With the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship getting closer, all eyes are on two riders to see whether they can bounce back from a challenging campaign last year. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was a race winner and finished third in 2024 but he was unable to hit the heights of 2022 and 2023, while Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) struggled in his first season with Yamaha despite one pole and one podium, and now the question is whether the pair will be able to make steps in 2025 to fight where they traditionally have been throughout their careers.

BAUTISTA'S STORY: from two titles to a struggle in 2024…

Spanish rider Bautista was running the #1 plate last year, but it was teammate Nicolo Bulega who put up Ducati’s title challenge. A year of disappointing Tissot Superpole results put the two-time Champion on the back foot and, despite often fighting his way to a podium or into victory contention, the damage had been done for Bautista. In the end, he had to settle for third in the standings and just four wins: down from 27 the season before, and 16 in 2022. It was a remarkable downturn in success for someone who had got used to winning, but 2025 brings another chance for the #19 to fight for the title.

HOW DID HIS WINTER TEST GO? Fast but a crash…

Bautista’s testing seemed to be going okay until Day 2 at Portimao, when he crashed his Panigale V4 R machine on Day 2. He returned to the track later on for a few installation laps but any meaningful running was over. On Day 1 at Jerez, Bautista secured eighth place while he didn’t test in the wet on Day 2. At Portimao on Day 1 in the dry, the Spaniard claimed 12^th place before his crash in the wet on the final day of European testing.

“More riders are competitive, more bikes are fast…” – Bautista’s expectations for 2025

Speaking on Day 1 at Jerez, Bautista said: “I’m smiling because I feel much better than the start of last season. Fortunately, this winter, I could train with my normal situation without injuries. For races, we’ll see, and it’ll be a big challenge. More riders are competitive, more bikes are fast and 2025 will be even more difficult than 2024. We’re working well and I feel good. I feel motivated for this season to try and recover the good feeling, to try to fight for victories and for the Championship”. However, his optimism was tempered a bit when he spoke after his Portimao testing crash.

REA’S 2024 CAMPAIGN: just one podium…

Rea made the shock switch to Yamaha for last season after enjoying so much success with Kawasaki previously, but he was unable to replicate that on the Yamaha R1. Despite showing pace throughout the winter testing campaign, the #65 celebrated only one rostrum finish – in the Tissot Superpole Race at Donington Park – and one pole position in the wet at Assen. While he was closer to the front as the season progressed, and his race pace was generally decent, the six-time Champion would’ve been hoping for more despite a flurry of top-ten finishes coming in the final couple of rounds.

REA'S TESTING PROGRAMME: new crew chief for 2025

Rea is working with a new crew chief for the 2025 season, with Uri Pallares stepping into the role previously occupied by Andrew Pitt. That’s been one change Rea has had to work with over the winter but he’s also looked fast again on the Yamaha R1, finishing fifth on Day 1 at Portimao – and only half-a-second down on the fastest time, while he topped Day 2 at Jerez in the wet as he reminded everyone of his prowess in the rain.

REA’S THOUGHTS ON 2025: “The goal is to be a lot more competitive than we were last year…”

Looking ahead to his 2025 campaign, Ulsterman Rea said: “My motivation is really positive. Last year was a shock at the lack of competitiveness for both me and the bike. The team’s reacted in a really positive way. You can choose to hope things get better or you can choose to dig in and work, and we’ve both chosen the latter with the new parts and the way we’ve worked through the off-season, it’s optimistic. We still need to put everything together and it’s just testing, but there are signs that things are more positive than last year. The feeling on the bike is a little bit better. I’m starting to feel like I can take liberties with it as I’m starting to trust the bike more. Working relationships in the team are solid. There are reasons to be optimistic, but we still need to go out and do the job. The Championship’s still competitive with many fast riders and the goal is just to be a lot more competitive than we were last year.”

CAN IT GET ANY CLOSER? Discover whether Bautista and Rea can put themselves back in the mix using the WorldSBK VideoPass!