Dominique Aegerter will graduate to the 2023 WorldSBK Championship grid after agreeing terms with Yamaha to join Giansanti Racing Team (GRT).
The experienced Swiss rider - winner of the 2021 WorldSSP Championship and 2022 MotoE World Cup - has made no secret of his desire to progress to the WorldSBK for the first time but faced strong opposition for the last remaining factory-supported seat.
Nevertheless, despite blotting his copybook with a bizarre round exclusion for 'faking' an injury to get a race red flagged, Aegerter got the nod over BSB Champion Tarran Mackenzie and MotoAmerica champion Jake Gagne for the seat alongside MotoGP exile Remy Gardner in the GYTR GRT squad.
A huge moment for the 31-year old - who is also well on course for the 2022 WorldSSP crown after winning 12 of the 16 races so far this year, Aegerter is delighted to get his wish of a competitive WorldSBK ride.
“I’m super happy to join Yamaha in WorldSBK next season. It is a great opportunity for me, and a fantastic reward for the World Championship title last year and for leading WorldSSP this year.
“I’m looking forward to riding for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, and racing alongside Remy Gardner who, as a Moto2 World Champion and current MotoGP rider, will be a strong teammate.
“I can’t wait for the first test aboard the Yamaha R1 as it’s clearly a competitive bike, with Toprak racing it to the World Championship last year and in the title hunt once again this season.
“I am happy to have this opportunity, and I want to thank Yamaha and the GYTR GRT Yamaha Team for believing in me.
“I will give it everything I have next season, but for now my focus is on securing a second successive world title in WorldSSP.”
A rider whose profile has skyrocketed in recent years, Aegerter’s WorldSBK chance comes after an already lengthy career that began in the GP classes in 2006 when he competed in the 125cc class upon turning 16.
Progressing to Moto2 in 2010, Aegerter would go on to spend ten seasons in the intermediate category, his strongest campaign coming in 2013 and 2014 with a run to fifth overall, scoring one win and seven podiums.
However, after being frozen out of Moto2 after the 2019 season, Aegerter embarked on a busy dual campaign in WorldSSP and MotoE. Winning the former and finishing runner-up in the latter, having already romped to the 2022 electric bike World Cup title, he is well on course for back-to-back titles with Ten Kate Yamaha.
He recently tested a MotoGP bike for the first time after being given a run with Suzuki at Misano.
GYTR GRT Yamaha is the manufacturer's official satellite effort and receives an officially supply of R1s. Aegerter and Gardner represent an all-new rider line-up for the Italian squad, replacing Bonovo BMW-bound Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane, who is expected to revert back to the Japanese Superbike Championship.
