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World Superbike is arriving at Assen for the first round in Europe. While on the one hand there is a lot of anticipation for the track action, on the other everyone is already talking about the transfer market. In the last week in fact, the name on everyone’s lips was that of Toprak Razgatlioglu, who hit the headlines for the test carried out with the MotoGP bike in Jerez.
A big question mark hovers over 2024 for the Turk and as a result it will be necessary to wait for the situation to evolve. Instead, something could already be moving around Alvaro Bautista. As is well-known, the Spaniard's contract with Aruba expires at the end of the season, so the world champion will have to decide what to do.
Given his current form and the competitiveness shown on the Ducati, there seem to be all the right conditions to continue together for another year. Aruba has no doubts about Alvaro's qualities and the same goes for the number 19, who doesn't have the slightest interest in looking for alternatives.
As Serafino Foti anticipated about a month ago in Misano, the grounds for renewal will start to be laid during the Assen weekend. In this regard, Simone Battistella, who looks after the interests of Alvaro, will also be at the TT.
And still with Ducati and Aruba, one of the riders under contract with Stefano Cecconi's team is Nicolò Bulega, currently involved in SuperSport. In the biennial contract signed two years ago by the rider from Montecchio Emilia, one of the clauses stipulated was for him to move up into SBK in case of victory in the Championship.
In our opinion, if Bulega fails to hit the target, but manages to prove competitive with the Panigale V2 throughout the season, there will still be the awaited promotion to the top class. This possibility is confirmed by the tests held with the Superbike, the last one less than a month ago. On the other hand, a third season in SSP would make little sense.
However, for this possibility to become concrete, it will be necessary for some seats to be free in the satellite teams. Barni has Danilo Petrucci, while Motocorsa has a talent like Bassani. Finally, there is Go Eleven, which two years ago focussed on a youngster like Oettl. Something will therefore have to happen unless Aruba decides to invest in a third bike privately, recalling in some ways the experiment two years ago with Chaz Davies in Go Eleven.
The fact is that the market is ready to take off and some exciting months await us to say the least on the negotiation front, given that all the rider contracts are expiring except for Redding, Rea and Gardner.
