Spaniard Xavi Fores will remain with the Barni Racing Ducati outfit for the 2018 World Superbike Championship, the team has confirmed.
Fores joined the Barni squad for the 2016 season having made several appearances as the injured Davide Giugliano’s replacement at the Aruba Ducati team in 2015, and impressed on the customer Panigale with five top five finishes including a third place at a wet race two at the Lauistzring in Germany.
Remaining with the team for the 2017 season, and receiving more support from Ducati, Fores hit the ground running with a sixth and a fifth at the opening round at Phillip Island.
The Spaniard went on to secure eight more top six finishes across the year to finish the season seventh in the standings and top customer rider on 196 points.
Despite his strong and consistent performances, his place at the Barni team was cast in doubt as rumours of Ducati promoting European Superstock 1000 champion Michael Ruben Rinaldi up to WorldSBK for 2018 with the customer outfit.
Elsewhere in WorldSBK, current Avintia MotoGP rider Loris Baz is set to join the Althea BMW squad for his return to the series having left at the end of 2014.
Frenchman Baz had been tipped to join Red Bull Honda and MV Agusta, but the doors on those moves closed when Althea’s Jordi Torres signed to take the place of Leon Camier at MV, who is in turn off to Honda.
It is unclear who will partner Camier at Honda, though speculation suggests MotoAmerica rider Jake Gagne – who took part in several rounds with the Ten Kate-run squad in WorldSBK this season – and Stefan Bradl are the main contenders.
