News

Following the announcement ahead of the 2018 season that Team Grillini will be racing with Suzuki, they have now announced their second rider for 2018, 17 year old Gabriele Ruiu.

Joining the team from Donington Park in May onwards, the young Italian has had experience with the GSX-R1000 Suzuki following some races in the Italian championships. Despite being unable to compete with the team for the opening five rounds of the season, he will travel with the Grillini squad in order to understand how the team works and to develop a strong relationship with his new team.

Ruiu is delighted at the news: "I want to thank Team Manager Andrea Grillini for putting his trust in my talent. It is a great opportunity and an important responsibility to join WorldSBK, so I have to prepare the season with the utmost commitment and determination to give my best."

"I met Gabriele not long time ago," adds Team Manager Andrea Grillini. “He is very young and, in addition to a great talent, he really wants to do well. It will be an amazing experience for him and the whole team will work to get him to his first race in the WorldSBK in the best conditions. Gabriele has already raced with a GSX-R1000 Suzuki in Stock 1000 and in SBK in the Italian Championship with good results, and this will help him to gain confidence with our bike. Rules do not allow him to take start the championship immediately because of his age, but he will train and follow the Team during the first five races to debut on the Donington track.”

The team are set to announce their second rider for the opening rounds of the season, in order to run both bikes throughout the first five rounds.