The 2022 FIM Supersport World Supersport grid is growing stronger and stronger as the class gets ready for a new generation of motorcycles, riding talents and teams ahead of one of the most anticipated seasons in the class’ history. The latest news is that Davide Giugliano will return to the World Superbike paddock in team management, with his new D34G Racing Team, using the Ducati Panigale V2 955 and recruiting the services of the Filippo and Federico Fuligni. The team will be part of the WorldSSP Challenge and thus solely compete during the European rounds. Giugliano took 14 podiums as a rider in WorldSBK, all on Italian machinery with 12 on a Ducati and two on an Aprilia.

Filippo Fuligni is not a complete stranger to life in the WorldSBK paddock: along with eight races in WorldSSP300 in 2018, he’s also started four races in WorldSSP and scored points on one occasion, as a wildcard in 2021 with Giugliano’s team at Misano, finishing a commendable tenth. Using Yamaha machinery last year, Fuligni and Giugliano’s team managed to get a podium during the Misano round of the CIV Supersport season and battled at the front of the field until a shoulder injury began impacting his performance, finishing 11^th overall. The 23-year-old will be a rookie in 2022 at world-level but is excited to get started.

“I’m very happy to continue on this journey with Davide and Giada,” he began. “I have the greatest amount of trust in the team: we worked very well together last year and until the halfway point in the season we were battling for the title, before a shoulder injury started affecting our performance (even though we were quite fast anyway). Our World Championship wildcard was also very positive, with great results in Free Practice and the top ten in Race 1. Our goal is precisely to be consistently in the top ten and to finish the year as the best placed WorldSSP Challenge rider.

“I’m very curious about the new bike and to get to know the new staff members; I’m sure the feeling with them will be as excellent as the one I have with the ones I got to know last year – and I’m sure their skill level will be just as good. There are many tracks I don’t know but surely having my brother in the same team will help a lot and I’m very happy to be racing alongside him. We already shared the same garage before and things went well, and we will push each other to the limit.”

On the other side of the garage is brother Federico Fuligni, with the 26-year-old carrying much more experience in the World Supersport category. He made an instant impact by qualifying in fifth on his debut back in 2019 at Phillip Island but has yet to better it, with Fuligni not yet able to crack the class. From 44 starts, he’s had two top ten finishes but is hoping that Giugliano’s experience and his brother’s rivalry will be enough to finally see him flourish in the class. With a victory in the CIV Supersport series and a point-scoring ride at Moto2™ World Championship level, the potential is there for Federico.

Speaking about his 2022 campaign, Fuligni said: “First of all, I would like to thank Davide because it’s not every day that you get the chance to join such a team and even share the garage with your brother. Last year, we took part in the last race of the CIV season together and I found myself very at ease with both him and the team. This is the reason why we decided to join forces in 2022.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity, and I cannot wait to get on track aboard the Ducati, a new bike by a brand that has a strong connection with Davide. I’m sure his experience will help us improve a lot. I’m looking forward to the first test so that I can join the team and get to know the new staff members, gel with them and be as ready as possible for the season opener.”

Team manager, 2011 STK100 Champion Davide Giugliano, is looking forward to his return to the paddock, albeit from a management perspective: “It’s a very important step for the team but we are ready for it and the results we have achieved previously prove it. The rule changes have brought new life to WorldSSP; it was already a very strong Championship that now sees the arrival of new manufacturers, which brings a much higher level of competition and a greater show. To be making this step with Ducati, given my time as a racer, is obviously something very special and the same will be for those who have followed my career as a rider. I must say I’m thinking about trying the bike myself, which I have never done before in my role as team manager, but I’m very curious to see how the bike performs.

“Filippo is a pleasant confirmation for us, in light of all the good things he showed last year in the Italian championship as well as in his WorldSSP wildcard. I think Federico has all the tools to do well aboard the Ducati: his experience will be very important for us and I’m confident he can showcase all his potential in this new chapter of his career. I would like to thank the sponsor, the technical partners and everyone involved – including Ducati – for trusting our project. I hope we can repay their trust with the results they deserve as soon as possible!”

Find out how the team’s first year of WorldSSP action goes with the WorldSBK VideoPass!