OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
Forward ! 2022 Shaping Up Nicely
The line-up of WorldSBK riders already confirmed for next season has undergone quite a serious shake up in some regards , while other top names have retained some stability of employment . Here ’ s what we know so far …
BMW Motorrad : MICHAEL VAN DER MARK AND SCOTT REDDING Are you not already looking forward to the mercurial Scott Redding riding for BMW in 2022 ? If not , why not ? van der Mark and Redding will be a great pairing , as they are so different in some ways and yet both are riders with lots of wins and podiums under their belts . On what should be an even better BMW M1000RR in its second season , who knows what this pair could achieve ?
Bonovo BMW : LORIS BAZ AND EUGENE LAVERTY After a tough season for Laverty and a good but intense learning experience in MotoAmerica for Baz , both these proven WorldSBK race winners are back on strong entries for the 2002 WorldSBK season - each with a lot of to give and a lot to prove .
Aruba Ducati : ALVARO BAUTISTA AND MICHAEL RUBEN RINALDI From running two big and tall riders in 2020 , to one big and one small in 2021 , Ducati goes back to Alvaro Bautista after two seasons at Honda , and keeps faith with its multiple race winner Rinaldi for 2022 . If both these ‘ pocket battleships ’ reach their true potential , Ducati really could get back on top in 2022 .
Barni Racing Ducati : LUCA BERNARDI A top new talent in WorldSPP , Bernardi makes another big jump up the racing categories next year to try and kickstart what was once a podium regular team .
HRC Honda : IKER LECUONA AND XAVIER VIERGE Now , we reach a new level of pre-season interest . Honda has really rolled the dice and loaded the bases in this choice of riders with strong MotoGP™ / Moto2 credentials but absolutely no WorldSBK experience at all . A fascinating double rider option when for two years they had much more experienced competitors like Leon Haslam and Alvaro Bautista . The thinking is to put two fresh riders on what is a very powerful but often wayward Honda , and maybe they will just take what they are riding at face value , rather than try to turn the Fireblade into something more familiar . It is , as everyone including Honda thinks , a bold new pairing , a genuine step change in their overall strategy . We cannot wait to see them go in winter testing .
KRT : JONATHAN REA AND ALEX LOWES Nothing more to say about Jonathan Rea , the greatest exponent of WorldSBK racing we have ever seen . An injury-strewn season for Lowes has masked his true potential but back to full fitness , more race wins could well be on the cards .
Pata Yamaha with Brixx : TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU AND ANDREA LOCATELLI Nothing to say about Toprak either , beyond what we know already . The star of 2021 , whatever happens in the final championship battle . Read all about Andrea in the text above .
GRT Yamaha : GARRETT GERLOFF AND KOHTA NOZANE Same as 2021 for the GRT squad , but we already know Gerloff is podium capable and Nozane should be a lot more potent in year two of his WorldSBK adventure . The rest ?
EXCITING CONTENT
Go Eleven Ducati : PHILIPP OETTL After two seasons of racing and nearly winning races for Kawasaki in WorldSSP , Philipp moves onwards and upwards to join a team that has already proven able to win races and score podiums . If he takes to the extra power … why not a great combo ?
Well , final details are being worked out for several teams for next year right now , but even with just the line up so far ? 2022 promises so much for the WorldSBK fans already
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