Wednesday 13th January 2010. Wrooom Press Ski Meeting Madonna di Campiglio (TN): There was a packed schedule again on the second day of Wrooom 2010 at Madonna di Campiglio today, with Claudio Domenicali coming under the spotlight in this morning’s press conference. The General Manager of Ducati Motor later joined Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden on the spectacular Patascoss slope to unveil the new Ducati Desmosedici GP10, the Ducati Marlboro Team’s latest weapon in the chase for the MotoGP title, against the dramatic backdrop of the Dolomites – recently added by Unesco to their World Natural Heritage list.

“Faith is the key word that Ducati are using in looking ahead to 2010, in a variety of aspects,” said Domenicali. “We have a team that certainly makes us think we can approach the championship with great hope. Nicky and Casey are two riders who don’t need any type of introduction. We have faith in the company, because it has a solid, stable base in the Bonomi family, and it’s a company that has managed 2009 well: the motorcycle market had a big decline in 2009 — the market declined by over 30 percent, a very heavy, difficult amount. But our company managed very well and we dropped “only” 18 percent. In fact, in 2009, we had the largest share that the company has ever enjoyed historically. So also from the economic point of view, the company knew how to control very carefully its costs and manage 2009 well. For example, we didn’t cut or eliminate any development of future models, something that’s fundamental for the future health of the company. We have faith in the championship, because I see that Carmelo Ezpeleta (CEO, Dorna Sports) — here with us — has come through a truly difficult moment, with great character. He’s always been present in person, and he’s somebody with whom you can have a relationship and a dialogue, so it’s very important for our company to be present in a championship run in this manner and Carmelo is thanked personally for this. We have faith in our sponsors, because 2009, as I said, has been very difficult and yet we’ve managed to continue to work very well with them. We have a very important main sponsor in Marlboro and other important partners like Telecom, Generali, Enel, Riello ups,t hat have been with us and grown with us over a long period of time. We also have faith in the media, who are well represented in this sport.”

Domenicali continued by discussing the recent changes to Ducati Marlboro Team management.

“2009 was a year — even from a sporting perspective — that was difficult and complicated. Nicky found things harder than he or we expected but he gave us a great lesson because he never lost his good attitude, he always had a spirit of great optimism and positivity. We were able to put at his disposition a bike that permitted him to obtain results that were in line with his talent. He gave us a podium at Indianapolis and he kept improving the whole season. Casey was very fast from the start, as he always is, and had great potential. Of course what happened at mid-season affected the season, but I believe that everyone — from Casey to us — has described what happened and clarified it so it seems useless for me to continue to give details. The important thing, in my opinion, is that today we have Casey with us, probably in the best health we’ve ever seen him. We have reason for optimism for both riders. There have also been some changes to the management, with Alessandro Cicognani and Vittoriano Guareschi coming in, having shown themselves in the team to have competence and perhaps even bring things that were missing. It’s I believe that this important change leaves the company in a solid situation, also because it’s in some way personalized by an incredible talent as Filippo Preziosi, who is the true engine of all our racing activities, and he remains safe, solid, and dedicated. I believe it’s a change in the continuity, if we can define it that way.

And, of course, he detailed some of the main changes to the Ducati Desmosedici GP10.
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The Ducati Marlboro Team returns from a long September break this weekend ready to tackle the Estoril circuit with Casey Stoner back in the saddle alongside his team-mate Nicky Hayden.

The Italian outfit has been working hard on two fronts since the end of July, on one hand liasing with doctors in Australia monitoring the progress being made by Casey and on the other continuing exhaustive development of the Desmosedici, on which Nicky has been able to make great strides, culminating with his podium finish at Indianapolis and further signs of competitiveness at Misano before a blameless first lap crash.

