It’s time to warm up the engines, the new World Superbike season is approaching. But before the lights go out for the first time in 2022, drivers and teams will take to the track for several test sessions, so as to arrive prepared for Aragon, the scene of the inaugural round of this new season. Between confirmations and news, the starting grid is complete.
No change at the top: if the winning team does not change, Yamaha shows up at the starting line as reigning world champion, with Toprak Razgatlioglu joined again this year by Andrea Locatelli, author of an incredible debut season and rookie of 2021. The Iwata manufacturer maintains the same line-up for the GRT team, which sees Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane. Confirmations also come from Kawasaki, who will try to take back the scepter with Jonathan Rea, who will once again have Alex Lowes at his side, in his third year with the ZX-10RR.
On the other hand, Ducati, the Aruba.it Racing team, has partially changed its line-up, which sees the return of Alvaro Bautista. Michael Ruben Rinaldi is confirmed, while the Spaniard returns to the saddle of the four-cylinder with which on his Superbike debut he almost touched the title. The Talavera de la Reina driver takes the place of Scott Redding, who replaced him two years ago and who is now joining BMW, alongside confirmed Michael van der Mark. The Bonovo satellite team will see a duo formation, with Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz, returning to Superbike full time.
Always looking at Ducati, the Go Eleven team loses Chaz Davies, retired at the end of 2021, and chooses Philipp Oettl, while in the Barni team we find Luca Bernardi, making his debut in Superbike after a solid season in Supersport, which ended early due to a back injury. Axel Bassani is instead confirmed in the Motocorsa team.
On the other hand, we will see a total change in Honda: until last year he counted on the Bautista-Haslam couple, but for 2022 he decided to focus on two young people. In fact, in the HRC box we will find Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, both making their debut in Superbike after their adventure in MotoGP and Superbike respectively. The MIE Honda Racing team also presents itself to the new season with a renewed guise, choosing Leandro Mercado and Hafizh Syahrin.
As for the other satellite teams, Lucas Mahias is confirmed with Puccetti, while the Orelac team has focused on the young rookie Oliver Konig, who moved from Supersport 300 to Superbike without going from Supersport. Finally, the Pedercini team renews its trust in Loris Cresson after a complicated debut season. The starting grid for 2022 is now complete.
Teams and drivers for the 2022 World SBK season
TEAM | PILOTS |
Pata Yamaha Brixx WorldSBK | Toprak Razgatlioglu Andrea Locatelli |
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | Jonathan Rea Alex Lowes |
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | Alvaro Bautista Michael Ruben Rinaldi |
HRC team | Iker Lecuona Xavi Vierge |
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | Scott Redding Michael van der Mark |
GRT Yamaha | Garrett Gerloff Kohta Nozane |
Motocorsa Racing | Axel Bassani |
GoEleven team | Philipp Oettl |
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing | Lucas Mahias |
Barni Racing Team | Luca Bernardi |
Bonovo action BMW Racing Team | Eugene Laverty Loris Baz |
OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing | Loris Cresson |
MIE Racing Honda Team | Leandro Mercado Hafizh Syahrin |
ORELAC Racing VerdNatura | Oliver Konig |
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