Isaac Vinales secures Motoxracing Yamaha deal for 2022 WorldSBK season
Isaac Vinales gets a second season in the WorldSBK Championship with the graduating Motoxracing Yamaha team; 2022 WorldSBK entry list confirmed
Isaac Vinales will remain on the WorldSBK grid for a second year after securing a surprise deal with the Motoxracing Yamaha team, as the series confirmed 24 full-time riders for the 2022 season.
The Spaniard - cousin of MotoGP rider Maverick Vinales and a former Moto2 and Moto3 rider - made his WorldSBK debut last season with Orelac VerdNatura Kawasaki team, proving a regular points’ scorer and landing a maiden top ten finish at the season-ending Mandalika finale.
Though he was expected to return to the WorldSSP class after losing his Orelac ride to Oliver Konig, Vinales was present on the official FIM 2022 WorldSBK entry list attached to Motoxracing Yamaha.
The Italian team bolsters the Yamaha R1 ranks to six - together with the factory Pata, GRT and Gil Motorsport entries - and will make its WorldSBK debut in 2022 having previously competed in WorldSSP and WorldSSP 300 Championships.
Vinales’ addition means there will be 24 confirmed riders on the 2022 WorldSBK grid - one more than in 2021 - though one seat remains unfilled at Team Pedercini Racing, which is listed as TBA.
Interestingly, the Italian outfit was expected to run two bikes, including Loris Cresson, but the Belgian was missing from the entry list.
Discussions over its remaining seat is ongoing with British riders Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam among those linked to it.
2022 WorldSBK World Championship Entry List
| 2022 WorldSBK World Championship Entry List | |||
| Team | Rider | Nat. | Motorcycle |
Kawasaki Racing Team | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | |
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Yamaha R1 |
| Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Yamaha R1 | |
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | Scott Redding | GBR | BMW M 1000 RR |
| Michael van der Mark | NED | BMW M 1000 RR | |
Aruba Ducati | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Ducati Panigale V4 R | |
Team HRC | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| Iker Lecuona | ESP | Honda CBR1000RR-R | |
GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Yamaha R1 |
| Kohta Nozane | JAP | Yamaha R1 | |
Bonovo Racing | Eugene Laverty | IRL | BMW M 1000 RR |
| Loris Baz | FRA | BMW M 1000 RR | |
| TPR Racing | TBA | TBA | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| Motoxracing | Isaac Vinales | ESP | Yamaha R1 |
| Gil Motor Sport | Christophe Ponsson | FRA | Yamaha R1 |
| Puccetti Racing | Lucas Mahias | FRA | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| Barni Racing | Luca Bernardi | RSM | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| Motocorsa Racing | Axel Bassani | ITA | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| MIE Racing Honda | Leandro Mercado | ARG | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | Honda CBR1000RR-R | |
| Orelac VerdNatura Racing | Oliver Konig | CZE | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| Team Go Eleven | Philipp Oettl | GER | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