During two months away from racing under the supervision of an expert medical team in his homeland (Dr. Neil Halpin, Sport Physician, Dr Jeremy Coleman, Consultant Physician, Dr Harry Grunstein, Endocrinologist and Professor Jonathan Silberberg, Cardiologist), who have remained in touch with Prof. Fabio Catani (Specialist in Pathology and Locomotive System at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute of Bologna and Ducati’s doctor for several years) and Dr Claudio Macchiagodena of the Clinica Mobile, Casey has undergone a series of exams and special tests.

The results of the tests have excluded pathological anomalies of cardiovascular, respiratory or neurological origins. The exams and inspections also failed to show up any kind of virus or infection.

However, the medical report made by Prof. Silderberg and Dr Coleman did reveal low blood pressure levels and a lack of sodium, the two factors that the doctors believe were the main cause of the physical problems that interrupted the season for the Ducati rider.

The doctors all agree that overtraining was the most common factor that showed up during the tests and that the after-effects of injuries and surgeries over the last few years were the cause of the physical weakness and exhaustion that the Australian began to suffer a few months ago.

The doctors also unanimously confirmed that their suggestion to stop Casey from racing at the end of July was absolutely necessary in order to avoid aggravating his physical debilitation.

Following the final medical examination that he underwent last week before leaving Australia, the doctors confirmed that whilst he was still not completely recovered, he is in better physical shape than he was in July and his weight is back up to 60kg, which is close to his ideal weight.

Casey will be back on track this weekend despite not being in peak condition and he will remain under medical supervision throughout, with a new sodium-rich diet aimed at raising his blood pressure and muscular functionality.

Mattia Pasini today concluded testing of the Ducati GP9 at the Mugello circuit, having enjoyed three days of warm, sunny weather in which he was able to improve his knowledge of the Desmosedici and demonstrate continuous progress. During these days he experienced two falls (yesterday and today) but this did not deter him and he began to test different set-ups, in order to adapt the bike to his riding style. A positive experience for him and also for Ducati’s technicians who appreciated his positive and determined character as well as the data he was able to provide. The Italian rider today registered a best time of 1m51.9s out of 40 laps completed. Vittoriano Guareschi, who was testing different updates for 2010, obtained a fastest time of 1m51.7s before he too fell, thus concluding his session.

“It was really a great and positive experience and I think I could have recorded a faster personal best,” commented Mattia Pasini at the end of the test. “Unfortunately I fell this morning at the “Correntaio”, having made a strong start to the day with a good feeling due to the changes we had made towards the end of yesterday’s session. The changes made a difference as today I immediately went a second faster in the first exit. I didn’t injure myself too badly but hurt my neck which perhaps affected my riding; I think that otherwise I would have been able to drop another second before the end of the day. Anyway, I repeat that it has been a fantastic experience and I thank Ducati and the team who have looked after me during these three days. We will see each other again at Estoril next week.”

“During this test I was able to personally verify that Mattia is capable of riding a MotoGP bike despite the difficulties”, said Filippo Preziosi. “This is possible only thanks to his unnatural talent and extraordinary determination. Today we have learned a lesson that goes deeper than the, albeit interesting, technical data that we’ve collected thanks to Mattia’s comments. I am certain that we’ll remember this test for a long time to come.”

Ducati’s MotoGP Project Director Livio Suppo spoke to motogp.com recently to summarise the 2009 season to date for the Italian factory.

Suppo said, “It’s been an up and down season. We led the Championship at one stage, but we have struggled with Casey’s physical problem. We had issues with the bike at the beginning which only worked for Casey and was difficult for the others, but I think we showed a ‘never give up’ attitude, we did a good job technically and the bike is improving race by race.”

And more: “I think we’ve been able to manage a very difficult situation with Casey missing three races, but still with Mika Kallio we did something reasonable and Nicky got a good podium in Indianapolis so I’m positive about the season so far. From Barcelona onwards, we went through a very critical period as Casey was leading the Championship when we got to Barcelona and after that he started to lose points because of his condition, so it was the most difficult point of the season.”

