Ducati star Roberts targets Superbike switch.

Brendan Roberts is setting his sights firmly on a graduation to the World Superbike Championship next season after a series of recent tests.

The 22-year-old Australian rider is being touted for big things in the future having been welcomed into the prestigious Xerox Ducati Junior family in 2007, a status he is now capitalising on this year having already won two FIM Superstock 1000 races this season.

Roberts, Germany SSTK 1000 Race 2008
Roberts, Germany SSTK 1000 Race 2008
© Gold and Goose

Brendan Roberts is setting his sights firmly on a graduation to the World Superbike Championship next season after a series of recent tests.

The 22-year-old Australian rider is being touted for big things in the future having been welcomed into the prestigious Xerox Ducati Junior family in 2007, a status he is now capitalising on this year having already won two FIM Superstock 1000 races this season.

Sharing the lead of the championship with Ten Kate's Maxime Berger, Roberts is already planning his immediate future and is intending to bypass the natural step to Supersports in favour of a ride in Superbikes.

While his Australian nationality is likely to draw tenuous comparisons to that of outgoing Xerox Ducati star Troy Bayliss, Roberts accepts that he isn't in-line for a seamless route into the factory backed squad, but has high hopes of landing at a satellite Ducati team.

"The Junior team is designed to bring younger riders up, so anything can happen," he told Crash.net Radio. "I have been testing the Superbike this week, so things are coming along nicely. I don't think I will be stepping straight up into the senior team though because there will be far too much pressure, but there are other teams we can go to.

"I want to learn the ropes first in another Ducati team and maybe move up if things are going well. There are quite a few people in front of me for the job but fingers crossed I'll get somewhere."

Singling out Sterilgarda Ducati as his preferred choice, Roberts is also looking into the arrival Boulder Motorsport, an American team that will make its World Superbike debut with a pair of Ducatis next season.

"There are a couple of teams, such as Sterilgarda, especially with Xaus off to BMW and Biaggi possibly going to the factory team, but there is also Boulder Motorsport from the USA coming in, which could provide another opportunity."

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