Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will remain on the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid in Yamaha colours for another two years after penning a new deal that takes him to the end of the 2027 season. Locatelli made his debut in 2021 with the Pata Maxus Yamaha squad and has remained there since, competing in 157 races for them and taking one win and 21 podiums, often fighting for a top-five position in the Championship standings. Their relationship is set to continue for another two seasons following the renewal announcement.

FIRST TIME WITH YAMAHA: WorldSSP success in 2020

After two full seasons in Moto3™, where he scored two podiums, and two more in Moto2™ between 2014 and 2019, Locatelli made the switch to the WorldSBK paddock, riding in WorldSSP for the Evan Bros. Yamaha squad with the Yamaha R6. He took the Championship by storm, winning 11 of the first 12 races and wrapping up the title with four races to spare. In total, he won 12 out of 15 races, with his worst finish a P4 in a rain-hit Barcelona Race 1. His performances in 2020 secured him a seat in WorldSBK with the Pata Maxus Yamaha squad.

EARLY DAYS IN WORLD SUPERBIKE: building to a podium contender

The early part of his 2021 campaign was spent adjusting to the Yamaha R1 machine and his new surroundings, but he soon showed a glimpse of his World Superbike potential with a podium in Race 2 at Assen, and he backed that up with third in Race 1 at the Autodrom Most. Two more rostrums followed that season, but it was the #55’s consistency which stood out, finishing inside the top ten on all but seven occasions across that campaign’s 37 races.

BUILDING IN 2022 AND 2023: more podiums and more top-five Championship finishes

Locatelli’s consistency continued in 2022 with five finishes outside the top ten across 36 races, although his podium count dropped from four to two as the ‘Titanic Trio’ often claimed the top-three places. The following year, ‘Loka’ claimed a personal-best eight podiums as he took fourth in the standings and finished on 326 points, more than he’d scored in either 2021 or 2022, with his performances helping to earn a new two-year deal.

STRONG IN 2024 AND 2025: Locatelli takes on ‘team leader’ role

A new era started at Yamaha in 2024 as Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) replaced BMW-bound Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), but it was Locatelli who assumed the role of ‘team leader’ as Rea adjusted to the Yamaha R1 machine. It was a season of struggle across the board for the Japanese brand, with Locatelli scoring just three podiums and slipping to seventh in the standings. However, things looked up in 2025 for the Italian, with Locatelli claiming a podium finish at Portimao after Yamaha introduced a superconcession chassis and then took his first win at Assen in Race 2, taking advantage of Nicolo Bulega’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) late-race technical issue for his first victory.

THE NEXT CHAPTER: Locatelli and Yamaha together for two years

With Locatelli showing strong form so far in 2025, Yamaha moved quickly to make him one of the first riders signed up for 2026 and beyond by agreeing a new contract with the #55. Hopes will be high within Yamaha that the 28-year-old can continue his current form and add more race wins to his tally following his success early on in the 2025 campaign. After joining in 2021, Locatelli will become one of the longest-serving Yamaha riders in WorldSBK by the end of his latest contract.

LOCATELLI ON HIS RENEWAL: “I feel that we can achieve a lot more together!”

Discussing his new contract, Locatelli said: “I am really happy to sign with Yamaha for another two years. I have been with Yamaha for many years now, and I believe in the team, I believe in the people at Yamaha and want to continue to work, because I feel that we can achieve a lot more together. The people at Yamaha believe in me and this is important. Our approach will be to continue to push and try and make progress, just like we have seen this season. And of course, before 2026, our focus is on securing the best result possible in 2025!”

YAMAHA’S VIEW: “His performances have been impressive since his rookie season and it has always felt like he has been on an upward trajectory in WorldSBK”

Nicolo Canepa, Road Racing Sporting Manager, Motorsport Division at Yamaha Motor Europe, added: “Having been with us for six years now, Andrea has become a true part of the Yamaha Racing family. His performances have been impressive since his rookie season and it has always felt like he has been on an upward trajectory in WorldSBK, as evidenced this season where he’s taken a real step forward to become not just the established leading Yamaha rider in the Championship, but also a regular front-runner and podium contender. Keeping hold of him for the future was a priority for us as we look to take the next step with the R1 in WorldSBK, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement that will see him become one of the longest serving Yamaha riders in WorldSBK history.”

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