Italian Marco Melandri has announced that he will no longer race for the Barni Racing team in the shortened 2020 World Superbike Championship.

The Italian came out of retirement to replace Leon Camier, who after a long-term shoulder injury decided to withdraw from the season to focus on recovery ahead of 2021, however, after 23 points scored since returning to the world scene, Melandri has called for his contract to be terminated ahead of Montemelo in two-weeks time.

Melandri’s return to the series came back in August with the series restarting in Jerez. Since then, Melandri has scored two top ten finishes as well as a further three points finishes.

It’s been clear that the short Italian has struggled to get on with the Barni Ducati team, which uses different suspension to both the Aruba.it team and the Go Eleven Ducati which Michael Ruben Rinaldi took to victory just five days ago, with two retirements in the six races at Aragon which saw him rack up a total of six points for his campaign.

Melandri took to social media to announce his future, stating that:

Marco Melandri

“I could not find a better pic to describe this moment!
Thanks to all Team Barni but I have energy to go forward one more day.
My season end up here.
Failure give the awareness to don’t have remorse.
I was feeling bad on the bike and did not have fun.
Once on track, i feel empty inside.
It’s time to leave space to young rider.
I wanna focus on DAZN and Ebike races cause they open a new world on my life.
Thanks to everyone”

World Superbikes returns across the weekend of 18th-20th of September for round six of the season as the series makes its debut at Catalunya.

Featured image: WorldSBK