Which manufacturer made its MotoGP class debut in 2003?

Ducati made its MotoGP-class debut in 2003.

The debut followed MotoGP’s major technical shift from the old 500cc two-stroke premier class to four-stroke machinery, with the new rules allowing engines up to 990cc. Ducati returned to Grand Prix racing with the Desmosedici GP3, developed by Ducati Corse under engineer Filippo Preziosi.

The factory entered Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss as its riders. Ducati was immediately competitive: Capirossi scored a podium at the season-opening Japanese Grand Prix, took pole position at Jerez, and won the Catalan Grand Prix after only six races.

A common mix-up is confusing Ducati’s MotoGP debut with its long-running Superbike history. Ducati had already achieved major success in the Superbike World Championship, but 2003 was its first season in the modern MotoGP premier class. The manufacturer finished second in the 2003 constructors’ standings.