Michael Ruben Rinaldi will return to World Superbikes this weekend at his home circuit on a Yamaha R1.

After five race weekends in the World Supersport Championship, Michael Ruben Rinaldi will return to World Superbikes this weekend.

The Italian rider struggled on the new Yamaha R9 in the GMT94 Yamaha squad, and will now ride for the Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team.

Rinaldi will return to a Superbike at his home circuit at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, where he has won two races and featured on five further podiums in World Superbikes.

"I am extremely happy because I am back in Superbikes," Rinaldi said ahead of his debut on the Yamaha R1.

"To do it here at Misano, which is my home race track, I have great memories here. First of all I want to thank Yamaha and GMT94, my previous team, because it has been a strange year.

"But I understood that I needed something else, and that I needed to be back on a Superbike. Yamaha has given me this opportunity with Motoxracing, and I am really happy.

"I don't have any expectations at the moment, but it is the best place to make a comeback."

Rinaldi originally dropped down to World Supersport with the idea of winning the title in his rookie season.

However, after five rounds, the Italian sat 19th in the standings and knew that he needed to make a change.

"This year I struggled in Supersport," he explained.

"I have been racing a Superbike for many years. The plan was to go there, fight for the title or win the title and come back to Superbikes.

"After Phillip Island, where I felt good and was in the fight with the front group, at the other tracks the way of riding a Supersport is way different to a Superbike.

"My riding style is now for a 1000cc bike and not a Supersport bike. I could see that I was struggling in that category, so I wanted to make a change."