More highlights from Wroom below, including the first videos from the official rider press conferences with Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden:

Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden ready to return to action with the Ducati GP12

The Ducati Team riders were the stars of the first day of Wrooom 2012 at Madonna di Campiglio, with Nicky Hayden first to “take to the track” and answer questions from the international press in attendance. The American, who is recovering well enough from his injured left scapula that he has already removed his sling, then passed the baton to a pleased Valentino Rossi, who is motivated to get back in the saddle and start winter testing in just over two weeks.

“I’m much better,” confirmed Nicky Hayden, “so I’ve been able to remove the sling right on schedule. Here at Madonna di Campiglio, I’m starting to do a little training on a stationary bicycle under the supervision of the team physiotherapist, with the goal of being ready for the Sepang test (31 January – 2 February) as strong as possible. I can’t wait to ride the GP12, because it will be my first time ever. I wasn’t able to try it in the post-race test at Valencia, and I definitely won’t miss the next chance. I never made any secret that I prefer the new displacement to the 800s, although I think things will be much different than in 2006, beginning with the tyres, and the electronics have also come a long way. We’ll have more power, and we’ll have to find the right balance between controlling it while still taking as much advantage of it as we can. I’ve stayed in contact with Filippo (Preziosi) and the guys in the Ducati Corse department over the winter, and I know they’ve worked really hard. We’ll have a lot of things to try at Sepang. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m also confident that we can start to reduce the gap between now and the first race at Qatar. I believe in Ducati, this project and Filippo, and I want to get back on my Ducati as soon as possible.”

“We’re starting with a different spirit,” Valentino Rossi began with a smile. “When I came to Wrooom, I was still healing from my shoulder operation, and after that, the season didn’t go at all like we’d hoped. For this year, Filippo (Preziosi) designed a different bike, and they’ve made a big effort at Ducati to have it in time for the start of the winter tests. I visited the factory and saw it on a computer, and it’s beautiful. We’re not expecting it to be immediately perfect at Sepang, but rather to understand if we’ve worked in the proper direction. We’re very realistic, and our goal is to reduce the gap to our competition, step by step, working in a logical way, and from there to be able to refine the details in order to be competitive and to try and win. One of the most important things for going fast is to make the tyres work as they’re able to, so together with Filippo, we’ve tried to come up with a bike that will let them perform as well as possible. We’ll see if we’ve managed it. I like working with Ducati. I feel good here because there’s a nice atmosphere and we all have faith.”

Wrooom continues tomorrow with the press conference for Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse General Manager, who will go into detail on the bike’s development and the technical program that will allow the Desmosedici GP12 to confront the new MotoGP season as well as possible.

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The first official videos are starting to emerge from the official Ducati Wrooom event being held at the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort.

The Wrooom event is where Ducati officially launch their MotoGP season with interviews with the riders, the team, as well as showing off their new machinery – however, there is one conspicious absence this year – the GP12.

Ducati have opted not to take the 2012 MotoGP bike with them this year, and will instead roll it out at the first official test at the end of this month.

Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi have both started being quizzed by the press, with most of the attention focusing on Rossi’s expectations for 2012 and beyond. This is the final year of Rossi’s contract with Ducati, and he stated that although he was only focused on starting the season and bringing success to Ducati, he did see himself staying in MotoGP for possibly one more two year contract.

Some choice quotes from Valentino Rossi at the Wrooom Event:

On 2012 title aspirations:
“The championship is difficult because the gap in 2011 was quite big. Our target is to fix problems step by step, and try to come closer to Yamaha and Honda. And from that moment, start to fix all the details, to be competitive for the victory. I do not want to say from the start that I cannot fight for the championship, but I have to be realistic. In the end there was 1.5 seconds we have to recover, and our target is to get close to the others and be able to race with them and fight with them. This is our goal.”

