Ducati Desmosedici Set to Make 2003 MotoGP Debut in Marlboro Colours with Riders Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi
BOLOGNA, Italy, Sept. 16, 2002 "Team Marlboro Ducati" will line up for the start of the 2003 MotoGP championship with three-time world champion Loris Capirossi and the Australian ace Troy Bayliss, 2001 World Superbike champion, who is currently fighting for the 2002 title. Both riders will be on two-year contracts. "We have signed a four-year contract with Marlboro which will enable us to take part in the MotoGP championship knowing that at our side we have a sponsor that has contributed to some of the greatest chapters in motorsport history, and with whom we will be tackling this new challenge with great enthusiasm" declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO. "We are delighted with the trust granted to us by our main sponsor for the future." The aim of starting the 2003 world championship with a top rider from MotoGP and one from Superbike, originally announced during the presentation of the Ducati Desmosedici at Mugello in May, has now been achieved. "We strongly wanted Troy and Loris because both have shown themselves to be extremely talented riders and above all because they are totally committed to our project," added Domenicali. "The desire to win and to face new challenges that we see in both of them was the deciding factor in our decision. Thanks to their experience, we are certain that we will make our MotoGP debut with a top-level team and with the right motivation to develop the Desmosedici as quickly as possible. For all of us in Ducati Corse, the fact that we have two champions in the team is a further motivation to tackle this great adventure with the enthusiasm and passion that distinguishes us. We are aware of the difficulties that lie ahead but we are also aware that we have all the human, financial and technological resources to tackle them with maximum commitment and determination. We are also pleased that our choice respects the wishes of Ducatisti. In fact Troy and Loris received the most votes in a recent poll on our website http://www.ducati.com." Ducati Corse's technological partnership with Shell Advance has also been renewed for the next three years. Thanks to its experience in Formula 1, Shell is the ideal partner for the development of lubricants and fuels for GP engines, which can reach rotation speeds of up to 17,000 rpm. "Collaboration with Shell Advance has continued successfully since 1999. Shell's experience with high-performance engines is, in this early testing phase, already proving to be of great help in the development of our new GP engine," declared Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse Technical Director. The testing of the Ducati Desmosedici will continue in the coming months, first with test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi and, from October onwards, also with Troy Bayliss. The reigning World Superbike champion will be defending his title in the final round of the season at Imola on September 29th, after chief rival Colin Edwards overtook him by one point in the last round at Assen, despite Troy's 14 wins to the American's 9 during this incredible season of Superbike racing. Loris Capirossi, thanks to the generosity shown by his current team manager Sito Pons, will begin testing the Desmosedici at the end of the 2002 MotoGP championship. Biographies: TROY BAYLISS Nationality: Australian Place of birth: Taree (New South Wales) Age: 33 Date of birth: 30 March, 1969 Height: 174cm Weight: 68 kgs Residence: Montecarlo Marital status: married to Kim Children: Mitchell (7), Abbey (5) Hobbies: Training, cycling Official website: http://www.troybayliss.com First race: 1992 Oran Park, 250cc Sport Production (Kawasaki) WSBK debut: 1997 Phillip Island (Suzuki), 5th/5th First WSBK win: 2000 Hockenheim/1 (Ducati) WSBK races: 74 (2 Suzuki, 72 Ducati) WSBK podiums: 44 (up to and including Assen) WSBK wins: 22 Seconds: 16 Thirds: 6 Double wins: 8 Fastest laps: 5 Pole positions: 7 Titles: 1999: British Superbike Championship 2001: World Superbike Championship Career at a glance: 1992: Road-racing debut in Australian 250cc Sport Production (Kawasaki) 1993: Australian 600cc races (Kawasaki) 1994: Australian 600cc Championship (Kawasaki), 6th 1995: Australian 600cc Championship (Kawasaki), 2nd 1996: Australian 600cc Championship (Kawasaki), 3rd 1997: Australian SBK Championship (Suzuki), 2nd WSBK Phillip Island round (Suzuki), 5th/5th World 250 Australian GP, Phillip Island (Suzuki), 6th 1998: British SBK Championship (Ducati GSE), 8th 1999: British SBK Championship (Ducati GSE), 1st 2000: AMA American SBK Championship (pole position at Daytona) World SBK Championship (Ducati Infostrada), 6th 2001: World SBK Championship (Ducati Infostrada), 1st 2002: World SBK Championship (Ducati Infostrada) LORIS CAPIROSSI Nationality: Italian Place of birth: Castel San Pietro (Italy) Age: 29 Date of birth: 4 April, 1973 Height: 165 cm Weight: 59 kg Residence: Montecarlo Marital status: married to Ingrid Hobbies: motocross First race: 1987 Honda Trophy First win: 1989 European Championship GP starts: 179 (up to and including Portuguese GP) GP debut: 1990 Japanese 125cc Grand Prix First GP win: 1990 British 250cc Grand Prix Grand Prix podiums: 75 (up to and including Portuguese GP) Grand Prix wins: 22 Seconds: 25 Thirds: 28 Fastest laps: 25 Pole positions: 33 Titles: 1990: World 125cc Champion (Honda) 1991: World 125cc Champion (Honda) 1998: World 250cc Champion (Aprilia) Career at a glance: 1988: Gilera Trophy 1989: European 125cc Championship (Honda) 1990: World 125cc Championship (Honda) - 1st 1991: World 125cc Championship (Honda) - 1st 1992: World 250cc Championship (Honda) - 12th 1993: World 250cc Championship (Honda) - 2nd 1994: World 250cc Championship (Honda) - 3rd 1995: World 500cc Championship (Honda) - 6th 1996: World 500cc Championship (Yamaha) - 10th 1997: World 250cc Championship (Aprilia) - 6th 1998: World 250cc Championship (Aprilia) - 1st 1999: World 250cc Championship (Honda) - 3rd 2000: World 500cc Championship (Honda) - 7th 2001: World 500cc Championship (Honda) - 3rd 2002: World MotoGP Championship (Honda)