Motociclete, motoare – viata pe doua roti

With advanced ticket sales skyrocketing towards a new record for World Ducati Week 2012, Ducati have now given a sneak preview of a packed programme of four full days and nights of high-octane fun, further enhanced by the “Desmodromic passion” that make Ducati motorcycles so special.

The huge programme of activities for WDW2012 at Misano 21-24 June – titled “Planet of the Champions” – will revolve around five theme-based areas that are set to create a memorable event for the thousands of Ducati enthusiasts flocking to the Adriatic Riviera from around the world.

“Galaxy of Adrenalin”
This very important area of the WDW2012 paddock will host the current Ducati racing teams and provide a unique opportunity to meet and talk to members of all the teams together in one paddock. Riders, mechanics and engineers from the Ducati Team in MotoGP, the Ducati Corse Superbike development team, and all the private teams currently competing in the 2012 World Superbike series will be present including the reigning World Champions, Team Althea Racing in addition to Team Liberty Effenbert Racing, Team Pata Racing, and Team Red Devils Roma.

Top riders will constantly be in the paddock or on the circuit carrying out their own test sessions, taking time-out to meet with Ducatisti. In a unique pit-lane packed with riders from both GP and Superbike there will be endless opportunities for autographs, photos and meeting team personnel.

Providing a “show within a show”, this year’s Ducati Desmo Challenge series has been organised as a spectacular, international, single-round challenge staged in front of the huge WDW crowd. Spread over three days, with practice sessions on Friday and qualifying on Saturday, the two Ducati categories of “Open” and “848 Superstock” will race on Sunday with a “Race 1” and “Race 2” format just like Superbike.

This adrenalin-packed area of the paddock will also be home to the famous Ducati Riding Experience (DRE) courses which, for WDW2012, will take place on Thursday, 21 June with a special edition of the “Master Racing” course, in which highly qualified instructors and ex-champions share their outstanding technical and riding skills. The special DRE programme also includes 3-times World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, who will hold a round of his celebrated riding Academy, with all Master Racing and Troy Bayliss Academy students riding the new 1199 Panigale S.

The circuit will also provide the venue for an additional two key WDW initiatives. The first is a series of free practice sessions open to all 4-day motorcycle pass holders to experience the excitement of the Misano circuit. The second is for experience-appropriate pass holders to take a test ride on Ducati’s latest Superbike, the futuristic 1199 Panigale. Starting from 10 May, an online booking process for both activities will be available at wdw.ducati.com.

With an incredible display by the “Dabut” freestylers, a minimotard track for pre-booked practice sessions and a thrilling minimotard race with top pro-riders completing the area’s activities, Ducati’s Galaxy of Adrenaline is sure to be a massive attraction for thrill-seekers.

“International Village”
WDW will offer all visitors from around the world, the opportunity to meet-up and enjoy their passion for Ducati motorcycles, with an International Village providing hospitality for both home Italian and international Ducatisti. With everyone getting the chance to party in their own country-specific tradition, the Village really underlines the community atmosphere of WDW and how motorcycling is able to combine multiple cultures with a single passion.

“Discovery Galaxy”
Inside the huge Misano World Circuit paddock, visitors can also make contact with Ducati Owners Clubs (DOC) attending WDW from all around the globe. The President of one such club, Paolo Pirozzi of the Naples Ducati Club, will be the focus of the World Tour Celebration, a party celebrating his achievements aboard the Multistrada 1200 Touring. Alongside him will be another epic motorcycle traveller, Indian journalist, Sundeep Gajjar, who will participate in the Ducati Touring festivities by reporting on his own WDW adventure of riding the Multistrada 1200 from Dubai to Misano on a long and thrilling journey.

This area will also have an info point for all those who booked the WDW Tour, a series of exciting motorcycling itineraries offered for WDW participants to discover the beauty of the Adriatic Riviera and the Romagna region. All 4-day pass holders can sign-up for one or more half–day or full-day tours, designed by experts from Curve e Tornanti in collaboration with the Republic of San Marino. The four itineraries: Land of Motors tour, Happy Hour Viamaggio tour, Happy Hour San Marino tour and Multistrada Iron Bikers tour can be purchased in advance online at wdw.ducati.com. WDW2012 participants can also book a test ride tour on the bike of their dreams, from Monster to Diavel or Streetfighter and Hypermotard to Multistrada.

“Bike Art Galaxy”
Hosting a range of initiatives such as Monster ART Planet, this area is dedicated to the iconic Ducati Monster which, with supporting factory projects such as Colour Therapy, represents a blank canvas for the creativity of its many owners. Monster Art also provides the inspiration for other attractions in the area such as body painting and airbrushing and opportunities to further personalise helmets and bike accessories. Ducati passion at WDW2012 will be further enhanced by professional tattoo artists who will be providing the ink for Ducati lovers to record a unique memento of their WDW exerience.

