Ever since its 2003 MotoGP debut, Ducati has watched Valentino Rossi take home Italian GP honours - can Casey Stoner or Marco Melandri topple The Doctor this weekend?

Ducati may have already clinched motorcycling's ultimate prize, the MotoGP World Championship, but even Casey Stoner dominant 2007 season couldn't yield a home Italian Grand Prix victory for the Bologna-based factory.

Stoner did take Ducati's first home pole position though, only to see his chance to claim another piece of Ducati history come undone with a fourth place finish in the race.

Despite winning the 2008 Qatar season opener, it's been a tough season for Stoner - who arrives at Mugello fourth in the standings, fresh from first ever non-score as a Ducati rider and, on paper, with significantly less chance of victory than one year ago.

But as Valentino Rossi has proven for the past two years, problems prior to Mugello can be made to count for little around the picturesque high-speed circuit - which Stoner names as one of favourites.

"Whenever anybody asks me which is my favourite track, other than my home track of Phillip Island, Mugello immediately springs to mind," said Casey, who suffered an engine failed last time out at Le Mans. "It is a true racetrack - fast, technical and demanding because it requires a precise line otherwise you can lose a lot of time.

"Last year we missed the podium by a little bit but the race was still important because we learnt some things about the bike that helped us be competitive at the races that followed.

"This year we arrive on the back of a tough race, where we had a problem that prevented us from scoring a podium, but on the whole it was a positive weekend because we had a fast and consistent pace going during practice.

"Hopefully we can manage to be just as fast at Mugello but have a good race too - for the fans, who always create such a special atmosphere in Italy, but mainly for everybody at Ducati and the guys in the team, who are working so hard and deserve a top result," he added.

While Stoner's season has been tougher than expected, team-mate Marco Melandri could surely never have imagined that his first five races on a factory Desmosedici would yield a best of twelfth on the grid and just one top ten finish.

None of Melandri's previous 19 MotoGP podiums were claimed at Mugello, but the Italian heads to his home race aiming to feed off the atmosphere.

"I don't think there are many tracks in the world that are as beautiful as Mugello and I'm sure the majority of riders would agree with me," he said. "It's not just about the atmosphere and the fans, even though it is exciting to feel their presence and to see the grandstands packed out - as I'm sure the Ducati one will be. The track is enjoyable but demanding at the same time, with a long straight that isn't perfectly straight!

"That makes it difficult, then you have a mixture of slow and fast corners, with fast changes of direction - you know when you are on a good lap. You have to be quick through the chicane and make sure you have good feeling with the front in order to be fast and aggressive. It is a circuit the Ducati technicians know well and where I hope we can have the chance to have a good race. I'd really like to do well in front of my home fans," he confirmed.

Mugello is located less than 90 kilometres from Ducati's headquarters in Borgo Panigale and 3,000 of the factory's fans will again gather in the Ducati grandstand at the Correntaio corner for qualifying and the race.

"Our home race at Mugello is upon us. It is always a very important occasion that traditionally brings together the Ducatisti and, as always, it will be a great party," said Gabriele del Torchio, CEO Ducati Motor Holding. "We're expecting to have a Ducati grandstand that is even redder and more passionate than ever! We will be supporting our riders and we will show that the spirit that drives Ducati Corse is the same as ever - one of fighting without ever giving up, even in times of adversity.

"In my opinion this spirit was perfectly demonstrated by our riders at Le Mans - by Casey pushing his bike back to the pits in an attempt to rejoin the race and Marco, who refused to throw the towel in after a problem at the start and ended up bringing a point home. The championship still has a long way to go and we're just as aware of the strength of our rivals as we are of our own ability to fight for victory," he added.

Ducati's best Mugello result to date is second position, with Loris Capirossi in 2003 and 2006.