The EAB Racing Team will have an all-new look for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign as they switch both manufacturers and riders for next year. The team have drafted in experienced campaigner Niki Tuuli as they swap the Yamaha YZF-R6 for the Ducati Panigale V2 for 2024. Although the team have worked with the Italian brand before, in STK1000, it will be the first time they’ve used the Panigale V2 since Ducati returned to WorldSSP last season.

In 2018 and 2019, the Dutch team raced with the Kawasaki ZX-6R before a partnership with Ten Kate Racing in 2020 meant they first used the Yamaha machine. They stuck with the R6 bike when that partnership ended after just one year, with current rider Glenn van Straalen once again linking up with the team in 2021. He’s been their sole rider for the past few seasons, but a new challenge awaits the team and they have opted to bring in Tuuli for next season as they switch to the Bologna-based manufacturer. 

The Finn is an experienced WorldSSP figure with 82 races under his belt already. The 27-year-old has scored two wins and 10 podiums so far in his career as well as two pole positions. His best Championship finish is seventh, which he scored in 2017 and is currently matching this season as he competes for PTR Triumph on their Street Triple RS 765. For 2024, the two-time MotoE™ race winner will switch to EAB Racing and Ducati.

The Italian brand will be Tuuli’s fifth that he’s competed on in WorldSSP. He started his career out with Yamaha in 2015, 2016 and 2017, securing four podiums in the early stages of his career as he made sporadic appearances in his first two campaigns for Kallio Racing. In 2017, he was a full-time rider for the Finnish outfit, and he took his first win at Magny-Cours that year. For 2018, Tuuli made five appearances for the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda squad before leaving WorldSSP for a few seasons. He returned in 2021 with the MV Agusta Reparto Corse squad, competing with the Italian brand for two seasons and winning Race 1 in Indonesia with their F3 800 RR machine, before he switched to PTR Triumph in 2023; taking their sole podium in Race 1 at Mandalika.

Discussing the switch to EAB Racing and Ducati for next year, Tuuli said: “First of all, I want to say thanks to the EAB Racing Team for give me this opportunity. I also want to thank the people at my side who made this possible. This is a great change for me to show the real potential and I think, as a Finnish rider, I will fit well in the team. I have followed the team for many years and the atmosphere is good. I am motivated and me and the team will work well together. The first thing to do is prepare everything ready during the winter to start the year in best way. It certainly takes time to adapt to a new bike, but the complete package is there to fight for the top spots. I am ready to start to work with the team and I am super happy with this move. On to next year and many thanks to everybody involved.”

Team Manager Kor Veldman added: “I am happy that we signed Niki Tuuli for 2024. We have had contact with each other before in the past and it is nice to start the new season together. We are therefore very confident that we can show great things together in the new season. In 2024 we will no longer ride the trusted Yamaha YZF-R6 but a Ducati Panigale V2. This will be a new challenge for both of us as a team and for Niki. The first parts have already arrived in the workshop, so from now we can build everything up for the first test in December. I would like to thank everyone who helped making this possible and we are going in to 2024 with full confidence.”

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