Barros: Good to be back

Alex Barros is hoping he can repay the faith Ducati has shown in him in the 2007 MotoGP world championship.

The 36-year-old South American made a surprise return to the premier class having thought his MotoGP career was over when he lost his ride at the end of the 2005 campaign.

He spent a year in World Superbikes before landing a shock deal to return with the Spanish-based D’Antin Ducati squad and said: “I thought my MotoGP career was finished. I had no plans to comeback to MotoGP, but then the offer came and I accepted the challenge. My idea was to make at least two years in World superbike.

 “I wanted to continue with one of the top teams in the second year. But in the end all the negotiations were better in MotoGP. Ducati offered me full support in the Pramac team and this convinced me to comeback. When Pramac first contacted me I said ‘no thank you, this is not the deal I want and is not my idea of continuing’. 

“After that Ducati started to call and told me how they wanted the project to work with the team. I have the same tyre support from Bridgestone as the factory team and I have Ducati engineers in the box. 

“Also in development Ducati is listening to me and following my ideas. I hope I can help them and give them something back for the faith they have in me.”