2027 World Superbike Championship starting grid: At least three MotoGP riders are set to join

With Bimota, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha, six manufacturers will once again field factory teams in the Superbike World Championship in 2027, whilst Yamaha will also field the factory-supported Giansanti Racing Team.

Bimota will continue with Alex Lowes and Axel Bassini. The GRT Yamaha duo of Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi also remains unchanged, whilst Kawasaki has extended its contract with Garrett Gerloff. At Honda, Jake Dixon has a deal for 2027; at present, there is no indication that Somkiat Chantra will be replaced despite his poor performances.

BMW has agreed a three-year extension with Miguel Oliveira; Danilo Petrucci’s place will be taken by Brad Binder, who joins from the Red Bull KTM MotoGP team. The South African brings two of this year’s rivals with him: Jack Miller will join the Yamaha works team, taking over from Xavi Vierge and becoming Andrea Locatelli’s pit neighbour. And Franco Morbidelli, the 2020 MotoGP runner-up, is swapping places with Nicolo Bulega: Whilst the soon-to-be Superbike champion will become Fermin Aldeguer’s team-mate at VR46 Ducati, ‘Morbido’ will in future share the Aruba garage with Iker Lecuona, who has signed until the end of 2028.

With Vierge moving from Pata Yamaha to Barni Spark Ducati – where World Championship bronze medallist Yari Montella is confirmed for 2027 and 2028 – two-time champion Álvaro Bautista finds himself without a ride. With Bautista and Petrucci leaving, the World Superbike Championship loses two big names, but this is offset by the arrival of Miller, Morbidelli and Binder.

Should Alex Rins reach an agreement with the Ducati team Go Eleven, as many as four current MotoGP riders would be joining the Superbike World Championship. The enterprising privateers are working hard to expand their line-up to two riders, which requires an additional budget of one million euros. Should they succeed, the most likely rider pairing as things stand is Rins and Lorenzo Baldassarri.

Privateer teams will continue to favour Ducati in 2027. Alongside the top teams Barni and Go Eleven, as well as Marc VDS – where Sam Lowes is a confirmed rider – Motocorsa, Advocates and MGM also intend to carry on, presumably with this year’s riders Alberto Surra, Tommy Bridewell and Tarran Mackenzie.

It remains to be seen whether the Yamaha privateer team Motoxracing will stay on board. Team owner Sandro Carusi has no interest in the Supersport class, and a return to the Italian Championship is a possibility.

Riders & Teams for the 2027 Superbike World Championship: