The young Italian, a long time Honda favourite, will thus ride alongside double world champion
Troy Bayliss during the new 1200cc Ducati's first WSBK season.
"I am really happy!" declared Michel, a DFX Honda rider for the past two seasons. "I hope I will give a good impression of myself within the team and I also hope I can enter the hearts of all the Ducatisti throughout the world. The decision came about while I was on holiday in August. I received a telephone call from Davide Tardozzi, who said there was a possibility of racing for Ducati, and that was a great satisfaction for me. It's a big commitment, we will have the new bike and I'm going to have to work really hard. I know we have 12 days of testing available and I've got to make the most of them, because I immediately have to get to know the new bike and start to gel with my new team. My first appearance will for sure be after October 30th, when my contract with Honda comes to an end, so that means in the scheduled tests in November. My team-mate Troy Bayliss is the only thing that I'm not worried about because Troy is a great person and a great rider, so I think I can learn a lot from him. I can't wait to start this new adventure!"
Fabrizio first caught Honda's attention with some impressive performances for the underfunded WCM
MotoGP team during 2004, prompting him to be placed within the Megabike Honda WSS outfit. Although he failed to win a WSS race, Fabrizio was promoted to WSBK with DFX in 2006 and has since claimed four podiums for the privateer team.
Fabrizio's Honda links also allowed two wild-card MotoGP appearances with Gresini Honda - the first of which ended in injury at
Donington Park 2006 and the second, at Sachsenring earlier this year, resulted in a tenth place finish. The soon to be 23-year-old has signed a one year contract with Ducati.
