Our man in the FIM Superbike World Championship, Garrett Gerloff, will continue to race the factory Kawasaki ZX-10RR as the designated factory rider for the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team at least through the 2026 season.
Gerloff, now 29 years of age, came to WorldSBK after a successful MotoAmerica career in which he won back-to-back Supersport Championships in 2016 and 2017 then went on to win races in MotoAmerica’s premier Superbike Championship. He joined the WorldSBK ranks in 2020 season, and competed on satellite teams for both Yamaha and BMW, scoring a total of eight podiums, including two second-place finishes.
The Texan became the “Lone Star” in the new Puccetti Racing-operated Kawasaki WorldSBK Team this season, and he has made steady progress in what is one of the most closely contested WorldSBK seasons in a decade or more.
The continuation of an official Kawasaki factory entry in WorldSBK on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR demonstrates not only Kawasaki’s focus on the Ninja brand through all levels of production-derived racing, it also underlines a desire to continue the success that has been achieved by Team Green in international, production-based motorcycle road racing.
The current season is at the exact halfway point right now, making the signing of Gerloff for the 2026 campaign at such an early stage a strong vote of confidence on what the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team thinks can be achieved alongside Garrett – not just in the second half of 2025 but next year, as well.
“I am very happy to have signed again with the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team for the 2026 season. I have been confident in the team and everything we have been doing,” Gerloff said. “We are moving forward, even if it’s been tough at times. I am happy with the team, the progress that we have made in the first half of the season, and their belief in me. They have been great at not putting undue pressure on me. I can see that they believe in the project, and they also believe in me. We all want to keep investing in, and developing, the bike. I’m excited to build on what I have come to know about the Ninja ZX-10RR. It’s going to be nice to continue with the same project, the same people, and while not having to re-learn anything fundamental. For 2026, I am sure that is going to be positive for us.”
Team principal Manuel Puccetti commented, “It is a pleasure to continue to work with Garrett because, for us, he is a real top rider, the same level as the front guys. I think we will have better and better results. Our collaboration started this year, together with our new Kawasaki-supported team, in WorldSBK. This achievement makes me incredibly proud. It is also a big responsibility to do our best for a wonderful brand that we have worked with for more than 20 years. We have continuously improved with Garrett this year, and I am quite positive that, for next year, we will make a good step and have better and better results. We are super-pleased to work with Garrett as he is such a nice guy. I saw in the history of Kawasaki’s collaboration with new riders that they only improve in their speed, progression, and performance.”
Also commenting on Gerloff’s re-signing was Manabu Shinobu, Senior Manager, Marketing, Department, Kawasaki Motors Ltd., who said, “We are sure Ninja fans will be enthusiastic about Garrett Gerloff extending his agreement to ride for the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team into 2026. From a factory perspective, his feedback helps us to continually develop our Ninja machines for riders everywhere. The Ninja brand has a global significance, including in Garrett’s USA homeland where the Ninja concept was originally conceived. We join all Kawasaki fans in wishing him good fortune in 2026.”