Livio Suppo is also positive about Aleix Espargaro: “I hope to see Casey fight again at the top like he’s done in the past and I think Nicky is improving very quickly – he could have had a top four result in Misano, for example. The bike is getting better and better – we saw that with Aleix Espargaró, who is very young and has no experience of MotoGP, but he was able to get some impressive results – he posted the fifth fastest time at Misano.”

Source: MotoGP

Mugello (Italy), Wednesday 2nd September: The Ducati Xerox Team has been on track at the Mugello circuit yesterday and this morning, as guests of the Ducati MotoGP Team, to carry out two days of testing and to verify at the same time the physical condition of Noriyuki Haga, two months after the incident at Donington Park in which the Japanese rider fractured both his right ulna and left scapula. After the six-week long summer break, during which time he continued with a combination of physiotherapy and training, Nitro-Nori got back on his Ducati 1198 yesterday and although his shoulder injury caused him some discomfort at the start, he was able to ride much more comfortably today and the team is therefore feeling confident ahead of this weekend’s race.

Under clear skies Noriyuki and his squad worked on different set-ups and made adjustments regarding forks and shocks, making about 90 laps in total during the two-day test, with positive results and encouraging lap times. Engineer Ernesto Marinelli, technical director of the Superbike project, declared himself satisfied with the work completed, having identified two promising directions to try out this coming weekend at the Nürburgring.

Yesterday Michel Fabrizio was also on track and he also is back in shape after suffering muscle damage in practice during his recent MotoGP outing at Brno, a problem that fortunately seems to have resolved itself.
The Ducati Xerox Team departs tomorrow for Germany and this weekend’s Nürburgring round. At this point the two Ducati Xerox riders declare themselves to be fit and ready for the season’s crescendo. After ten of fourteen Superbike rounds held so far, Noriyuki continues to lead the championship with 326 points while Michel occupies third place in the overall standings, holding 273 points.

Nicky Hayden celebrated his first podium position as a Ducati MotoGP Team rider in the most fitting surroundings possible today, the ‘Kentucky Kid’ producing a sensational performance to finish third in his home race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hayden secured his own little slice of history at the legendary circuit with a battling display, chasing down Alex de Angelis for second place after crashes for both Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi at the front before consolidating third place with dogged defence under pressure from Andrea Dovizioso over the final two laps.

Mika Kallio, making his second of three appearances for the team as stand-in for regular rider Casey Stoner, also had reason to smile after a race in which he improved on his qualifying pace by six tenths of a second to secure a top ten finish in ninth place and give himself a welcome confidence boost before the series returns to Italian shores for the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano next weekend.

NICKY HAYDEN: “It feels great to be on the podium here at Indianapolis and I want to thank all the team, my friends, family and fans for their support because this has been a tough season and I’ve needed every one of them. I was really careful at the start because I watched the 125cc race earlier on and the guy in my grid position made a jump start – it made me think that I really didn’t want to do that today! As a result I didn’t get a great start but I saw Lorenzo charge past a few guys, making a hole in the pack, so I tried to follow him. I pushed hard and in the middle of the race I went as fast as I have all weekend, but I didn’t have any more than that. Dovizioso came on strong at the end so I gave myself a little pep talk and made sure I was ready for whatever he had. He was going to have to come up with something special to keep me off the podium here at Indy! Thankfully I kept it together and brought it home. We don’t have long to the next race at Misano but I’m in the mood for a little party tonight. My buddies have seen the sun come up every day since Friday but hopefully they’ve got something left in the tank for me!”

MIKA KALLIO: “We tried some different things with the suspension for the warm-up, which didn’t really work, but we tried something else for the race and it improved. I was able to push harder in the race in practice and my best lap in the race was actually even better than my qualifying time. That is a good thing but overall I’m still not too happy. My feeling with the bike isn’t perfect and for some reason my confidence is low. I don’t know why that is but it makes it hard to be consistent and easy to make small mistakes. The end position is not so bad but I think we could have been half a second quicker today and that would have moved us up some important positions. The goal for the next race is to find that half second and try to get my confidence back. To have at least finished the race after the recent bad luck is a boost and we will try to build on it at Misano.”