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Ducati Corse Press Information
Monday 23 October 2000
Ducati Corse wishes to announce that its official riders for the 2001 World Superbike Championship will be Troy Bayliss, Ruben Xaus and Ben Bostrom. Three Ducati official bikes will therefore line up on the grid for next season.
In addition to Troy Bayliss, who has already been confirmed, Ruben Xaus and Ben Bostrom will form part of the Bologna manufacturer\'s WSBK factory team for next year.
All three riders will use the brand-new Ducati 996 Factory 2001, the racing version of the 996R which was recently presented at the Munich International Bike Show, which is powered by a 998cc \'Narrow Head\' engine.
Troy Bayliss and Ruben Xaus have already had a chance to get to grips with the considerable power of the new bike after carrying out development tests on the new bike behind closed doors in view of next season.
Australia\'s Troy Bayliss has been the revelation of the 2000 season. He became a full-time component of the World Superbike Championship when the season had already begun, as replacement for Carl Fogarty, who was injured at Phillip Island.
Bayliss, who has already won two WSBK races and has proved to be a rider who is always capable of being up at the front, will surely be one of the favourites for the title next year.
Ben Bostrom, who began his WSBK learning curve as part of the factory team but who then continued in the Ducati NCR satellite squad, is confirmed for another season on the Ducati 996 Factory. In his second season with Ducati, the talented young American will be able to put to good use all the experience accumulated this season during which he has scored some excellent results.
Spanish rider Ruben Xaus makes his WSBK debut in what will prove to be an important career move. This year, he has taken part in the World Supersport Championship, but due to his riding style and determination it is clear that Xaus\'s place lies with larger-cylinder Superbike machinery.
Xaus is highly rated by Carl Fogarty, who sees in him a rider of the future, especially due to his similar riding style, and is now ready to make the big leap forward in Superbike.
These three talented riders will spearhead Ducati\'s 2001 WSBK attack with the latest version of the all-conquering 996 Factory bike. All three will be called upon to win the Riders\' title and confirm Ducati\'s success in recent years with another victory in the Constructors\'championship.
My two bob\'s worth. Nice to see the Ducati Factory reinstate Ben Bostrom to the seat on which he belongs, and they did it without having to say we\'re sorry - we cocked up. It was just a learning curve Ben, and no mention of Juan Borja either.
Ben Bostrom deserves his reinstatement totally not only for his riding ability but for his professionalism towards Ducati when he was dumped to the 2nd string team.
He never said a word against Ducati or those responsible when he could well have and let\'s face it most other riders would have had plenty to say if it had happened to them. Ben, however just shifted gears up a notch and let his riding show the Factory where he belonged. It can\'t have been easy to bite his tongue and keep a stiff upper lip. He is American after all, and they usually have plenty to say when they have been wronged.
Well done Ben - you have the makings of a champion and you could well have the bike to do it on.
