Barrier returns to roots in Superstock 1000

Frenchman Sylvain Barrier will return to his roots this weekend at Motorland Aragon, as he steps down from the World Superbike Championship to the Superstock 1000 Cup; a series in which he is a double world champion.

The move comes only days after he was replaced at the BMW Italia team by Ayrton Badovini. Barrier was known to have been scouting for rides in other championships, including a visit to Donington Park for last weekend’s MCE British Superbike championship to talk to teams there.

Instead, however, he will join Michele Magnoni as a full-time rider for the G.M Racing Team, as part of Yamaha’s push to develop the new R1 package.

“I am really happy to be riding with Yamaha. It’s a new project for me and it gives me a different kind of energy because I come from Superbike and now I get to try the new YZF-R1M and join a new family. I look forward to getting on the bike. I rode the old YZF-R1 in 2009 for just one year, but I haven’t tried the new one yet, it will be the first time this weekend.

“I really want to try the new YZF-R1M and I am really excited. When I heard I had the opportunity to work together with Yamaha and ride the Italian and Superstock Championship I immediately responded ‘yes, I want to.’  Now we just need to get on the bike, ride and learn. I won the Superstock race in Aragon in 2013. It was the first race of the year. I like the circuit, it has a nice lay-out and normally the weather is good there, so it’s quite an enjoyable track.”