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Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore attracted over
38,000 fans in the biggest pre-season party
ever organised by the Italian motorcycle
manufacturer, a spectacular send-off for the
Ducati MotoGP team and factory riders,
Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. |
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Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore
attracted over 38,000 fans in the biggest pre-season
party ever organised by the Italian motorcycle
manufacturer, a spectacular send-off for the Ducati
MotoGP team and factory riders, Valentino Rossi and
Nicky Hayden.
The Ducati MotoGP Night event came at the end of
an action-packed day that included an emotional visit to
the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale, Bologna during
which Rossi and Hayden toured the production lines and
met the workers.
“It's great to be here," said Valentino as he met and
addressed the Ducati workers. "I’d like to say thank you
to everyone. We all look to do well in our work and the
bikes you make are really beautiful. Carry on doing a
great job here and we'll try to do a great job for you
on the track."
Team mate, Nicky Hayden, was equally as impressed. “It's
really very special to be here," he said. "I've worked
for other manufacturers, but Ducati is really unique.
The bikes are special, the people that work here are
special and now let's hope that we can give them the
special results that they deserve."
Later in the day the
riders also attended a packed to capacity press
conference where Hayden continued to talk about being
part of the Ducati MotoGP Team. "I'm very happy to be
here today, happy to ride the Desmosedici and happy to
be a part of this team. I know very well how hard the
season will be, MotoGP is never easy, but that's why we
love it. The last tests in Malaysia were difficult, but
our team spirit is always positive. Today we were in
Ducati, saw the factory and the enthusiasm of all the
people there and now I'm just waiting to get back on the
track and give all the Italian fans the results they
deserve."
2011 team arrival Valentino Rossi echoed Hayden’s
sentiments: "Our visit to Ducati today was really
emotional. For many years I've raced for other
motorcycle manufacturers and visited their factories,
but for sure the atmosphere was never like this. Today
was like returning home and I'm very happy to be working
with an Italian team this year. The people we met today
have a great passion in what they do and pride in who
they are and now we have to be fast on the track, have
some great races and give everyone motivation.”
“It has been a fantastic day and an incredible evening,”
said Gabriele Del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati
Motor Holding. “What we have seen in the main Piazza
here this evening speaks for itself. The city has
responded incredibly and Ducati fans from all over Italy
have travelled here to wish Valentino and Nicky all the
best before they leave for the start of the 2011 MotoGP
season.“
During
the press conference, Mr. Del Torchio also took the
opportunity to announce that an agreement had been
signed to start work on a brand new factory in Borgo
Panigale, Bologna. “The new Ducati factory will be
134,600 square metres, a 15% increase over our current
site,” he revealed. “55,000 square metres of covered
structure with 13,500 square metres of offices and
supporting utilities such as museum, auditorium and
canteen and 41,500 square metres of production, R&D,
Ducati Corse and storage. An additional 11,000 metres of
potential future expansion has also been factored in. We
have the possibility to be truly international, but to
do so Bologna must be the central base of our operation.
Borgo Panigale is the head, the heart and the hands of
our company. The intelligence, the passion and the
professionalism of Ducati will always be in Bologna.
This doesn’t mean that we will not explore other
opportunities internationally, but Bologna will always
remain the heart. This is a piece of news that I really
have great pleasure in announcing tonight of all
nights.”
While the press conference was drawing to a close,
38,000 fans had gathered in front of a huge stage built
in Piazza Maggiore, ready to see the MotoGP team
presented. Following the introductions of Gabriele Del
Torchio, Claudio Domenicali, Filippo Preziosi and the
rest of the team, the massive crowd heard two MotoGP
bikes start and Rossi and Hayden rode their Ducati
Desmosedici GP11s onto the stage. The sound of the two
Ducati MotoGP bikes in the centre of Bologna signaled
the start of the 2011 season for the team, who will
shortly leave for the first race in Qatar held on 20
March.
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