speculation. It will be his fourth season with BMW, as he hopes for an injury-free season next year.

Bonovo Action BMW

Scott Redding will move to the Satellite team next season, in his fifth WorldSBK season of his career. Redding has had a tough two years with the factory BMW squad, claiming just three podiums (in 2022).

Garrett Gerloff remains with Bonovo Action BMW next season, racing at World Championship level for his fifth year. Gerloff had a solid season in 2023, finishing a season-best of fourth on three occasions.

Team HRC (Honda)

Team HRC will have an unchanged line-up next year with Iker Lecuona returning next season. Lecuona had multiple replacement rides in MotoGP in 2023, and a difficult season in WorldSBK.

Xavi Vierge will also return to Team HRC, after joining the team at the beginning of the 2022 season. Vierge raced with the team in WorldSBK and a one-off appearance at the infamous Suzuka 8 Hours. Team HRC won with Vierge at Suzuka and claimed just one podium in the WorldSBK class.

Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team

It is a brand-new line-up for the MIE WorldSBK Team next year, as they give their WorldSSP riders an opportunity. Tarran Mackenzie will experience his first full WorldSBK season next year, after a tough season in 2023. The 2020 BSB Champion finished 18th in the standings but won an unbelievable race in Most.

Adam Norrodin will also race in the WorldSBK class for the team, in just his second World Championship season. Norrodin finished with a best result of fifth in Most, an impressive result as he moved from the Asia Superbike 1000 class.

It is going to be an exciting year in WorldSBK, with the season beginning in February at Phillip Island.

Image credit: worldsbk.com