WorldSBK, Barni and Go Eleven: Bernardi and Caricasulo target Ducatis

Luca Bernardi and Federico Caricasulo are both primed for the 2022 SBK championship. According to certain sources, the pair are in contact with the two Ducati teams, "Berni" a possible for team Barni, while Go Eleven would welcome "Carica".

Luca is not currently racing, having sustained a serious injury at Magny-Cours. Luckily, the surgery on his fractured vertebra went well and the rider is now in the recovery phase. Bernardi is chomping at the bit.

Naturally, as he’s already proved to be a thoroughbred. The winner of the Italian Supersport title, Luca is young and a standout rookie in WorldSSP. The San Marino rider only has one defect in fact – he’s not Italian. All jokes aside, the rider is definitely not joking on track, the jump from 600 to 1000 therefore appearing to be the logical conclusion.

Will he sink or swim? Only the results will tell us, but let’s not forget just how much the SBK is changing, experienced riders being replaced with fresh, determined youngsters who are ready for anything. And this is why we think the Bernardi-Barni pairing could do well, the rider promising and the team successful.

Carica, an experienced rider seeking a comeback

Federico already competed aboard the 1000 in 2020. But it was a strange and shortened year, the pandemic causing no end of problems during the championship season. Especially for a rookie like him, as everything was made more complicated, just as it proved complicated for him to adapt to the team GRT Yamaha R1.

The move from Supersport to Superbike is always challenging, but even more so if there is no time for testing and a number of back-to-back rounds. Essentially, "Carica" only partially expressed his potential, before returning to the class in which he just missed out on the title in 2019.

We are well aware that the Italian wants to prove himself in the top class, perhaps with Go Eleven, a Ducati team that ensures any incoming rider feels at home. So much so that some don’t actually want to leave.

Translated by Heather Watson

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