Héctor Barberá ready to replace Mercado at Motul Dutch Round
The Spanish rider will make his WorldSBK debut at the iconic TT Circuit Assen
After parting ways with Team Toth by Willirace in the World Supersport championship, Héctor Barberà is already set to make a stunning return to the paddock for the Motul Dutch Round. The Spanish rider will debut in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Orelac Racing VerdNatura, as a replacement rider for Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado who will undergo surgery on a scaphoid fracture this Wednesday.
Barberá is a former runner-up of the 125cc and 250cc World Championships and was a fixture of the MotoGP™ paddock for over fifteen years, before joining Kawasaki Puccetti Racing in WorldSSP for the final four races of 2018. This season he competed onboard a Yamaha YZF R6 for the two opening rounds of the season, finishing a personal best of 4th at Phillip Island.
After missing out on his home round last weekend, the Spaniard is ready to prove his worth in the top class: “It’s unfortunate to get this opportunity due to another colleague’s injury, all my thoughts go out to Tati and I wish him a speedy recovery. I’m going to give everything for Orelac Racing VerdNautra, they are fully prepared. I think that WorldSBK is my category. The team ticks the right boxes and I’m more than ready. Life sometimes gives you an opportunity like this and I want to make the most of it. Thank you to Jose and Nacho Calero because they made this possible, I want to pay back their trust with a good result”.
How will the Spaniard fare on the ZX-10RR? Watch the Motul Dutch Round with WorldSBK VideoPass!
