SBK, Davies and Go Eleven close to a deal, Barni continues its casting

The 2021 Superbike season officially began with last week’s two-day test at Jerez, but the market is far from closed, with some teams still working to finalise their rider. The manufacturer with the most pieces still to add to the jigsaw is clearly Ducati, with four out of four satellite teams still unsure as to their plans for next season.

Most of the attention is currently focused on team Go Eleven, linked to Chaz Davies in recent weeks. With a move to MotoGP with Aprilia no longer a possibility, the Welshman continues to negotiate with Ducati and the Piedmont-based team, which is of course doing all it can to secure him.

Chaz has already received reassurance from Borgo Panigale that the package at his disposal would be that of a ‘factory rider’ and he’s defining the final details of a contract with Ducati. There is no signed agreement as yet, but the feeling is that the deal will soon be done.

Three riders for one seat. The situation in the Barni camp

The situation is more complicated for team Barni, the squad having started the season with Leon Camier and finished it with Matteo Ferrari, also fielding Marco Melandri and Samuele Cavalieri along the way, in what was a tough year. The names at the top of the list of candidates are Tito Rabat and Loris Baz, in two different situations but with similar destinies.

The Spaniard is looking for a ride after having lost his seat in MotoGP, but he has also made it clear that he doesn’t want to offer a team economic support in order to ride, something that might hinder any negotiation. The Frenchman was a permanent entry in SBK in 2020, and is awaiting developments from Ten Kate, whose future in Superbike is not yet clear.

Sandro Cortese is another possible, having approached Barni (with whom he carried out a test early in the year) with the hope of getting back on track after his Portimao injury. The 2018 SSP champion would be able to offer an economic contribution, but this might not be enough. The German rider has also talked to Go Eleven, although for now they are focused only on Chaz Davies, as we've said.

Motocorsa and Brixx, 2021 is (almost) confirmed

To round out the analysis of the Italian teams, Motocorsa might field Axel Bassani, a rider who was out on track with Lorenzo Mauri’s squad at Estoril the Monday after the championship finale. What was meant to be a simple test might in fact mark the start of a new adventure.

Lastly, Team Brixx has essentially made its decision and, bar any last minute changes, will field Sylvain Barrier for the second consecutive season, the Frenchman looking for redemption after a very difficult season.

Translated by Heather Watson

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