Garrett Gerloff has officially signed with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing for the 2025 World Superbike Championship.
American sensation Garrett Gerloff has signed with the prestigious Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team for 2025 WorldSBK. The announcement, made on August 8, 2024, marks a significant milestone in Gerloff’s career as he prepares to take on the challenge of competing aboard the formidable Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR.
Hailing from the United States, Gerloff has been making waves in the world of motorcycle racing since his early days in the MotoAmerica series. His raw talent, coupled with an unwavering determination, quickly propelled him to the international stage, where he has been showcasing his skills in the highly competitive WorldSBK since his debut in 2020.
The 29-year old made his debut with GRT Yamaha before switching to Bonovo Action BMW in 2023. However, his tenure at Bonovo is set to come to an end after the team announced its withdrawal from the championship, leaving the rider seeking new opportunities for next season.
The speculation surrounding his future has now been put to rest with the confirmation of his move to Kawasaki Puccetti Racing ahead of this weekend’s Portimao round of the 2024 campaign.
“I am really excited to have an opportunity to stay in World Superbikes for next year with Puccetti,” Gerloff told WorldSBK.com. “It seems like a really good opportunity for both of us, I am going to do my best like I always do.
“I am confident from what I have seen from the other guys riding the bike now that we can do a good job. I will be with new people so they need to get to know me and I need to get to know them. But I am confident.”
The team will field the current season’s Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, which has a proven track record of success in the championship. This move is particularly significant as Kawasaki has decided to focus on the Bimota project, leading to the transition of the Ninja brand to Puccetti as the official factory team.
The announcement comes after it was revealed earlier in the season that the Kawasaki Racing Team would change its name to “Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team” but the Ninja ZX-10RR would be ruled out of the 2025 WorldSBK grid.
However, it has since been announced that Kawasaki will commit to both the Ninja ZX-10RR and the Bimota project.
The current Kawasaki Racing Team equipment will be used by the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team during the 2025 WorldSBK season and the latter will now be the “official” Kawasaki team with the Ninja brand continuing next season.
“In 2025, we will field current season KRT Ninja ZX-10RR machinery,” said team owner Manuel Puccetti. “I can only say this is a dream come true.
“Rest assured we will do our best to fulfil the ambitions of Ninja fans across the world in the coming season. We are truly honoured.”
General Manager of the Marketing & Sales Division at Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. Shigemi Tanaka explained the decision to continue the Ninja branding in WorldSBK.
“For Kawasaki, it’s important to maintain a presence in WorldSBK with our Ninja brand,” Tanaka said.
“With our support for Kawasaki Puccetti and via the transfer on loan of our factory Ninja ZX-10RR race assets – we can publicly show our appreciation of Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and be confident that the Ninja brand will continue to play a significant role in the WorldSBK paddock.”
