The WSBK 2027 grid will have a good number of new faces, some of the drivers who have been protagonists in recent years will not be there and, on the contrary, new protagonists appear. If we start with the casualties, the most notable in sporting terms will be that of Nicolo Bulega, who will not defend the title to compete in MotoGP.
But if we look at our drivers, Álvaro Bautista will be missing. The Spaniard has not finally found a place and does not appear in the list of the 22 drivers who will be part of the WSBK 2027. There are other relevant casualties, such as the one we already knew about Danilo Petrucci who after a year at BMW will not continue, nor will Tarran Mackenzie or Bahattin Sofuoglu.
There are also casualties in terms of teams, because MGM Racing Performance will not be present, although that place that could be “lame” is occupied by the second GoEleven bike.
New faces and team changes at WSBK 2027
If the bitter pill is the losses, life goes on and to compensate for them there are interesting arrivals and some movement between teams. Starting with the latest confirmation we find the newly crowned WSSP champion, Alber Arenas. The Catalan rider moves up to the premier class precisely by occupying that second GoEleven bike, a private Ducati but which has proven effective last season.
But there are more illustrious arrivals and also unusual in number and three MotoGP riders land directly in the WSBK for next season. The first of them and perhaps the one who may have the most options a priori is Franco Morbidelli and the Italian will have a place in the official Ducati team as a replacement for Bulega and partner of Iker Lecuona.
More up in the air is the performance that Brad Binder may have, who will share the box with Miguel Ángel Oliveira, both piloting the BMW M1000RR. It is true that BMW achieved the title with Razagatlioglu in 2024 and 2025 but it is also true that the bike is not the same due to the regulations and that although Oliveira had a promising start after the injury, he spent the rest of the season without great results.
The last MotoGP rider to arrive will, in turn, be the one who will find a less competitive motorcycle on paper and that is that Jack Miller will get on a Yamaha R1 that is very far in performance from the Ducati that are, right now, the great candidates for the title.
Twan Smiths will also continue, after arriving last season, in the Motoxracing WorldSBK Team, becoming a permanent rider. And if we talk about changes, the only relevant movement on the grid is that of Xavi Vierge who leaves behind his time at Yamaha to ride Barni’s Ducati that Bautista “released.”
WSBK 2027 Grill
- Sam Lowes – ELF Marc VDS Racing Team
- Garrett Gerloff – Kawasaki WorldSBK Team
- Alex Lowes – bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team
- Axel Bassani – bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team
- Yari Montella – Barni Spark Racing Team
- Xavi Vierge – Barni Spark Racing Team
- Iker Lecuona – Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
- Franco Morbidelli – Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
- Miguel Oliveira – ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
- Brad Binder – ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
- Andrea Locatelli – Pata Maxus Yamaha
- Jack Miller – Pata Maxus Yamaha
- Remy Gardner – GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team
- Stefano Manzi – GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team
- Tommy Bridewell – Superbike Advocates
- Jake Dixon – Honda HRC
- Somkiat Chantra – Honda HRC
- Alberto Surra – Motocorsa Racing
- Lorenzo Baldassarri – Team GoEleven
- Albert Arenas – Team GoEleven
- Mattia Rato – Motoxracing WorldSBK Team
- Twan Smits – Motoxracing WorldSBK Team
