WSBK – Ducati withdraws from the Mondial Superbike at the end of the year – Occasions DUCATI

Ducati withdraws from the Mondial Superbike at the end of the year

WSBK - Ducati withdraws from the Mondial Superbike at the end of the year - Occasions DUCATI

The news has just fallen and is likely to cause a lot of noise: the Ducati racing department will no longer enter motorcycles in the World Superbike from 2011! The manufacturer would like to focus on the development of new models… and on MotoGP !

The news has just fallen and is likely to cause a lot of noise: the Ducati racing department will no longer enter motorcycles in the World Superbike from 2011! The manufacturer would like to focus on the development of new models … and on MotoGP !

The title of Ducati’s official press release is clear: if the brand crowned with 16 constructor titles and 13 pilot titles is withdrawing from the World Superbike, it is to concentrate its technical resources on product development..

"This decision is part of a specific strategy chosen by Ducati, the aim being to increase the technological content of the production models which should arrive on the market in the coming years", solemnly declares Gabriele Del Torchio, CEO of Ducati.

"In order to achieve this goal", continues the Italian big boss, "the technical resources of the company, until now engaged with the management of the Superbike factory team, will be devoted to the development of the new generation of hypersport motorcycles, both in their homologated racing versions and Superbike ".

While thanking – in both senses of the word … – Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, Del Torchio would like to pay tribute to all "the riders who have contributed to the great history of Ducati in Superbike, but above all the employees of Ducati , whose hard work and professionalism have enabled us to achieve such important results ".

"A big thank you also to all the partners who have supported us, first and foremost of course Xerox. I also want to thank the Flammini brothers who have succeeded in the championship for so long, and the FIM, the organization with which we have continued , constructive relations ".

Certainly, Ducatis will continue to run in the World Superbike, via private teams, some of which will be "directly supported by the staff of the factory", promise the Bologna officials, like Ten Kate for Honda or Alstare for Suzuki. Nevertheless, a chapter of the discipline created in 1988 will be completed at the end of 2010. Hoping that it is not the entire book !

Because Ducati nevertheless allows himself to conclude by recalling that "recently, with regard to the regulations, the Superbike world championship has become more and more akin to a competition for prototypes rather than for motorcycles derived from production machines"…

Checa and Althea in 2011 ?

The results of the official Ducatis this year are far from brilliant and certainly weighed in the balance at the time of the "strategic choice". Haga is currently 7th in the championship with three podiums and one victory while Fabrizio is in 9th place with five podiums. Carlos Checa and his private 1198 are doing better: 4th in the provisional with 4 podiums, 1 victory, the Spaniard was deprived of a double in Miller because of a technical problem! Otherwise, he would still be racing for the title … The Althea team is giving it back for 2011 ?

"This has led to increased costs, both for manufacturers and for teams participating in the championship," develop the reds. "This image does not reflect the current global economic situation, making it even more difficult to obtain sponsors.".

Also, if Ducati wishes to continue its collaboration with the Flammini in order to improve the relevance and the readability of their championship, it clearly prefers to monopolize the efforts of its "Corsica" department on the MotoGP championship alone..

By offering the services of Valentino Rossi – that too is expensive! -, the Bologna brand is giving itself the means to shine in competition and will at the same time benefit from a sacred laboratory to innovate and perfect its road models which will run in the World SBK … CQFD ?

In the meantime, there is also the pleasure of the Ducati Superbike within the virtual world championship. !

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *