Simoncelli will ride the RSV4 at the Imola WSBK round this weekend

Aprilia Racing has confirmed that reigning 250cc Grand Prix World Champion Marco Simoncelli will make his debut in the Superbike World Championship at Imola in Italy this weekend, riding the factory RSV4 alongside countryman Max Biaggi.

Simoncelli completed a two-day test alongside the factory Ducati Xerox team at Mugello this week, confident that he’ll be able to convert his grand prix experience into a solid WSBK debut this weekend.

Japanese rider Shinya Nakano will sit out this weekend’s Imola round and the following round at Magny-Cours due to an ongoing neck injury, enabling Simoncelli to ride alongside Biaggi despite still having four rounds remaining in 250GP for Gilera.

Simoncelli originally tested the RSV4 late last year, but has signed to compete in MotoGP with Gresini Honda in 2010 alongside fellow Italian Marco Melandri, with direct support from Honda Europe and HRC.