Barni Spark Ducati unveil WorldSBK, WorldSSP livery for Bernardi, Bayliss

Barni Spark Racing Ducati have officially unveiled their 2022 WorldSBK colours for Luca Bernardi, along with the team’s WorldSSP livery for rider Oliver Bayliss. 

One of six rookies set to line-up on the 2022 WorldSBK grid, Bernardi will be competing on a Ducati Panigale V4 RS22 machine. 

Derived from the WorldSBK-spec Panigale V4-R, Bernardi is likely to be aboard one of the series’ more competitive satellite bikes, and one that should see him fight for rookie of the year honours - a lot of that will depend on how big a step forward the full factory Team HRC makes. 

After showing decent pace in his first pre-season test at Portimao, Bernardi is hoping to use this week’s two-day outing at Misano, his home track, to ‘improve my feeling’. 

Bernardi said: "After the first touch with the team in the tests in Portugal, I need to improve my feeling with the Ducati Panigale V4 RS 22 and I hope to do that in this two-day test in Misano, which is my home track. 

"It was a pleasure to be able to welcome the sponsors at this presentation before we hit the track. The bike looks wonderful, and now we have to work to ride it fast."

Lining-up as part of the same team for the 2022 season, albeit in WorldSSP, Australian rider Oliver Bayliss is also set for his rookie campaign in the intermediate class.

Track action has been at a premium for Bayliss thus far, after the son of former three-time WorldSBK champion Troy, completed just nine laps during last month’s Portimao test due to a crash and subsequent ankle injury that forced him to sit out. 

"After recovering from the injury, it is nice to be here at Misano for the presentation, but also for my first real test," claimed Bayliss. 

"Hopefully, I can get more confidence with the bike, do as many laps as possible and be 100% soon."