The 2025 World Superbike Championship (WSBK) season is about to get underway at the legendary Phillip Island circuit in Australia. While last year was marked by major upheavals with Jonathan Rea's transfer to Yamaha, Toprak Razgatlioglu's move to BMW and Andrea Iannone's return, this off-season was intended to be more stable. The big news is the arrival of Bimota alongside the Kawasaki Racing Team with the new KB998 Rimini.
So, could the hierarchy be shaken up this season, as the illustration on the official competition website suggests with its hard-hitting message: "Can it get any tighter?"
World Superbike 2025: the forces at play after winter testing
Pre-season testing revealed a clear-cut hierarchy, with the Ducatis in fine form, Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) combative but diminished, and Jonathan Rea (Yamaha) already in trouble following a heavy crash.
Truncated preparation for Toprak Razgatlioglu
His rapid adaptation to the BMW M 1000 RR and his domination last year made him the man to beat, but his preparation was disrupted. After suffering a broken finger in early February, Toprak Razgatlioglu had to undergo surgery before resuming riding at Portimão, where he still set the fastest time on the first day. But during testing at Phillip Island, the Turk crashed in the very first session, adding a new obstacle to his preparation. Despite the pain, he remains determined: "Ducati riders simply give their best, but I'll never give up and I'll try to win."
He also makes no secret of his interest in MotoGP, but tempers the rumours: "If BMW enters MotoGP, it will be in 2027 or 2028. For the moment, I can't say for sure. We'll see in six or seven months." At 28, he knows that the opportunity could close if a place in the premier class doesn't open up soon.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu's M 1000 RR on the BMW stand!
Motoplanete (@motoplaneteFr) February 16, 2025
The #WSBK rider, once considered for MotoGP, will return to racing next weekend.#salon2roueslyon #Superbike pic.twitter.com/blCh40rDk1
Ducati, 4 to 1?
Ducati monopolized the front row at the Phillip Island test, confirming its dominance. Nicolò Bulega was the fastest rider in all four practice sessions, marking his territory on the Panigale V4 R. Teammates Andrea Iannone, Danilo Petrucci and Álvaro Bautista complete an ultra-competitive Ducati quartet, all in the top 5. The Ducati armada against the lone "TR54", an unbalanced ratio on paper...
A two-speed World Superbike Championship?
While Toprak Razgatlioglu remains the favourite to succeed himself, it's clear that his rivals have no intention of letting him off the hook so easily. However, apart from the Ducatis, who else could stand in his way?
Yamaha back on track, but already under pressure
Yamaha is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its return to WSBK this year, and is hoping to return to the top after a lacklustre 2024 season. To achieve this goal, Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli are still in the running for Pata Maxus Yamaha, while Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner continue their adventure with GYTR GRT Yamaha.
Andrea Dosoli, Competition Director at Yamaha Motor Europe, remains confident:
2025 marks an important milestone for Yamaha [...]. Although our results in 2024 didn't live up to expectations, the dedication and collaborative effort of our engineers and riders remained unwavering.
But a major blow has already disrupted Yamaha's plans. Jonathan Rea suffered a violent crash during testing at Phillip Island, causing three fractures to the front of his left foot. His start to the season has already been compromised, putting even more pressure on Locatelli to assume the Japanese manufacturer's status.
To watch: Scott Redding and Bimota
While BMW still seems to be looking for the right balance to rival Ducati, Scott Redding, now with MGM Bonovo Racing on Ducati, believes he can challenge Razgatlioglu's supremacy: "It's not impossible. I've studied every race and I know where Toprak was strong. If we adapt, we can also win"(GPOne.com). Nevertheless, he is still getting used to the Ducati, as evidenced by his tenth-place finish in testing.
For its part, Bimota makes its WSBK debut with the KB998 Rimini under the Kawasaki Racing Team banner. Alex Lowes performed well, setting the fastest time on the final day of testing in Portimão: "We worked well as a team, but we still have a lot to do, and the weather didn't help us."
We're never quite prepared enough, but when you've got to go, you've got to go! The 2025 WorldSBK season officially kicks off this Friday, and promises to be particularly intense, with a field of 24 riders ready to do battle...
Image credits: WorldSBK
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