Image: Motorcycle Pics.

DesmoSport Ducati will draft in Australian Superbike Championship racer Corey Turner for the remainder of the 2017 season as a replacement for injured team regular Callum Spriggs.

Spriggs, a rookie in the premier Superbike category this season, has been forced out of the final three rounds due to a shoulder injury sustained at Darwin’s fourth round in July.

Although disappointed to be parking the Ducati 1299 Panigale S and undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, it’s the best and safest option at this point in time according to Spriggs.

“My shoulder isn’t stable, it’s not strong and it’s just hard to ride the bike,” said Spriggs. “It’s even popping out when I’m laying in bed and stuff like that. I attempted to ride on the weekend, but I wasn’t really confident and I was just really struggling to hold onto the bike.

“I’d like to continue, but I’m not strong enough and when I’m riding my shoulder feels like it’s going to pop out when I’m riding along – so basically it has to be done and it’s better to do it now so I can prepare for next year.”

Following a promising initial outing with the DesmoSport Ducati squad over the weekend, team co-owner Ben Henry is remaining optimistic ahead of the upcoming rider switch.

“It is obviously disappointing for Cal to be out with injury midway through his rookie season in the Superbike class,” Henry said. “We wish him all the best for a quick recovery.

“We’ve been able to put Corey on the bike at Morgan Park over the weekend and he adapted to the Ducati well, so we will have him at the official test this week and look forward to the upcoming race weekend.”

With a career-best fourth place finish already under his belt from round four, Superbike rookie Turner expects to continue building on that form with the following a brief initial ride with the DesmoSport Ducati team over the weekend.

“I only did the three seven-lap races so it wasn’t a whole lot of time on the bike,” Turner explained. “But I definitely feel that with the people behind me, the bike and how I’m currently riding, we can make a positive step forward in the championship.”

Currently eighth overall in points, the 19-year-old will receive a boost in confidence with the likes of triple Superbike World Championship winner and DesmoSport Ducati team co-owner Troy Bayliss now in his corner.

“To have people behind you that can point you in the right direction and tell you what to do next is definitely a confidence boost,” he added. “I’m definitely looking forward to working with the DesmoSport Ducati team.”

Queensland-based Turner will make his official racing debut with the DesmoSport Ducati team at Morgan Park’s fifth round of the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship in his home state on 25-27 August.