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DUCATI 2012 DEBUTS

Ducatiwasscheduledto launchits 2012MotoGPWorldChampionship campaignat the Madonnadi Campiglio SkiResortin Italyas AA wentto press, alongsideFerrari'sFormulaOneteam. BothValentinoRossiandNickyHayden wereto beintroducedto the presson Tuesday,January 10.

PETRONAS PULLS OUT

Malaysianoil andpetroleumgiant Petronashaspartedwayswith Yamaha'sfactoryMotoGPteam,ruling out anypossiblefutureas the team's naming-rightsponsor.It wasinitially expectedthat Petronaswasin lineto replaceformertitle sponsorFiatwhen it joinedtheteamin 2009,however Yamaharemainswithouta sponsorin motorcycling'spremierclass.

JEREZ STAKES CLAIM ON CALENDAR

Jerezhasbeenlockedintothe 2012 MotoGPWorldChampionshipcalendar, remainingthe homeof the Spanish GrandPrixfor now.Withthe circuit experiencingfinancialdifficulties, Dornawill nowcontinuenegotiations to ensurethe GPremainsat Jerez throughto the 2016season.

AUSSIE SUPERBIKES SET

Australia'sleadingSuperbiketeams havebeenconfirmedfor this season, with BMWre-signingcurrentchampion GlennAllertonto the Hepburn Motorsportsteam.Hondawill retain bothWayneMaxwellandJamieStauffer, whileJoshWaterswill remainat Suzuki despitea numberof promisingWSBK rideslast season.TroyHerfosswill headto Germanywith BMW.

REED TAKES RUNNER-UP

ChadReedhascommencedhis 2012 MonsterEnergyAMASupercross campaign - an FIMWorldChampionship series - witha solidsecond-place finish at Anaheim'seasonopenerin California.Despitea fall, Reedwas runner-upbehinddefendingchampion RyanVillopoto,whileRyanDungey handedKTMits first everpodiumwith a hard-foughtthird place.

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