Here is the news that makes complete sense for everyone paying attention: Lorenzo Baldassarri is staying put with Team GoEleven for a second season in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, locking in a new deal with the Independent Ducati squad for 2027.
That is quite the turnaround for a rider whose path back to the top tier was anything but straightforward. After a brutal 2023 campaign aboard the R1 machine with GMT94 Yamaha where he finished 18th in the standings with a best result of P12—managed three times across the Tissot Superpole Race at Misano, plus Race 1 and the Superpole Race at Jerez—he dropped back down to WorldSSP for 2024. That stint failed to recapture the magic of his 2022 runner-up finish, prompting another pivot over to the MotoGP paddock to race in MotoE. He salvaged sixth in the final World Cup season with three podiums, though he missed out on victory by a razor-thin 0.037s in Race 1 in Barcelona and 0.106s in Race 1 at Balaton Park.
Yet Team GoEleven rolled the dice on the 29-year-old for 2026, bringing him in to replace Andrea Iannone after his two seasons with the squad. It turned out to be an inspired gamble. 'Balda' made an instant statement by grabbing his first World Superbike rostrum in Race 1 at Phillip Island, adding a second podium at Balaton Park while establishing himself as a permanent fixture inside the top ten throughout the campaign.
Reflecting on his continuity with the project, Baldassarri said: “I am really happy to renew with Team GoEleven; we had to wait a little while to finalise the last details, but I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. We are keeping continuity with the project, and I’m pleased about that; this year has been a fantastic season, during which I’ve consistently been fast and steady. I had come from a difficult period where I lacked both confidence and results—having changed teams, bikes, and categories—but GoEleven believed in me, and we achieved great things this year. Big challenges ahead; we now have a solid baseline for every track, so we’ll arrive ready at every weekend. I can’t wait to start another year together!”
Team Owner Gianna Ramello echoed that commitment, noting: “Lorenzo has proven to be fast and competitive during the 2026 season, bringing us great satisfaction. He was a gamble I took at the start of the year—I believed in him from the very beginning, and he repaid that faith with one of our best-ever WorldSBK seasons. We couldn't let him slip away after just one year or fail to renew his contract for the upcoming season. With another year in our team, I am certain he will improve even further; the team environment is wonderful—calm and truly united—thanks to Lorenzo’s excellent personality. I wish both him and us, the team, the very best for 2027; we face major challenges ahead, and we want to be ready for them. I also want to thank everyone who believed in this venture—all our partners and sponsors who make it possible for us to keep living our dream!”
Team Manager Denis Sacchetti added: “The feeling we’ve built with ‘Balda’ this year is fantastic; the harmony within the garage and our mutual trust in the work we do are the key ingredients that led us to firmly believe in continuing this partnership—anything else wouldn’t have made sense. ‘Balda’ has impressed us right from the very first race this year—and I think he’s impressed a lot of people with what he’s shown on track—and we believe that with a year of experience, we could have a really exciting 2027. We’re thrilled and motivated!”
With his future secured, the #34 will wrap up the current season at the upcoming finale at Jerez before setting his sights on the 2027 grid.
