Rolfo and Scuderia SC Caracchi in WSBK.

A deal signed late last week brings Italian rider Roberto Rolfo to the Corona Extra Superbike World Championship in 2006, riding a Ducati for Scuderia SC Caracchi.

Rolfo, who rode in the MotoGP category in 2005 for Team D'Antin on a Ducati Desmosedici GP04, will ride with the Italian firm's colours on a Ducati 999F05 and will get his first tests on the new bike from 6-8th January at Valencia.

"Roberto is one of the most interesting young riders of world motorcycle racing arena, coupling his youth with a large experience," explains team boss, Stefano Caracchi. "More, he has the experience of a full season with the MotoGP and so he has the knowledge of four strokes engines, also if there are several differences between MotoGP and Superbike.

"I believe that Roby, who has been a first class star in 250GP arena winning three world events, could successful follow the Marco Melandri's winning model after a short apprenticeship, the fee to pay in a championship which becomes, season after season, harder for a non-works team, looking at the efforts in money and technology that the work-supported teams invest in this series.

"We have to approach the championship with unpretentiousness and well knowing our possibilities, but I'm confident we'll be able to offer to Roby Rolfo the possibilities that his talent, in which we have full trust, deserves.

"More if we want to look also at the statistics and curiosity of our agreement we could see as Roberto won 3 world events and reach 18 times the world podium in his career, just like the Scuderia SC, and well Roby picked as racing symbol a smiling wolf, likewise the logo of the historic Scuderia NCR, from which Scuderia SC is the natural heir; we are hoping that this will means a positive and successful season for both of us."