A three-time WorldSBK race winner as a factory Ducati rider, Rinaldi will le𝔉ave the team at the end of this season as soon-to-be WorldSSP champion Bulega will step up to replace him.

Rinaldi has often been the best factory rider behind the ‘titanic trio’ of Alvaro Bautista, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea since🌳 2021, however, inconsistent performances has also been very prominent.

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Rinaldi’s pace at times in 2023 has been on par with the top three in the championship, but the results don’t match the pace shown as hꦯe🎃’s accumulated just six podiums.

Although it’s a very high benchmark, Rinaldi has also failed to get to grips with the performance shown by Bautista, with the series leader winning 19 races to Rinaldi🍎’s zero. 

Granted, winning races w𝓡as never Ducati’s requirement of Rinaldi given the talent of Bautista, but with the Italian only seventh in the standings and falterin🍸g on too many occasions, looking elsewhere for 2024 began to materialise fairly quickly this season.

Speaking to , ౠRinaldi now feels as though the pressure is off after admitting he’s made too many errors.

"I’m enjoying the current situation and riding my Ducati. Every time I ride [tꦐhe bike] it will bไe one less [race]. 

"The three years in t🍃he Ducati factory team were a very important phase in my life as an Italian. 

"That's w🐲hy I try to collect as many impressions as possible and don't think about contracts. Maybe I should have approached it earlier, but I always wanted to show off my speed - and that's why I made mistakes. 

"Nowౠ I hav𒉰e nothing to lose and can therefore enjoy it. If I win another race, it would be great. 

"If I come second, that's okay too. It wasn't like that before🦩. Because when you wear these colours, you have to perform."