MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi was officially presented as a Ducati rider on Tuesday ಌat the Wrooom Pressꦯ Ski Meeting in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy.

Now free from his Yamaha contract, Rossi was able to wear full Ducati Marlboro colours and talk publically about the Desmosedici motorcycle, with which he will try to become the first rider in hi♕story to win premier-class titles for three different manufactur꧒ers.

"The Ducati is a real prototype,🐟 very different from the Japanese motorcycles that I know," said Rossi, speaking at a press conference. "It has to be ridden in a more 'dirty' way.

"We'll have to meet each other halfw🐓ay: make the bike like I like, and as for me, adapt my riding style a little to try and make the most of tꦉhe bike."

The seven time MotoGP champion was just 15th fastest on his Ducati debu💦t, in plain black, during testing at Valencia in Novembe𒁃r - after which he underwent surgery on the shoulder injury he had carried since falling from a motocross bike in April.

Rossiꦜ warned that he is unlikely🀅 to regain full strength in the shoulder until this April.

That means Rossi won't be able to make the most of the three pre-season tests, stಞarting at Sepang on February 1 - and still won't be at full strength for his Ducati race debut at Qatar on March 20.

"Honestly, I had hoped to be a little better by this time," he said "but instead, it's going to be quite a race to have decent fitness in time for theꦡ first test.

"My recovery is exactly on schedule, but it's long: we're working hard to at least recover🎃 mobility in my shoulder, which I'll need to ride the bike well and to be able to fit behind the windscreen.

"I won't be able to be in top form for the first te꧃st in Malaysia, because it will be impossible to regain full strength, but I hope to be able to have a good seating position. The doctors assured me that the shoulder will return to 100% in a few months.

"Obviously, it would've been better to be in shape now, because🎐 we've got a lot of work to do and not much time to do it: three tests before the championship to make the Desmosedici not only very fast - it already is - but also a little easier to ride.

"It will be an emotional cꦛhallenge; it will be difficult, but I'm happy becau𝓡se there's a lot of extra motivation. They're very excited at Ducati; they believe in me, and we'll do our best!"

Rossi won the 500cc/MotoGP title in 2001 (Honda𒐪), 2002 (Honda), 2003 (Honda), 2004 (Yamaha), 2005 (Yamaha), 2008 (Yamaha) and 20🎉09 (Yamaha).

His 2010 title hopes ended when he ꦇbroke his leg during practice for round four, in Italy, whilst trailing team-mate and eventual champion Jorge Lorenzo in the points.

After missing four races, Rossi returned to take one final Yamaha victory aꦕnd finished third in the championship.

Ducati has won the MotoGP title once, with C🎉asey Stoner in 2007. Stoner has taken all but one of Ducati's 24 race wins since th🎃e start of the 800cc era in 2007.

Wednesday at Wrooo𝕴m will see the official unveiling of the Ducati GP11.