With the release of the 1098, Ducati created a stir not only with road riders, but also in the racing world, specifically the
Superbike World Championship. In an attempt to level the playing field, WSBK regulations provide for concessions to motorcycles depending on the number of cylinders in their engine design. The fewer the cylinders, the more concessions, and with its two-cylinder V-twin design Ducati was able to capitalize on many of these concessions. Ducati argued that the current engine was at the end of its design life (which surrendered as much as 20 hp to the competition in 2007, its last year in WSBK) and that it would be too expensive to keep the 999 competitive. The 2007 WSBK rules limited V-twin engines to 1000 cc, so Ducati effectively did not have a guarantee that the 1098 was eligible for entry in the premier class. Before releasing the 1098, Ducati lobbied the
FIM to update the WSBK rules to accommodate its new bike, threatening to withdraw from WSBK competition if the rules weren't changed. Other manufacturers were not happy about racing a bike with a larger engine, especially when that bike belonged to Ducati, which has historically dominated WSBK competition, and Suzuki even threatened to withdraw if the rules
were changed. Ducati prevailed when, in June 2007, the FIM announced that the engine capacity limit would increase to 1200 cc for . However, this increase in displacement was not afforded without concessions on the part of Ducati. With the new 1200 cc maximum displacement for two-cylinders granted, the extra engine modifications allowed two-cylinder machines were surrendered. Engine modification rules for two-cylinder and four-cylinder machines are now parallel. Rules for three-cylinder machines remain as before. Ducati won the 2008 and 2011
Superbike World Championship with its 1098RS, a derivative of the 1098R (Bayliss on a 1098RS and Checa on a 1198RS). The 1098RS and the 1198RS were purpose built racing versions of the 1098R. In addition to the two World Superbike Championships it also won the 2008
British Superbike Championship. The RS Version was not intended nor legal for road use and was never made available for sale to the general public. It featured a number of high performance items; more aggressive camshafts, high compression pistons, a larger capacity fuel tank that extended under the seat, steering damper remounted ahead of the larger fuel tank, a large capacity and pressurized radiator, a servo motor in the injection system, a longer and more stiff swingarm, a flat rocker arm for the rear suspension that allowed for utilization of the full range of travel, adjustable triple clamps for variations in rake and trail, a massively upgraded electronics package for throttle response, power delivery, traction and wheelie control, weather settings and other high performance upgrades. Ducati have won 17 World Championships since the Superbike World Championship was established in 1988.
Xavier Siméon won the
2009 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup season.
Michael Rutter won the
Macau Grand Prix in 2011. ==Remodelled for 2009==