Ex-MotoGP rider Tito Rabat halts WorldSBK campaign after Barni Ducati split

Barni Racing has announced it is parting ways with ex-MotoGP rider Tito Rabat with five rounds of the 2021 WorldSBK Championship remaining, citing results that ‘were not in line with targets’.

Rabat - the 2014 Moto2 World Champion - made the switch to WorldSBK for the 2021 season after concluding a five-season tenure in the premier MotoGP class, joining the satellite Barni Racing team with factory-backing from Ducati.

However, the Spaniard has struggled to match the performance of other MotoGP-turned-WorldSBK racers such as Scott Redding, Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri, spending much of the year mired in the mid-field, scraping points’ finishes. 

With just two top ten finishes to his name - and a best result of just ninth position in Estoril - Rabat and Barni have thus opted to sever ties.

“The Barni Racing Team and Tito Rabat have reached a mutual agreement to terminate their collaboration for the 2021 WorldSBK season,” a statement from the team read. 

“Despite the efforts made by both sides and taking note of the results not in line with the targets, the team and the rider decided to put an end to the collaboration.

“Team manager and team owner Marco Barnabò thanks Tito for the determination and commitment showed for the whole season so far, and he wishes him the best professional luck for the future.”

Barni Racing says it will continue competing for the remainder of the new season with a new rider to be announced before the next event in Barcelona on 17-19 September.