Helmet, leathers and gloves, fatigue and stress: the Gatorade Sports Science
Institute to investigate correct rider hydration by means of the sweat test.
Ducati Corse has chosen Gatorade to be its official sports drink. PepsiCo
Beverages Italia has announced that an accord has been reached linking the
Italian team to the sports drink until the end of 2007.
Gatorade will take to the track with the red Italian machines in the MotoGP
and World Superbike Championships, supporting the riders during the races,
helping them to re-hydrate in a correct way and to maintain concentration
and energy at the required levels. In addition Gatorade will be available
for the mechanics in the pit garages and all the guests in the team
hospitality areas at circuits around the world. The company's world-famous
logo will be visible on the water-bottles used by the factory riders, on the
starting-grid and at the finish of the races.
"We are really satisfied with this partnership, which will also be
associated with a series of important initiatives" declared Dario Bassetti,
Marketing Director of PepsiCo Italia. "We wanted to tie our name with Ducati
because with Gatorade it shares essence and values, such as the taste for
competition and a desire to always exceed its own limits".
"I believe that the decision of a company of the calibre of PepsiCo to
invest in motorcycling, in a year that offers numerous other prestigious
sporting events, is an important sign for our entire sector" declared
Alessandro Cicognani, Ducati Corse Marketing Director. "The decision to do
so together with Ducati makes us very proud and we are sure that Gatorade
will provide us with the energy required for a season at the very top!"
Gatorade will make available for riders and medical staff the experience of
the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), the international body
specialized in sports nutrition and hydration. The accord also envisages
that the Ducati riders will take part in the GSSI sweat test, which
identifies the ideal hydration level of each individual sportsman, thus
helping to improve performance. By means of this test, the GSSI aims to
accumulate important information on the specific requirements of bike
racers.
"Motorbike racing is a sport that requires the utmost concentration and
energy. It also requires non-stop work to obtain successful results. For
this reason we believe that Gatorade, thanks to its special formula, will be
an important ally for the riders, helping to guarantee their re-hydration
and to combat the onset of tiredness" explained Nicola Sponsiello, the
Gatorade Sports Science Institute's spokesperson for Italy.
