Ducati confirm quit threat

WSBK StandingsDucati will walk away from the World Superbike Championship next year unless series bosses make sweeping rule changes to allow 1200cc V-twin bikes to race.

The Italian manufacturer, the most successful team in the history of the championship, currently races the 1000cc 999 model in the championship for world champion Troy Bayliss and Lorenzo Lanzi, but no longer produces the bike for road use.

And their race chief Claudio Domenicali claims that a refusal by rulemakers the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) to allow their new 1098 bike, which uses an 1198cc V-twin engine to race, will see them make an immediate exit from the sport.

“There is no way we can continue racing in Superbikes with the 1000cc V-twin engine we currently use, Domenicali told MCN.

“It is not in the spirit of Superbike racing because we no longer produce a road-going 1000cc V-twin sports bike – only bigger capacities.

“It cannot be made any simpler. We will withdraw from the championship if the rules are not changed.”

The superbike formula was devised in 1987 with the idea being that teams would run race versions of road bikes, meaning that while Moto GP is the two-wheeled version of Formula One, Superbikes is far more like touring cars.

The concept of ‘race on Sunday, sell on Monday, may be an American one, but Domenicali believes it is still extremely valid now.

He added: “The whole point of Superbikes is to race what you sell, and this is not the case any more. We always knew 2007 would be an interim year – we have been racing the 999 when we do not sell the machine any more. This cannot continue.”

Ducati have told rulemakers the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) that the rule changes must be made official in just six weeks in order to give them time to prepare for next season.

Ducati's WSBK achievements dwarf everyone else's, with 12 rider's titles and 254 wins in 20 years.

EuroSport