Tito Rabat promised '99% factory' Ducati material if competitive on WorldSBK bow

Tito Rabat says he will be rewarded with the ‘top material’ from Ducati if he proves competitive during his maiden WorldSBK Championship season in 2021.

The 2014 Moto2 World Champion becomes the latest rider to make the switch from MotoGP to WorldSBK after being edged out of his Avintia Ducati ride following a disappointing season that yielded a best finish of only 11th position.

With both factory Ducati seats taken, Rabat has instead landed at the satellite Barni Racing - getting the nod over Loris Baz - and while he is yet to ride the Panigale V4 R after the recent two-day test at Jerez was washed out, he says he is settling into the team well.

“I am happy and motivated and looking forward to what will happen,” he told the official WorldSBK website. “In the beginning it was quite hard to realise what is happening but now everything has happened, I think it is a good opportunity to stay at the front and do big things. I feel comfortable with the team and I see it is a team that has a passion to race

“If I show I can win races and be at the front, then I will have everything, the material to stay out front. This makes me motivated because I will put in everything. For the moment I want to go step by step. I am looking to make steps to arrive well at the first race. To achieve my goal is to keep this line, stay competitive and get good results. I am still a rider.

Though Barni aren’t race winners in WorldSBK, it has shown itself to be capable of podiums and has been a regular top ten finishers with the likes of Xavi Fores and Michael Ruben Rinaldi.

It is also due to get a machinery upgrade courtesy of Rabat’s arrival, with team manager Marco Barnabo saying the Panigale V4 R will be ‘99%’ the same as that to be campaigned by Aruba.it pairing Rinaldi and Scott Redding.

“I am really happy to have reached an agreement with Tito,” he said. “I’ve seen him in my own character, someone passionate about the sport, who only thinks about training, riding a bike and competing. 

“That is his life and I’m very pleased because I see myself reflected in him. He hasn’t made any big demands, he doesn’t need much. He just wants the bike to be competitive, that was his only request. He wnats to prove that he is still a rider with a lot to give to this sport. 

“We will have the 2021 bike and it will be 99% the same as the  factory bikes. I’m sure he will have everything he needs, we will work hard to make it a success.”

As well as Rabat on the Barni Racing bike, Ducati will also have its former works rider Chaz Davies competing with Team Go Eleven, which got the better of its sister Italian satellite outfit for the first time in 2020 after Rinaldi scored a win at Aragon.