Barni Ducati have this evening confirmed that Marco Melandri will replace the injured Leon Camier for the current WorldSBK season.

Melandri, who is 38, retired at the end of last year and took up racing electric mountain bikes but has managed to squeak his way back into the paddock to the delight of absolutely no-one.

“The situation was quite surreal, in normal conditions I never thought I’d come back, then it seemed like fate chose for me,” he said.

“This long and quiet period has regenerated me and made me slip away all the negative things I was focusing on before. Going back to the track once it was enough to rediscover all positive feelings that only a bike can give me.

“Then one by one almost incredible situations lined up: not having had the chance to ride the Ducati Panigale V4R was a regret and now the opportunity is there, on the Barni Racing Team’s bike there is Showa suspension and since my MotoGP period I always have felt great with those products.

“It’s going to be a championship with only six races, all in Europe on tracks that I like, so it’s going to be a limited and time-focused effort. If there was anyone who could convince me to come back it was Marco Barnabò.

“I think the Barni Racing Team is the right team for me, a “small family” where there is a desire to grow but also to have fun working with passion.

“I’m aware that I will have a winning bike and the best components, would also like to thank Claudio Domenicali, Gigi Dall’Igna e Paolo Ciabatti, and the whole Ducati team for this opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Italian youngsters everywhere are wondering why they fucking bother…