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The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship might only be four rounds in, but already, attention is turning into what the 2025 grid will look like. Some riders are under contract for next season, plenty have their futures up in the air, and there have been plenty of comments made about what to expect in 2025. So, what is known so far about the complexion of next year’s grid.

UNDER CONTRACT: who has their future secure?

The easy place to start is who has a 2025 contract in their pocket already. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) is under contract for next year, as are Pata Prometeon Yamaha duo Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli. At Team HRC, both Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge's renewal was announced as two years to cover the 2024 and 2025 seasons. It’s been confirmed by both Kenan Sofuoglu and Shaun Muir that Toprak Razgatlioglu's (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) contract covers both this and next season. Although his 2025 teammate had been unknown, BWM announced after Misano that the current Razgatlioglu-Michael van der Mark line-up would stay in place for 2025. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had his future secured with the new Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, with that announcement coming at Misano, with teammate Axel Bassani signing a deal for ‘2024 and beyond’ when he joined KRT for this season; his future was announced on Saturday at Misano.

NOT YET SORTED FOR 2025: the riders aiming to secure a ride

The biggest name without a deal for next season is reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), who opted to sign a one-year contract last season. Both GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team riders, Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing), Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) are all yet to sign for next year. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) revealed last year he was contracted for 2023 and 2024, so he’s a free agent for 2025 as it stands. In June, Bonovo Action BMW announced they would withdraw from WorldSBK at the end of 2024, meaning both Gerloff and Scott Redding will be looking for a new seat next season. Elsewhere, Andrea Iannone's (Team GoEleven) contract expires at the end of 2024. 

WHAT’S BEEN SAID SO FAR: retirement talk, factory team ambitions

With rumours already circulating about next year, riders have been asked about it already. Bautista said in an interview that “he doesn’t have anything in his mind” and that he’ll keep racing while he’s having fun,  but isn't in a hurry to make a decision. However, in his media debrief on Friday, Bautista made a contradictory statement by saying he wants to decide soon: “If the top management in Ducati want me, it’s always a pleasure! I’m focused on riding with my best performance. I think I will make a decision soon for me and for my team.” The #1 provided an update at Misano, reiterating that he’s not in a hurry, and in his media debrief on Saturday, that he didn’t have a deadline, and that the team haven’t asked him what he wants to do, while Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna said that Bautista was their first choice for 2025.

With rumours already circulating about next year, riders have been asked about it already. Bautista said in an interview that “he doesn’t have anything in his mind” and that he’ll keep racing while he’s having fun,  but isn't in a hurry to make a decision. However, in his media debrief on Friday, Bautista made a contradictory statement by saying he wants to decide soon: “If the top management in Ducati want me, it’s always a pleasure! I’m focused on riding with my best performance. I think I will make a decision soon for me and for my team.” The #1 provided an update at Misano, reiterating that he’s not in a hurry, and in his media debrief on Saturday, that he didn’t have a deadline, and that the team haven’t asked him what he wants to do, while Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna said that Bautista was their first choice for 2025.

Iannone addressed rumours about his future at Assen, with links to other manufacturers or Championships in the press, saying: “I’m happy I’m being spoken about. I know if I’m on top, I have many chances. My target is to be in a factory team, but we will see. I’m happy because after a long time, I felt many things, and interest from many manufacturers. I’m honoured. I think, after Assen at Misano, we will know something more about this.” The topic came up again at the Cremona test, with team boss Denis Sacchetti stating that ‘it doesn’t depend on us’. When pressed on it again at Misano, ‘The Maniac’ revealed he had proposals on the table and declared a factory bike was important.

IN THE MEDIA: what’s been reported?

Gardner has been quoted by Motorsport-Total.com as saying he has an option for 2025 to be with GRT Yamaha, while Aegerter – in the same article – said “the conditions must be right” to stay with the team and that there are “other alternatives” for the double WorldSSP Champion. With seats filling up in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK, riders will be looking for seats. One such rider is Augusto Fernandez who is quoted by Motorsport.com Spain as saying: “The idea is to continue with a big bike, if I don't get anything in MotoGP™ I'll go to World Superbike, I won't go to Moto2™, that's for sure.”

2025 WorldSBK grid (TBA = To Be Announced)

Aruba.it Racing - Ducati: Nicolo Bulega and TBA

Pata Prometeon Yamaha: Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli

Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team: Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes

Team HRC: Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge

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

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