Ducati today unveiled the design of the four stoke engine they will
use to power their bid for MotoGP honours in 2003. The
four-cylinder 989cc 'L-shaped' engine has been baptised
'Desmosedici Twinpulse' (16-valve Desmo) and has a simultaneous
firing order in cylinders of the same bank and desmodromic timing.
Testing will begin on the dyno within the next three months, with
track tests set to get underway in July.
'After analysing all the possibilities offered by the regulations
and on the basis of computer simulations, we are convinced that a
massive power output is required to be competitive in MotoGP,'
explained Ducati Corse Managing Director Claudio Domenicali. 'It
would have been difficult to obtain this power with conventional
twin-cylinder engines, which amongst other things are only given a
10 kg weight advantage over 4 and 5 cylinder engines in the
regulations.'
'In the preliminary study phase, we considered a twin-cylinder oval
piston engine to be an excellent layout for the new regulations,
but further analysis led us to decide that the best solution was a
'double twin' and therefore we designed an engine with four round
pistons which, thanks to a simultaneous two-by-two firing order,
reproduce the working cycle of a twin. This will generate the 'big
bang' effect, making the rear tyre work in a way that extends its
duration and improves rider feeling when exiting curves.'
Domenicali added: 'The Desmosedici engine will have a relatively
short development period and reasonable costs and it will then be
easily available also for external teams, since it is Ducati
Corse's intention to become a point of reference for private teams
in MotoGP, as already it is in World Superbike.'
Another characteristic of the Desmosedici ? designed by a team
headed by Ducati Corse Technical Director Filippo Preziosi ? is
that it uses a desmodromic valve timing system, an exclusive
characteristic of all Ducati engines for many years. The Italian
factory plan to take part in the 2003 MotoGP World Championship
from the first round with a factory team made up of two
riders.
Seem like it will be a bery power engine......
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