Ryan Vickers Motocorsa WorldSBK exit confirmed: “It’s hard to finish always 15th”

Ryan Vickers’ time with the Motocorsa Ducati team will conclude at the end of the 2025 WorldSBK season.

Vickers joined the Motocorsa team at the beginning of the 2025 World Superbike season with the hope of heading into 2026 with the possibility to build on a rookie season spent learning the tracks and the WorldSBK-spec Ducati Panigale V4 R.

The British rider said already on Thursday (9 October) in Estoril that there had been “difficulties” in continuing his relationship with Motocorsa into 2026.

On Friday at the Estoril Round, it was confirmed by WorldSBK.com that Motocorsa will part with Vickers at the end of this season.

“We are very happy about the work done by Ryan [Vickers] and the team in 2025,” said Motocorsa Team Manager Lorenzo Mauri, speaking to WorldSBK.com on Friday in Estoril.

“The championship level has increased a lot and with a rookie it’s very tough to get results in a short time.”

Mauri clarified that the agreement with Vickers was on a ‘one-plus-one’ basis, meaning the option for a second season of the partnership was there but that the team opted not to take it.

“With Ryan we had a ‘one-plus-one’ contract, his growth has been very good, but we are not able to have this energy when overtaking and in the fight,” Mauri explained.

“He is very fast in new tracks alone; in the fight we struggle a lot. 

“He realises the championship is very tough, for an Independent team it’s very hard to finish always 15th, 16th, or 17th. 

“Motocorsa has made a very great investment. Projects are made by two parts. 

“If only the team believes in the project, the team needs also the rider and his manager to believe in this very expensive and important project. 

“With Ryan we have an excellent relationship and let's finish the season in the best way possible.”

As a result of the departure of Vickers, Motocorsa is targeting a rider for 2026 that can finish in the top-10, and even identified Moto2 rider Albert Arenas as a potential candidate, the Spaniard having had some limited Superbike experience with Suzuki at the Suzuka 8 Hours in the past two seasons.

“For next season we are looking for some options in order to have a rider consistently in top-10 of the championship,” Mauri said.

“The research is complex. I'm considering riders from Moto2, I have found some names and I like [Albert] Arenas a lot, I can't hide it. 

“But it is very difficult to convince a rider from Moto2 to come here because the bike is different and the level is very high. It's a challenge we have to accept. 

“At the moment nothing concrete, just some talks. I have spoken with lots of riders.”

Mauri added that there is interest also from riders who have contested MotoE in recent seasons, since that championship will no longer happen in 2026.

“From MotoE, lots have contacted us in these weeks,” he said, “but the choice is very hard as the investment is made by the sponsors and by my company. 

“We put lot of money for this project, the decision is very tough and, honestly, I haven't been sleeping at night.”