They ran with a bunch of older, LESS POWERFUL bikes than what are currently available... For instance, the Ducati 1098, and fine bike when it was released way back when...
Why they ignored the newer, faster 1199 Panigale R, with 195HP @ roughly $30,0000, who knows?
Then there’s the super exclusive 1199 Superleggera, which has over 205hp (Ducati isn’t releasing the actual hp rating) and nearly 27 pounds lighter, extensively using magnesium in the monocoque “frame” and wheels, titanium engine components, aluminum swingarm, and carbon fiber pretty much on everything else, than the Panigale R. Ducati is only building 500 of these bikes
If they REALLY want crazy, there’s the Ducati Desmosedici RR. When the MotoGP powers-that-be announced that the 1000cc limit produced bikes just too powerful to safely pilot around the track, and downsized the engine size from 1000cc to 800cc, Ducati had all these spare parts, tooling, and rabid fans who would do ANYTHING to own a street legal MotoGP bike. And that was exactly what Ducati delivered, a slightly detuned MotoGP bike WITH lights, mirrors, and a factory warranty! 200hp, back in 2008! IIRC, the first 2 imported into the USA went to Jay Leno and Tom Cruise, at $72,500!
Mark