Bologna (Italy), Wednesday 19 September 2007: Troy Bayliss tested Ducati’s 2008 World Superbike challenger, the 1098 F08, for the first time yesterday and today at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome. Although two-time WSBK champion Bayliss had done a couple of demo laps during the 2007 edition of World Ducati Week at Misano in July, this was the first time that the 38-year-old Australian has ridden the bike in anger. The testing program saw Troy Bayliss share the riding duties on the new F08 machine with Ducati Corse test-rider and the Ducati Xerox Junior Team’s Superstock rider, Niccolò Canepa. The F08 has already been put through a series of shakedown tests by the young Italian in the last few months, but it is still at an early development stage and the riders were not aiming to set any quick times. “This is the first time I’ve tested the bike and I’m trying to get as comfortable on it as possible” declared Troy. “I feel that we’re already close to the performance of the 999 and with the data we picked up here and the indications given to the engineers, I’m sure we can improve the times set on the old bike at the next tests. I’m pretty sure the bike will be competitive soon. A big thanks also to Niccolò for all the testing work he’s done on the bike.” The Vallelunga circuit on the outskirts of the Italian capital, as well as being one of the Ducati Xerox Team’s two selected test-tracks this year, will be the venue for the penultimate round of the World Superbike Championship in ten days’ time.