Spaniard Santigao Barragan will race a Kawasaki ZX-10R for the Grillini Racing team in the 2015 FIM Superbike World Championship, according to Dorna SBK.

Barragan, age 27, placed fifth in the 2014 Repsol FIM/CEV Superbike Championship in spite of suffering a mechanical DNF on his Team Stratos Kawasaki ZX-10R in the season finale at Valencia. Prior to that, Barragan took four podium finishes, including three second-place finishes, and was a Championship contender during the 10-race season.

Barragan joins Christophe Ponsson, who signed with Grillini Racing earlier this month.

In October, Grillini Racing announced (http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2014/Grillini+Racing+Team+and+Morais+renew+for+2015+WSBK+season) that that it planned to continue with its 2014 rider Sheridan Morais, but Morais has since been announced as re-joining the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda Supersport team.

“I’m very happy for the agreement with Santiago,” Team Manager Andrea Grillini was quoted as saying in a press release issued by Grillini Racing. “What has happened with Morais forced us to find a new rider. Barragan was one of my favorite rider, and I believe he will have good results with our bike. He joins our racing spirit, and he knows the ZX-10R.”