Spaniard rider Sete Gibernau will switch from the Honda Movistar team to Ducati Marlboro in MotoGP competition next year the Italian team announced on Monday.
"I'm delighted to welcome Sete. We think Sete is one of the strongest guys in MotoGP. He's a talented, gritty and courageous rider", commented Federico Minoli, president of Ducati Motor Holding.
Since 2003, Gibernau has raced with Honda. In the 2005 season season things didn`t show as he expected. finishing seventh place in the championship with four times in second place as his best results and no victories.
The 32-year-old driver will replace his countryman Carlos Checa and will have Italian Loris Capirossi as his teammate for 2006.
"It's always difficult to welcome someone while saying goodbye to someone else", continued Minoli. "I want to sincerely thank Carlos for the commitment and professionalism he's shown us. For sure he's a great rider and also a nice guy; working with him has been a great pleasure".
The Ducati Marlboro team finished a great season taking victories in Japan and Malaysia with Capirossi who finished sixth in the standings.
"After achieving some great results and much satisfaction during the last few years, and after a season at the highest level but with some difficulties, I decided to make a change in my career", stated Gibernau. "Now it's time to find some new motivation. The professionalism and enthusiasm I've found at Ducati are what made me decide to join forces with the factory. I face this new challenge with real determination, convinced that together we can achieve great success".
Gibernau made his debut in the Continental Circus in the Spanish GP in 1992. In `97 he move to 500cc (MotoGP), where he achieved nine victories, eight of them during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, when he took the sub-championship both times.
Ducati will be the fourth different factory in Gibernau`s career; he has raced with Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki.