Ducati Xerox rider Troy Bayliss is the new World Champion SBK 2008.
A few minutes after the last race, we received this interview from Ducati Corse:-A third World Title and in your final year of superbike racing, a dream result?Yes, a dream result for sure.
For several reasons….
for the fact that it’s my third title, in what is my last year of Superbike racing; for the fact that I’ve now won on three different generations of Ducati Superbike; and for the fact that I win for the third time as part of such a fantastic Italian team.
We came so close to tying it up at the last round at Vallelunga but it wasn’t to be, it’s been a rollercoaster ride emotionally speaking and so I’m extremely happy and relieved to have done it this weekend!-And the 1098 wins in its very first year? How was it and how did it compare to your previous race bikes?The 1098 has been a fantastic bike, we’ve had to work a little on the settings throughout the year, but I can say that the bike and I have got on great together.
Sitting on the bike, it’s not at all like the 999, but much closer to the older style Ducati bikes, more similar to the 996 or the 998.
-Was it as easy as it looked to win this year?It may have looked easy but I’ve been up and down in the points, going up to 78 points and then back down to 28, then up to over a hundred, and back down after Vallelunga.
So no, it wasn’t easy, it’s been a lot of hard work and although I’ve had some great races, I also had some little dramas.
It just comes down to the fact that other riders have had more dramas than me I guess!-What has been your favourite race moment this season?High points? Well the double win in Phillip Island , then the double win in Brno was very special too as I hadn’t won there before, and of course to wrap up the championship here in Italy is a real highlight!-And the lowest point?The low point was Salt Lake City.
It was a long way to go to not get the results! I was also frustrated and annoyed with myself for what happened at Vallelunga, I came so close!-Did you have any doubts that you would win? Was anyone a real threat?At the start of the year I was concerned about Max Biaggi, and also Neukirchner, Nori and Carlos but then as the year’s gone on, I’ve just got on with the racing and things have gone our way!-Best memories of racing with Ducati?There are so many great memories that I could never single out just one.
I’ve been with Ducati for 10 years and it’s been a career full of memorable moments.
Winning each of the world titles that I’ve taken with the team were of course special times.
Then the GP race in Valencia in 2006; the first time I won a British Superbike race; taking a British title in 1999; the first time I won a World Superbike race in 2000 in Hockenheim… The list is pretty endless really!-How will you celebrate?I don’t know really, as it’s a very strange feeling to win, knowing that you’ll be finished with the Superbike racing very soon.
I have very mixed-up emotions right now.
-A message for your fans?To the fans, who only see the racer Troy, and maybe don’t know me personally, I take this opportunity to say a huge thank-you for all their support over the years.
Most of the support has come my way thanks to Ducati, from Ducatisti who love the bikes and the heritage, and who have become my fans as a result.
I thank you all for the memories.
-What’s next for the legend that is Troy Bayliss?Well the only certainty for now is that I’ll be moving back to Australia in the next few months, taking the family back home.
Having spent the last 10 years here in Europe and in Monaco, Kim and I have decided that the time is right to take the children home.
Apart from that, there are no concrete plans for the moment.
I will stay involved with Ducati in some way, after our long history it would be impossible to cut myself off from racing completely.
So I’m sure I’ll be showing up at some Ducati events and keeping in touch with everyone.
I’m sure I won’t disappear altogether!