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SBK, Melandri all set to race in Jerez: "Destiny made me choose Barni"

OFFICIAL - "This long period of inactivity has regenerated me and made all the negative things that I was focusing on slip away"

SBK: Melandri all set to race in Jerez: "Destiny made me choose Barni"

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In the end the announcement has arrived: Marco Melandri and the Barni team will take part together in the remaining races of the 2020 season. As we anticipated, Marco Barnabò's team has decided to rely on the qualities of the Romagna rider, who last October ended his adventure in SBK with the GRT team.

Now, nine months later, he has returned: “It was all quite surreal, in normal conditions I would never have thought of returning, it is as if fate has chosen for me - said the man from Ravenna - this long period of inactivity has regenerated me and made all the negative things I was focussing on slip away, it was enough to go back to the track once to rediscover all the positive sensations that only a motorcycle can give you. Finally, a number of almost incredible situations lined up one after the other: not having had the opportunity to drive the Ducati Panigale V4R was a regret and now the opportunity has presented itself; the Barni Racing Team's bike has Showas and since the period of MotoGP I have always had a great feeling with their suspension ".

His restart will be at Jerez: “It will be a championship with only six rounds, all in Europe on tracks that I like, therefore a limited and concentrated commitment over time. And then if there was someone who could convince me to return, it was Marco Barnabò: in the past we have always come close to each other and now I want to repay his trust, giving myself a career ending different from what I had. I believe that the Barni Racing Team is the right team for me, a family environment where there is a desire to grow, but also to have fun working with passion. I know I will have a winning bike and the best material around, for this opportunity I also thank Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall'Igna, Paolo Ciabatti and all of Ducati ".

Echoing his words is Marco Barnabò: "After everything that happened, we needed an experienced rider, who already knew the tracks, the tyres and all the rest of the environment. Marco showed great enthusiasm and a great desire to get back into the game and it was this approach that convinced us that he was the right choice. His value cannot be put in discussion and, apart from the tests, he has only done one race less than the others. In practice, it is as if he had never stopped. We believe that in a strange championship like the one we are facing, it can be an added value and Ducati has also supported us in this decision "

 

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