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The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is in the history books, but the rider market is still in full swing with 2024 seats filling up fast. With some future paths changing direction and several seismic shifts in next year’s rider market, we summarise the situation in terms of what we know so far. Latest update: December 19^th. 

SIGNED. DEAL. DONE DEAL: all five factory line-ups locked in as Rea, Razgatlioglu headline MAJOR shake-up; Iannone confirmed at Team GoEleven

Let’s take a look at whose future is secured. The latest is Jonathan Rea who, despite having a contract for Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK for 2024, will race for the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad alongside Andrea Locatell who remains with the team until the end of 2025, like Rea. Of course, Rea’s bombshell move was only made possible by Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) shock switch to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team for next season, with two of the ‘Titanic Trio’ on the move for 2024. The third member of that illustrious group, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), has his future secured and he was one of the first factory riders to be confirmed for next year. His 2024 teammate was confirmed in early September to be WorldSSP star Nicolo Bulega, as he graduates straight to the factory Ducati team. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) also has a contract in the bag. At long last, Razgatlioglu’s teammate was confirmed ahead of the Aragon Round as Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). On Friday at Portimao, the name of Rea’s replacement was made clear. Axel Bassani will leave Motocorsa Racing at the end of the current campaign and link up with the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK in 2024, partnering Alex Lowes. Ahead of the Spanish Round, Team HRC became the fifth and final factory squad to announce their line-up. Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge will remain with the team for two more years.

Several Independent riders are signed up for next year. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) confirmed he had a 2024 contract and would remain with the team and will be partnered by Scott Redding, who moves over to the Independent team and out of the factory one, whilst a new squad will make their debut next year. Marc VDS Ducati are bringing Sam Lowes across from Moto2™ with the Brit able to race against his twin on the world stage. Finally, Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will have a place on the grid next season with Yamaha, and it’s now confirmed he’ll be racing with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team alongside Remy Gardner in 2024. Between Magny-Cours and Aragon, Danilo Petrucci was also confirmed. After months of speculation, including Gigi Dall’Igna saying Andrea Iannone would race for an Independent Ducati squad in 2024, his future was confirmed. ‘The Maniac’ will link up with the race-winning Team GoEleven squad for his return to competitive action. The fourth Independent Ducati squad to announce their rider line-up was Motocorsa Racing, as they drafted in the departing Bassani’s rival, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, to replace the #47. The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team squad will have two new riders for 2024. After competing in WorldSSP with the team in 2023, Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin will compete for the same team in WorldSBK next year. After GMT94 Yamaha team boss Christophe Guyot stated that they were looking at other riders who contacte the team for 2024, it was announced that German rider Philipp Oettl will take Lorenzo Baldassarri’s place at the Independent Yamaha squad. There will be a second season for Bradley Ray at the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team after he inked a new contract with the outfit for his sophomore WorldSBK season. Tito Rabat will continue with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing after signing one-year deal with the Italian squad. After the release of the 2024 WorldSBK Entry List, now the grid for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike Championship is complete, with 23 riders all set for another exhilarating season.

Summarised 2024 rider line-up with confirmed riders. 

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK: Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati: Alvaro Bautista and Nicolo Bulega

ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark

Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK: Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea

Bonovo Action BMW: Garrett Gerloff and Scott Redding

GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team: Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner

Marc VDS Ducati: Sam Lowes

Barni Spark Racing Team: Danilo Petrucci

Team GoEleven: Andrea Iannone

Team HRC: Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge

Motocorsa Racing: Michael Ruben Rinaldi

PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team: Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin

GMT94 Yamaha: Philipp Oettl

Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team: Bradley Ray

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing: Tito Rabat

2023's in the record books but 2024 is already underway - follow the off-season news and testing using WorldSBK VideoPass!