SILLY SEASON FOR 2026: Vierge replaces Rea at Yamaha, Lecuona moves to factory Ducati as Bautista secures seat for next year
There have been some big announcements recently, including Jonathan Rea announcing his retirement from full-time racing
Several more questions about the grid for the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship have been answered. The grid is slowly coming together piece by piece, however a handful of high-profile rider’s futures are still up in the air. The announcements keep rolling in as the months progress with factory seats and Independent rides alike starting to be secured, but who’s going where for 2026?
CONFIRMED FOR 2026: the grid starts to take shape
The first riders to be announced for 2026 were the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Duo of Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, who had their futures announced heading into the Czech Round in mid-May, with the pair being secured for next season. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) is also contracted for next year at the Independent Ducati-powered Motocorsa Racing outfit, having signed with the team for 2025 and 2026 when he joined them. Beyond that, the make-up of the grid is unknown with the majority of the grid out of contract. Between Most and Misano, it was confirmed that Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) would stay with Yamaha for 2026 and 2027. Ahead of his home round, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was announced as having signed a one-year contract with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad to take him through to the end of the 2026 campaign. Elsewhere, on the same day as Bulega’s renewal, it was announced that ‘El Turco’ would join Pramac Racing for 2026. American rider Garrett Gerloff will be staying in green, the Texan putting pen to paper on a one-year deal that will see him remain in green through 2026.
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) will remain in place for 2026 and 2027, having signed a new two-year deal with his Marc VDS Ducati squad. In the build-up to Donington, it was confirmed that Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) would stay with Barni Ducati for a second season in 2026. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the next domino to fall when he renewed his two-year deal with his Yamaha team, securing his future through 2027. Shortly after, Gardner’s teammate was confirmed with Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) making the move to WorldSBK for two seasons. A key seat was announced in the August break with reigning Independent Riders’ title winner Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) moving to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in place of MotoGP-bound Razgatlioglu. During the Aragon Round, Xavi Vierge's future was confirmed with the Spaniard moving to Pata Maxus Yamaha for 2026.
A BIG MONDAY IN AUGUST: Rea announces retirement as Lecuona moves to Ducati
The 25th August, 2025 was a busy day in terms of silly season – and one that will live long in the memories of WorldSBK fans everywhere. First, Iker Lecuona was announced as leaving Honda HRC and joining Aruba.it Racing – Ducati for 2026; confirming that Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) would leave the team despite messages saying the door wasn’t closed. Then, just 90 minutes later, Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) announced his retirement from full-time racing at the end of 2025, bringing an end to an illustrious and record-breaking career. However, a day later, Bautista had his future announced: he would join the Barni Spark Racing Team for 2026, keeping him on the Panigale V4R but with an Independent outfit.
OUT OF CONTRACT: a lot of riders’ futures up in the air
While 13 riders have been confirmed for 2026, that means most haven’t – including Champions and title contenders. At Honda HRC, Xavi Vierge has shown good pace in 2025 and will hope that secures him a spot for 2026 – although this won’t be with Honda HRC; the team announcing in September that Vierge would leave at the end of the season, with the #97 remaining on the grid next year with Yamaha. It means Honda will have an all-new line-up in 2026, with both Vierge and Lecuona departing the team. Dominique Aegerter is still searching for a ride, but this will not be with GRT Yamaha, although Yamaha’s Niccolo Canepa did state they were exploring the possibility to keep him within the Yamaha family, as is Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who is also yet to have his future confirmed– although the Dutchman said on Thursday at Magny-Cours that he won’t continue with BMW in WorldSBK.
In terms of independent riders, everyone bar Vickers, Montella, Petrucci and Sam Lowes, is out of contract for 2026, including race winner Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven).
RAZGATLIOGLU'S MOVE AND REA’S NEWS: the knock-on effects
Reigning Champion Razgatlioglu’s move to MotoGP comes with a big knock-on effect, in both WorldSBK and MotoGP. Starting with his current paddock, it means two seats were available at the factory BMW squad with Michael van der Mark yet to put pen to paper. The MotoGP rider market is also in full swing, but the key focus point with Toprak’s move for 2026 is Pramac Yamaha: current rider Jack Miller was signed on a deal for 2025, while teammate Miguel Oliveira has a contract until the end of 2026. Ahead of the Catalan GP in September, Miller was confirmed as staying at Pramac Yamaha for next season, leaving Oliveira searching for a ride. The five-time MotoGP winner commented on his future ahead of the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, stating that racing is his ‘number one priority’ and WorldSBK is an option.
However, in August, BMW confirmed that one of the vacant seats would be taken by Petrucci with the Italian ‘succeeding’ Razgatlioglu. There is still no news about who Petrucci’s teammate will be next year, with several names linked but no official announcement. Rea's big news means that there is a vacant Yamaha seat at Pata Maxus Yamaha for 2026. Andrea Locatelli already has his future confirmed with the team.
Confirmed 2026 grid so far (TBA = to be announced)
Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team – Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani
Motocorsa Racing – Ryan Vickers
Pata Maxus Yamaha – Andrea Locatelli and Xavi Vierge
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati – Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona
Kawasaki Racing Team – Garrett Gerloff
ELF Marc VDS Racing Team – Sam LowesBarni Spark Racing Team – Yari Montella and Alvaro Bautista
GYTR GRT Yamaha Racing Team – Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi
ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team – Danilo Petrucci and TBA
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