On the 2012 Ducati GP12 bike:
“I think that the first test will be important, and for sure the bike will be different compared to last year. It is impossible to be competitive from the first test, but I think we will have some good information to work with, and be ready for the first race. Last year was a lot worse because from the first test we understood that the season will be very tough and difficult. “After three laps we understood we could not win the first race, but now the situation is better – because I am fit. We know we need time, but we work well together – and it is a dream to try and win the first race. But in reality, we are a bit too far off – but maybe the new bike is a miracle.”

On Honda:
“Honda has really set the bar high, and hopefully we are closer there than we were in Valencia. But sitting up here – talk is cheap. I can say this and that about how we are going to be right there, but until we get there and roll out of the garage. I am confident we will be closer. We have some idea – but there is no need to make any predictions here in January. And even then it doesn’t matter until we get to Qatar. I hope we will be much closer, and it will tell us more where the 1000s are against the 800s. But I believe in Ducati, I believe in this project, Filippo and everyone involved.”

“I think that in 2011, Honda decided they wanted to win and they put on the table an amount of money that others did not have. It came out with a bike that was really incredible, so this technology will go on with 1000cc. But I hope Yamaha will be more competitive and I hope so for us, to have a more balanced championship. That is our desire.”

On his future:
“The scenario is that during the season everything will become interesting, because all riders have their contracts expiring, so cards can be shuffled,”

“Honestly I don’t know. I would like to be able to make Ducati go fast and be able to win something, and then perhaps even stop – to race for a few more years and achieve some good results this is perhaps my goal but there are many other possibilities, but not now. I would like to at least do another contract so would like to sign at least another two-year contract. I think we are going to be speaking about the contract during the season, because we have to organise ourselves for 2013,” he said. “I do not want to do it too soon because when you risk losing concentration on the championship as it is underway, but we will try and plan my future.”

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Hector Barbera is in trouble – and that’s even before he’s got on a Pramac Ducati.

The Spanish rider was stopped by police at the weekend for erratic driving and was given a breathalyzer test. Barbera failed the test and was fined, he also had 3 points deducted from his license.

Hector Barbera swiftly issued the following press release:

“On Friday night I celebrated one last family Christmas dinner, also attended by several friends, with whom we later left by car for Valencia. I was traveling as a passenger in a Vauxhall Astra with a friend, who was stopped for a breathalyzer test and he exceeded the limit allowed by law. It was he, not I, who tested at 0.60.

“In that situation, because I had only had a drink of alcohol, the police suggested I take the car and I took the test and resulted 0.32 and 0.28 in a period of 20 minutes.

“I would have been irresponsible to drive, but having only drunk one glass I wasn’t feeling intoxicated. I’d like to apologize to my team, my sponsors and MotoGP fans for what happened. As a rider I should set an example and I can guarantee that this will never happen again.”

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Just before jetting off to the annual five-day Wrooom Press Ski Meeting at the Madonna di Campiglio resort, Valentino Rossi found time to stop at Belfast to open his new shoe shop.

Not really, this picture was tweeted by @Mick_GFX and we’d though we’d share it, as it is a world away from the exclusive 5 star ski-resort that Rossi and the rest of the Ducati team are currently in.

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Moto2 champion, Stefan Bradl, has confirmed that he will make the move to MotoGP in 2012 with the LCR Honda team.

Bradl has signed a 2 year contract with LCR Honda, which will see him replace Toni Elias.

Stefan Bradl said:
“This is simply fantastic like a dream that comes true!” said Brad. “When I tested the RC212V in Valencia I realised that the LCR team is very professional and well organised so I am sure they will do their best to support me: making my debut in the premier class aboard the RC213V is great and I can not wait to get back on track.”

Lucio Cecchinello, Team Manager said:
“Next year will be very important for the MotoGP; starting from next April the championship will be rich of new technical rules and participants. Together with Honda we have considered several riders and Stefan was one of our candidates. After the test in Valencia we were very impressed by his potential and his determination: Stefan is young and fast and he just clinched the Moto2 World Title so we believe we can grow together with the Team in the next two years. He already knew the technical staff and today I am happy to give him our warmest welcome in the LCR Team!”

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