Confirmed 24-rider WorldSBK line-up for the 2022 season

Here's a closer look at the official 2022 WorldSBK rider line-up after Pedercini Kawasaki became the final team to confirm their plans. 

Yamaha

2021 World Champions Yamaha will remain unchanged for this season as Toprak Razgatlioglu looks to defend his title. 

The Turkish star became the first rider to get the better of Jonathan Rea since the Northern Irishman joined Kawasaki in 2015, while Andrea Locatelli will continue alongside Razgatlioglu for a second season at Pata Yamaha.

As a rookie, Locatelli finished fourth following a brilliant season that saw him get the better of fellow Italian Michael Rinaldi during the final race at Mandalika.

It’s status quo at GRT Yamaha too as American rider Garrett Gerloff, who was retained early on in the 2021 campaign despite a very tough second year in WorldSBK, will line-up alongside the series’ lone Japanese rider Kohta Nozane who will be expected to make significant steps forward this year. 

Finally, the Iwata-based manufacturer will have two privately-run teams as Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha elected to retain French rider Christophe Ponsson for a second season, while Motoxracing will make their premier class debut with Isaac Vinales.  

Kawasaki

Out of the five manufacturers currently racing in WorldSBK, Kawasaki are just the second alongside Yamaha to keep the same factory team line-up.

Six-time world champion Rea will of course be looking to regain the championship after relinquishing the #1 plate to Razgatlioglu. 

On the other side of the garage, Alex Lowes continues in what could be a big year for the Brit. Injuries plagued much of Lowes’ 2021 season as he was unable to complete a full weekend in any of the last four rounds. 

Lucas Mahias, who missed the final five rounds due to a scaphoid injury, will also continue at Puccetti Kawasaki as the team remains a one-rider line-up.

At Orelac Racing Verdnatura, Vinales was initially expected to remain with the team before 19 year-old Czech rider Oliver Konig was given that seat. Konig will move straight from WorldSSP300 to the premier class. 

The last Kawasaki ride to be announced is one that was confirmed as late as today. 

Belgian rider Cresson will return for a second season at Pedercini Kawasaki following the team’s negotiations with 2013 world champion Tom Sykes and returning BSB rider Leon Haslam proved unsuccessful. 

Ducati

The first full factory team to change their line-up for the 2022 season was Aruba.it Racing Ducati  as Alvaro Bautista replaced the departing Scott Redding.

Bautista has already been on his new Panigale V4-R on two occasions - the first came in December at Jerez before a two day test at Portimao earlier this month. 

Alongside the Spaniard will be Rinaldi who endured a tough first season in the factory team, despite winning four races.

Inconsistency was a big problem for the Italian who had nine finishes outside the top ten - five more than Redding, while Rinaldi also finished 219 points behind his more experienced team-mate. 

Axel Bassani will return with Motocorsa Ducati next season following an impressive 2021 rookie campaign. 

However, Ducati will have an all-new line-up in regards to their final two teams as former WorldSSP riders Philipp Oettl and Luca Bernardi make the step-up with GoEleven and Barni Spark Racing respectively. 

BMW

BMW’s third season back in WorldSBK will see them led by Redding who replaces a BSB-bound Sykes.

Redding was a consistent championship contender throughout the 2021 season and will bring a vast amount of winning experience to a team and manufacturer that desperately needs it. 

Michael Van Der Mark remains in the factory team for what will be his second year with the German outfit.

It’s all change at Bonovo Action as Jonas Folger has left the fold, while the team has also expanded from one to two riders - those being Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz who makes a return after one season in MotoAmerica. 

Honda

Team HRC are the lone team to have an all-new factory line-up as former Grand Prix riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have made the switch to WorldSBK. 

Lecuona comes over from MotoGP after having spent two years with Tech 3 KTM, while Vierge moves from Moto2 where he spent the last two seasons with Petronas Sprinta.

The final team to be fully confirmed for next year is MIE Honda, who like Bonovo, have expanded from one rider to two. 

Argentine Leandro Mercado will remain aboard a CBR1000RR-R for the third consecutive year, while another former MotoGP and Moto2 rider in the shape of Hafizh Syahrin will be his team-mate. 

Confirmed riders and teams for the 2022 season:

Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK: Toprak Razgatlioglu, Andrea Locatelli

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea, Alex Lowes

Aruba.it Ducati: Alvaro Bautista, Michael Rinaldi

BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: Scott Redding, Michael Van Der Mark

Team HRC: Iker Lecuona, Xavi Vierge

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team: Garrett Gerloff, Kohta Nozane

Motocorsa Ducati Racing Team: Axel Bassani

Team GoEleven: Philipp Oettl

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing: Lucas Mahias

Barni Spark Ducati Racing: Luca Bernardi

Bonovo Action BMW Team: Loris Baz, Eugene Laverty

MIE Honda Racing: Leandro Mercado, Hafizh Syahrin

TPR Pedercini Racing Kawasaki: Loris Cresson

Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team: Isaac Vinales

Orelac Racing Verdnatura: Oliver Konig

Gil Motor Sport Yamaha: Christophe Ponsson