A revamp of rules revitalised this class last year. This season the paddock has been turned on its head with massive team changes and a host of potential winners flooding in. Don’t miss the first round at the Island
The Next-Gen version of WorldSSP has been a raging success, leading to a 2025 edition that features seven different manufacturers and a field of 32 regulars – once the championship hits Europe, at least. Changes in the rider line-up? Less than 10 riders remain in their 2024 teams, with potential winners or podium challengers now peppering the grid.
Not all of the ‘regular’ riders will start out at Phillip Island, as there are five riders who will only race in the WorldSSP Challenge – which is a championship-within-a-championship for those who do not have the budget to do the one fly-away round.
With the reigning champion and third-placed riders from 2024 moving on, several teams have swiped left on their rider line-ups from last year. It should all be less predictable than ever. And I make it 15 different rider nationalities on the grid.
Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing
Yuki Okamoto arrives in Europe to team up with last year’s runner-up Stefano Manzi. All the Yamaha entries will be on the new three-cylinder R9, which means there will be only one true 600cc manufacturer (Honda) in the traditional ‘600’ class. Manzi may even start as favourite on the untried bike.
Feel Racing WorldSSP Team Ducati
Philipp Ottl rejoins WorldSSP and inside what was last year the championship-winning Aruba.it Ducati team, now that Adrian Huertas has moved onwards and upwards to Moto2. Philipp has 11 WorldSSP podiums to his credit already, so he should be up the sharp end on this proven Panigale V2. So no pressure then to perform?
MV Agusta Reparto Corse
Bo Bendsneyder rode the final two rounds for this team last year and took a podium in the last round. He should have no issues – his new teammate Filippo Farioli is a rookie in this class.
Yamaha bLU cRU Evan Bros Racing
Aldi Mahendra is the reigning WorldSSP300 champion. Can Oncu is a proven race winner and serial podium finisher, even on the outdated 600cc Kawasaki. Will Mahendra make a quick transition from a 300cc Yamaha single to an 890cc triple?
Motozoo ME Air Racing MV Agusta
Federico Caricasulo and Australian Luke Power form the only completely unchanged bike, team and rider combo in the whole series. A second year of stability, after a bike change ahead of the 2024 season, should be a good thing for Power in his third WorldSSP campaign. He even gets to race in Australia this year.
Orelac Racing VerdNatura Ducati
A completely new line-up of Spanish riders, in the shape of Jaume Masia and Xavi Cardelus, looks like a great gamble from the long-time WorldSSP competitors.
GMT94-Yamaha
Michael Ruben Rinaldi now races in WorldSSP for the first time, with former world champion Lucas Mahias staying with this French-based team for a second year. Lots of possibilities for each rider on the new R9.
PTR Triumph Factory Racing
Oli Bayliss finally signed after testing the Triumph at the end of last year. He joins the newly-podium-capable Tom Booth-Amos on what are the only two Street Triple RS 765s on the grid.
Kawasaki WorldSSP Team
This is the new version of the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing effort, now equipped with a 636cc ZX-6R and another ex GP-paddock rider, Jeremy Alcoba, in a one-man squad. Only one Kawasaki in WorldSSP this year.
QJ Motor Factory Racing
Raffaele De Rosa comes back for a second year on the 800cc SRK-RR four cylinder machine. A new bike should come at some stage in 2025 but as QJ will not be racing in Australia, PI unfortunately misses out on seeing the old one. They double up to two riders this year, thanks to three-time WorldSSP race winner Finn Niki Tuuli.
PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team
Kaito Toba continues but Sayarifuddin Azman is a new rider in WorldSSP, coming over from the All-Japan and Asian championships.
EAB Racing Ducati
Loris Veneman was nearly WorldSSP300 champion in 2024, but he has already moved up to the established EAB squad, making this a full-on Dutch effort. He’s talented and fast but a 955cc Ducati is a big leap from a 300cc Kawasaki.
D34G WorldSSP Racing Team Ducati
Glenn van Strallen won a race for the Ten Kate Yamaha squad last year, but it was not enough to keep his ride. He should enhance the prospects of Oli Bayliss’ recent team, given his experience. His teammate, in Europe only, will be Eduard Montero.
WRP Racing Ducati
A swap of machinery for both Marcel Schrotter and his WRP team (from MV Agusta and Triumph, respectively) could be just what they both ordered. Czech rider Ondrej Vostatek will join up with podium-proven Schrotter.
Renzi Corse Ducati
Valentin Debise ended up fourth overall and was a seven-time podium rider in 2024, on a Yamaha, but now finds himself in the Ducati set-up that made Simone Corse the WorldSSP Challenge champion last year. Renzi Corse will do all rounds in 2025.
Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team Ducati
The one-time world champions in WorldSBK will compete for a full season with former Ten Kate Yamaha rider Leonardo Taccini and an experienced WorldSSP rider from Denmark, Simon Jespersen.
Honda RACING World Supersport
You wont’t get to see Corentin Perolari or reigning WorldWCR champion Ana Carrasco race at PI this season, as they only race at the European rounds, but this is a second decent Honda effort in WorldSSP.
VFT Racing Yamaha
Niccolo Antonelli is better known as a former Moto3 race winner, but now he takes part in WorldSSP on an 890cc Yamaha R9, after a WorldSSP year on a Ducati in 2024.
Team Flembbo-Pilote Moto Production MV Agusta
Loic Arbel is a late privateer MV Agusta entry, with three (distant) WorldSSP starts on a Yamaha under his belt.
