Life is a continuous succession of generational changes, and the world of competition is, perhaps, the most extreme case. Sports races where with 40 years you should already be retired and teams that seek, in the new generation, which made the previous one. Something that, by the way, is not so easy to achieve or always happen.
In this case that generational change is already underway and there is nothing more to see the time tables to understand it. With Bulega and Razgatlioglu in front and Locatelli pushing, the older ones such as REA or Bautista seem displaced to the background. But what will be theirs next season?
Well, that is where there is no generational change and that is that the entire WSBK grill only there are four pilots who have a contract for 2026. It is not that Rea and Bautista do not have their continuity yet confirmed, it is that only the two pilots of Bimota Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes, the Yamaha anda Locatelli pilot and the motorcycle of the Motocorsa Ryan Vickers The next campaign.
From that point, what is expected is that Nicolo Bulega renews with Ducati, something that also knows that Álvaro Bautista wants. For now it is not known what will happen, but of course the generational change seems to have to wait a little more if it is because of the intentions of Spanish. The fact is that despite all the problems of the latest races, Bautista is still one of the most consistent pilots of the grill and regularly fight for the podium, although he cannot approach (as happens to the rest) to Nicolo and Toprak.
The same, in terms of intentions, happens with Jonathan Rea. The Norirendés is living a Calvary with the Yamaha R1 and it is that when it seemed that they began to get together, the hard fall of Australia has weighed the multicampeon season. Precisely one of the rumors is that Rea could pilot a Ducati of the Go-Eleven, in the event that Iannone passed to the official team to the detriment of Bautista, so you really have to move many pieces to really fit the puzzle.
Everyone aspires to have a Ducati, which is clear that it is the most competitive motorcycle even in the hands of private, so Sam Lowes, Danilo Petrucci, Yari Montela and Scott Redding, in addition to Iannone, will seek to maintain their position, although confirmations will still take to arrive.
The generational change may not be noticed by the high middle ages of the grill
The fact is that the generational change does not seem a reality taking into account that one of those architects, without being precisely a quinceañero, is Toprak Razgatlioglu that could go to MotoGP the next campaign.
Therefore the average age of the WSBK pilots, which currently touches the 32 years does not indicate that this generational change is coming. In fact, the youngest of all, Bahattin Sofuoglu, is already 22 years old and the older ones, Bautista and Rea are 41 and 38 years respectively. To get an idea of the veteran we find in Superbike, throughout the MotoGP grill, Marc Márquez (32) and Johann Zarco (35) exceed the average age of the WSBK grid.
