Ducati denies bike revamp for Valentino Rossi

Ducati will not radically revamp its 2011 factory MotoGP contender for the arrival of Italian icon Valentino Rossi.

The GP11 will only feature minor modifications to the current bike ridden by Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden, according to Ducati management.

Ducati will not commit huge new investment to build a special new bike for Rossi with the GP11 having a shelf life of just one season. 

MotoGP will switch to a 1000cc capacity format in 2011 and Ducati is reluctant to spend heavily on its final 800cc Desmosedici.

Factory team chief Vittoriano Guareschi said: “The GP11 won’t be a big difference compared to this year’s bike. We might have to change some points but this bike is not bad. Now Ducati has a big job to build the 2012 bike.

“This bike hasn’t finished its development but you can’t build a new bike. This bike is very easy to ride and it is the first time the riders outside of the factory team are fast.”

Rossi’s move to Ducati is expected to be confirmed after next month’s Czech Republic MotoGP clash in Brno.