Podium for the Ducati MotoGP at the end of an exciting season....

PODIUM FOR THE DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM AT THE END OF A RACE
EXCITING SEASON

The riders of the Ducati Marlboro Team Loris Capirossi e Troy bayliss
they finished their successful debut season with Ducati Marlboro
Team in third and sixth place respectively at the Valencia Grand Prix,
crowded with more than 120.000 spectators. At the end of the season
debut in Moto GP, where Ducati had been absent for more than three decades,
the Italian team took second place in the constructors' classification,
third in the team ranking, while Capirossi and Bayliss have
finished in fourth and sixth place in the championship drivers' standings. These
the achievements of the debut season: one victory plus eight times on
podium, three poles and 14 starts from the front row. Plus the Ducati Desmosedici
it was absolutely the fastest bike, touching speed
record of 332kmh (Italian GP – Mugello).

“With today's match we close a great season'”. –
declared the director of the Ducati Marlboro Team Livio Suppo, Racing Consultant -
“I thank everyone who contributed to realizing our project,
from the riders to the team, our company and all technical partners, such as Shell
Advance and Michelin. Never had a mechanical failure during the year
It is also testament to the great work done by our engineers and Shell.
Loris had a great race today and Troy had to grit his teeth afterwards
the accident on Friday”.

The technical director of the Ducati Marlboro Team Conrad Cecchinelli si
he declared himself equally satisfied: “It's been a year since
ends better than we could have expected, ending among other things
with a podium on a track that doesn't favor us. Everyone worked very hard
in this season. It hasn't always been easy to find the right balance
among the improvements to be made for the next race and, at the same time, concentrate
about the future. We preferred to focus on long-term development, for sure
this will allow us to face next season even better.
We will do some tests here in Valencia in the next few days and we plan to do the first
testing with the 2004 development bike at Sepang in February”

Loris Capirossi achieved his sixth podium of the season today in Valencia.
He immediately took first place and then maintained third position until the end of the race
competition. There was no better way for Loris to celebrate his 200th
GP and the excellent debut season with Ducati, also winning the
first victory in Moto GP for the Italian manufacturer.

“I'm really very happy” – said a beaming man Capirossi,
who during his career in 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and Moto GP has conquered
81 podiums – “It's a fantastic result that closes our season
great debut. Finishing on the podium is very important because
gives us the right motivation for next season. I thank you very much
Marlboro who believed in us, I thank Ducati so much for what
did. Furthermore, I am happy to have celebrated my 200 GP with a podium.
It was a good race, I started very well and gave my all
initial laps, when they passed me I saw from the wall that the others were turning
around 1'33”., but I didn't want to risk it and I stuck with it
my pace was 1'34., I knew I could keep the gap up
Biaggi and I never feared losing the position. I'm really happy with
be an official Ducati rider. ”

Ducati Marlboro Team rider Troy Bayliss concluded his race
today in seventh place, a result that sees him finish the championship in sixth position
in the drivers' standings just two points from fifth which would have meant
winning the title of "best rookie driver of the year".
The Australian driver had to fight to gain positions after being
started from the third row and after the aftermath of the accident during practice
on Fridays.

“I am satisfied with today's result” – he commented Bayliss
–“I'm happy to have finished the race after Phillip's crash
Island and the one in Friday's practice. During the race I had some
set-up problems which caused abnormal wear of the rear tyre.
The sixth place finish satisfies me even if I only missed fifth place by two points
location is not nice. It's been a great year, and I can't wait
to test next year's bike. Also I would like to thank all those
who supported us during the season, from the team to Ducati and everyone
our partners”