From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM TO RACE WITH BRIDGESTONE

Bologna (Italy), 15 November 2004: The Ducati Marlboro Team has agreed with Bridgestone, one of the world’s largest tyre-producing companies, to take part in the 2005 MotoGP World Championship.

The excellent results obtained by the Japanese tyre manufacturer in just three years of participation in MotoGP, culminating in two race wins during the 2004 championship, and the opportunity to differentiate from Ducati’s chief rivals in such a fundamental component as tyre supply were the underlying reasons behind this choice.

“We are very satisfied to have reached an agreement with Bridgestone” declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO. “Like us, the Japanese company has been present in MotoGP for not many seasons, but it has already proved that it is capable of producing successful tyres, while simultaneously demonstrating a notable capacity for development. For our part, we ended the 2004 season on an upward trend and we are convinced that the collaboration with Bridgestone will represent a further step forward in our attempt to gain a competitive advantage in a championship that is becoming increasingly demanding and exciting”.

The Ducati Marlboro Team will appear with Bridgestone in the next tests at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, from 23-25 November, and will continue development work with the new tyres the following week, November 29-30, at Valencia.

“I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Michelin, and in particular Pierre Dupasquier and Nicolas Goubert, for the support they have given us in many years of collaboration” concluded Domenicali. “Together with Michelin, we won 8 World Superbike Riders’ titles and made our debut in MotoGP last year, winning our first race and finishing on the podium ten times. The relationship has been excellent both on a technical and personal level. A big thanks also for allowing us to start to work with our new partner from the next test onwards. This is a truly sporting gesture that is much appreciated and it shows that the rapport between our two companies continues to be excellent”.