Hector Barbera will ride for the Pramac Racing team after confirming his move from the Mapfre Aspar Team on Monday. With Aspar set to go the CRT route next year, Barbera's move will ensure he stays on satellite Ducati machinery, with the Italian squad likely to field the 25 year old as their sole rider.
Barbera, a former runner-up in the 125cc and 250cc classes, has had a mixed career in the premier class with seventh at Mugello this year his best result, and is looking forward to making a fresh start in 2012.
“This will be my third year riding a Ducati and I want to thank the Pramac Racing Team and Paolo Campinoti who have given me this opportunity. In the last two seasons I have not conquered the results I wanted and I hope that now, after the experience I gained, I can get better results. Both I and Pramac Racing have high goals. I am coming from one of the hardest moments of my career and I want a change. The Ducati is working hard, this was a difficult year but I am sure that with tomorrow and Wednesday tests and especially with the winter break, where they will have time to work, they will be able to give us a very competitive bike at the beginning of next season.”
Team Principal Paolo Campinoti expressed his delight at signing Barbera while also confirming the news that Randy de Puniet will join the retiring Loris Capirossi in leaving the team.
“We are glad to announce that Hector Barberà will be with us for the 2012 MotoGP season. We are confident that his experience riding a Ducati in the last two years may take him to achieve an even better season with us. In the year of racing that has just ended, despite a bad injury, he finished as the third best Ducati rider and this bodes well. I would to take this opportunity also to thanks our 2011 riders, De Puniet and Loris Capirossi, for the season lived with us. We wish them a future full of happiness on and off the track.”