Rossi dons Ducati colours

Valentino Rossi is now officially a Ducatista following the glitzy launch of the Ducati Corse MotoGP team in the Dolomite mountains in Italy.

The week long launch at the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort is co-hosted by the Ferrari Scuderia F1 racing team, so not only are Nicky Hayden and Rossi on hand, but also a bevy of Ferrari luminaries, including Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.

Basically a week-long party with a few photo opportunities (check out the photo of Rossi on the Diavel), the event's first major reveal was Valentino Rossi strutting around in Ducati gear, and we also get our first look at his racing suit.

What do you think of the new colours? Rossi's favourite colour yellow has been relegated to the legs, gloves and back, with a lot more Ducati red in evidence.

Valentino Rossi also gave his first opinions of the Ducati Desmosedici race bike during one of the press conferences at the event, commenting that the "Ducati is different from all the other bikes, it’s a proper prototype." He also revealed that it is very different to his Asian rides: "...the concept is different from the Japanese factories [build]."

The new 2011 factory Ducati Desmosedici race bike will be unveiled in about 10 hours time, and we'll have full details of this. "You need a bit of a 'dirtier' style to ride the Desmosedici," added Rossi, who was contracted to Yamaha until December 31, 2010.

Rossi also revealed that he still has shoulder pain, and won't be at full strength until roughly April, during second or third race of the season at Jerez or Motegi respectively.

"Honestly, I had hoped to be a little better by this time," said the world's most famous MotoGP rider, "But instead, it’s going to be quite a race to have decent fitness in time for the first test.

"My recovery is exactly on schedule, but it’s long: we’re working hard to at least recover mobility in my shoulder, which I’ll need to ride the bike well and to be able to fit behind the windscreen. I won’t be able to be in top form for the first test in Malaysia, because it will be impossible to regain full strength, but I hope to be able to have a good seating position. The doctors assured me that the shoulder will return to 100% in a few months.

"Obviously, it would’ve been better to be in shape now, because we’ve got a lot of work to do and not much time to do it: three tests before the championship to make the Desmosedici not only very fast — it already is — but also a little easier to ride," said Rossi, hinting at the effort needed to control the Ducati.

"We'll have to meet each other halfway: make the bike like I like, and as for me, adapt my riding style a little to try and make the most of the bike. It will be an emotional challenge; it will be difficult, but I’m happy because there’s a lot of extra motivation. They’re very excited at Ducati; they believe in me, and we’ll do our best," enthused Rossi.

Team mate Nicky Hayden is also sounding very pumped for the 2011 season, and has now ditched Alpinestars for Dainese racing leathers, gloves and boots, to match his Italian comrade. However he has stayed put with Arai helmets.

When the spotlight flicked over to Hayden, he had this to say: "This my third year with Ducati. The start was a little bit difficult, but it’s gotten better and better since I’ve been on this team and on this bike. We’ve grown a lot, the bike has improved, and my relationship with the team has improved.

"We made a big step from the first year to the second, and I’d like to do the same this year. We know we have a good bike. We’ve made a couple of little tweaks for next year by adding some staff and a few engineers to help me. I have a strong team around me. I know being teammates with Rossi won’t be easy, but I really don’t get too caught up in that," revealed the Kentuckian. "I focus on my job, and that’s why I think it’ll work with us.

Nicky Hayden also suggested that things might be more fun with Rossi around:  "I’m looking forward to having Valentino’s information and feedback. He’s been around a long time and has a lot of experience. I think it’ll be fun. I know our team; the motivation is really high, and the excitement with the fans in Italy is high as well. I can’t imagine what the atmosphere will be like when get to Mugello," concluded Hayden with a grin.

Stay tuned for the 2011 Ducati Desmosedici race bike reveal.

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