Pramac Ducati has confirmed that Hector Barbera will join the team for the 2012
MotoGP season.
In doing so, Pramac also confirmed the departure of both
Randy de Puniet and the retiring Loris Capirossi, suggesting that the team will run just one bike in 2012.
Barbera, a former 250cc world championship runner-up, has spent his first two years in the premier-class riding a Ducati for the Aspar team.
The Spaniard finished eleventh overall in this year's championship - despite missing one race due to injury - and took his best
MotoGP finish of sixth at the damp
Jerez race.
"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," said Barbera. "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. The Ducati is working hard, this was a difficult year but I am sure that with tomorrow and Wednesday tests 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."
Pramac team principal Paolo Campinoti is pleased to have signed the leading satellite Desmosedici rider in this year's championship.
"We are glad to announce that Hector Barberà will be with us for the 2012
MotoGP season," he said. "We are confident that his experience riding a Ducati in the last two years may take him to achieve an even better season with us.
"In the year of racing that has just ended, despite a bad injury, he finished as the third best Ducati rider and this bodes well.
"I would to take this opportunity also to thanks our 2011 riders, De Puniet and Loris Capirossi, for the season lived with us. We wish them a future full of happiness on and off the track."
Aspar is expected to become one of the new 'Claiming Rule Teams' for 2012, while de Puniet has been linked with both his former LCR Honda team and Suzuki.
2012 MotoGP riders:1. Casey Stoner - Repsol Honda
2. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda
3. Jorge Lorenzo - Factory Yamaha
4. Ben Spies - Factory Yamaha
5. Valentino Rossi - Ducati Marlboro
6. Nicky Hayden - Ducati Marlboro
7. Cal Crutchlow - Tech 3 Yamaha
8. Andrea Dovizioso - Tech 3 Yamaha
9. Colin Edwards - Forward Racing
10. Hector Barbera - Pramac Ducati
11. Karel Abraham - Cardion AB Ducati