Danilo Petrucci will be back on the world stage full-time in 2023 having signed for the Barni Racing Ducati team in WorldSBK.
Petrucci will remain with Ducati in 2023, but return from America to the World Championship, the World Superbike Championship to be specific, after signing with Barni for next season.
The Italian left World Championship racing at the end of 2021 when he rode his final Grand Prix for KTM. Since then, he has raced the Dakar, where he won a stage; gone to MotoAmerica where he took the championship to the final round; and returned to MotoGP with Suzuki in Thailand to replace an injured Joan Mir.
Now, Petrucci will return to Barni, with whom he raced in 2011 in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, and the Italian Superstock 1000 championship, which they won. Then, the machinery was the Ducati 1098R, and now it will be the Panigale V4 R of the same brand.
Danilo Petrucci said: “I'm very happy to be back [with] Barni. 2011 was one of my best seasons ever, but above all I couldn't say no to the chance to race in World Superbike with a very competitive bike.
“It's a championship I've never done before and I can't wait to measure myself on the track. I want to thank the entire Barni team for giving me this opportunity and all the people who made this agreement possible.”
Barni’s 2022 season started with Luca Bernardi on their Panigale, but the San Marinese generally struggled to adapt to the class, having stepped up from Supersport, and suffered with injury. Xavi Fores came in to replace Bernardi from the Argentinean round, securing a best result of ninth in the Superpole Race in Australia.
Barni Racing Team Team Principal, Marco Barnabò, said: “I'm happy to be able to hug Danilo again and to have him back in the team. As always, we will do our utmost to put the rider in a position to be competitive.
“His qualities are unquestionable. We know that there will be a lot of work to do because we will be competing with riders who have much more experience than him in Superbike, but with his motivation and our work we know that we can do well. My thanks to all the sponsors and to Ducati."
