Bologna welcomes Ducati riders

A crowd of over 38,000 people came to Bologna's Piazza Maggiore on Friday night for a special "Ducati night" to wish Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden and the team luck for the forthcoming MotoGP season.

"We'll do everything we can to finish at the front and do a good job," said Rossi, who will ride for Ducati for the first time in his career this season. "Thanks for the great support; the bikes that you make here are beautiful. Please keep doing a good job, and we'll try to do the same on the track."

Hayden added: "It's really special to be here. I've worked for other companies, but Ducati is unique; the bike is special, and the people who work here are special. Now let's hope we can give you the results that you all deserve." Video follows…..