Pata confirms Ducati for Zanetti

"The Ducati is a competitive bike and I've already had a chance to race it, hopefully I can establish a good feeling from the first tests" - Lorenzo Zanetti

Kyle White

17 Jan 2012

Zanetti, Aragon SSTK 1000 Race 2011
© Gold and Goose

Pata Racing has revealed it will prepare a Ducati 1098RS for new signing Lorenzo Zanetti in the 2012 World Superbike Championship.

FIM Superstock 1000 front runner Zanetti was announced as joining the Italian team in December, though Pata Racing refrained from confirming at the time whether it would continue as an Aprilia customer outfit into 2012.

With the winter testing ban now over, Pata says it will switch to Ducati machinery this year, becoming the fourth team to commit to the twin-cylinder bike after Althea, Effenbert-Liberty and Ducati Roma.

"Pata's aim in 2012 is to invest in talented young Italian riders," said Pata team owner Marco Gobbi. "I would say that having Zanetti in the team and an icon such as the Ducati 1198 is already a big success.

"Knowing that we can race with the current world championship-winning bike gives us a major stimulus. For our part, we are still aiming to be successful in a championship in which we want to play a major role.

"Thanks to everyone who was involved in the negotiations and who made this agreement possible."

Zanetti finished third overall in the Superstock 1000 class last year for BMW Italia and is determined to make his mark in World Superbikes for Pata Racing.

"I'm really pleased about this accord; both Pata Racing team and I have ambitious plans for next season," he said. "The Ducati is a competitive bike and I've already had a chance to race it, hopefully I can establish a good feeling from the first tests in Australia.

"I'd like to thank Remo and Marco Gobbi, the owners of Pata, and Andrea Prando, my team manager for putting their faith in me."

Team manager Prando added: "Having such a determined young rider as Lorenzo in the team is a major asset; I feel sure that having a rider of his calibre and the reigning title-winning bike in our team will make it possible for us to go a long way in this championship."

Pata Racing entered an Aprilia RSV-4 for Noriyuki Haga in 2011, the Japanese rider ending the season eighth overall with four podium finishes.