This Friday is looking to be full of videos and teasers, as Ducati has its own announcement that will be coming forthwith on Wednesday next week. Enlisting the help of three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, the Australian motorcycle racer teased on YouTube today that he’s seen some interesting things at the Ducati factory, with promises of more to be revealed on the company’s video channel in the coming days. What those interesting things could be however is up for speculation.
Troy Bayliss may not be making a comeback to World Superbike racing, but he showed he still has what it takes to out-pace the current Xerox Ducati factory squad during testing at Misano. Bayliss showed strong riding at the Mugello test a few weeks ago, but at Misano he was half a second faster than Fabrizio, and nearly a full second ahead of Noriyuki Haga’s best time.
Troy Bayliss has dashed the hopes of Ducatisti around the world by denying any intention of coming back to World Superbike racing. After rumors were rife last month that we could see the Australian rider make a wild card entry this year, Bayliss has said in a press conference at Misano that he is still in retirement, and plans to stay that way indefinitely.
Nearly two years after the Australian threw in the towel on motorcycle racing, Troy Bayliss has found a way to return to motorcycling headlines by his rumored intention to re-enter the World Superbike racing series. After recently testing for Ducati at Mugello (Bayliss is still on the Italian payroll as a test rider), Troy made it clear that he missed racing, and would like to return to the sport. While many sites are pegging a 2011 season for the Australian rider, we could see him as a wild card entry as early as Misano…if Bayliss goes through on his desires to race again.
Along with updating the Ducati 1098R’s nomenclature to the 1198 naming that’s being used with the base and “S” model, Ducati has also released two special edition motorcycles that will use the new 1198R designation. The first new model is the same Troy Bayliss replica that was available last year (sans a new gas tank), but Ducati has also released the 2010 Ducati 1198R Corse Special Edition. Photos and more after the jump.