The bike was unveiled during an official presentation at
Jerez. Bayliss was absent from the event as he continues to recuperate from a fractured collarbone - but the Australian will return to the track at the next test session, to be held at Qatar on February 12.
Italian Fabrizio, who has joined Ducati from DFX Honda, was present in Jerez and took to the track on both his 1098 F08 race bike and the road-legal 1098 R on which it is based.
Ducati claims that 'never before has a Ducati Superbike been so similar to the road version, with its production engine having very few modifications made to it, the changes limited essentially to the pistons, camshafts and transmission'.
"I didn't expect to be so emotional seeing the new livery of my bike and my suit for the first time here in Jerez," he admitted. " This event, in which the 1098 R was presented to the press, has helped me to see just how effectively Ducati transfers its racing know-how to the production of its road bikes and how, in this way, bike enthusiasts are able to have high-performance machines that are as unique as these. The season is about to get under way and I am highly motivated. I can't wait to start the championship with this fantastic bike."
Filippo Preziosi, director general of Ducati Corse, has followed the evolution of this bike from the start.
"2008 is a very important year for Ducati as it sees the debut of the 1098 F08 race bike in the World Superbike championship, a bike derived from the impressive 1098 R that has already become a technological point of reference with regard to production sport bikes," he said.
"This season Ducati Corse lines up the official Ducati Xerox Team and provides extensive technical support to the satellite teams, confident that great results will be achieved thanks also to the level of expertise of all its riders.
"A warm welcome to our new partners that will support us this season and particular thanks to all the sponsors who have renewed their faith in the project, especially Xerox and Shell," he added.
