Data Center Aruba IT1 was the setting for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati launch this morning in Italy, as Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri unveiled the colours they will be battling with for the 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.

Sticking with the traditional red on the Ducati Panigale R bikes, the duo were on hand to show off their liveries in front of the media as well as Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall’igna, sporting director Paolo Ciabatti and SBK project leader Ernesto Marinelli. The team have made their goals of the upcoming 2017 quite clear; to win the World Superbike Championship.

Following a stunning end to the 2016 season, Welsh rider Chaz Davies won seven out of the final eight races and shows no signs of slowing down following an impressive winter testing regime. Davies is keen to get the season underway:  “The start of a new season is always an exciting moment. We are ready to start from scratch, even though we hope to maintain the form we had in the final part of last season. During the winter I realized that nothing stays still in this sport, we are all anxious to improve and redefine our own limits. Aruba.it and Ducati are giving everything to improve the bikes we have at our disposal, and every day we make another step towards our aim, but the best is yet to come.”

Returning Italian Marco Melandri is not just there to make up the numbers, and is keen to get the season underway with hope he can be up and fighting for podiums and wins; with 19 WorldSBK victories already to his name. He explained: “I’m really excited about this opportunity. My feeling with the Panigale R and the team has been great ever since the start, and lap after lap we have discovered our potential, getting closer and closer to the leaders. It’s difficult to make any forecasts because the SBK championship is more competitive than ever, but I can’t wait for the lights to change at Phillip Island to have that feeling of adrenaline again that only racing can give you. It’s not going to be easy to beat our rivals, but we’ll do everything possible to be ready on time, after which…anything is possible.”

One top of the WorldSBK team, the Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team were able to uncover their 2017 colours as Michael Rinaldi and Mike Jones get prepared for what is set to be an ever-competitive European Superstock 1000 season.