For American fans of the WorldSBK Championship, there will once again be a fellow countryman to root for next season, as Garrett Gerloff is set to move from the MotoAmerica series to the World Superbike starting grid.

With an official announcement soon to come, our Bothan spies are tipping to us that Gerloff will take Marco Melandri’s seat at the GRT Yamaha squad.

Finishing third in this year’s MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, Gerloff should have a strong opportunity next year in WorldSBK, especially since the GRT Yamaha team has shown itself to be a potent satellite outfit with near-factory equipment.

That being said, the transition from US soil to the world stage has been a tough one for Americans lately, with Josh Herrin and Jake Gagne both only serving one season abroad, after making the jump from MotoAmerica.

To be successful next season, Gerloff will have to rapidly learn a bevy of new tracks, while contending with some of the fiercest superbike riders in the world.

2020 could be a good season for Yamaha riders though, with the YZF-R1 slowly developing and gaining prowess in the WorldSBK paddock.

Next year, the Japanese factory has a freshly updated machine to base its racing efforts off of as well, which could help Yamaha close the gap to rivals Kawasaki and Ducati.

However, one must be cautious making predictions as both BMW and Honda are tipped to make big moves next season.

Regardless, we wish Garrett Gerloff the best of luck next season in the WorldSBK paddock.

Source: Bothan spiess; Photo: © 2019 Brian J. Nelson / MotoAmerica – All Rights Reserved