Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) and Kawasaki are linking up for the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign, with a big change coming for both rider and manufacturer. The 29-year-old American has shown good pace in testing as he adapts to the third manufacturer that he’s ridden for in WorldSBK, aiming to start 2025 where he ended 2024 as a regular podium contender. Meanwhile, there’s a change in which team is running the factory Kawasaki outfit, with Manuel Puccetti’s squad taking over from Provec Racing.

BIG CHANGES FOR KAWASAKI: Manuel Puccetti runs the factory team

Having previously been run by Provec Racing, the official Kawasaki entry is now being run by Puccetti’s outfit. This is a consequence of Bimota’s return to the Championship, with Provec Racing running the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team squad, leaving Puccetti’s team as the official representative of the Japanese manufacturer; something he said made him ‘very proud’ about the responsibility when speaking at EICMA in November 2024.

GERLOFF'S WORLD START: instant impact with Yamaha

Texan rider Gerloff made his WorldSBK debut in 2020 with the GRT Yamaha squad and was a revelation from the start of his career. His first podiums came towards the end of his inaugural season, standing on the rostrum first in Barcelona before ending the year with two more top-three finishes at Estoril. While 2021 was trickier for the #31, he still secured two rostrums at MotorLand Aragon and Donington Park, before taking one podium in 2022 as he ended his time with Yamaha before a switch to BMW.

BMW BECKONS FOR GERLOFF: joining the Bonovo Action BMW team

Gerloff moved to the Bonovo Action BMW team for 2023 and he claimed his first WorldSBK pole position at Magny-Cours, although he was unable to convert that into a maiden BMW podium. He’d have to wait another year, coming at the same circuit in 2024 to take the team’s first podium in WorldSBK. He didn’t have to wait as long for the second, coming at MotorLand Aragon just a few weeks later. It ended his time on the M 1000 RR on a high before setting off for a new adventure with Kawasaki.

A THIRD MANUFACTURER FOR GERLOFF: Garrett goes green

With the Bonovo BMW squad downsizing to one rider and moving to Ducati machinery, Gerloff was on the lookout for a new ride for 2025. He signed with Puccetti’s outfit to race for the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team this year, riding the ZX-10RR machine. He jumped on the bike at the post-round Jerez test in October before testing there again a month later. He was back in action at the Spanish venue in January before a quick hop to Portimao, with the American quick throughout all of his tests as he adapts to his third manufacturer in WorldSBK.

GERLOFF SAYS: “There’s never going to be a race where any of us are alone… I think it’s going to be a crazy year!”

Discussing the upcoming season, Gerloff said at the January Jerez test: “At one point at Jerez, there were nine riders within one tenth. It was 0.0s, 0.0s, 0.0s, 0.0s, 0.0s… it didn’t finish like that, but I imagine we were all on race tyres at that point and we were all so close. I think it’s going to be a crazy year and there’s going to be some big battles. There’s never going to be a race where any of us are alone. Nobody’s going to be alone in fifth place or seventh or tenth or 12^th; there’s going to be battles throughout the whole field. It makes Superpole that much more important and I’m really trying to focus on improving there.”

PUCCETTI’S VIEW: “We’ll be very competitive from the first round…”

Also speaking during the Jerez test, Puccetti, the Team Manager, stated about Gerloff’s potential and being the Kawasaki factory team: “From this year, we’re in touch with Kawasaki Japan, reviewing all of our jobs. We’ll try to do our best and we’re happy to work with them. Many parts have been updated on the bike this year and it’s getting better and better. I think we’ll be very competitive from the first round. I’d prefer not to say a target! I think we’ll be towards the front but I don’t want to say we’ll be in the top three or top five; I think we’ll have a good start and good season.”

CAN IT GET ANY CLOSER? Watch Gerloff’s first season with Kawasaki unfold in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!