Toprak Razgatlioglu, Johnny Rea, Dominique Aegerter, Ryan Vickers, and finally Michael Rinaldi. Among the riders we won't see in action in the upcoming World SBK Championship there will also be the Romagna native.
This season the #21 raced first in Supersport with GMT94, later jumping on Motoxracing's Yamaha R1, to complete the season. However, the Jerez round remains the last image of his SBK adventure, because in 2026 there will be a new challenge.
It was confirmed by the rider himself, sharing a post on social media, which reads, "Inside me I knew that Aragon in 2021 would be my last victory in Superbike. I wish I could find the words to express what I feel but it's difficult. My time as a full-time rider in Superbike has come to an end. Not because I'm ready to stop, but because I have learned that sometimes the best thing you can do is not to force life but to let it unfold naturally."
Michael, however, has no intention of stopping: "The hunger though, it's still there. Becoming world champion remains my purpose, my unfinished story. I'll keep chasing that dream, maybe on different tracks, maybe in different championships. And beyond racing I'm working on something new, yet driven by the same passion. So thank you from teh bottom of my heart. it's been a beautiful ride! And the road ahead is only just beginning, but this big part of my heart and career ends here."