Source: Ducati Corse.

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team will welcome Italian charger Davide Giugliano back to the fold at this weekend’s Imola stop of the 2015 World Superbike Championship.

Giugliano was forced to miss the first four rounds after an accident during testing at Phillip Island in February left him with two fractured vertebrae. It will therefore be the first time this season that the two factory riders Chaz Davies and Giugliano will share the garage.

“It’s great to be able to come back for Imola, the home track,” Giugliano commented. “There’ll be a lot of expectations but the fact that I’ll have a lot of supporters there will give me an extra push. I like the track and we were fast there last year, even though we were unable to score the results we deserved come race day.

“This year it seems like we’re more competitive, but seeing as I’ll be getting on the bike for the first time in three months, I’m going to have to work hard to regain the feeling with my Panigale R.

“Physically I’m feeling quite good but over the last two months I’ve been unable to train as I normally would, only doing some swimming and rehabilitation. Obviously the level of physical preparation is not as it was when I arrived at Phillip Island, but we’ll know more once I get back on the bike – I can’t wait to restart!”

Giugliano, 11 weeks after his accident, has been careful to follow all of the advice and treatment suggested by his doctors and is now looking forward to getting back on his Ducati Panigale R this week.