The Ducati Garage Contest provides the creative challenge for all those with a passion for personalisation and the competition will announce the most original twin-cylinder Ducati winner at WDW2012. To take part in the Ducati Garage Contest 2012, potential participants must simply send a photo together with info sheet to articles@ducati.com no later than 28 May 2012. The two categories are “Special Ducati”, for all Ducati models from any year, and “Diavel” which focuses on the creative talents of those owning this innovative and ground-breaking model. 14 final “works of art”, consisting of ten Specials and four Diavels, will be chosen by Ducati to be on exhibition at WDW, where the public will have the final vote to award the coveted prizes for both the best special and the best Diavel (further information at wdw.ducati.com).

WDW2012 will also bring together those Ducatisti who have made music a key part of their lives, not just bikes! All Ducati owners can download info from wdw.ducati.com, send their application together with a photo of the band and a demo for the chance to be selected to perform live on stage at Misano in front of a crowd of thousands. And last, but by no means least for the Bike Art Galaxy area, are the beautiful girls of the traditional Bike Wash Show who will be in attendance for all four days to give owners a whole new reason to get their bike cleaned on arrival!

“Heritage Galaxy”
With 2012 being such an important anniversary year for Ducati, there had to be an exhibition dedicated to the models that have made the Bologna-built motorcycles so famous. WDW participants can enjoy a superb line-up of the Ducati Superbikes that wrote motorcycle history and now help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Paul Smart’s 1972 Imola 200 victory that started it all off. To mark this historic event, Paul Smart himself will be at WDW for fans to meet and talk to, in addition to other motorcycling legends from past and present. In such historic surroundings, the Ducati Vintage Contest will create an additional and incredible display, with the best awarded by an expert jury.

Meanwhile, the factory in Borgo Panigale, Bologna will welcome all those eager to visit the Museum and Factory, with guided tours from 19-25 June from 9.30 to 16.00 in the factory and until 17:30 in the Museum with no booking required. For special prices offered to WDW participants and all other info, check wdw.ducati.com.

For all those looking to learn more of the motorcycle world they love so much and discover secrets that will sharpen their own motorcycling skills, Ducati University will open on Thursday. WDW participants can attend meetings with Ducati engineers who will explain everything from the development of the latest Ducati 1199 Panigale to the creation of the revolutionary Diavel. There will also be an opportunity to talk with Ducati SBK Project Manager, Ernesto Marinelli, about how the 1199 Panigale drew upon experience gained in racing and a chance to meet Filippo Preziosi, General and Technical Manager of Ducati Corse, who will speak about the development of the Desmosedici. MotoGP Project Manager, Alessandro Cicognani, will also provide an overview of how the DucatiTeam is organised and run.

World Ducati Week “by night” will offer fun-packed events outside of the Misano circuit by painting the Rivera Romagnola Ducati Red for the entire weekend. With the shows kicking-off on Thursday night in Cattolica with a Beach Barbecue and Misano on Friday night, Riccione on Saturday will host the massive closing event with on-stage acts in Piazzale Roma.

The final count-down is now on and with just weeks to go before WDW2012, look out for more surprises to be revealed on If you liked this post please consider becoming a Fan of Ducati News Today on Facebook and 
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In a video shot at Monza where Troy Bayliss was present to help celebrate 25 years of World Superbikes, Troy talks about how close he came to racing this year at Imola and Phillip Island as a wildcard on an Effenbert Racing Ducati.

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Valentino Rossi is no stranger to rumor (nor is Casey Stoner for that matter).  In recent months the rumors which in our view are little more than made up lies have come thick and fast.  Most have been about his supposed plans to abandon Ducati mid season or retire.  Now the 9 time champion has spoken plainly on his Twitter feed.

When Valentino Rossi broke his leg in 2010, the retirement rumors were almost immediate.  They came again last year when he was involved in the incident that resulted in the If you liked this post please consider becoming a Fan of Ducati News Today on Facebook and 
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With round 4 of the World Superbike championship having come to a close just two days ago, the Althea Racing team heads straight to the UK, and Donington, where riders Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano look forward to participating in two full races, after the strange circumstances of Monza. 

Suffice to say that the wet weather dominated race day proceedings at the Autodromo Nazionale in Monza. Race 1 was started, stopped, and then cancelled due to heavy rainfall while race 2 took place after a delayed start, although riders only completed eight of the planned sixteen laps. Althea’s Checa closed in seventh position, followed across the line by team-mate Giugliano in eighth place; all riders took half points for their efforts.

At last season’s Donington round on the other hand, Carlos scored his best Superbike result at that track thus far, with a third place finish in race 1 and a win in race 2, where he crossed the line 3.3 seconds ahead of Melandri, second. Davide has not had any recent experience of the Donington track as in recent years the Superstock 1000 category has not raced there. He last raced here in 2008, in the Superstock 1000 category, reaching the podium in third position.

After four rounds of the 2012 championship, Carlos has already accumulated three wins and a third place finish, earning himself second position in the rider’s classification with 95.5 points right behind Biaggi, who holds 97.5. Giugliano is still tenth with 41 points. Ducati leads the manufacturer’s championship with 140.5 points to Aprilia’s 108.

Carlos Checa: “After the strange situation at Monza, we are hoping for a more ‘normal’ race weekend at Donington, and two full-length races! Last year went really well for me at the English track, after some less positive results in earlier years, and so I hope that this season’s Donington round will be my best yet. Competition will be tough, with several strong British riders fighting to win at home, but I too am ready for battle!”

