For the 2023 WorldSBK season, BMW Motorrad Motorsport will welcome a new team member from the good old US of A. Garrett Gerloff will race for BMW Motorrad in the FIM Superbike World Championship. After competing with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team for the previous three years, the 27-year-old will debut for the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team in the upcoming season.
Gerloff began his racing career in the United States, competing in a number of championships. He won the MotoAmerica Supersport championship in 2016 and 2017, and enjoyed success in MotoAmerica for the next two years. Since 2020, Gerloff has participated in the World Superbike Championship, showcasing his talent and speed on several occasions. In his rookie year, he made an impression with three podium finishes. Two more were to come the previous year. Remy Gardner, who is joining the Yamaha squad straight from the MotoGP, is expected to fill Gerloff's vacant position.
“Howdy, and welcome to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family, Garrett Gerloff,” Marc Bongers, director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, commented in the official news announcement from BMW Motorsport. “We have always followed his development in WorldSBK over the past few years. He showed from the outset that he is fast and talented. He has now matured as a rider. We are thrilled to have Garrett on board from next season. We are confident that Garrett will fit very nicely into our squad of BMW Motorrad factory riders and will further strengthen our project. He will help the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team to take the next step towards the top next season.” He concluded.
Meanwhile, owner of the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, Jürgen Röder, stated,“We are overjoyed that a rider like Garrett Gerloff is joining the Bonovo action team! We are very much looking forward to working together and are confident that we will embark on an excellent 2023 season with him. I hope that we can provide whatever Garrett wants and envisions and I think then we’ll be well positioned for the new season.”
After an outstanding rookie year in 2020, Gerloff found it tough to maintain his success after frequently encountering issues in the opening laps. At Magny-Cours, the American did see a return to form, earning his first top-five result of the year. With the signing of Gerloff, BMW is almost to the point where their whole rider lineup is confirmed, making them the first manufacturer to do so. However, BMW is also anticipated to confirm the retention of Loris Baz, who will compete alongside Gerloff, for the 2023 season.
