Motoxracing Yamaha has announced a brand new line-up for the 2025 WorldSBK season, comprising Tito Rabat and Bahattin Sofuoglu.
Bradley Ray, the team’s sole rider in 2024, will return to the British Superbikes series after a two-year stint in the series.
Motoxracing Yamaha has announced that it’s expanding its lineup to include two riders for the 2025 season and beyond.
Former Moto2 champion Rabat moves to Yamaha after a three-year stint with the Puccetti Kawasaki team.
The Spaniard previously rode with the Barni Spark Ducati team. Since joining the series in 2021, the 35-year-old will now ride with three different manufacturers.
“I’m excited to join the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team,” he said.
“I think the Yamaha YZF-R1 has a setup that is easier to define than other bikes, which means even a private team can be competitive.
“Our first goal will be the top twelve, but we’ll see how things go during the season. I can’t wait to start the winter tests and compete in the 2025 Championship.
“I want to thank Carusi for this opportunity, and hope to able to repay the team with good results.”
Bahattin Sofuoglu makes it two Turkish riders on 2025 WorldSBK grid
Sofuoglu will be promoted to WorldSBK after spending three seasons in WorldSSP. The 21-year-old’s Uncle is five-time Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu – who is the current manager of 2024 WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Turkey’s representation in the paddock has now doubled after Sofuoglu’s promotion. After successful seasons in WorldSSP300, he is reunited with team boss Sandro Carusi, where together, both parties saw the team accumulate four wins and eight podiums in 2020 and 2021.
“I’m really pleased to be able to race with my former team again. We had some really good, successful seasons and podiums in WorldSSP300 and now we’re back together in the reigning class.
“My plan is to be ready as soon as possible as I embark on this exciting new chapter in my career. I’ve started riding a production YZF-R1 so that I can build confidence as I wait for the first tests. I want to say a big thank you to Sandro Carusi and Yamaha.”
Team boss Carusi expressed his delight at the team’s expansion to two riders and the signing of a two-wheeled veteran and an upcoming talent.
“I can finally confirm that we’ll be fielding two riders next season. The experienced Tito Rabat, who is also an ex-Moto2™ World Champion and will be joined by promising youngster Bahattin Sofuoglu.
“Tito has been our rival in recent seasons and so I’m pleased that he’ll now be part of our team. We began working with Bahattin in 2020 when he was part of our WorldSSP300 Championship team. Over those two seasons, we were often on the podium and I always hoped that our paths would again cross one day.
“This will be our first season with two riders in WorldSBK and so there will also be changes in terms of our technical staff, with new entries as well as familiar faces. I’m sure that we can have a really close-knit work group in 2025.”
