Ducati, having
participated with a factory team in every edition of the
World Superbike Championship since it began in 1988,
winning 16 Manufacturers’ world titles and 13 Riders’
world titles along the way, has announced that it will
quit the series and limit its participation to the
supply of machines and support to private teams.
In a statement Ducati
lists a number of reasons for quitting WSBK, including
the regulatory move away from production-orientated
Superbikes towards prototypes and, curiously, that it
believes MotoGP in fact represents a better arena to
transfer race technology to road bike applications.
Ducati, so used to winning in SBK has also been
resoundingly beaten this year by arch-Italian rival,
Aprilia, which leads the manufacturers' championship
standings with 385 points with three rounds of the
season remaining, while Ducati Corse (297 points) is in
third in the classification, with Suzuki (334 points)
being sandwiched by the two Italian bike brands.
In the riders'
championship this season has been equally as dismal in
terms of results for Ducati Corse: Max Biagi (Aprilia)
leads the standings with 373 points while the top Ducati
rider Carlos Checa, who riders for a private team, is
down in fourth place on 204 points. The two factory
Ducati riders, Noriyuki Haga (177 points) and Michael
Fabrizio (160 points), are way down in seventh and ninth
place.
“This decision is part
of a specific strategy made by Ducati, the aim being to
further increase technological content in production
models that will arrive on the market in the coming
years. In order to achieve this objective, the company’s
technical resources, until now engaged with the
management of the factory Superbike team, will instead
be dedicated to the development of the new generation of
hypersport bikes, in both their homologated and
Superbike race versions,” declared Gabriele Del Torchio,
President and CEO of Ducati. “I would like to thank Nori
and Michel, and all of the riders that have contributed
to the great history of Ducati in Superbike, but above
all the Ducati employees; it is their hard work and
professionalism that has allowed us to achieve such
important results. A big thank you also to all of the
partners that have supported us, first and foremost
Xerox of course. I would also like to acknowledge the
Flammini brothers who have managed the championship for
so long, and the FIM, the organization with which we
have continuous, constructive relations.”
"By making this
important decision Ducati aims to increase the speed and
efficiency with which it transfers advanced
technological solutions, currently tested in the
prototype championship, to the production series," read
Ducati Corse's statement. "The task of testing
innovative technical solutions in Superbike racing will
therefore be entrusted to external teams in the coming
years, teams that will have the chance to receive
technical support from Ducati personnel. This choice
will allow the teams to benefit from even more
competitive machines and parts.
"Despite the decision to interrupt its official
participation in the World Superbike Championship,
Ducati will continue to work, in collaboration with the
championship organisers, other manufacturers and the FIM,
to define a technical regulation aimed at containing
costs," continued the Ducati Corse press release.
"Strong in the sporting spirit that has always allowed
this manufacturer to compete, line-up against its
rivals, and win, it is fundamental for Ducati to
identify, together with the other interested parties,
solutions that can guarantee the future of the
championship in the medium-long term. Recently the
Superbike World Championship, according to the current
regulations, has been interpreted as moving more towards
competition between prototypes rather than for bikes
derived from production machines. This has led to an
increase in costs, both for the manufacturers and the
teams participating in the championship. This picture
does not correlate with the current worldwide economic
situation, which has made the securing of sponsorship
even more difficult. Ducati trusts that the work carried
out by all parties will lead to improvement also in this
area."
