Ducati and AMG get cosy

Rumours concerning a major car company sponsoring the Ducati MotoGP team in 2011 circulating over the past few weeks have been confirmed, with Ducati and AMG now officialy in bed together.

With the attention that Valentino Rossi can attract, it's not surprising the Ducati MotoGP team found a premium brand to help fund its tilt at the championship, though exactly what the deal is worth is not known. Probably 'lots'.

AMG, which is the official high-performance tuning house for Mercedes-Benz, used the L.A. motor show to announce the partnership, which saw a Ducati Diavel, Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG and Nicky Hayden fronting the press. Rossi is currently recovering from shoulder surgery in Italy and couldn't attend.

There was speculation that Fiat would jump ship to Ducati to retain ties with Rossi, but that seems to have been poo-pooed by this new move.

The usual sponsorship deals will ensue, with Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi expected to appear at various AMG drive days and new car launches, and when quizzed on the new sponsorship, Nicky Hayden said: "Well, if this is my company bike and this is my company car, I'd say I'm doing pretty well."

Ducati CEO Gabriele del Torchio also chimed in, highlighting the motorsport connection of the two companies: "In AMG we have found a partner who perfectly reflects our brand values of high performance, motorsport, excitement and our sense of unmistakable style and design."

Could we see a limited edition Ducati motorcycle emerge from this alliance? Expect the Ducati AMG Diavel special edition to hit the streets in 2011, powered by AMG's 6.2-litre V8 and equipped with night vision and 11 airbags...

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