Yamaha officially launch six-strong WorldSBK line-up for 2024

Yamaha 2024 WorldSBK line-up

Yamaha Motor Europe has officially presented its line-up for the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship as the countdown to the season opener in Phillip Island intensifies.

Four world champions will compete on R1 machinery in WorldSBK in 2024 as part of a six-strong rider line-up across four experienced teams.

Andrea Dosoli
Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport R&D and Road Racing Manager

“Our expectations are high heading into the new season with a strong rider line-up including four world champions, a national champion and a Grand Prix podium finisher. Jonathan’s career statistics tell his story, he is the most successful rider in WorldSBK history and we are excited he will line-up on the R1 this year alongside Andrea, who enters his fourth year with the team on the back of his strongest season yet. Remy and Dominique impressed in their rookie season so now with a year of experience, they are in a strong place. Bradley too now has a year of experience under his belt and enters 2024 fully fit, while Philipp joins Yamaha as a proven top ten contender in WorldSBK. We have worked hard over the winter to improve the R1 in key areas and we feel we are in a strong position to fight again for the World Championship title, but we know that we need to maximise every opportunity to score points in order to do so. Thank you to our riders and teams for their efforts so far and I wish them the best of luck for the 2024 season.”

The Pata Prometeon Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team will once again lead Yamaha’s charge, but with a new face in the garage in the shape of six-time world champion Jonathan Rea. The most successful rider in WorldSBK history, Rea joins Yamaha eager to add to his impressive tally of 119 victories and 263 podiums.

The 36-year-old Northern Irishman has wasted no time familiarising himself with the R1 in pre-season testing and is feeling confident ahead of the penultimate pre-season outing for the team at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão on 29-30 January.

Lining up alongside Rea is 2020 World Supersport champion Andrea Locatelli. Heading into his fourth season with Pata Prometeon Yamaha, the 27-year-old Italian is looking to build on a strong 2023 campaign, which saw him score his highest points tally to date in the WorldSBK class, taking eight podiums en route to fourth in the championship.

Ahead of the final European test in Portimão, the covers have come off the R1 machines Rea and Locatelli will campaign in 2024. Pata Snack remains as the title sponsor of Yamaha’s official WorldSBK squad for the ninth consecutive season, with their distinctive logo also featuring prominently on the bikes of the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team once again. Pata’s partnership with Yamaha extends across all classes in WorldSBK, with the Italian snack manufacturer also the title sponsor of the Ten Kate Yamaha Team in WorldSSP and the AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha team in WorldSSP300.

Prometeon further extends its relationship with Yamaha’s official team as co-title sponsor, as the commercial tyre manufacturer builds on a strong partnership first established last year.

The Pata Prometeon Yamaha R1s will also feature the iconic Monster Energy logo as the renowned energy drink brand expands its global relationship with Yamaha to include WorldSBK in addition to its role as the title sponsor of Yamaha’s MotoGP, MXGP, MX2 and EMX125 teams. Monster Energy is no stranger to Yamaha in WorldSBK, having partnered the official team back in 2011.

For the second season running, it’s not only Pata Prometeon Yamaha boasting a stable of world champions with the GYTR GRT Yamaha squad retaining the services of Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner for 2024.

After dominating the Supersport World Championship in 2021 and 2022, Aegerter stepped up to WorldSBK with GYTR GRT Yamaha for the 2023 season. He instantly made an impression, qualifying on the front row for his first race in Phillip Island. The Swiss rider continued to demonstrate his potential throughout the year, culminating in two podium finishes in the final round at Jerez. Crossing the line in the year’s final race just 0.3 seconds from the win, the 33-year-old is hungry for more silverware in 2024.

There was a lot to learn for 2021 Moto2 world champion Remy Gardner as he moved over to WorldSBK from the Grand Prix paddock, but the Australian relished the challenge of his first season on a superbike. Progressing as the year went on to become a regular top-six challenger, a career-first WorldSBK podium is high on the agenda for the 25-year-old. The 2024 season got off to a strong start for Gardner, as he impressed by topping the timesheets in the post-season test at Jerez last November.

GYTR GRT Yamaha will unveil their 2024 R1 during the official opening of the new GRT Yamaha GYTR PRO SHOP at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simonelli on Monday 5th February.

2022 British Superbike champion Bradley Ray returns for a second year with the Yamaha MotoXRacing WorldSBK Team, this season contesting all rounds of the championship. Despite struggling with injury in the first half of his rookie campaign, the 26-year-old British rider showed his potential numerous times, including a top-six finish at Imola. Having focused on improving his physical condition over winter, Ray will be looking to start 2024 fully fit and show what he can do over the entire 12-round campaign.

New to Yamaha for 2024 is German rider Philipp Oettl, who joins the GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK Team. A former Moto3 Grand Prix podium finisher, 27-year-old Oettl is a proven top-ten contender in WorldSBK and will be looking to build on this in his first season with the R1.

Pata Prometeon Yamaha are joined on track at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve by GYTR GRT Yamaha, Yamaha MotoxRacing and GMT94 Yamaha for two days of testing (29-30 January) before flying to Australia next month. Once ‘down under’, teams will undergo one final pre-season test at the Phillip Island Circuit (19-20 February) before the season’s first races get underway at the picturesque venue between 23-25 February.

Tickets for the 2024 season opener are on sale now, check out your options at www.worldsbk.com.au

2024 WorldSBK Dates