From a press release issued by Ducati Corse Press Information:

Mugello, 27-28 August 2002

POSITIVE TWO-DAY DUCATI CORSE TEST AT MUGELLO FOR THE DESMOSEDICI PROTOTYPE AND THE NEW 999 SUPERBIKE

Ducati Corse has concluded another two-day test session at the Mugello Circuit in Tuscany with the Ducati Desmosedici prototype. Yesterday test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi completed 36 laps in perfect weather conditions, continuing the new bike’s shakedown tests. This morning the Italian did a few laps on a damp track, which was also useful to verify the bike’s behaviour in all conditions. The track then gradually dried out and today’s testing programme was concluded, with Guareschi completing a total of 48 laps.

“Every time I went out my feeling with the new bike improved” declared Guareschi. “Even in the wet the Desmosedici is easy to ride and we are very satisfied. The bike is improving all the time and I can’t wait to get back on it again to see the progress we have made over the past few days”.

“We are making good progress with the Desmosedici prototype” commented Corrado Cecchinelli, Ducati Corse Track Technical Director, “and we are satisfied with the way the bike is behaving. In particular we are concentrating on the chassis, verifying different swing-arms, aerodynamics and general set-up. The guys back in the factory have done an excellent job and all the indications we received one month ago, when we tested for the first time at Mugello, have been put to good use. Considering that there has been a month’s holiday in between, that’s not a bad result”.

Australian rider Steve Martin also continued track testing with the new Ducati 999 Superbike. The shakedown tests are going according to plan and the heir to the legendary 998 is giving considerable satisfaction to the Borgo Panigale engineers.

Ernesto Marinelli, responsible for the development of the Superbike project, declared: “We are already at a good level of development with the 999 Superbike. The new chassis has confirmed the positive impressions from the road bike and the new 999 handles better than this year’s bike”.

Testing of the two new bikes will continue in Italy in the next few weeks and will then move on to Spain in October.