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The music has started and at the moment, there are plenty of seats ready and waiting, but that is guaranteed to change. As the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is four rounds out of 12 into the season, the European leg is well underway and with that comes plenty of market talks. From futures hanging in the balance and at a cross-roads to the majority of the field looking to strike a deal for next year, we summarise the situation with what we know so far. 

SIGNED. SEALED. DONE DEAL: future secured for the Titanic Trio

Five riders on the current grid have a contract for 2024: the first is the most successful World Superbike rider of all-time, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The six-time World Champion inked a two-year contract extension in 2022 which sees him through 2023 and until the close of 2024. However, his teammate is not decided for 2024 yet. The second, after a special press conference on Thursday in Barcelona at round four, is Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who will race until at least the end of 2024.

The future of Toprak Razgatlioglu is now in place with the 2021 Champion joining the BMW family from 2024, and racing for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, whilst his current teammate Andera Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) signed a two-year extension, staying with Yamaha until 2025. This means six of the ten factory seats are up for grabs – including who will be Razgatlioglu’s teammate at BMW, with Scott Redding and Michael van der Mark currently occupying the seats at the factory BMW team. 

TOPRAK’S TEAMMATE: a battle for a BMW in 2024

Redding is in his second season of what is a “multiple year” deal, although the length hasn’t been confirmed. For current teammate Michael van der Mark, he stated that he’d like to continue with BMW but his injury at Assen definitely came at the wrong time. With van der Mark currently on the side-lines, the factory BMW team have drafted in Tom Sykes to temporarily replace him. Team Principal Shaun Muir admitted they couldn’t make a long-term commitment to the 2013 World Champion, but could a switch to BMW put Sykes in the shop window for somewhere in2024?

Meanwhile, Scott Redding has dropped hints about his future saying he “has to consider his options”; comments which came after his first non-score weekend in WorldSBK. Since Toprak signed, van der Mark publicly welcomed him on his Instagram stories, perhaps stating that he’s there to stay. Therefore, is it Redding who will need to find a seat in 2024? On Thursday ahead of Misano, the fifth round of 2023, Redding confirmed that he has until July 15^th to decide whether he takes up his clause to remain in the team or not, whilst not holding back on his thoughts about Toprak joining the team, saying “he doesn’t know what he can bring” and that he was “surprised” at the move.

As for Kawasaki, the first murmurings surfaced at Misano, when Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) stated his intent to continue but just because he’s riding well, it “doesn’t mean I’m going to keep a job”, whilst also saying that his brother, Sam Lowes, is keen to join the WorldSBK family from Moto2™ World Championship action. Lowes – of the Alex variety – made the comments during his media debrief at Misano on Friday and finished with an intriguing quote: “I have a good relationship with Paul [Denning]. I’m close with him.” Paul Denning is the team principal of the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team…

OTHER FACTORY SEATS: what’s the situation so far?

After a deal was reached in Barcelona, Alvaro Bautista is confirmed for 2024, but what about his current teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi? Rinaldi signed a one-year extension in 2022 for this year and was the final factory rider confirmed. Last year, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) made it clear he wanted the ride and has stated again that he hopes his rides in 2023 have already caught the attention of factory teams, whilst in Barcelona, he was the clearest he’s ever been, declaring that a factory Ducati is his first goal, and if they can’t give that to him, then he’ll consider other manufacturers. He’s currently fourth in the standings, Rinaldi lies sixth. Besides that, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) stated that he’d like to get on a factory bike in 2024 and Nicolo Bulega has been impressive in WorldSSP and has had two tests aboard the Panigale V4 R; could he be in-line to move up like those before him who have gone on to win the WorldSSP title? Stefano Cecconi, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team principal, spoke about Bulega’s potential move during a pitlane interview at Misano: “I think he could be a reasonable step because, regardless of the final result, Nicolo is doing very well in WorldSSP so it makes sense to see him in WorldSBK next year.”

The Ducati seat talking intensified in the manufacturer’s home round at Misano in June. When Stefano Cecconi was asked directly about the prospect of MotoGP™ riders joining the factory Ducati team, he said: “It’s an interesting option but we need to see how the market evolves first and which riders will be eventually available to switch to WorldSBK. I don’t know yet.” He also stated that “no decisions” had been made: “We haven’t made any decisions so far. Honestly speaking, the incident in Barcelona was a mistake from both because you cannot win the race on the first lap. It’s making no influence on the decision for next year.”

As for Kawasaki, the first murmurings surfaced at Misano, when Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) stated his intent to continue but just because he’s riding well, it “doesn’t mean I’m going to keep a job”, whilst also saying that his brother, Sam Lowes, is keen to join the WorldSBK family from Moto2™ World Championship action. Lowes – of the Alex variety – made the comments during his media debrief at Misano on Friday and finished with an intriguing quote: “I have a good relationship with Paul [Denning]. I’m close with him.” Paul Denning is the team principal of the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team…. Kawasaki’s team boss Guim Roda was short and blunt about the 2024 line-up: “We ae working on it”, with no mention to Lowes. Both Team HRC riders, Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, also have their contract up for renewal at the end of this season.

INDEPENDENTS: everyone up for renewal

Like the factory seats up for grabs (besides Jonathan Rea, Alvaro Bautista, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli), all Independent riders have a contract for 2023 only (besides Gerloff). Some are understood to have potential options to remain whilst for others, we await exactly what the situation is. Don’t forget, as the motorcycle racing season evolves, riders from various Championships will be linked to WorldSBK. In 2023, riders joined the grid from MotoGP™, British Superbikes, MotoAmerica, MotoE™ and of course, graduating from World Supersport. 

MEDIA GOSSIPS: the rumours in the press…

This section is for the names that are being spoken about, not announcements or official One name that has been linked to a WorldSBK move is current MotoGP™ rider, Fabio Di Giannantonio. The Italian rider, a multiple Grand Prix winner in Moto3™ and Moto2™ has had a relatively quiet time aboard the Gresini Ducati and is being rumoured to be replaced by Tony Arbolino from Moto2™. For ‘Diggia’, he’s being linked to Kawasaki, Yamaha and Ducati. He was present in the paddock at the Emilia-Romagna Round at Misano.

Summarised 2024 rider line-up with confirmed riders. TBA = to be announced

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea and TBA
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati: Alvaro Bautista and TBA
ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: Toprak Razgatlioglu and TBA
Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK: Andrea Locatelli and TBA
Bonovo Action BMW: Garrett Gerloff and TBA

All remaining teams: TBA

A breath-taking season is well underway, watch it all unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!