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
Isaac Vinales

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

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