Italian manufacturer Ducati unveiled new livery of its 2017 MotoGP contender, the Desmosedici GP17 in Bologna, Italy on Friday. Triple world champion and new rider of the team, Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso have pulled the wraps off their Desmosedici GP17 bikes.
Also read: Valentino Rossi, Maverick Vinales unveil new Movistar Yamaha YZR-M1 livery
The new livery features Ducati's signature White and Red colours. Ducati Corse head Gigi Dall'Igna made clear the final version of the 2017 bike will be unveiled close to the Grand Prix of Qatar on March 26. Ducati Corse is also tightlipped regarding the specification of the new bikes. For the 2017 season, officials of MotoGP have banned all wing-related technology and this is expected to pose a challenge for the Italian team.
Lorenzo has taken the biggest risk of his racing career by switching to Ducati from Yamaha, where he won 44 races during nine seasons. The 29-year-old Spaniard signed up for Ducati after nine-year stay in the Yamaha camp. He replaced Andrea Iannone in Ducati team who headed to Team Suzuki at the end of 2016 season.
Ducati has opted to keep Andrea Dovizioso, winner of the 2016 Malaysian GP for 2017. The 30-year-old Italian joined Ducati in 2013 and this is his fifth season with the team. Dovizioso impressed last season and he has ended a five-and-a-half year winless run of Ducati in 2016 with a victory in the Austrian Grand Prix.
Ducati has not won a world title since 2007 after Casey Stoner beat Rossi to the championship. Stoner is now back in the Ducati team as test rider along with Michele Pirro. The duo will carry out more development work of the Desmosedici GP17 at the Malaysian circuit from January 25-27.
Ducati's team introduction for 2017 comes a day after main rival Movistar Yamaha unveiled new YZR-M1 along with its riders, Valentino Rossi and new recruit Maverick Vinales. Japanese marquee revealed a revised livery for its new YZR-M1 at Telefonica's headquarters in Madrid on Thursday.
