| I'm not 100% sure but I believe the 998F01 and 998F02 were the two first Ducati race bikes with pressurized gas forks.
Contrary to the modern gas charged forks which carry the gas cannister on the caliper side of the fork leg, the early gas charged forks from Öhlins came with the cannister mounted on the forward side of the fork leg (opposite side of the caliper).
The bike in your picture looks to be from 2001 and if so it may have been equipped with the early gas charged forks from Öhlins. | 
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