Checa’s Superbike form at Donington:

• 2011: Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – winner
• 2010: n/a
• 2009: Race 1 – 11th, Race 2 – DNF 
• 2008: Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 9th

Davide Giugliano: “I like the track, or at least I remember that I liked it back in 2008, the last time I raced there! It will be interesting to go back and see how it is in 2012. In the Stock I reached the podium but I know it won’t be easy this weekend, especially with the whole British contingent. I feel confident anyway, and we hope to at least have more stable weather conditions in order to be able to race in a regular fashion.”

CIRCUIT DATA

Country: UK

Name: Donington Park

Length of circuit: 4.023km

Pole Position: left

Length of straight: 550m

Race distance: 23 laps = 92.529km

LAP RECORDS:

Best lap – Checa (Ducati) 1’28.988 (2011). Superpole – Checa (Ducati) 1’28.009 (2011).

2011 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Melandri (Yamaha); 2. Smrz (Ducati); 3. Checa (Ducati) Race 2 – 1. Checa (Ducati); 2. Melandri (Yamaha); 3. Camier (Aprilia)

Source: Althea Racing

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The hird round of the

Source: Ducati Corse

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A strong, steady rain prompted organizers to cancel today’s scheduled post-race MotoGP test in Portugal. The test will be made up at a later date. The Ducati Team’s next test with Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, the first of three to be held at Mugello, will take place May 22-24, after the Le Mans Grand Prix.

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Although the

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Pole, Podium and Victory for Ducati’s 1199 Panigale in Racing Debut

Ducati 1199 Panigale Superstock Racer

Today’s World Superbike races at the Monza racetrack were entirely shaped by bad weather. The first race was cancelled due to rain and the second cut short when rain started to fall mid-race. 

Althea Racing’s Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano finished the shortened second (8-lap) race in seventh and eighth position respectively.

Race 1 – In very changeable conditions (sunshine but a damp track) the Superbikes took to the grid, ready for Race 1. After only three laps it started to rain and the race was quickly stopped with a red flag. The riders returned to the grid half an hour later expecting a re-start but with a track that was dry in sections and completely wet in others, Race Direction took the decision to cancel the race for safety reasons.

Race 2 – unfortunately the second race was equally complicated. The start was delayed but then, seeing that the conditions had improved but only slightly, Race Direction decided to start the race anyway, giving each rider the choice as to whether to race or not. Almost all riders started without problems and after two laps Checa was in sixth place, followed by Giugliano in eighth. Finding a good rhythm, the Althea pair continued to lap in seventh (Carlos) and eighth (Davide) place, chasing the six four-cylinder machines ahead of them.

On the eighth lap rain started to fall and a red flag once again put an end to proceedings. As only 50% of the planned laps were actually completed, riders were awarded half points. At the end of the fourth event, Checa is still in second position in the general standings with 95.5 points right behind Biaggi with 97.5. Giugliano is still tenth with 41 points. Ducati leads the manufacturer’s championship with 140.5 points to Aprilia’s 108.

Carlos Checa: “In Race 1 most of the riders stated that it was too dangerous to re-start in the mixed conditions that we had at that moment. While some parts of the track were drying, other sections were very wet and so riding with slicks would have been impossible, while it wasn’t wet enough for the rain tyres. Then, when it started to rain hard, I was ready to race in ‘full wet’ conditions but Race Direction decided to cancel it. I helped Biaggi back to the box when his bike stopped. We’re rivals yes, but not enemies! I would have done the same for any rider who asked. Race 2 was brief but I’m pleased with the outcome as far as the points are concerned because we were able to limit the damage as we had hoped to.”

 

Davide Giugliano: “It’s been a long day. The shortened second race went quite well for me in that I made quite a good start, started to gain confidence with the track and the mixed conditions and was able to stick with the group ahead of me. Of course I had hoped to do more here this weekend but the very changeable conditions didn’t allow it. I agreed with Race Direction’s decision, we had to at least try and race – we did that in race 2, at least until the heavy rain arrived. Anyway, we take some points for the championship and start to prepare for Donington.”

 

Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing: “It was a really strange day, conditioned by problems and indecision on the part of the organisers. I think that everyone involved took too long in their decision making and what resulted was one shortened race which was something or nothing really. Recent accidents have perhaps made the riders more wary in these kinds of conditions and I agree with them, though of course it doesn’t make for great racing for the spectators.”

The delayed start to the second race was disastrous for first time pole sitter Sylvain Guintoli.  His Effenbert Liberty Ducati cut out during the third warm-up lap of the second race and he couldn’t get back to the grid.  The race had been set to start but after two warm-up laps, some riders raised there hands on the grid and a further delay was instigated.  Effenbert Liberty were livid:

“The clear impression is that the WSBK has endured one of its worst days, disrespect for the public, for those who, like Team Effenbert, invests and for sports in general. It is unacceptable that the fundamental decisions of the day are been taken with such a superficiality not even worthy of a single brand championship of scooters. At the end it is clear that the WSBK is in the hands of a little number of team and riders.”

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