Chaz Davies will remain with his Aruba.it Racing-Ducati team for the next two years in World Superbikes.

The Knighton-born rider has agreed to extend his five season stay with the Italian outfit which will debut its new Panigale V4 bike next year.

Davies, 31, said: I’ve had a long history with Ducati, this is my fifth season with them.

“It’s really exciting times going forward with the new V4. I think that is going to be an interesting change, it’s a different direction for Ducati, and a really really exciting one.

“I’m excited about the whole project, I love being with Ducati and the Aruba team – we have so many good people – it is like a family. We are looked after really well and everyone is always optimistic, it’s a dream situation to have people like that around me as well as having this opportunity to have a fresh bike when signing the new contract.

“We want to try and start as strong as possible with the new bike, as the level is really high at the minute. But I am super motivated about having two years with the new bike.

“It will be a welcome change within the team as well, to get our teeth stuck in and see what we can do with it. I’ve got that motivated feeling and when somethings new it feels exciting, and brings excitement with it.”

He is currently second in the Championship standings behind Ulsterman Jonathan Rea who looks set for a fourth straight riders’ crown with Kawasaki.

Davies is recovering after breaking his collarbone in July with the next round in Portimao, Portugal, on September 16.

In his five seasons with Ducati, Davies has twice finished runner-up in the championship and claimed 25 wins and 868 podium finishes.

And he will have a new team-mate in 2019 with Italy’s Marco Melandri being replaced by Spain’s Alvaro Bautista who is making the switch to Superbikes after 16 seasons in MotoGP.