Hector Barbera joins Pramac Ducati

Spaniard Hector Barbera has signed a deal with the Pramac Ducati squad for 2012 and he will make his debut on the new GP12 machine in Valencia tomorrow.

The Italian squad will cut its involvement to just one bike for the inaugural 1000cc MotoGP world championship after enduring a torrid 2011 with Loris Capirossi and Randy de Puniet.

The experienced duo only scored seven top 10 finishes between them. Italian veteran Capirossi retired after yesterday’s Valencia round while de Puniet has been speaking with LCR Honda, Suzuki, Gresini Honda and Kawasaki in World Superbikes.

Barbera became available after his high profile Aspar Ducati squad was forced to abandon plans to expand to a two-rider team during the Motorland Aragon round back in September.

Unable to raise the budget to lease two bikes, Aspar couldn’t conclude negotiations to keep running Barbera in a single rider effort and announced it would split with the Bologna factory during the Japanese Grand Prix last month.

The Aspar squad, run by former 125GP world champion Jorge Martinez, will now run its own privately run 1000cc project (CRT), most likely using an Aprilia RSV4 engine.

Barbera said: “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.

“Ducati is working hard, this was a difficult year but I am sure that with the tests tomorrow and Wednesday 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.”

Barbera finished 2011 with a best finish of sixth place in a rain-lashed second round at Jerez.