DesmoSport Ducati press release:

The all-new DesmoSport Ducati Racing team will take to Phillip Island International Raceway today for the opening round of the 2016 WorldSBK with leading Australian tool supplier Apex Tools onboard.

The DesmoSport Ducati team, managed by three-time Superbike World Champion Troy Bayliss, will field defending Australian Superbike Champion Mike Jones as a wildcard in the season opener on a WorldSBK-specification Panigale.

Apex Tool Group’s GearWrench brand has partnered with the DesmoSport Ducati team for the 2016 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK). Troy Bayliss welcomed GearWrench to the team and said he was excited to have company onboard for the 2016 season.

“GrearWrench is a prominent brand in motorsport and we are really excited to have them onboard with DesmoSport Ducati for 2016,” Bayliss said.

“We join an elite stable which includes Triple Eight Race Engineering and look forward to working with GearWrench to create some unique consumer opportunities over the coming year.”

With the ASBK season opener coinciding with the WorldSBK curtain- raiser this weekend, it will make for a hectic debut for the new team, a challenge Bayliss acknowledged his new team was well prepared for.

“This has all happened really fast and a lot of hard work has gone into getting us here this weekend,” Bayliss continued. “I want to give huge thanks to all our partners for their support.

“The team is ready and Mike has been doing a fantastic job in testing so I can’t wait to see what we can do on track.”

Apex Tool Group, Managing Director, Grant Davey said he was thrilled to partner GearWrench with DesmoSport Ducati in 2016.

“With Troy Bayliss managing this new team we are really excited to be involved,” Davey said. “Champions breed success and GearWrench is used by a number of championship winning teams across all forms of motorsport.

“We’re proud to be supporting the team with our range of GearWrench Mechanics tools – where Innovation, Speed and Access are key to winning performance. “It is great for our brand to enter into Superbikes and we wish the team great success in 2016,” he continued.

The DesmoSport Ducati team will be on track today for practice for both the WorldSBK and Australian Superbike Championship.