Press Release | February 9, 2021
2021 WorldSBK entry list confirmed with 24 riders.
This is a press release from WorldSBK
(February 9, 2021) — The full lineup of World Superbike protagonists has been unveiled and with two seats still up for grabs, the season to come promises to be one of the most spectacular yet.
The 2021 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship will feature 24 riders across five different manufacturers, as the full entry-lists are revealed ahead of the season. More manufacturer presence from Kawasaki and BMW and nine rookies are the headlines, along with a multitude of team changes and also the opportunity for two seats to still be filled. The 2021 WorldSBK season has plenty of hype and excitement for all of the right reasons.
Remaining the same for a second season is the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK, although featuring the new ZX-10RR. The defending Champions keep Jonathan Rea, who is aiming for a seventh WorldSBK title, alongside Alex Lowes. Kawasaki’s presence in the Championship has also expanded, with TPR Team Pedercini Racing fielding two brand-new ZX-10RRs with Loris Cresson and Samuele Cavalieri. The Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team promote Lucas Mahias to the class from WorldSSP, while the sixth and final ZX-10RR belongs to Isaac Viñales at the Orelac Racing VerdNatura team.
Moving on to the Ducati onslaught for 2021 and the Aruba.It Racing – Ducati team continue with Scott Redding for another season, while Italian star Michael Ruben Rinaldi gets his dream opportunity in the factory team. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) replaces the Italian as they switch seats, while Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) joins the WorldSBK paddock for 2021. Axel Bassani is the youngest rider on the grid for Motocorsa Racing, aged just 21.
The youngest factory team in the WorldSBK class is fielded by Yamaha. Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) leads the team with reigning WorldSSP Champion Andrea Locatelli joining him – the exact same age as they share the same birthday (24). The GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team retain Garrett Gerloff in the quest for more podiums while Japanese champion Kohta Nozane is alongside the American. Yamaha’s final team is the Gil Motor Sport – Yamaha squad, fielding Christophe Ponsson.
Honda’s factory line-up remains unchanged for 2021; Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) heads into his third World Superbike campaign and is joined once again by Leon Haslam. In contrast to Yamaha, this is the oldest WorldSBK team by age of the riders. The manufacturer’s Independent team will be the MIE Racing Honda Team with two bikes, both of which are yet to be announced.
The BMW effort also expands in 2021. The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team keep Tom Sykes for a third season, but for a third season, he has a new teammate again in the shape of Michael van der Mark – one of the earliest confirmations on the 2021 grid. The German manufacturer will also enjoy two satellite teams for the year ahead with Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) at the helm.
In total, 11 nationalities from three continents will do battle in the premier class of motorcycle production-derived racing. With 22 riders already confirmed and two more to go, a 24-rider field will take to the track at the TT Circuit Assen from the 23rd – 25th April for yet another scintillating season of World Superbike action and drama.
View the full entry list HERE.
2021 WorldSSP Teams and Riders
Provisional permanent entry list for the 2021 WorldSSP season revealed as 29 names are officially confirmed for the upcoming campaign.
The competitors that will battle it out for the 2021 FIM Supersport World Championship have been announced with 29 riders announced for the upcoming season, including six in the WorldSSP Challenge which will take place at European rounds of the season.
Reigning teams’ Champions Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team will field South African rider Steven Odendaal as the team’s sole representative as they look to continue their success following their incredible 2020 season with Andrea Locatelli. Odendaal will face competition from Kawasaki Puccetti Racing duo Philipp Oettl and Can Öncü, with the Turkish star taking the seat vacated by Lucas Mahias, who will remain with the team but in WorldSBK.
Jules Cluzel returns to WorldSSP for 2021 as he looks to take his first Championship title, once again lining up with GMT94 Yamaha. The French team field Federico Caricasulo alongside Cluzel in 2021 after the Italian spent a season in WorldSBK. Kallio Racing will once again field two bikes as Estonian rider Hannes Soomer is joined by Finnish rookie Vertti Takala.
MV Agusta will be represented by two bikes in 2021, down from three in 2020, with Niki Tuuli joining MV Agusta Corse Clienti, although his teammate has not been confirmed yet. Following the split between Ten Kate Racing and EAB Racing, both teams will have representation in 2021. Ten Kate Racing Yamaha field Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama and Moto2 and MotoE race winner Dominique Aegerter while EAB Racing Team will run 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher as the Swiss rider returns to the Championship.
Manuel Gonzalez will remain on the grid for 2021 with the same team but on new machinery as the ParkinGo Team switch to Yamaha machinery and become the Yamaha ParkinGo Team for 2021. Danny Webb remains in the Championship after a strong showing with WRP Wepol Racing, where he will compete for a second consecutive season.
Orelac Racing VerdNatura stars Raffaele De Rosa for the 2021 season while Peter Sebestyen returns to WorldSSP with Racing Team Hungary. Yamaha MS Racing have two riders for the upcoming season as Pawel Szkopek makes a comeback to the Championship after nine years alongside Marc Alcoba.
Szkopek is not the only rider making a stunning comeback to the WorldSBK paddock as Michel Fabrizio joins Motozoo Puccetti Racing as the team’s full-season rider. CM Racing will have Luca Bernardi race for the team in 2021 while Christoffer Bergman will compete for Wojcik Racing Team again. VFT Racing will compete for honours in 2021 with Federico Fuligni and Davide Pizzoli, the team back in the Championship for the first time since 2016.
In the WorldSSP Challenge, Kevin Manfredi will look to defend his title with Altogoo Racing Team but will face stiff competition from the returning Thomas Gradinger (DK Motorsport), Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing), Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse) and Shogo Kawasaki (Motozoo Puccetti Racing).
View the full entry list HERE
All-new Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup to run at select rounds
Four classes are set to entertain the fans at European rounds next season while WorldSSP300 has a significant change for 2021
There will be more action up and down the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with the all-new Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Cup set to join the schedule at selected rounds meaning there will be up to four categories set to wow the fans throughout the 2021 season. One other big change comes in the WorldSSP300 category with riders no longer split into two groups but will run as one during track action.
View the full schedule HERE.
