After the long recuperation period following a road accident last March, Sylvain Barrier will make his World Superbike return next weekend at Misano, for the seventh event of the 2014 season. The reigning STK1000 champion will therefore contest his first round of the year as well as make his EVO class debut, as the Frenchman was also forced to sit out the season opener at Phillip Island due to a pelvis injury sustained during the official pre-season test at the Australian venue.

The BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team took the chance to also thank Leon Camier for the brilliant results achieved whilst replacing Barrier from the second round at Aragon to last weekend’s Sepang race.

Andrea Buzzoni – BMW Motorrad Italia General Manager: “We welcome back Sylvain, who I am sure will recapture his well-known tenacious nature, his competitive spirit, and his talent. The medical tests, as well as those on the track, confirm that he has made a full recovery. I would like to thank Leon Camier who, with great professionalism and passion, immediately got to work in complete synergy with the Team, participating in five races of the SBK World Championship as a replacement rider. His four finishes as best classified EVO rider confirm his qualities as a rider and the competitiveness of the technical package and the Team. We wish Leon a brilliant professional future – he deserves it.”

Sylvain Barrier: “I am very happy to be able to return to the track and to have finally ended my convalescence. I feel fine and I can’t wait to jump on my BMW S 1000 RR to give my very best.. Misano is a track that I like and it brings back some good memories. I hope that it will be a positive weekend. I would like to thank BMW Motorrad Italia and the whole Team for having had confidence in me during this difficult period. I would also like thank Leon Camier who, together with the Team, did a great job these last few months, doing his utmost to take the RR to top finishes in the EVO category.”