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The 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will see Ricardo Russo move to the top category aboard a Yamaha R1 with Team Guandalini Racing Yamaha. Mirco Guandalini together with Federico Sala will be heading the project with Yamaha.

“It’s with great pleasure that we have reached this agreement with Riccardo,” said Mr Guandalini, Team Manager. “He is a rider that I’ve worked with this past season and I respect him very much for his different qualities and he is a fast racer. It will not be easy considering the competitiveness of the Championship; our goal is to be the best private team. We are working to prepare the best the package for Russo to do his best.”

Russo competed in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup this season with the PATA Yamaha Official Stock Team, but had an unlucky season that saw him injured for much of the season. The young Italian is prepared for the big step to WorldSBK and is looking forward to the new challenge.

“I am very happy to be part of the World Superbike Championship next season because I believe it is right to enter the new category with the best team,” said Russo. “I had the chance to do another year in STK1000 for Yamaha, but I want to thank Andrea Dosoli trusting that I could make the step up to the top category.

I also want to thank Mirco Guandalini for this opportunity and I hope that we can show Yamaha that we deserve all the support they give us and more. Making predictions about next year is difficult at this point, but for sure I will try to do my best, I will try to get as much experience as I can, but I am already familiar with Yamaha so I am feeling positive.”