Pramac Ducati Launch – MotoGP 2016
Pramac Racing celebrates its 15th anniversary in MotoGp and presents Octo Pramac Yakhnich
Pramac celebrates 15 years at the MotoGP starting line. The celebration took place at Pramac’s headquarters in Casole d’Elsa, Siena, where it all began in 2002. After having experienced Formula One, Pramac turned towards the two-wheeled world and entrusted the rider Tetsuya Harada with the Honda NSR 500.
The first major success for the team came in 2003 when Makoto Tamada won third place at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the following season brought Pramac Racing and Bridgestone to the highest spot on the podium of the historic Japanese GP.
In 2005, Pramac Racing signed an agreement with Ducati, and in 2007 Alex Barros won third place at Mugello.
The hero of the 2008 season was Toni Elias, who won two consecutive podiums, the first at Brno (second place) then at Misano (third place).
Last season, Danilo Petrucci was chosen to substitute Andrea Iannone, Pramac MotoGP Ambassador, who was called from the house of Borgo Panigale after a great season with Octo Pramac Racing. Petrucci was the rider who brought the Pramac Racing team to the podium by winning second place at the Octo British Silverstone GP.
During the celebratory event hosted by the well-known Sandro Donato Grosso from Sky, the new liveries for Octo Pramac Yakhnich’s two Ducati Desmosedici GP’s were presented. They received positive results during the last tests of 2015 performed at the Jerez circuit and Danilo Petrucci and Scott Redding will be racing with them starting at the beginning of February with the Sepang test.
Several riders took to the Octo Pramac Yakhnich stage after Paolo Campinoti’s opening remarks, which retraced 15 years of Pramac’s MotoGP history. In an entertaining video, riders recounted the team’s history: from Alex Barros to Toni Elias, from Max Biaggi to Loris Capirossi and to Andrea Iannone, Pramac’s MotoGP ambassador, and surprise guest Carmelo Ezpeleta, who wished Paolo Campinoti and the team good luck in the upcoming 2016 season.
Paolo Campinoti (CEO Pramac and Principal of Pramac Racing Team)
“It is a special day for all of us. We are about to start the 15th Pramac Racing MotoGP season and to celebrate we have returned to the place where it all began. In 2002, the presentation of the first team was held here and we are proud to be at Pramac once again to reaffirm, if there was ever a need, the strong bond between our company and the Team.
“We are coming from a season rich with accomplishments, the highlight being the podium won by Petrux at Silverstone. But Pramac is ambitious. The company is ambitious and the team should be as well. Therefore, we are looking forward to doing even better in 2016 with Danilo and the newest team member, Scott Redding, in whom we have great trust.
“Once again, we will also have OCTO by our side, who enthusiastically joined us for the 2015 season and celebrated our fantastic victory at the podium of the OCTO British GP. We would like to welcome Yakhnich, and thank all of our partners who continue to put their trust in us. We consider them friends before sponsors.
“We are prepared to do our best this upcoming season, a season which I hope – and I am certain – will be exciting thanks to the Desmosedici GP, which Danilo and Scott already feel at home on. Pramac Racing is part of the Ducati family and 2016 marks the 12th consecutive season of this relationship which began in 2005, and which I hope will be stronger and more rewarding.
Francesco Guidotti (Team Manager Octo Pramac Yakhnich)
“This is an evening charged with emotion for me. To celebrate 15 years of Pramac Racing after already experiencing 5 years is a really wonderful feeling. I have lived a third of Pramac Racing history. We are coming from a season filled with accomplishments.
“Thanks to Danilo, the team reached the podium for the first time since 2008, but our goal is to do even better. The only person who cannot do better is the person who wins. Technical regulations have shuffled the cards, so we are talking about an important breakthrough.
“We have to work hard for this. But we are starting with great enthusiasm because a great challenge lies ahead of us. How much we can improve is difficult to say. Last year we bet on Danilo and we were right. This year we are betting on Scott and relaunching Danilo. It will be a season with many new opportunities, but we are ready to face new challenges and we can’t wait to get on the racetrack and battle it out.”
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich #9)
“I am very pleased to be here, and be a part of the Pramac family for the second year in a row. I am especially happy because I have found a close-knit group that has not changed. The great relationship I have with Daniele Romagnoli and all of the guys on the team reinforces the trust between us. I can’t wait to begin because there is so much to do, especially in light of the new regulations. I have a great desire to do better.
“The tests went very well, especially at Jerez where we made great strides forward compared to Valencia. I would like to thank the sports group Fiamme Oro, and those who have spent these last months with me: my trainer Marco Baglioni and my friends Tommaso and Filippo, with who spent I spent a great week in Sardegna. This retreat recharged me and gave me strength. And then I would like to thank my family. I am ready to do my best for my fans and supporters. Rest assured, I will give my all!”
Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing #45)
“I am very excited. I got a fantastic feeling riding the moto during the first round of tests at Valencia. I immediately felt comfortable on the Ducati and it was a great sensation. I have to say that when I entered the box and met my new team in Valencia, the atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming. The guys welcomed me and I felt a desire to do my best. I feel that they have high expectations for me, but at the same time they do not put pressure on me.
“During the tests, my conversations with Giacomo Guidotti and the crew went perfectly, we immediately clicked. And then, as I said, the bike is insane. The weather wasn’t excellent in Valencia, but the main goal was to work. And, in fact, at Jerez we did an amazing job. I would like to thank Pramac and Ducati for choosing me and I can promise all of my fans and fans of the team that I will do everything I can to accomplish great things in 2016.”
Fabio Sbianchi (Ceo Octo Telematics, title sponsor 2016 di Octo Pramac Yakhnich)
“Our partnership with Octo Pramac Racing Team represents the ideal platform to demonstrate the qualities Octo possesses: competence, passion and innovative technology united in a global vision. These are the values that drive success, as Danilo Petrucci demonstrated on the podium at the Octo British Grand Prix. We will do everything we can, because this year will be filled with opportunities and accomplishments.”
Alexander Yakhnich (President of Yakhnich Motorsport)
“Yakhnich Motorsport is proud to introduce a new partnership together with Russian Motorcycle Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation and presents a unique Russian-Italian project aiming for the further development of motorsport in Russia.
“The “Octo Pramac Yakhnich” cooperation is not limited to the sports theme. It is also associated with the implementation of innovative investment projects in Russia. Pramac and Ducati with Yakhnich Motorsport and its partners, is the joint work on the overall result, which we are sure will be expressed in the coming victories!”
Niccolò Gasparin (Executive Vice President Reserve & Mobility Power Solutions di FIAMM SpA)
“It is an honor for FIAMM to reaffirm its partnership with the Octo Pramac Racing Team for the MotoGP 2016 season. From a results point of view, the great work achieved by the team over the last few years has been rewarding. The “queen” class of the world championship this year promises to be even more exciting and for FIAMM to be beside Octo Pramac Racing Team and Ducati for this new adventure represents a source of pride and an opportunity to present Italy as a champion of innovation to the world.”
