WorldSBK: Scott Redding switches to Bonovo Action BMW to replace Baz

BMW has announced their 2024 WorldSBK line-up with Scott Redding moving to Bonovo Action BMW.

Before the WorldSBK paddock heads to Aragon, BMW confirms their line-up for the 2024 season. Michael van der Mark will stay with the team and race alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu at the factory team.

Scott Redding will be forced to switch teams next season, this time to the Bonovo Action BMW squad. He will replace Loris Baz in the team and will race alongside Garrett Gerloff next year.

Scott Redding is currently 11^th in the WorldSBK standings, after a mixed season onboard the BMW M 1000 RR. His best finish of the season came at Most with a fourth-place finish in Race One. Redding was rumoured to be in talks with multiple manufacturers before deciding to remain with the German brand.

Michael van der Mark is down in 17^th in the WorldSBK standings after a tough season for the Dutchman. After suffering an injury at Assen, van der Mark was forced to miss four rounds of the Championship. His best finish of the season came at the start of the season in Indonesia with a sixth-place finish.

WorldSBK has seen dramatic moves ahead of the 2024 season, with Toprak Razgatlioglu joining BMW. Jonathan Rea also will make the switch to Yamaha next year, leaving Kawasaki after six titles. Michael Ruben Rinaldi is now left without a ride next season with Nicolo Bulega stepping up to the factory team.

Dr. Markus Schramm, Director of BMW Motorrad, said: “Four great BMW Motorrad factory riders in our two strong BMW teams – with this new allocation, we are set up superbly for the WorldSBK season 2024.

“Scott Redding is a great racer, and we appreciate that he is staying true to our BMW Motorrad World Superbike project by bringing his skills to bear in the Bonovo Action BMW team.

“His experience, speed, and expertise in particular, will be a key component as we optimise our collective goals together with Garrett Gerloff and the whole team.

“The addition of Toprak Razgatlioglu allows us to distribute our factory riders perfectly across our two competitive teams. Together with Michael van der Mark in the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, we have the ideal line-up for the overall project.

“Collaborating closely with our BMW Motorrad Motorsport engineers, both teams will use the feedback from the riders to make continuous, collective improvements to the motorbike. We also believe that having two teams with top riders will also raise the internal competitive pressure.

“That also helps to lift the overall performance levels. We are convinced that this new line-up for riders and teams represents another important step as we move closer to the top of WorldSBK with our project.

“Finally, I would like to thank Loris Baz for our collaboration. He will leave the World Superbike project after the end of the current season. After two seasons that he contested for the Bonovo Action BMW team, we wish him all the best for the future.”

Image credit: worldsbk.com