WSBK New era for top stars

As with Marquez and Honda, fans never thought they’d see the day that Jonathan Rea left Kawasaki, but after a difficult campaign on the Ninja, the six-time champion has moved to Yamaha ready to do battle on the R1.

The surprises don’t end there because Rea takes the seat vacated by 2021 champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, with the Turkish rider heading to the currently uncompetitive factory BMW team.

Sam Lowes joins the series – and his twin brother – from Moto2, whilst controversial ex-MotoGP racer Andrea Iannone jumps on a superbike for the first time after his four-year racing ban for doping offences.

The grid Aruba.it Ducati Alvaro Bautista (1) & Nicolo Bulega (11)

Pata Yamaha Prometeon Jonathan Rea (65) & Andrea Locatelli (55) Kawasaki Racing Team Alex Lowes (22) & Axel Bassani (47) ROKiT BMW Motorrad

Toprak Razgatlioglu (54) & Michael van der Mark (60)

Team HRC Iker Lecuona (7) & Xavi Vierge (97)

Bonovo Action BMW Garrett Gerloff (31) & Scott Redding (45) GYTR GRT Yamaha

Dominique Aegerter (77)

& Remy Gardner (87)

Motoxracing Yamaha Bradley Ray (28) GMT94 Yamaha Philipp Oettl (5) Motocorsa Racing Ducati

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (21) Team GoEleven Ducati Andrea Iannone (29)

Barni Spark Racing Ducati

Danilo Petrucci (9)

Marc VDS Ducati Sam Lowes (14) Petronas MIE Racing Honda Tarran Mackenzie (95) & Adam Norrodin (57) Puccetti Racing Kawasaki

Tito Rabat (53)

Calendar

R1 Australia Phillip Island: Feb 23-25 R2 Catalunya Barcelona: March 22-24 R3 Netherlands Assen: April 19-21 R4 San Marino Misano: June 14-16 R5 UK Donington Park: July 12-14 R6 Czech Republic Most: July 19-21 R7 Portugal Portimao: August 9-11 R8 Hungary Balaton Park: Aug 23-25 R9 France Magny-Cours: Sep 6-8 R10 Italy Cremona: September 20-22 R11 Spain Aragon: September 27-29 R12 Spain Jerez: October 11-13 Testing

Jerez January 24-25 Portimao January 29-30 Phillip Island February 23-25