David Salom was born on 16th October 1984 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. He won the Spanish Supersport championship in 2006 and between 2007 and 2009 he participated in the Supersport World Championship. In 2009 David joined the Pedercini Team in the Superbike World Championship. In 2010 Salom returned to Supersport and last year he closed that championship in second place with Kawasaki.

Tati Mercado was born on 15th February 1992 in Jesus Maria, Cordoba, Argentina. He won the AMA Supersport championship in 2009 and the following year he participated in the Superstock 600 European championship. In 2011 Tati joined the Pedercini team, competing in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and Stock 1000 Italian Championship.

The entire team is happy to see the return of both riders. Salom and Mercado already know all the team’s technical staff and this will help the riders, the team and their Ninja ZX-10R race machines as they prepare for the upcoming season which opens at the end of February in Australia.

Donato Pedercini: “I’m extremely satisfied with the agreement reached with David Salom and Tati Mercado and I’m very happy to have the possibility to work with them again during the 2012 World Superbike championship.

I know both of them very well and I appreciated their riding qualities and determination. Mercado is young and talented. He’s full of enthusiasm and has a real passion for racing. I think he’ll be the youngest Superbike rider this year and we will do our best to help him to adapt to our Kawasaki Superbike.

Salom is still young but already has some experience. He’s strongly motivated and is on our wavelength in terms of projects and targets. We are now working hard to be ready for the first test in Phillip Island and also for the first races of the season. We are expecting a very busy season but one full of great professional satisfaction.”

David Salom: “I'm very happy to say that I will join the Pedercini Team for the 2012 World Superbike championship.

I know all the Pedercini team and they are professional, enthusiastic and ambitious. I want to thank the Pedercini family as they are giving me the opportunity to compete once again in the World Superbike category.

I’m really looking forward to this new adventure, as staying on a Kawasaki motorcycle was very important to me. I know that, compared with 2009, the bike is now more competitive and the team also has more experience so I can't wait to get started!”

Leandro “Tati” Mercado: “I am really happy to have made this choice and proud to be competing with Team Pedercini in World Superbike. Right from the start of my career,

I always considered Superbike to be the premier class and my main goal. I am honoured to remain a part of this fantastic group of people and to be joining them as part of an ambitious project. I’m also very happy to have David Salom as a teammate.

I know he’s an expert rider and I’m sure he’ll help me as I start this new adventure in such a difficult world championship. I’ll do my best to pay back the faith Pedercini family have shown in me with some good results and technical development.”

See more racing news on the Kawasaki News UK Facebook site.

Follow Kawasaki on Twitter @Kawasaki-news