Capirossi had been an integral part of Ducati’s MotoGP project from its 2003 debut, and made an immediate impact by leading the factory’s very first race (at Suzuka) on his way to third place. A historic first victory for the team at round six (Catalunya) made Capirossi the only non-Honda rider to win that season, when he also claimed five other podiums to end the year as the top non-RCV rider in fourth.
Capirossi and Troy Bayliss both remained with Ducati for 2004, but the team suffered a tough second season in which the GP4 struggled to keep pace with the leading Yamahas and Hondas. Loris salvaged one third place finish on his way to ninth in the championship.
A switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres during the winter resulted in some tough early 2005 rounds for Ducati, but - once the Japanese rubber was understood - the move paid dividends with back-to-back wins for Capirossi at Japan and Malaysia (plus three pole positions in a row) before internal injuries during a practice accident at Phillip Island brought his run of form to a sudden end. The #65 returned for the season finale and finished sixth in the championship standings.
Capirossi and Ducati came out firing in 2006 with pole and victory in the Jerez season opener, and was back on top of the world championship standings after finishing second in his home Italian Grand Prix, round six of 17.
However, disaster struck next time out when he and team-mate Sete Gibernau collided on the entry to turn one at Catalunya - hospitalising them both. Capirossi bravely tried to race on at the following rounds, but lost substantial points and it took five rounds before he returned to the podium, with his second victory of the year at Brno.
The unpredictable nature of the 2006 season, meant Capirossi’s continued to have a slim fighting chance of the title - until he struggled to seventh in the rain at Phillip Island, round 14 of 17. Nevertheless, Capirossi underlined what might have been worldchampion - had he not been injured - by winning one further race and finishing the season third in the championship.
Ducati used the switch to 800cc racing for 2007 to gain a performance advantage over its Japanese rivals, but the Desmosedici GP7 proved difficult for all but new factory signing Casey Stoner to exploit. The young Australian charged to ten victories and Ducati’s first world title, while Capirossi claimed only one win, in the wet/dry Japanese Grand Prix, and finished seventh in the points.