Ducati's new MotoGP toy

There are no changes to the rider line-up, with Italian Loris Capirossi and Australian Troy Bayliss continuing their contracts for the new season. They're backed up by Italian development rider Vittoriano Guareschi.

With Valentino Rossi switching to Yamaha, and Honda being left with Max Biaggi as the lead rider, this year could turn out to be a far more even struggle than 2003. Even last year - the Ducati's debut season - provided a few surprises, with the Italian bike scoring a win and several podium places.

Here's what Ducati has to say about the bike...

The Desmosedici project capitalized on Ducati Corse's four-stroke competition experience in years of World Superbike success. Guided by the knowledge that lap times are the only sure-fire sign of competitiveness, Ducati Corse engineers organized the project right from the start with the aim of creating a prototype that combined their experience with the new possibilities offered by the MotoGP regulations.

The data acquired by the Ducati MotoGP Team during the 2003 season in 16 GPs and over 30 days of testing carried out by Capirossi and Bayliss, and the development team with Vittoriano Guareschi (more than 30,000 kms last year), have enabled the engineers to better understand the areas where improvements can be made for the 2004 version.

 Many changes have been carried out. More than 60 per cent of the 915 individual components that make up the new bike are totally different and cannot be interchanged with the previous version.

"The experience we gained in 2003 was fundamental for the creation of the GP4," explains Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse Technical Director. "With the aim of improving the bike"s overall performance and rider comfort, we intervened in various areas of the chassis and the engine. The result is a major evolution of last year's bike.

"The project is very young and it is natural that in this phase, the changes will make the GP4 considerably different to the GP3, albeit remaining faithful to the basic philosophy."

"All the technical partners with whom we are in contact on a daily basis have contributed in a decisive way to the development of the Desmosedici and the increase in performance," comments Filippo Preziosi. "To mention just two, Shell Advance, together with whom we develop lubricants capable of improving the performance and reliability of our engine, and Michelin, with whom, amongst other things, we are developing 16.5-inch front tyres, which have been used successfully for many years by Ducati Corse in Superbike."

Main changes

Engine: The engine has a new combustion chamber and a number of changes have been made to reduce internal attrition. Further changes have also been made to reduce weight. The result is more power (now in excess of 230 hp at 16,500 rpm, an increase of around 10 hp and 500 rpm on the 2003 version).

Exhaust system: The exhaust system is produced in titanium by Termignoni and has been completely redesigned. It sports two two-into-one pipes, with the vertical cylinder head arrangement terminating under the tail unit, like last year and in the best Ducati tradition. The horizontal cylinder arrangement terminates on the right of the bodywork. The new exhaust lay-out has enabled the fuel tank to be modified and, furthermore, has been designed to improve power delivery.

Airbox: The airbox is larger than the previous version, thus contributing to an increase in power and a difference in the torque curve.

Electronics: Magneti Marelli electronic hardware is the same as 2003 but new software has been developed.

Frame: Tubular steel frame, typical of all Ducati production. The 2004 version is different in the engine mountings, making it easier to assemble and remove the engine itself. The dimensions are the same as the 2003 version.

Front fork: The front fork maintains the stiffness of the latest 2003 version, but uses 42mm instead of 50mm forks, which enables weight to be saved.

Swing-arm: In pressed aluminium, this has been completely redesigned and is lighter than the previous version while retaining the same stiffness.

Bodywork: Outwardly similar to the previous version, the bodywork has been completely redesigned in order to improve cooling while maintaining the bike's excellent aerodynamic characteristics. It is also made up of four components instead of two in order to improve access for the mechanics.

Fuel tank: This extends under the seat to improve centralization of the masses. It sports an indentation in the front part, which contains the main electrical components. This modification has also been made to centralize the masses.

Front mudguard: A new larger front mudguard improves the aerodynamics and increases airflow towards the radiator.

That's it for moment. Don't be surprised if you see a flash of red at the pointy end of the MotoGP field this season...