I’m still riding the Ducati 848 so keep checking back this year for more Ducati updates. Happy New Year!!

Here are the results:

HP (SAE) 110.7
Torque (SAE) 59.8

The technician who ran the dyno said it was the highest numbers he has seen for a purely stock 848.

Tonight’s meetup was the first of 2009.

Pix are below.

Check it out here.

Click on the picture below to see photos taken by photographer Jason Tanaka:

“As always it’s a pleasure to be here at Madonna di Campiglio for Wrooom 2009”, said Domenicali, before briefly assessing the 2008 season for Ducati Marlboro Team. “Last season was certainly exciting, with some great moments for us and others that were obviously difficult. When you look at the numbers we won six races, set pole position on nine occasions and set the fastest lap in eight races. If it wasn’t for probably the best Valentino ever, coming back from two difficult seasons and rediscovering the strength to have an exceptional season, those numbers would have surely added up to a successful defence of the world title. When you consider these excellent results and the fact that Casey (Stoner) is still only 23 years old, with plenty of potential to improve even more, once the disappointment is out of the way we can’t be anything but satisfied with 2008 and confident about the season to come. For 2009 we have many new things, starting with the bike: the GP9 is characterised by a major change in the chassis, with the switch from the traditional Ducati steel trellis chassis with a carbon fibre frame that brings the upper part of the engine up to the level of the steering column. It is a change we have thought about and tested for a long time, firstly with Vittoriano (Guareschi), who is always our first point of reference. He gave his approval to the new system and then the official riders tested it at Barcelona. We won the MotoGP World Championship with the trellis frame so it clearly a very effective design but we have been looking to take another step forward that can help us overcome some of the problems we’ve had, specifically with the MotoGP bike. Amongst the other updates on the GP9 one of the most relevant is an evolution of the engine management system, with a new combination of airbox and mapping that should provide a flatter power curve and improve rideability, as well as improving outright power, which currently remains more or less the same as last year. Another new thing for 2009 is the arrival of Nicky (Hayden) to the team. He has been very amenable from the start and he is a rider who perfectly fits in with our motto of never giving up. We think he’s the ideal team-mate for Casey and I’m sure they can develop a positive team spirit. He has started out with the right attitude because he had a tough first day at Valencia, more difficult than we had imagined, but he ended the December test just a couple of hundredths of a second off the third fastest lap time and that is very satisfying.”

Domenicali then discussed the global financial crisis, which is also hitting MotoGP, answering a host of questions from the floor.

“It is definitely a situation we have to face up to right now but I would like to take a slightly different view of it, because whilst it is true that companies are having to face up to changes, with reducing sales of cars or bikes, on the other hand motorcycle racing, like so many other sports, is well loved, it has so many fans all over the world and it will find a way to move forward. We are considering a variety of proposals, together with the other constructors, the organisers and the Federation with this objective in mind; for example modifying the rules on the durability of the engines, which produce one of the biggest costs in MotoGP. The objective of extending engine durability is a matter for 2010 because it involves modifications that include the redesigning of internal components and that takes a certain amount of time. For this season we are looking at taking a step towards it by reducing the length of each practice session. Ducati also has to face up to this difficult situation but we have the support of solid partners: starting with our multi-year agreement with our title sponsor Marlboro, as well as Shell and Telecom. We have also renewed important contracts with Enel and Riello. There are also lots of other companies who promote their products through motorcycle racing with the Ducati Marlboro Team such as Alfa Romeo, Gatorade and Puma. Of course these are tough times but there are still plenty of ways to make sure that the MotoGP World Championship remains a leading promotional vehicle.”

Wrooom, which also features events dedicated to Scuderia Ferrari, concludes on Friday 16th January.

There were plenty of talking points for the media, who have flocked from all corners of the globe, not least in seeing an American rider in the Italian factory’s Grand Prix uniform for the very first time.

“On Sunday I tried on my Ducati leathers for the first time in an official photo session and I felt very proud,” said the former World Champion from Owensboro, Kentucky. “I know what a huge opportunity I’ve been given and I’m very grateful to Ducati, Marlboro and everybody who has shown faith in me in this new chapter of my career. I was immediately struck by the dedication and passion that the team is famous for and by how hard everybody is trying to make me feel comfortable in these new surroundings, as they have done helping me adapt to the bike and get the most out of it. So far everything has gone really well. Obviously I need to get faster in order to be truly competitive but I already love the bike. I can’t say it’s easy to ride, it gets pretty loose on corner exit sometimes but the engine is powerful and that is important, especially in a race situation. The chassis is nice and stiff so you get plenty of feedback and I like the feeling with the front, which is really stable in the fast corners. So far we have only had two test sessions at Valencia and Jerez, which are tight and twisty tracks, and I think that at places like Malaysia and Qatar it will be even better. I’m happy to be working with Casey – we’ve known each other for a few years now, you could say we’ve got similar backgrounds having not come up through European competition and having started out racing in dirt-track. We’re both competitive and we’re going to want to beat one another but we’ll also work together to make a strong team. As far as my expectations for the season are concerned, I still have a lot of faith in myself and in what I’m capable of. The first objective is to get back to the same level I was at in 2006, challenging consistently for the podium and trying to start winning races again.”

“I’m reasonably happy”, answered Stoner when questioned about the recovery of his left wrist, which was operated on late last year. “I would like to have a little more movement but the check-up went well yesterday, the bone graft has healed well and that is very positive. It means I can start to work my hand and arm a little harder now and start to recover some muscle mass and get in the best possible shape for the next test. So far I’ve only ridden the GP9 twice, at Barcelona during the season and for a day at Valencia in November. It wasn’t much but it was enough to understand that we’re not a long way off and that the new chassis is an improvement. We need to work on improving the set-up and refining a couple of areas on the bike. Last year we were perhaps a little too confident and overlooked some of the work we needed to do, leading to a few highs and lows at the start of the season that end up costing us dear. In any case, despite a breakdown and two crashes we still won six races and finished second in the championship, which means we can look forward to next year really positively. I’m really happy with the addition of Nicky to the team. He has always been kind to me, even when I was racing in the smaller classes, and I think we can work well together. The communication between us is great and I think we can work together on fixing certain situations and getting the most out of the GP9 so that we can both be competitive. From my side I also plan to be a little more aggressive this season and maybe be a bit more decisive in races where nobody seems to want to take the initiative.”

The event programme continues tomorrow with a press conference with Claudio Domenicali and the official unveiling of the new Desmosedici GP9.